Segmented Electromagnetic Valve Assembly for Gas Engines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing valve arrangements for metering gaseous fuel in internal combustion engines, particularly large gas engines, face issues with high precision mounting requirements, large space usage, susceptibility to particle entry, and lack of redundancy, limiting their reliability and flexibility.
Innovation Solution
A valve arrangement using multiple electromagnetically actuable seat valves with individual cross sections that sum to greater than the nominal cross section, allowing for reduced valve lift and optimized working points, with redundant electromagnetic drives for enhanced reliability and compact design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If plate valves with large separating plates are used to achieve large nominal cross sections, then the required cross section for mass flow is provided, but the base area occupied by the valve becomes large
Solution Approach 1:
The valve arrangement divides a single large valve into multiple smaller seat valves (at least two) arranged in parallel. Each seat valve has its own sealing element and separating plate, but collectively they provide the required nominal cross section. This segmentation allows the system to achieve large flow capacity without requiring a single large base area, as the multiple smaller valves can be arranged in a compact configuration.
2Area of moving object
If plate valves with large separating plates are used to achieve large nominal cross sections, then the required cross section for mass flow is provided, but the mounting precision requirements become extremely high
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the valve into multiple smaller seat valves, the alignment tolerance for each individual sealing element is relaxed. Instead of requiring one large separating plate to be perfectly parallel across its entire surface, each smaller separating plate has more manageable dimensions, making high-precision mounting more achievable and less costly.
3Area of moving object
If plate valves with large separating plates are used to achieve large nominal cross sections, then the required cross section for mass flow is provided, but the valve becomes susceptible to particle entry and deposition
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented design with multiple smaller seat valves creates a configuration where particles are less likely to be deposited on large flat surfaces. The smaller separating plates have reduced surface area for particle accumulation, and the distributed arrangement allows better gas flow distribution that reduces particle deposition risks compared to a single large plate valve.
4Area of moving object
If plate valves with large separating plates are used to achieve large nominal cross sections, then the required cross section for mass flow is provided, but redundancy is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The valve arrangement uses multiple independent seat valves instead of a single valve. This segmentation creates inherent redundancy - if one seat valve fails or becomes blocked by particles, the other seat valves can continue to function and maintain the required mass flow. Each seat valve operates independently with its own sealing element and electromagnetic drive, providing fail-operational capability.
5Reliability
If multiple seat valves with sum of individual cross sections greater than nominal cross section are used, then redundancy and flexibility are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple seat valves are combined into a single integrated valve arrangement with common inlet and outlet connections. The housing unifies the multiple valves, and the gas flow paths are merged so that the valves work together as one system. This merging approach provides redundancy and flexibility while avoiding the complexity of completely separate valve systems, as the valves share common mounting structure and gas pathways.
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 configuration reduces the required valve lift, achieves reduced stroke work, and ensures low leakage and wear, while maintaining the necessary effective cross section for mass flow, enhancing reliability and flexibility compared to traditional plate valves.
Implementation Method 1
electromagnetically actuatable switching valves
Data Source
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AI summary
Valve arrangement for metering a gaseous fuel in internal combustion engines with a plurality of electromagnetically actuated switching valves of a single cross-section, wherein the switching valves are designed as poppet valves, the valve arrangement can be assigned to a combustion chamber and the valve arrangement has a nominal cross-section for providing a predetermined mass flow, wherein the poppet valves are designed such that - a sum of the individual cross-sections is at least equal to the nominal cross-section, - an effective cross-section due to a valve stroke of all poppet valves is equal to the nominal cross-section and - the effective cross-section is less than or equal to the sum of the individual cross-sections.