Hydrogen intake assembly for a hydrogen internal combustion engine

Abstract

A hydrogen intake assembly for a hydrogen internal combustion engine characterized in that the hydrogen intake assembly includes at least one air intake manifold comprising an air intake pipe comprising at least one air inlet and air outlets, air intake runners comprising air inlets and air outlets, a spacer having a wall defining an inner chamber receiving a mixture of air, water and hydrogen and comprising air inlets and mixture outlets delivering said mixture, a water rail comprising at least one water inlet and water outlets, said water outlets being embedded in the wall of the spacer and a hydrogen rail comprising at least a hydrogen inlet and hydrogen outlets.

Claims

1. A hydrogen intake assembly for a hydrogen internal combustion engine characterized in that the hydrogen intake assembly comprises: at least one air intake manifold comprising: an air intake pipe comprising at least one air inlet and air outlets, air intake runners comprising air inlets and air outlets, said air inlets of the air intake runners being connected to the air outlets of the air intake pipe, a spacer having a wall defining an inner chamber receiving a mixture of air, water and hydrogen and comprising air inlets and mixture outlets delivering said mixture, said air inlets of the spacer being connected to the air outlets of the air intake runners, said mixture outlets of the spacer being configured to be secured on a cylinder head of a hydrogen internal combustion engine, a water rail comprising at least one water inlet and water outlets, said water outlets being embedded in the wall of the spacer and a hydrogen rail comprising at least one hydrogen inlet and hydrogen outlets, said hydrogen outlets being connected to hydrogen intake pipes including hydrogen inlets and hydrogen outlets, said hydrogen outlets of the hydrogen intake pipes being embedded in the wall of the spacer.

2. The hydrogen intake assembly according to claim 1, wherein each air intake runner includes at least one loop surrounding the air intake pipe.

3. The hydrogen intake assembly according to claim 2, wherein each air intake runner includes at least two loops surrounding the air intake pipe.

4. The hydrogen intake assembly according to claim 1, wherein each intake runner has a length between 500 and 2000 mm.

5. The hydrogen intake assembly according to claim 1, wherein the air inlets of the air intake runners, the air outlets of the air intake runners and/or the outlets of the air intake pipe have an oval shape or a convergent shape.

6. The hydrogen intake assembly according to claim 1, wherein the hydrogen outlets of the hydrogen intake pipes comprise each a hydrogen injector embedded in the wall of the spacer.

7. The hydrogen intake assembly according to claim 6, wherein a longitudinal axis of the inner chamber of the spacer and a longitudinal axis of the hydrogen injector forms an angle between 10 and 40°.

8. The hydrogen intake assembly according to claim 6, wherein the hydrogen injectors and the water injectors are located on a common transversal section of the wall of the spacer.

9. The hydrogen intake assembly according to claim 1, wherein the water outlets comprise each a water injector embedded in the wall of the spacer.

10. The hydrogen intake assembly according to claim 1, wherein the hydrogen intake assembly comprises two air intake manifolds comprises each one air inlet.

11. A hydrogen internal combustion engine, comprising: a hydrogen internal combustion engine comprising: a cylinder head comprising mixture intake valves, exhaust valves and spark plugs, a cylinder block housing a plurality of cylinders; each cylinder comprising a piston, said cylinder head being configured to be secured on the top of the cylinder block so as to form a combustion chamber receiving a mixture of hydrogen, air and water and a hydrogen intake assembly according to claim 1 including a spacer having mixture outlets being secured on said cylinder head.

12. A hydrogen internal combustion engine according to claim 11, wherein each hydrogen injector is located in front of an intake valve included in the cylinder head of the hydrogen internal combustion engine.

13. A vehicle comprising a hydrogen intake assembly according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) With reference to the appended drawings, below follows a more detailed description of embodiments of the invention cited as examples.

