Throttle Body Flow Directing Features for Low-Pressure Fuel Mixing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing throttle body configurations for internal combustion engines face challenges in efficiently controlling the flow of fuel and air mixtures, particularly at low speed and high load conditions, where they often result in engine lugging and require high fuel pressures, leading to inefficiencies and potential multiple fuel discharge events.

Innovation Solution

The throttle body incorporates a main bore with a movable throttle valve head and a boost venturi, along with flow directing features such as non-planar portions and projections on the throttle valve head and boost venturi, which alter the velocity and direction of air and fuel flow, ensuring efficient mixing and reduced pressure waves, thereby optimizing fuel and air mixture delivery.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If high fuel pressure is used to facilitate fuel mixing and dispersion, then fuel mixing efficiency is improved, but fuel injection system complexity and energy consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefuel mixing efficiencyVSAvoidfuel pressure energy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes the venturi effect, a pneumatic principle, where the throttle valve head creates a low-pressure region that draws fuel into the air stream. The non-planar portion and projections further manipulate this fluid dynamics to enhance mixing without requiring high fuel injection pressure, thus resolving the contradiction between mixing efficiency and energy consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

Solution Approach 2:

The fuel injection system is segmented into multiple discharge locations along the throttle valve head, creating multiple discrete fuel discharge events rather than a single high-pressure injection. This segmentation allows for progressive fuel-air mixing at lower pressures, improving efficiency while reducing energy requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If high fuel pressure is used to ensure adequate fuel delivery, then fuel delivery reliability is improved, but multiple fuel discharge events occur causing instability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefuel delivery reliabilityVSAvoidfuel discharge stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments fuel delivery into multiple controlled discharge events along the throttle valve head's non-planar portion. Each segment provides a controlled amount of fuel at lower pressure, ensuring reliable delivery while maintaining stability by preventing the chaotic multiple discharge events associated with high-pressure single-point injection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The venturi-induced low-pressure region acts as an intermediary mechanism that draws fuel into the air stream in a controlled manner. This intermediary process replaces direct high-pressure injection, providing both reliable fuel delivery and stable mixing by mediating between the fuel source and the combustion chamber

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Device complexity

If conventional throttle valve design is used, then device simplicity is maintained, but engine lugging occurs at low speed high load conditions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethrottle valve design simplicityVSAvoidengine operation reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The throttle valve head incorporates a non-planar portion and projections at specific locations to create localized flow direction changes. This local modification to the valve head geometry improves fuel-air mixing and prevents engine lugging at low speed high load conditions while maintaining overall device simplicity and avoiding complete redesign of the throttle mechanism

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 enhances fuel and air mixing, reduces engine lugging, and allows for efficient operation at low speed and high load conditions while maintaining lower fuel pressures, improving engine performance and reducing the occurrence of multiple fuel discharge events.

Implementation Method 1

a boost venturi (21) within the main bore (14) downstream of the throttle valve (48) which increases a velocity of air flowing through the boost venturi (21) and creates a low pressure region

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVenturi effect: Venturi Effect

Implementation Method 2

creates a low pressure region that draws fuel into the air stream

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure differential flow: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentUS11781493B2Throttle body with fluid flow control

Publication Date: 2023.10.10 OVERDRIVE ACQUISITION LLC

AI summary

A throttle body may have a main bore for supplying a fuel and air mixture to an engine. A throttle valve head may be received in the main bore and movable between idle and wide open positions to control fluid flow through the main bore. A main fuel outlet and a boost venturi may open to the main bore and a flow directing feature may alter the velocity and/or direction of fluid flow in the main bore relative to the fuel outlet or boost venturi. The flow directing feature may be carried by the body, the throttle valve head, or the boost venturi.