Monitoring apparatus, as well as monitoring method for monitoring a state of wear of a component for a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine

• US 9,038,448 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2010
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Waertsilae Schweiz AG
• Original Assignee: Wärtsilä Schweiz AG (Wartsila Oyj Abp)
• Inventors: Micali, Francesco, Stark, Matthias, Weber, Markus
• Primary Examiner(s): MCCALL, ERIC SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US13/262,710
• Publication Number:
  US 20120062894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,888 Days
• Field of Search: 731/145.6, 731/147.7, 731/147.8, 731/160.2
• US Class Current: 73/114.77
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 1/08 Lubricating systems characterised by the provision therein of lubricant jetting means
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 11/10 Indicating devices; Other safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 2011/022 for lubricating cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 2011/14 for indicating the necessity to change the oil
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 2011/1406 by considering acidity
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 2011/1413 by considering dielectric properties
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 2011/1453 by considering oil quantity
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 2011/146 by considering moisture level
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 2011/1473 by considering temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 2011/1493 by considering total base number [TBN]
• CPC Class Codes: F16N 2250/30 Dialectricum
• CPC Class Codes: F16N 2250/32 Inductive
• CPC Class Codes: F16N 2250/34 Transparency; Light; Photo sensor
• CPC Class Codes: F16N 29/00 Special means in lubricating arrangements or systems providing for the indication or detection of undesired conditions; Use of devices responsive to conditions in lubricating arrangements or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/042 by monitoring a single specific parameter not covered by groups G01M15/06 - G01M15/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/22 Fuels; Explosives
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/2888 Lubricating oil characteristics, e.g. deterioration lubricating properties G01N33/30

Abstract

The invention relates to a monitoring apparatus for monitoring a state of wear of a component of a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine wherein an oil collection device is provided for the collection of lubrication oil from the cylinder so that a predetermined measured quantity of lubrication oil is suppliable from the cylinder to a measurement device.

Claims

1. A monitoring apparatus for monitoring a state of wear of a component of a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine comprising:

a cylinder having a cylinder cover and a running surface provided at a cylinder wall of the cylinder; and

,

a piston arranged in the cylinder and moveable to and fro in an axial direction along the running surface between a bottom dead center and a top dead center such that the piston, the cylinder cover and the cylinder wall form a combustion space in the cylinder for the combustion of a mixture of a fuel and air,

wherein an oil collection device is provided for the collection of lubrication oil from the cylinder so that a predetermined measured quantity of lubrication oil is suppliable from the cylinder to a measurement device, wherein the measured quantity of lubrication oil is directly suppliable from the running surface of the cylinder and/or is directly suppliable from the combustion space and/or is directly suppliable from a piston ring package of the piston to the oil collection device wherein the measurement device includes an electromagnetic measurement unit, of a magnetic permeability, of an electric DC conductivity and/or of an AC conductivity, and/or of a complex electric conductivity and/or of a complex electric resistance of the collected measured quantity of lubrication oil, and wherein the monitoring apparatus is provided miniaturized directly in the cylinder wall.

2. A monitoring apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the oil collection device includes an oil collection valve actuatable by a control device.

3. A monitoring apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the oil collection device includes an oil collection space which is an integral part of the cylinder wall and lubrication oil collected in the oil collection space is suppliable to the measurement device.

4. A monitoring apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least two oil collection openings are provided which are arranged at the cylinder displaced from one another in the circumferential direction and/or with regard to the axial direction.

5. A reciprocating piston internal combustion engine, having a monitoring apparatus in accordance with claim 1.

6. The monitoring apparatus of claim 1 wherein the measurement unit is for the amplitude dependent and/or the frequency dependent and/or the frequency independent determination of a capacitance.

7. A monitoring apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the oil collection device includes an oil collection opening which is provided at the cylinder wall between the bottom dead center of the piston and the cylinder cover.

8. A monitoring apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein the reciprocating piston internal combustion engine is a longitudinally scavenged internal combustion engine having scavenging slits and a slow running two-stroke large diesel engine and the oil collection opening is arranged in the region of the scavenging slits such that lubrication oil exiting via the scavenging slits is collectable through the oil collection opening.

9. A monitoring apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein the oil collection opening is designed such that a lubrication oil flow-rate is settable.

10. A monitoring apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein the reciprocating piston internal combustion engine is a four-stroke reciprocating piston internal combustion engine and the oil collection opening is arranged at the cylinder between the position of a crown of the piston in the top dead center and the position of a bottom side of the piston in the bottom dead center such that lubrication oil is collectable from the cylinder through the oil collection opening.

