Homogenization apparatus for at least two fluid flows, in particular for homogeneous gas/air mixing in a gas engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9770693-B2
Application number	US-201514665827-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 23, 2015
Priority date	Mar 24, 2014
Publication date	Sep 26, 2017
Grant date	Sep 26, 2017

Abstract

A homogenization apparatus for at least two fluid flows for homogeneous gas/air mixing in a gas engine, in which at least two fluid feed lines conducting different fluid flows and one fluid outflow line conducting the homogenized fluid are connected to a central homogenization space as mixing region. In a connection region upstream of the homogenization space, the fluid feed lines have in each case one line section with a flow deflection in one direction with a flow deflection which follows downstream in the other direction and are connected in such a way that the fluid flows are fed tangentially to the homogenization space with a swirl movement imparted to them, in such a way that a rotating, turbulent flow which assists the homogenization process is formed in the homogenization space.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A homogenization apparatus for at least two fluid flows, comprising:
two fluid feed lines conducting different fluid flows;
a fluid outflow line;
the homogenization apparatus defining a central homogenization space as a mixing region connected to said two fluid feed lines and said fluid outflow line,
each of the two fluid feed lines having a connection region upstream of the homogenization space having a first flow deflection in a first direction and a second flow deflection in a second direction opposite of the first direction, and
each of the two fluid feed lines are connected to the homogenization space such that the fluid flows exiting the each of the two fluid feed lines are fed tangentially to the homogenization space with a swirl movement imparted to the fluid flows, whereby a rotating turbulent flow facilitating a homogenization process is formed in the homogenization space.

2. The homogenization apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the two fluid feed lines and the fluid outflow line are arranged in a three-limb, Y-shaped fluid line arrangement, center lines of the fluid feed lines define a reference plane, and directly upstream of the homogenization space and upstream of a combining point of the two fluid flows, a first fluid feed line of the two fluid feed lines has an elbow comprising the first deflection and the second deflection of the first fluid feed line that bends away from the reference plane and a second fluid feed line of the two fluid feed lines has an elbow comprising the first deflection and the second deflection of the second fluid feed line that bends away from the reference plane, wherein the elbows promote the swirl movement in opposite directions which promotes the thorough mixing in the homogenization space.

3. The homogenization apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the center line of the fluid outflow line also defines the reference plane.

4. The homogenization apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein each of the elbows is Z-shaped, such that the each of the elbows straightens out at an associated inflow opening offset approximately parallel to the reference plane and the two associated inflow openings lie offset on both sides with regard to the reference plane at the homogenization space.

5. The homogenization apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein each of the elbows is S-shaped, such that the elbow straightens out in each case upstream of an associated inflow opening such that it bends away towards the reference plane.

6. The homogenization apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the homogenization space is configured as a mixing section, the two fluid feed lines being arranged and connected at a mixing section inlet such that they lie one on the other in a twisted arrangement with an S-shaped elbow at the connection region, and wherein the mixing section has a tubular internal screw structure in the form of an internal screw thread as a continuance of the twisted arrangement of the two fluid feed lines.

7. The homogenization apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein an approach angle of the internal screw thread is from 15° to 20°.

8. The homogenization apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the internal screw thread has 2 to 6 screw turns.

9. The homogenization apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the internal screw thread has 3 screw turns.

10. The homogenization apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the homogenization space is configured as a mixing chamber with a domed internal volume that merges with a circular cross section into the fluid outflow line, each of the two fluid feed lines being connected to the mixing chamber with an elbow that is Z-shaped, so as to lie next to one another and offset vertically with respect to one another with regard to the reference plane for a tangential and vertically offset feed of the two fluid flows with additional imparting of a swirl movement in opposite directions.

11. The homogenization apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the vertical offset of the centers of the inflow openings of the fluid feed lines is in each case from 10 mm to 20 mm with regard to the reference plane.

12. The homogenization apparatus according to claims 10 , wherein a tangential angle is from 20° to 30°.

13. The homogenization apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the homogenization space is configured as a mixing chamber with a domed, spherical interior with a cross section which is largely circular overall and merges into the fluid outflow line, and the two fluid feed lines are connected in an elbow shape to the mixing chamber such that tangential feeding of the two fluid flows takes place into the mixing chamber with no or only a small vertical offset with regard to the reference plane.

14. The homogenization apparatus according to claims 13 , wherein a tangential angle of the tangential feeding is from 20° to 30°.

15. The homogenization apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the homogenization space is configured as a mixing chamber with an approximately elliptical cross section and a flattened chamber shape, the two fluid feed lines being connected to the mixing chamber by an elbow, the elbows being directed towards one another on the end side with an elbow curvature in a plan view of the mixing chamber, the elbows being connected in said plan view to the mixing chamber at inflow openings which lie opposite one another, and the elbows being connected in each case to the mixing chamber with a further elbow curvature with regard to a center plane so as to be offset vertically and lie opposite the flattened portion, with the result that a tangential vertically offset combination of the two fluid flows takes place with an imparted swirl movement in opposite directions.

16. The homogenization apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein a tangential angle of the fluid flows is from 5° to 15°.

17. The homogenization apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the fluid outflow line has a local constriction of an outflow area at an outlet of the homogenization space.

18. The homogenization apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the local constriction is smaller than a cross section of the fluid outflow line by a factor of 0.8±0.1.

19. The homogenization apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the homogenization apparatus is a constituent part of an intake system of a gas engine for mixing combustion gas and air upstream of a combustion chamber of the gas engine.

20. A vehicle having a homogenization apparatus according to claim 19 .

Assignees

• Man Truck & Bus Ag

Inventors

• Barciela Bruno
• Weiβ Joachim

Classifications

• F02M21/0218 Primary

  Details on the gaseous fuel supply system, e.g. tanks, valves, pipes, pumps, rails, injectors or mixers · CPC title

• F02M26/19

  Means for improving the mixing of air and recirculated exhaust gases, e.g. venturis or multiple openings to the intake system · CPC title

• B01F5/0615

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B01F5/0605

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B01F3/02 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic