Water Delivery Module Plug Geometry for Freeze Damage Prevention
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing water-conveying modules for internal combustion engines face issues with freezing water, leading to increased costs and reduced adaptability due to the need for flexible lines and cumbersome compensation volumes, which can result in pump damage and inefficiency.
Innovation Solution
A water-conveying module with a connection plug having a through-flowable section that narrows and widens along the flow direction, featuring a serrated contour and varying line cross section, acts as a filter to prevent ice and water from being pushed back into the conveying unit, reducing the risk of damage and improving adaptability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If flexible lines are used to compensate for water expansion during freezing, then damage to the conveying module is prevented, but costs increase and adaptability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The conveying line is divided into separate sections: a rigid connection plug with varying cross-section integrated into the conveying unit, and a separate dosing line that can be connected or disconnected. This segmentation allows the critical freezing-compensation function to be localized in the rigid plug while maintaining overall system flexibility through the separable design.
Solution Approach 2:
The freezing compensation function is extracted from the flexible line and embedded into the rigid connection plug through its specifically designed varying cross-section. This allows the compensation mechanism to be built into the permanent structure rather than relying on external flexible components.
2Reliability
If compensation volumes are provided in the conveying lines, then freezing expansion is compensated, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The compensation volume function is merged with the connection plug structure itself. The varying cross-section of the plug creates expansion spaces within the rigid component, eliminating the need for separate compensation volumes or reservoirs.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection plug has a non-uniform cross-section with specific regions designed to provide expansion compensation. This local variation in geometry allows the rigid plug to serve multiple functions: connection, flow guidance, and freezing compensation.
3Reliability
If the conveying pump is adapted to empty the conveying lines, then freezing damage is prevented, but ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The emptying function is extracted from the pump's operational complexity and replaced by the passive geometric design of the connection plug. The varying cross-section naturally facilitates water drainage and air venting during pump shutdown, eliminating the need for complex pump adaptations.
4Reliability
If the pump starts up with air at the conveying element, then wear increases and rotational speed must increase, but this is not addressed by conventional solutions
Solution Approach 1:
The connection plug's varying cross-section is designed to facilitate preliminary drainage of water and air venting before pump startup. This preliminary action ensures that the pump begins operation with minimal air in the system, reducing wear and energy consumption.
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 effectively prevents ice and water from being pushed back into the conveying unit, reducing the risk of damage and improving operational efficiency by creating a bottleneck that blocks ice and increases flow resistance in the reverse direction, thus ensuring the module remains functional even at sub-freezing temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
the through-flowable section has a line cross section which varies along a throughflow direction... increases flow resistance in the reverse direction
Implementation Method 2
The connection plug has a section which can be flowed through by the water and which is part of the fluid line from the conveying unit to the dosing line... featuring a serrated contour
Implementation Method 3
Expansion of water within a conveying line can, through freezing, amount to approximately 10% of the initial volume
Data Source
AI summary
A water-conveying module for injecting water into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, having a conveying unit, which has a pump for conveying the water from a tank. The water can be conveyed by the pump to an injection point along a dosing line. The conveying unit has a water outlet through which water is conveyed out of the conveying unit. The water outlet is formed by a connection plug onto which the dosing line can be plugged, Water can be conveyed from the conveying unit into the dosing line along the connection plug that has a section which can be flowed through by the water and which is part of the fluid line from the conveying unit to the dosing line.