11. The monitoring apparatus of claim 5 wherein the engine is a two-stroke large diesel engine or a four-stroke engine.

12. A monitoring method for monitoring a state of wear of a component of a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine including a cylinder having a cylinder cover and a running surface provided at a cylinder wall of the cylinder, in which cylinder a piston is arranged moveable to and fro in an axial direction along the running surface between a bottom dead center and a top dead center such that the piston, the cylinder cover and the cylinder wall form a combustion space in the cylinder for the combustion of a mixture of a fuel and air, wherein an oil collection device is provided for the collection of lubrication oil from the cylinder and in the operating state a predetermined measured quantity of lubrication oil is supplied from the cylinder to a measurement device, wherein the measured quantity of lubrication oil is directly supplied from the running surface of the cylinder and/or is directly supplied from the combustion space and/or is directly supplied from a piston ring package of the piston to the oil collection device and wherein the measurement device includes an electromagnetic measurement unit, of a magnetic permeability, of an electric DC conductivity and/or of an AC conductivity, and/or of a complex electric conductivity and/or of a complex electric resistance of the collected measured quantity of lubrication oil is carried out.

13. A monitoring method in accordance with claim 12, wherein the oil collection device includes an oil collection opening which is provided at the cylinder wall between the bottom dead center of the piston and the cylinder cover.

14. A monitoring method in accordance with claim 12, wherein the oil collection device includes an oil collection valve actuatable by a control device, and in the operating state a predefined amount of lubricant is led away out of the cylinder.

15. The monitoring method of claim 12 wherein the measurement unit is for the amplitude dependent and/or the frequency dependent and/or the frequency independent determination of a capacitance.

16. A monitoring method in accordance with claim 12, wherein the oil collection device includes an oil collection space which is an integral part of the cylinder wall and lubrication oil collected in the oil collection space is supplied to the measurement device.

17. A monitoring method in accordance with claim 12, wherein at least two oil collection openings are provided which are arranged at the cylinder displaced from one another in the circumferential direction and/or with regard to the axial direction, so that samples of lubrication oil can be taken from different positions in the cylinder.

18. A monitoring method in accordance with claim 12, wherein a maintenance point in time for the maintenance of a predefined engine component is automatically determined.

19. A monitoring method in accordance with claim 12, wherein the reciprocating piston internal combustion engine is controlled and/or regulated in dependence on a measurement result of the collected measured quantity of lubrication oil (9).

20. A monitoring method in accordance with claim 12, wherein the reciprocating piston internal combustion engine is a longitudinally scavenged internal combustion engine having scavenging slits, and the oil collection opening is arranged in the region of the scavenging slits such that lubrication oil exiting via the scavenging slits is collected through the oil collection opening.

21. The monitoring method of claim 20 wherein the engine is a slow running two-stroke large diesel engine.

22. A monitoring method in accordance with claim 12, wherein the oil collection opening is designed such that a lubrication oil flow-rate can be set.

23. The monitoring method of claim 22 wherein the lubrication oil flow-rate can be set automatically.

24. A monitoring method in accordance with claim 12, wherein data recorded with the measurement device are evaluated and consequentially a state of wear of a component of the reciprocating piston internal combustion engine is determined.

25. The monitoring method of claim 24 wherein the data are evaluated by means of a look-up table and/or by means of a predetermined mathematical function and/or by means of a calibration.

26. The monitoring method of claim 24 wherein the state of wear of the piston and/or of a piston ring and/or of the running surface of the cylinder wall and/or of a gas exchange valve and/or of a different engine component is determined.

27. A monitoring apparatus for monitoring a state of wear of a component of a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine comprising:

a cylinder having a cylinder cover and a running surface provided at a cylinder wall of the cylinder; and

,

a piston arranged in the cylinder and moveable to and fro in an axial direction along the running surface between a bottom dead center and a top dead center such that the piston, the cylinder cover and the cylinder wall form a combustion space in the cylinder for the combustion of a mixture of a fuel and air,

wherein an oil collection device is provided for the collection of lubrication oil from the cylinder so that a predetermined measured quantity of lubrication oil is suppliable from the cylinder to a measurement device, wherein the measured quantity of lubrication oil is directly suppliable from the running surface of the cylinder and/or is directly suppliable from the combustion space and/or is directly suppliable from a piston ring package of the piston to the oil collection device and wherein the measurement device includes an X-ray measurement unit.

28. The monitoring apparatus of claim 27 wherein the X-ray measurement unit is for the determination of a transmission property and/or of an absorption property and/or of a reflection property and/or of a fluorescence property of the collected measured quantity of lubrication oil (9).

