Pre-chamber Gasket Cooling via Flange Through Holes
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing cooling concepts for pre-chamber components in internal combustion engines inadequately cool the gasket, leading to premature failure due to high thermal and mechanical loads, which reduces the seal's lifetime and necessitates frequent replacements.
Innovation Solution
A flange with through holes is integrated on the pre-chamber component, positioned axially away from the gasket, to increase coolant flow velocity and direct coolant flow onto the gasket for enhanced cooling, employing a 'top-down' cooling approach that optimizes heat absorption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the gasket is positioned close to the pre-chamber component tip for compact design, then the overall structure is more compact, but the gasket experiences high thermal and mechanical loads leading to premature failure
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple zones: a first cooling zone for the pre-chamber component body and a second cooling zone for the gasket. This segmentation allows differentiated cooling strategies - the pre-chamber body receives standard cooling while the gasket receives targeted cooling through dedicated cooling channels and impingement flow, resolving the contradiction between compact positioning and thermal management
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the pre-chamber component are assigned different cooling intensities. The gasket area receives enhanced cooling through locally positioned cooling channels and direct impingement flow, while other areas receive appropriate cooling levels. This local quality approach allows the gasket to be positioned compactly while receiving targeted thermal management to prevent premature failure
2Temperature
If coolant flow rate is increased to cool the gasket effectively, then the gasket cooling is improved, but the overall coolant consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Coolant flow is locally concentrated to the gasket region through dedicated cooling channels and impingement flow design. Instead of uniformly increasing coolant flow throughout the entire pre-chamber component, the system directs coolant precisely where needed - to the gasket - achieving effective cooling with minimized overall coolant consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes hydraulic principles by creating a focused impingement flow of coolant onto the gasket surface through strategically positioned cooling channels. This concentrated fluid flow delivers high cooling effectiveness to the gasket region without requiring proportional increases in total coolant volume, optimizing the temperature-flow rate relationship
3Reliability
If the pre-chamber component is cooled excessively to protect the gasket, then the gasket lifetime is extended, but the combustion conditions in the pre-chamber are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is divided into distinct zones: a first cooling zone for the pre-chamber component body that maintains combustion temperatures, and a second cooling zone for the gasket that extends its lifetime. This spatial segmentation allows the pre-chamber to retain heat for optimal combustion while the gasket receives targeted cooling to prevent thermal failure
Solution Approach 2:
Different thermal management strategies are applied to different regions: the pre-chamber body maintains higher temperatures suitable for combustion efficiency, while the gasket receives localized cooling to extend its service life. This local quality approach decouples the temperature requirements of the two components, allowing each to operate in its optimal temperature range
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
This design significantly improves the cooling of the gasket and surrounding areas, extending the seal's lifetime and maintaining optimal combustion conditions by preventing excessive cooling of the pre-chamber component.
Implementation Method 1
coolant flow impinging on the gasket absorbs heat from the gasket in an optimised manner
Implementation Method 2
the coolant flows through the through holes from a side of the flange facing away from the gasket ('top-down cooling') as the through holes direct the coolant flow onto the gasket
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Pre-chamber component for an internal combustion engine (10) comprising a longitudinal axis (X) and a gasket (2) for sealing a coolant jacket (3) disposed around the pre-chamber component (1) against a main combustion chamber (4) of the internal combustion engine (10), which gasket (2) can be braced against a cylinder head (5) of the internal combustion engine (10), wherein a flange (6) is provided on the pre-chamber component (1) which flange (6) is axially distanced from the gasket (2) along the longitudinal axis (X) in a direction away from the main combustion chamber (4) when the pre-chamber component (1) is mounted in the cylinder head (5), wherein there are provided a plurality of through holes (7) through the flange (6) which end in a space between the gasket (2) and the flange (6).