Wire Structure Mixing Element for Gas Flow Homogenization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current gas mass flow measurement in pipelines supplying air to internal combustion engines is imprecise due to nonuniform flow profiles caused by factors like curved sections, installation tolerances, and aging, which existing corrections cannot fully address to meet exhaust gas standards.
Innovation Solution
A mixing element with a wire structure is introduced upstream of the gas measuring device to homogenize the inhomogeneous flow profile by thorough mixing, achieved through deliberate swirling of the gas, using a rolled-up wire mesh or weave band with specific embossing patterns to ensure uniform thickness and structure, and optionally accompanied by a calming section and straightening grids to reduce swirls.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a gas measuring device measures flow velocity at certain points in the pipeline cross section, then the measurement is simpler and less complex, but the measurement precision deteriorates because the flow profile is nonuniform and the measurement results are heavily dependent on local flow conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The mixing element is installed upstream of the gas measuring device to pre-condition the flow profile before measurement. This preliminary action homogenizes the flow, ensuring that point measurements taken by the simplified measuring device accurately represent the overall gas mass flow, thereby resolving the contradiction between measurement simplicity and precision.
2Stability of the object's composition
If straightening grids are used to transform turbulent air flow into laminar flow, then the flow becomes more laminar, but the flow profile is not significantly influenced and measurement precision does not improve
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of merely changing the flow regime from turbulent to laminar, the mixing element changes the flow profile parameters by actively homogenizing the velocity distribution across the cross section. This parameter change ensures uniform flow conditions at the measurement location, improving measurement precision while maintaining the necessary flow stability.
3Measurement precision
If the pipeline cross section geometry is deliberately changed to improve certain perturbing factors, then some improvements are achieved, but the improvements are not enough to comply with current exhaust gas standards
Solution Approach 1:
The mixing element acts as an intermediary component installed within the existing pipeline geometry. Rather than redesigning the entire pipeline cross section, this intermediate device locally homogenizes the flow profile upstream of the measuring device, achieving the required measurement precision without substantially increasing overall pipeline 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 transforms the inhomogeneous flow profile into a substantially homogeneous one across the pipeline cross section, enhancing the accuracy of gas mass flow measurement and reducing perturbing influences, allowing for precise compliance with exhaust gas standards.
Implementation Method 1
The achievement of the most homogeneous possible flow profile can be accomplished, in particular, by a deliberate swirling of the gas on wire sections of the wire structure.
Implementation Method 2
the wire structure to comprise at least one wire mesh or at least one wire weave... It is possible for the wire mesh to comprise a wire mesh tube
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a pipeline for supplying a gas to an internal combustion engine, with a pipeline cross section forming a passage for the gas and a gas mass measuring device for measuring a gas mass flow. The pipeline is characterized in particular in that it comprises a mixing element made from a wire structure upstream from the gas mass measuring device and in that the mixing element serves for the thorough mixing of the gas in order to homogenize an inhomogeneous flow profile which is present upstream from the mixing element.