INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE

• US 20170342949A1
• Filed: 05/10/2017
• Published: 11/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kikuchi, Kazuki
• Granted Patent: US 10,359,012 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 29/0481 Intake air cooling by means others than heat exchangers, e.g. by rotating drum regenerators, cooling by expansion or by electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 37/00 Engines characterised by provision of pumps driven at least for part of the time by exhaust
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 47/02 the substances being water or steam
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/03 into the cylinder or the pre-combustion chamber
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/04 with a single turbocharger
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/22 with coolers in the recirculation passage
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/50 Arrangements or methods for preventing or reducing deposits, corrosion or wear caused by impurities arrangement or layout of EGR passages with means for cleaning or treating the recirculated gases F02M26/35; protection of EGR valves from damage F02M26/74
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/088 Water, snow or ice proofing; Separation or drainage of water, snow or ice
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

An internal combustion engine includes, in addition to an LPL-EGR system, two water vapor separation film modules for fresh air and for EGR gas. One module 34 is connected to a pressure reducing pump 40 through a suction passage 38. Other module 36 is connected to a pressure reducing pump 44 through a suction passage 42. A condenser 54 that condenses water vapor that flows through the suction passage 38 is provided in the suction passage 38. A water tank 56 that temporarily accumulates condensed water that is discharged from the condenser 54 is provided on a downstream side relative to the condenser 54. The water tank 56 is connected to injectors 60 that inject water from the water tank 56 into intake ports of respective cylinders or into respective cylinders.

Claims

1. An internal combustion engine, comprising:

a gas passage through which gas flows that flows into a cylinder;

a cooling portion which is provided in the gas passage and cools the gas that flows into the cylinder;

a water vapor separating portion that constitutes one part of the gas passage on an upstream side in a gas flow direction relative to the cooling portion, and that comprises a water vapor permeable film which, when installed so as to separate two spaces which have different partial water vapor pressures, allows water vapor to permeate from a space in which a partial water vapor pressure is higher toward a space in which a partial water vapor pressure is lower;

a pressure reducing portion which reduces a partial water vapor pressure in an outer space so that a difference in partial water vapor pressures arises between an inner space of the water vapor permeable film in which gas that flows into the water vapor separating portion from the gas passage flows and the outer space which is separated from the inner space by the water vapor permeable film;

a water vapor condensing portion which is connected to the pressure reducing portion and condenses water vapor that moves from the inner space to the outer space; and

a water injecting portion which is connected to the water vapor condensing portion and injects condensed water that arises at the water vapor condensing portion into the cylinder or an intake port.

2. The internal combustion engine according to claim 1, further comprising a pressure reduction amount adjustment portion that adjusts a pressure reduction amount of the partial water vapor pressure in the outer space that is reduced by the pressure reducing portion, so that a partial water vapor pressure on a downstream side in the gas flow direction relative to the cooling portion in the gas passage is less than a saturated water vapor pressure.

3. The internal combustion engine according to claim 2, further comprising a condensed water reservoir portion which is provided between the water vapor condensing portion and the water injecting portion and accumulates condensed water that arises at the water vapor condensing portion,

wherein the pressure reduction amount adjustment portion calculates a target value of the pressure reduction amount based on a target value of a water vapor amount that is moved from the inner space to the outer space, and, by way of exception, when a target value of a water amount that is injected into the cylinder or the intake port by the water injecting portion is greater than a target value of the water vapor amount, calculates the target value of the pressure reduction amount based on the target value of the water amount.

4. The internal combustion engine according to claim 1,

wherein the gas passage is an EGR passage which connects an intake passage and an exhaust passage;

the cooling portion is an EGR cooler that cools EGR gas which flows through the EGR passage; and

the water vapor separating portion constitutes one part of the EGR passage on an upstream side in the gas flow direction relative to the EGR cooler of the EGR passage.

5. The internal combustion engine according to claim 1,

wherein the gas passage is an intake passage in which a compressor of a turbocharger is provided;

the cooling portion is an intercooler that cools gas which is compressed by the compressor; and

the water vapor separating portion constitutes one part of the intake passage on an upstream side in the gas flow direction relative to the compressor of the intake passage.