29. A monitoring apparatus for monitoring a state of wear of a component of a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine comprising:

a cylinder having a cylinder cover and a running surface provided at a cylinder wall of the cylinder; and

,

a piston arranged in the cylinder and moveable to and fro in an axial direction along the running surface between a bottom dead center and a top dead center such that the piston, the cylinder cover and the cylinder wall form a combustion space in the cylinder for the combustion of a mixture of a fuel and air,

wherein an oil collection device is provided for the collection of lubrication oil from the cylinder so that a predetermined measured quantity of lubrication oil is suppliable from the cylinder to a measurement device, wherein the measured quantity of lubrication oil is directly suppliable from the running surface of the cylinder and/or is directly suppliable from the combustion space and/or is directly suppliable from a piston ring package of the piston to the oil collection device and wherein the measurement device includes an optical measurement unit for the determination of an optical transmission property and/or of an optical absorption property and/or of an optical reflection property and/or of an optical fluorescence property of the collected measured quantity of lubrication oil.

30. The monitoring apparatus of claim 29 wherein the optical measurement unit is an infrared measurement unit and/or an ultraviolet measurement unit.

31. A monitoring apparatus for monitoring a state of wear of a component of a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine comprising:

a cylinder having a cylinder cover and a running surface provided at a cylinder wall of the cylinder; and

,

a piston arranged in the cylinder and moveable to and fro in an axial direction along the running surface between a bottom dead center and a top dead center such that the piston, the cylinder cover and the cylinder wall form a combustion space in the cylinder for the combustion of a mixture of a fuel and air,

wherein an oil collection device is provided for the collection of lubrication oil from the cylinder so that a predetermined measured quantity of lubrication oil is suppliable from the cylinder to a measurement device, wherein the measured quantity of lubrication oil is directly suppliable from the running surface of the cylinder and/or is directly suppliable from the combustion space and/or is directly suppliable from a piston ring package of the piston to the oil collection device and wherein the measurement device includes a chemical measurement unit for the determination of a chemical composition of the collected measured quantity of lubrication oil.

32. A monitoring apparatus for monitoring a state of wear of a component of a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine comprising:

a cylinder having a cylinder cover and a running surface provided at a cylinder wall of the cylinder; and

,

a piston arranged in the cylinder and moveable to and fro in an axial direction along the running surface between a bottom dead center and a top dead center such that the piston, the cylinder cover and the cylinder wall form a combustion space in the cylinder for the combustion of a mixture of a fuel and air,

wherein an oil collection device is provided for the collection of lubrication oil from the cylinder so that a predetermined measured quantity of lubrication oil is suppliable from the cylinder to a measurement device, wherein the measured quantity of lubrication oil is directly suppliable from the running surface of the cylinder and/or is directly suppliable from the combustion space and/or is directly suppliable from a piston ring package of the piston to the oil collection device and wherein the measurement device includes a measurement system for the determination of a content of water and/or of a content of metal and/or for the determination of a content of phosphor and/or of sulfur of the collected measured quantity of lubrication oil.

33. The monitoring apparatus of claim 32 wherein the metal content to be determined is of iron and/or of chromium and/or of vanadium.

34. A monitoring method for monitoring a state of wear of a component of a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine including a cylinder having a cylinder cover and a running surface provided at a cylinder wall of the cylinder, in which cylinder a piston is arranged moveable to and fro in an axial direction along the running surface between a bottom dead center and a top dead center such that the piston, the cylinder cover and the cylinder wall form a combustion space in the cylinder for the combustion of a mixture of a fuel and air, wherein an oil collection device is provided for the collection of lubrication oil from the cylinder and in the operating state a predetermined measured quantity of lubrication oil is supplied from the cylinder to a measurement device, wherein the measured quantity of lubrication oil is directly supplied from the running surface of the cylinder and/or is directly supplied from the combustion space and/or is directly supplied from a piston ring package of the piston to the oil collection device and wherein the measurement device includes an X-ray measurement unit.

35. The monitoring method of claim 34 wherein a determination of a transmission property and/or of an absorption property and/or of a reflection property and/or of a fluorescence property of the collected measured quantity of lubrication oil is carried out by the X-ray measurement unit.

