Volumetric Blower Altimetric Conditioning for Engine Pressure Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing altimetric conditioning apparatuses for internal-combustion engines face challenges in maintaining stable testing pressure during engine transients and suffer from energy dispersion due to head losses caused by throttling.
Innovation Solution
A controlled-pressure volume connected to two volumetric blowers, with a control unit varying their speed to maintain desired pressure, allowing continuous and stable pressure regulation from 650 mbar to 1100 mbar, and enabling energy recovery by switching blower operation modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If electronically controlled throttle valves are used to control pressure in intake and exhaust ducts, then pressure regulation is achieved, but pressure stability deteriorates during engine transients and energy losses increase due to throttling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical throttle valve system with a volumetric blower system that actively adds or removes mass from the controlled volume. This substitution eliminates the throttling mechanism and replaces it with positive displacement volumetric control, enabling rapid response to pressure changes during engine transients while avoiding the inherent energy losses of throttling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the control parameter from valve position (affecting flow resistance) to blower speed (affecting volumetric flow rate). By controlling the speed of volumetric blowers, the system directly adjusts the mass flow into or out of the controlled volume, providing superior pressure stability and responsiveness compared to passive throttling mechanisms.
2Stress or pressure
If throttle valves are used to regulate testing pressure, then pressure control is achieved, but energy dispersion increases due to head losses from throttling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the energy-dissipating throttle valve mechanism with volumetric blowers that actively transport gas without creating restrictive flow paths. The blower system adds or removes mass volumetrically rather than restricting flow, eliminating the head losses and energy dispersion inherent in throttling while maintaining precise pressure control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the previously harmful throttling process into a beneficial volumetric transport process. Instead of forcing gas through restrictive valves that dissipate energy, the system uses volumetric blowers to actively move gas in the desired direction, transforming the energy loss problem into an efficient mass transport solution.
3Stability of the object's composition
If blower speed is varied to maintain testing pressure, then pressure stability improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs volumetric blowers that serve multiple functions: they establish the controlled pressure environment, respond to transient engine conditions, and enable continuous pressure variation across a wide range. This multi-functionality achieves superior pressure stability without proportionally increasing system complexity, as the same blower components handle multiple control requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a control system that monitors testing pressure and adjusts blower speed accordingly to maintain desired pressure levels. This feedback mechanism provides automatic pressure stabilization, responding to engine transients and maintaining setpoint accuracy without requiring complex manual intervention or overly sophisticated control architecture.
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
The solution provides rapid pressure stability and energy efficiency by synchronously controlling blower speeds, minimizing power consumption and maintaining pressure within a tolerance of ±10 mbar during engine transients.
Implementation Method 1
The controlled-pressure volume 14 is connected to a first volumetric blower 34 and to a second volumetric blower 36
Implementation Method 2
via a regenerative driver, it is possible to recover from the driven blower part of the energy absorbed by the powered blower
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for altimetric conditioning of the intake and the exhaust of internal-combustion engines, comprising: - a controlled-pressure volume (14) isolated from the external environment; - an intake duct (16) and an exhaust duct (18) in communication with said controlled-pressure volume (14) and the engine; - a first volumetric blower (34) and a second volumetric blower (36), wherein the intake section (38) of the first volumetric blower (34) draws a first flow of gas from the external environment and sends said first flow of gas into said controlled-pressure volume (14) and wherein the intake section (40) of the second volumetric blower (36) draws a second flow of gas from said controlled-pressure volume (14) and sends said second flow of gas towards the external environment; and - a control unit (56), provided for varying the relative speed of operation of the first volumetric blower (34) and/or of the second volumetric blower (36) for maintaining in said controlled-pressure volume (14) a desired testing pressure.