Spray Cooled Oil System for Internal Combustion Engine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current engines operate at higher temperatures than desired, leading to oversized oil pumps that bypass significant oil volumes, necessitating a more efficient cooling mechanism to manage heat effectively.
Innovation Solution
An engine design incorporating a pressure relief assembly with a nozzle that directs high-pressure oil flow against the cooler interior surface of the crankcase, utilizing a pressure relief path to spray the oil in a fanned pattern, enhancing cooling through pressure drop, convection, and conduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a large oil pump is used to provide sufficient oil flow at low speeds and compensate for bearing wear, then oil delivery reliability is improved, but engine operating temperature increases and energy efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The oil pump output is segmented into two separate pathways: a main delivery path that provides sufficient oil flow to engine components, and a pressure relief path that diverts excess high-pressure oil to the crankcase cooling system. This segmentation allows the pump to operate at higher capacity while the excess flow is used for cooling rather than causing overheating
Solution Approach 2:
The pressure relief assembly acts as an intermediary device that receives excess high-pressure oil from the pump and redirects it to the crankcase interior surface. This mediator component enables the system to utilize the pump's excess capacity as a cooling resource rather than letting it contribute to overheating
2Reliability
If a large oil pump is used to compensate for bearing wear and clearance tolerance, then oil delivery reliability is improved, but significant oil volume is bypassed and energy efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The excess high-pressure oil that would normally be considered wasted bypass flow is converted into a beneficial cooling resource. By directing this excess flow through the pressure relief assembly onto the crankcase interior surface, the system transforms what was previously energy waste into an active heat dissipation mechanism, thereby improving overall energy efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The oil pump's own excess output is utilized to cool the crankcase and lubricant. Rather than requiring a separate cooling system, the system uses the pump's inherent high-pressure flow capability to serve the dual purpose of both oil delivery and thermal management, eliminating the need for additional energy-consuming cooling components
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
Effectively cools the engine lubricant by reducing oil temperature through directed spraying onto a cooler surface, improving heat management and reducing the need for oversized oil pumps.
Implementation Method 1
spray the portion of the high pressure flow that passes through the pressure relief passage against an interior surface of the crankcase
Implementation Method 2
spray the oil in a fanned pattern, enhancing cooling through pressure drop, convection, and conduction
Implementation Method 3
discharging the portion of high pressure oil through a nozzle, the nozzle operable to reduce the pressure of the high pressure oil
Data Source
AI summary
An engine includes a crankcase defining a crankcase space, a first shaft disposed at least partially within the crankcase and supported for rotation by the crankcase, and an oil pump coupled to the first shaft and operable to draw low pressure oil from the crankcase and discharge a flow of high pressure oil. A pressure relief path is positioned to selectively receive a portion of the flow of high pressure oil and a pressure relief assembly is coupled to the pressure relief path and is arranged to spray the portion of the high pressure flow that passes through the pressure relief passage against an interior surface of the crankcase.