36. A monitoring method for monitoring a state of wear of a component of a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine including a cylinder having a cylinder cover and a running surface provided at a cylinder wall of the cylinder, in which cylinder a piston is arranged moveable to and fro in an axial direction along the running surface between a bottom dead center and a top dead center such that the piston, the cylinder cover and the cylinder wall form a combustion space in the cylinder for the combustion of a mixture of a fuel and air, wherein an oil collection device is provided for the collection of lubrication oil from the cylinder and in the operating state a predetermined measured quantity of lubrication oil is supplied from the cylinder to a measurement device, wherein the measured quantity of lubrication oil is directly supplied from the running surface of the cylinder and/or is directly supplied from the combustion space and/or is directly supplied from a piston ring package of the piston to the oil collection device and wherein the measurement device includes an optical measurement unit.

37. The monitoring method of claim 36 wherein a determination of an optical transmission property and/or of an optical absorption property and/or of an optical reflection property and/or of an optical fluorescence property of the collected measured quantity of lubrication oil is carried out by the optical measurement unit and wherein an infrared measurement unit and/or an ultraviolet measurement unit is used as the optical measurement unit.

38. A monitoring method for monitoring a state of wear of a component of a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine including a cylinder having a cylinder cover and a running surface provided at a cylinder wall of the cylinder, in which cylinder a piston is arranged moveable to and fro in an axial direction along the running surface between a bottom dead center and a top dead center such that the piston, the cylinder cover and the cylinder wall form a combustion space in the cylinder for the combustion of a mixture of a fuel and air, wherein an oil collection device is provided for the collection of lubrication oil from the cylinder and in the operating state a predetermined measured quantity of lubrication oil is supplied from the cylinder to a measurement device, wherein the measured quantity of lubrication oil is directly supplied from the running surface of the cylinder and/or is directly supplied from the combustion space and/or is directly supplied from a piston ring package of the piston to the oil collection device and wherein the measurement device includes a chemical measurement unit and a determination of a chemical composition of the collected measured quantity of lubrication oil is carried out.

39. A monitoring method for monitoring a state of wear of a component of a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine including a cylinder having a cylinder cover and a running surface provided at a cylinder wall of the cylinder, in which cylinder a piston is arranged moveable to and fro in an axial direction along the running surface between a bottom dead center and a top dead center such that the piston, the cylinder cover and the cylinder wall form a combustion space in the cylinder for the combustion of a mixture of a fuel and air, wherein an oil collection device is provided for the collection of lubrication oil from the cylinder and in the operating state a predetermined measured quantity of lubrication oil is supplied from the cylinder to a measurement device, wherein the measured quantity of lubrication oil is directly supplied from the running surface of the cylinder and/or is directly supplied from the combustion space and/or is directly supplied from a piston ring package of the piston to the oil collection device and wherein a content of water and/or a content of metal, and/or a content of phosphor and/or of sulfur of the collected measured quantity of lubrication oil is determined by the measurement device.

40. The monitoring method of claim 39 wherein the metal content to be determined is of iron and/or of chromium and/or of vanadium.

41. A monitoring method for monitoring a state of wear of a component of a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine including a cylinder having a cylinder cover and a running surface provided at a cylinder wall of the cylinder, in which cylinder a piston is arranged moveable to and fro in an axial direction along the running surface between a bottom dead center and a top dead center such that the piston, the cylinder cover and the cylinder wall form a combustion space in the cylinder for the combustion of a mixture of a fuel and air, wherein an oil collection device is provided for the collection of lubrication oil from the cylinder and in the operating state a predetermined measured quantity of lubrication oil is supplied from the cylinder to a measurement device, wherein the measured quantity of lubrication oil is directly supplied from the running surface of the cylinder and/or is directly supplied from the combustion space and/or is directly supplied from a piston ring package of the piston to the oil collection device and wherein an evaluation of the measurement of the collected measured quantity of lubrication oil is carried out for each engine cycle.

42. A monitoring method for monitoring a state of wear of a component of a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine including a cylinder having a cylinder cover and a running surface provided at a cylinder wall of the cylinder, in which cylinder a piston is arranged moveable to and fro in an axial direction along the running surface between a bottom dead center and a top dead center such that the piston, the cylinder cover and the cylinder wall form a combustion space in the cylinder for the combustion of a mixture of a fuel and air, wherein an oil collection device is provided for the collection of lubrication oil from the cylinder and in the operating state a predetermined measured quantity of lubrication oil is supplied from the cylinder to a measurement device, wherein the measured quantity of lubrication oil is directly supplied from the running surface of the cylinder and/or is directly supplied from the combustion space and/or is directly supplied from a piston ring package of the piston to the oil collection device and wherein a predetermined measured quantity of lubrication oil is collected during a predetermined number of engine cycles, and a measurement is carried out and evaluated on the predetermined measured quantity of lubrication oil.