Pre-Chamber Valve Pressure Control for Engine Load Rejection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Internal combustion engines face challenges in maintaining stable combustion processes and preventing misfires during sudden load rejections, leading to pressure differences between the pre-chamber and intake manifold, which can result in defective ignition and non-compliance with safety standards.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a valve in the pre-chamber feed conduit that can be open-loop or closed-loop controlled to manage pressure differences by diverting pre-chamber fuel flow into a separate volume, such as the intake manifold, or opening to the environment, to quickly adapt pressure conditions and prevent misfires.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the throttle valve is closed to reduce energy input during load rejection, then the rotary speed increase is prevented, but the pressure reduction in the intake manifold cannot be quickly followed by pressure regulation in the pre-chamber gas feed
Solution Approach 1:
A separate pressure regulation line with its own control valve is introduced as an intermediary system between the intake manifold and pre-chamber. This allows independent pressure control in the pre-chamber feed, decoupled from the main intake manifold pressure changes, enabling rapid pressure equalization without being constrained by the slower response of the main throttle system.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressure regulation system is segmented into two independent pathways: the main intake manifold path with the throttle valve, and a separate pre-chamber feed path with its own control valve. This segmentation allows each subsystem to operate independently with optimized response characteristics, enabling the pre-chamber pressure to be regulated separately and more quickly than the main manifold pressure.
2Speed
If a separate pressure regulation line is introduced, then pressure equalization speed is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit for the pre-chamber feed valve is integrated with the existing engine control unit, allowing it to perform multiple functions: regulating pre-chamber pressure during load rejections, controlling pre-chamber fuel injection, and coordinating with the main throttle system. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated control hardware, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
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 solution reduces the likelihood of misfires and deflagrations, improves closed-loop control of engine speed during load rejections, and ensures safer operation by rapidly matching pressure conditions in the pre-chamber and main combustion chamber.
Implementation Method 1
reducing a pressure difference between a pre-chamber gas feed and the at least one main combustion chamber
Data Source
AI summary
An internal combustion engine including a pre-chamber connected to a pre-chamber feed conduit for supplying the pre-chamber with a fuel (F), and a main combustion chamber. Fuel (F) in the main combustion chamber can be ignited by an ignition flare which passes from the at least one pre-chamber into the at least one main combustion chamber and which is produced by ignition of fuel (F) in the pre-chamber. At least one valve can be open-loop or closed-loop controlled by an open-loop or closed-loop control device depending on a parameter characteristic of a change in a power produced by the internal combustion engine, and/or by which a pre-chamber fuel flow directed through the pre-chamber feed conduit to the at least one pre-chamber can be at least partially diverted into a volume separate from the at least one pre-chamber.