Method and device for the open-loop or closed-loop control of the amount of a fuel mixture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10598131-B2
Application number	US-201816040354-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 19, 2018
Priority date	Jan 20, 2016
Publication date	Mar 24, 2020
Grant date	Mar 24, 2020

Abstract

A method and a device for open- or closed-loop control of an amount of water mixed with a fuel is provided. A fuel supply is split into a first branch having a Venturi pipe with a vacuum connection and a second branch having a blocking valve. Water is supplied to the Venturi pipe vacuum connection, and the fuel-water mixture in the first branch and the fuel in the second branch is supplied to the fuel pump. Open-loop or closed-loop control is provided by either reducing fuel flow in the second branch with the stop valve such that the fuel flow in the first branch increases, increasing the amount of water mixed in the fuel at the Venturi pipe, or increasing fuel flow in the second branch such that first branch fuel flow decreases, decreasing the amount of water mixed in the fuel at the Venturi pipe.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for open-loop or closed-loop control of an amount of water added to a fuel before the fuel is supplied to a high-pressure fuel pump of an internal combustion engine, comprising the acts of:
splitting a supply of the fuel to the high-pressure fuel pump into a first branch having a Venturi tube with a negative pressure connection, and into a second branch with a stop valve;
supplying water to the negative pressure connection of the Venturi tube via a water supply line;
controlling, by open-loop or closed-loop control, the amount of water drawn into the Venturi tube by either
reducing a fuel flow in the second branch by reducing an amount of opening of the stop valve such that an increase in a fuel flow in the first branch increases the amount of water drawn into the Venturi tube to form a fuel-water mixture, or
increasing the fuel flow in the second branch by increasing the amount of opening of the stop valve such that a decrease of the amount of the fuel flow in the first branch decreases the amount of water drawn into the Venturi tube to form the fuel-water mixture; and

supplying the fuel-water mixture in the first branch and the fuel in the second branch to a quantity control valve of the high-pressure fuel pump.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
the stop valve is configured to reduce the fuel flow rate in the second branch in a continuous manner.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
the throttle valve is configured to reduce the fuel flow rate in the second branch in a clocked manner.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
the water-fuel mixture in the first branch is combined with the fuel in the second branch downstream of the stop valve and upstream of the quantity control valve.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
the water-fuel mixture of the first branch and the fuel of the second branch are guided via separate supply lines to the high-pressure fuel pump.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
the water is distilled water from a water tank.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
the amount of water drawn into the Venturi tube is controlled by open-loop or closed-loop control by a processor controlling opening or closing the stop valve on the basis of process data received by the processor from the vehicle.

8. A device for adding an open-loop-controlled or closed-loop-controlled amount of water into the fuel supply of an internal combustion engine, comprising:
a high-pressure fuel pump
a fuel supply line leading to the high-pressure fuel pump or to a quantity control valve of the high pressure fuel pump, the fuel supply line having a first branch and a second branch;
a Venturi tube having a negative pressure connection in the first branch;
an adjustable stop valve in the second branch; and
a water supply line connected to the negative pressure connection of the Venturi tube.

9. The device as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising:
a shut-off valve in the first branch upstream of the Venturi tube.

Assignees

• Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag

Inventors

• Bartelt Hans-Christian

Classifications

• F02M25/0225

  Water atomisers or mixers, e.g. using ultrasonic waves · CPC title

• F02M25/0228 Primary

  Adding fuel and water emulsion · CPC title

• F02D41/3845

  by controlling the flow into the common rail, e.g. the amount of fuel pumped · CPC title

• F23K5/12

  Preparing emulsions (burners spraying an emulsion of water and fuel into the combustion space F23D11/16) · CPC title

• F02M25/0221

  Details of the water supply system, e.g. pumps or arrangement of valves · CPC title