Heating Charged Air via WHR System for Exhaust Component Warm-up
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Solution Overview
Problem
Exhaust treatment components in internal combustion engines, such as SCR catalysts, take time to reach efficient operating temperatures after a cold start, leading to inefficient nitrogen oxide reduction and prolonged emissions of untreated substances.
Innovation Solution
A heat transfer device is used to transfer heat from a Waste Heat Recovery (WHR) system's working medium to the charged air before it enters the combustion engine, with a control unit activating the heat transfer when the exhaust treatment component is below a predetermined temperature, ensuring faster heating of the components and reducing emissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the charged air is cooled in a charge air cooler before entering the combustion engine, then the combustion efficiency is improved, but the exhaust gas temperature decreases leading to prolonged heating time of the exhaust treatment component
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary action by heating the charged air before it enters the combustion engine using heat from the WHR system's working medium. This pre-heating ensures that the exhaust gas temperature is sufficiently high from the start, enabling the exhaust treatment component to reach its operating temperature more quickly, thus reducing the heating time while maintaining combustion efficiency.
2Device complexity
If the exhaust treatment component operates at low temperature after cold start, then the system complexity is reduced, but the efficiency of nitrogen oxide reduction deteriorates and emissions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses an intermediary approach by introducing a heat transfer device that utilizes the working medium from the WHR system as a heat source. This intermediary heat transfer mechanism allows the charged air to be heated without directly modifying the exhaust treatment component or adding complex heating systems, thereby maintaining system simplicity while ensuring the exhaust treatment component reaches the necessary temperature for efficient nitrogen oxide reduction.
3Speed
If the working medium temperature is used to heat the charged air, then the exhaust temperature increases and heating speed improves, but the WHR system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies universality by making the working medium in the WHR system serve multiple functions: it not only drives the expander for energy recovery but also acts as a heat source for heating the charged air through the heat transfer device. This multi-functionality allows the existing WHR system to provide additional heating capability without requiring a separate heating system, thus improving heating speed while minimizing increases in system complexity.
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 solution reduces the operating time of exhaust treatment components at low temperatures and minimizes emissions of untreated substances by increasing the exhaust temperature, thereby enhancing the efficiency of nitrogen oxide reduction.
Implementation Method 1
A heat transfer device is used to transfer heat from a Waste Heat Recovery (WHR) system's working medium to the charged air before it enters the combustion engine
Implementation Method 2
The circuit comprises an evaporator where the working medium is heated and evaporated by a heat source such as, for example, exhaust gases
Implementation Method 3
The circuit comprises an evaporator where the working medium is heated and evaporated by a heat source such as, for example, exhaust gases
Implementation Method 4
The pressurized and heated gaseous working medium expands in an expander. The expander generates mechanical energy which can be used to operate the vehicle
Implementation Method 5
The working medium leaving the expander is directed to a condenser. The working medium is cooled down to a temperature in the condenser at which it condenses
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to an arrangement for heating of an exhaust treatment component (5) in an exhaust line (3) of a combustion engine (2) in a vehicle (1). The vehicle (1) comprises a WHR system comprising an evaporator (7) in which a working medium is heated by the exhaust gases in exhaust line (3) and a charge air line (12) leading charged air to the combustion engine (2): The arrangement comprises a sensor (6) sensing a parameter related to the temperature of the exhaust treatment component (5), a heat transfer device able to transfer heat from the working medium in the WHR system to the charge air in the charge air line (12), and a control unit (10) configured to receive information from said sensor (6) about said parameter and to activate said heat transfer device such that the charged air in the charged air line (12) is heated during operating condition when said parameter indicates that the exhaust treatment component (5) has a lower temperature than a predetermined operating temperature.