Thermal management system for the feeding of fuel in internal combustion engines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016017822-A1
Application number	US-201414767031-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 25, 2014
Priority date	Feb 25, 2013
Publication date	Jan 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The system is applied to an engine (M) having an injection system ( 10 ), a fuel feed line ( 30 ) and a cooling system (CS), by means of a cooling fluid which circulates, through hot fluid ducts ( 61 a, 61 b ) and cold fluid ducts ( 62 a, 62 b ), through the engine (M) and through a heat exchanger ( 60 ). The feed line ( 30 ) comprises: a first segment ( 31 ), connected to the injection system ( 10 ) and provided with a first valve ( 33 ), to be closed when the fuel temperature is below a maximum value, and open when the fuel temperature reaches the maximum value; and a second segment ( 32 ) derived from the first and absorbing thermal energy from the hot fluid duct ( 61 a, 61 b ) or from the combustion gases and provided with a second valve ( 34 ) which remains open while the fuel temperature is lower than the maximum value, and which is closed when said temperature reaches the maximum value.

First claim

1 . A thermal management system for the feeding of fuel in internal combustion engines of the type comprising: an injection system ( 10 ) associated to a fuel feed line ( 30 ); a cooling system (CS), using at least one cooling fluid which circulates, through hot fluid ducts ( 61 a , 61 b ) and cold fluid ducts ( 62 a, 62 b ), through parts of the engine (M) and of a heat exchanger ( 60 ); and an exhaust tubing ( 80 ) for the exhaust gases, the system being characterized in that the fuel feed line ( 30 ) comprises: a first segment ( 31 ) which is directly connected to the injection system ( 10 ) and provided with a first valve ( 33 ), to be automatically closed when the temperature of the fuel supplied to the injection system ( 10 ) is below a predetermined maximum value, which is lower than, the vaporization temperature do fuel, and open, when the fuel temperature reaches said maximum value; and a second segment ( 32 ) defining a by-pass to the first segment ( 31 ) and located in order to absorb thermal energy from at least one of the heat sources (HS), defined by the hot fluid being taken to the heat exchanger ( 60 ) and by the combustion gases being released by the exhaust tubing ( 80 ), said second segment ( 32 ) being provided with a second valve ( 34 ) and with a one-way valve ( 35 ), respectively located upstream and downstream in relation to the heat source (HS), the second valve ( 34 ) being automatically open, while the temperature of the fuel is lower than said maximum value and closed when the temperature of the fuel reaches said maximum value.

2 . The system, as set forth in claim 1 , characterized in that the heat exchanger ( 60 ) is defined by a radiator ( 60 a ), through which circulates, through the hot fluid duct ( 61 a ) and cold fluid duct ( 62 a ), a cooling fluid defined by water which circulates inside parts of the engine (M).

3 . The system, as set forth in claim 2 , characterized in that the heat source (HS) is defined by the hot fluid, in the form of heated cooling water, which is conducted through the hot fluid duct ( 61 a ).

4 . The system, as set forth in claim 1 , characterized in that the heat exchanger ( 60 ) is defined by an oil radiator ( 60 b ), through which circulates, through the hot fluid duct ( 61 b ) and cold fluid duct ( 62 b ), a cooling fluid defined by lubricant oil which circulates inside parts of the engine (M).

5 . The system, as set forth in claim 4 , characterized in that the heat source (HS) is defined by the hot fluid, in the form of heated lubricant oil, which is conducted through the hot fluid duct ( 61 b ).

6 . The system, as set forth in claim 1 , characterized in that the heat exchanger ( 60 ) is defined by a double radiator ( 60 c ), for water and oil, through which circulates, by respective hot fluid ducts ( 61 a, 61 b ) and cool fluid ducts ( 62 a, 62 b ), a first cooling fluid, defined by lubricant oil of the engine (M) and a second cooling fluid defined by water that circulates inside parts of the engine (M).

7 . The system, as set forth in claim 6 , characterized in that the heat source (HS) is defined by the hot fluids, in the form of heated water and lubricant oil, which are conducted through the respective hot fluid ducts ( 61 a , 61 b ).

8 . The system, as set forth in claim 1 , characterized in that the heat source (HS) is defined by the exhaust gases released by the engine (M) through an exhaust tubing ( 80 ), an extension of the second segment ( 32 ) of the fuel feed line ( 30 ) being provided in external contact with a respective extension of the exhaust tubing ( 80 ).

9 . The system, as set forth in any of claims 1 to 8 , characterized in that the first and the second valves ( 33 , 34 ) are thermostatic valves.

10 . The system, as set forth in any of claims 1 to 8 , characterized in that the first and the second valves ( 33 , 34 ) are electromagnetic valves, operatively associated with an electronic control unit ( 70 ) which commands the operational condition of said valves in function of the operational parameters of the engine (M) and of the physicochemical conditions of the fuel.

11 . The system, as set forth in any of claims 1 to 10 and comprising a fuel tank ( 20 ), characterized in that it further comprises a return tube ( 36 ) connecting the fuel tank ( 20 ) to a point of the fuel feed line ( 30 ) located upstream or downstream the second segment ( 32 ).

Assignees

• Mahle Metal Leve Sa

Inventors

• Amaral Tadeu Miguel Malagó
• Bueno Ricardo Roveri
• Yoshino Fernando Jun

Classifications

• F02M43/04

  Injectors peculiar thereto · CPC title

• F02M31/14 Primary

  by using heat from working cylinders or cylinder heads · CPC title

• F02D19/08

  simultaneously using pluralities of fuels (F02D19/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F02D19/0605 Primary

  to adjust the fuel pressure or temperature · CPC title

• F02D19/084

  Blends of gasoline and alcohols, e.g. E85 · CPC title