Nitrogen-Enriched Gas Engine Intake for NOx and Combustion Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gas engine systems using EGR to reduce NOx emissions and abnormal combustion require dedicated devices, posing challenges related to space and cost.
Innovation Solution
A gas engine system that supplies nitrogen gas from vaporized liquid nitrogen to the intake path of a reciprocating engine, using cold energy generated during liquefied gas vaporization, to increase nitrogen concentration in the air-fuel mixture, thereby reducing abnormal combustion without the need for EGR.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If EGR is used to reduce NOx emissions and abnormal combustion, then emission control is improved, but device complexity and cost increase due to requiring dedicated blowers or scrubbers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces nitrogen gas, an inert gas, into the intake air to dilute the oxygen concentration in the air-fuel mixture. This creates an inert atmosphere that suppresses combustion reactions, thereby reducing NOx emissions and abnormal combustion without requiring complex EGR systems with blowers or scrubbers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the nitrogen gas component from the liquid air and supplies it separately to the intake path, rather than recirculating the entire exhaust gas mixture. This simplifies the system by eliminating the need for complex EGR equipment while achieving the same emission reduction effect.
2Reliability
If EGR is used to reduce abnormal combustion, then combustion stability is improved, but space requirements increase due to dedicated EGR equipment
Solution Approach 1:
By introducing nitrogen gas to create an inert atmosphere in the combustion chamber, the patent suppresses abnormal combustion and improves combustion stability. This approach eliminates the need for space-consuming EGR equipment such as blowers and scrubbers.
3Quantity of substance
If liquid air production is implemented using cold energy from liquefied gas vaporization, then nitrogen gas supply is achieved, but energy management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the cold energy generated during the vaporization of liquefied gas to produce liquid air and separate nitrogen gas. This self-service approach uses the system's own waste cold energy to generate the required nitrogen gas, eliminating the need for external energy sources or complex energy management systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the waste cold energy from liquefied gas vaporization into a useful resource for producing liquid air and nitrogen gas. This transforms what would otherwise be wasted energy into a beneficial contribution toward achieving the patent's objectives.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Reduces abnormal combustion and NOx emissions by increasing minimum ignition energy and ignition delay, while utilizing cold energy for nitrogen gas production without additional energy consumption.
Implementation Method 1
cold energy generated upon the vaporization of the liquefied gas
Implementation Method 2
cold energy generated upon the vaporization of the liquefied gas
Implementation Method 3
nitrogen gas resulting from vaporization of liquid nitrogen contained in the liquid air
Data Source
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AI summary
A gas engine system (1) according to one embodiment includes: a reciprocating engine that runs on a gas resulting from vaporization of a liquefied gas and to which air is supplied through an intake path; a liquid air producer (5) that produces liquid air using cold energy generated upon the vaporization of the liquefied gas; and a nitrogen gas supply path (71) through which nitrogen gas resulting from vaporization of liquid nitrogen contained in the liquid air is supplied to the intake path. For example, the liquefied gas is liquefied hydrogen.