(2) In the drawings:

(3) FIG. 1 is a hydrogen intake assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention,

(4) FIG. 2 is an air intake runner according to one embodiment of the present invention,

(5) FIG. 3 is an air intake manifold according to one embodiment of the present invention,

(6) FIG. 4 is an air intake runner according to another embodiment of the present invention,

(7) FIG. 5 is a partial view of an air intake manifold according to one embodiment of the present invention,

(8) FIG. 6 is a sectional crossed view of a hydrogen intake assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention,

(9) FIG. 7 is another sectional crossed view of a hydrogen intake assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention,

(10) FIG. 8 is another sectional crossed view of a hydrogen intake assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention and

(11) FIG. 9 is an air intake manifold according to one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

(12) FIG. 1 illustrates a hydrogen intake assembly 1 for a hydrogen internal combustion engine (not illustrated) for a vehicle.

(13) The hydrogen intake assembly 1 may comprise one air intake manifold 2 comprising an air intake pipe 21 comprising for example one air inlet 22 and air outlets 23 as it can be seen on FIG. 3.

(14) The hydrogen intake assembly 1 comprises air intake runners 24 comprising air inlets 25 and air outlets 26. The air inlets 25 of the air intake runners 24 are connected to the air outlets 23 of the air intake pipe 21 (FIGS. 2-7). An ITV electrical valve 27 may regulate the proportion of air.

(15) As shown in FIG. 7, the hydrogen intake assembly 1 further comprises a spacer 3 having a wall 31 defining an inner chamber receiving a mixture of air, water and hydrogen and comprising air inlets 32 and mixture outlets 33 delivering said mixture. The air inlets 32 are connected to the air outlets 26 of the air intake runners 24, said mixture outlets 33 of the spacer 3 being configured to be secured on a cylinder head 6 of a hydrogen internal combustion engine (not illustrated).

(16) The hydrogen intake assembly 1 further comprises a water rail 4 comprising, for example, one water inlet 41 and water outlets 42, said water outlets 42 being embedded in the wall 31 of the spacer 3. Water is preferably is liquid phase. For example, the pressure of water in the water rail 4 is around 10.10.sup.5 Pa.

(17) The hydrogen intake assembly 1 further comprises a hydrogen rail 5 comprising one hydrogen inlet 51 and hydrogen outlets 52. The hydrogen outlets 52 are connected to hydrogen intake pipes 53 including hydrogen inlets 54 and hydrogen outlets 55, said hydrogen outlets 55 of the hydrogen intake pipes 53 being embedded in the wall 31 of the spacer 3. Hydrogen is preferably is gas phase. For example, the pressure of hydrogen in the hydrogen rail 5 is around 30.10.sup.5 Pa.

(18) FIGS. 1, 2, 6, 7 and 9 illustrate an example wherein each air intake runner 24 includes one loop surrounding the air intake pipe 21. In another embodiment illustrated FIGS. 3 and 4, each air intake runner 24 includes two loops surrounding the air intake pipe 21. Preferably, each intake runner has a length between 600 and 1200 mm.

(19) FIG. 5 illustrates an example wherein the air inlets 25 of the air intake runners 24 and the air outlets 26 of the air intake runners 24 have an oval shape. FIG. 5 also illustrates an example wherein the outlets 23 of the air intake pipe 21 have a convergent shape.

(20) As illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 8, the hydrogen outlets 55 of the hydrogen intake pipes 53 may comprise each a hydrogen injector 56 embedded in the wall 31 of the spacer 3. Preferably, a longitudinal axis A.sub.L31 of the inner chamber 31 of the spacer 3 and a longitudinal axis A.sub.L56 of the hydrogen injector 56 forms an angle between 10 and 40° (FIG. 8).

(21) The water outlets 42 may each comprise a water injector 43 embedded in the wall 31 of the spacer 3.

(22) As illustrated, the hydrogen injectors 56 and the water injectors 43 can be located on a common transversal section S1 of the wall 31 of the spacer 3. For example, one transversal section represents less than 33%, and preferably less than 25%, of the whole transversal wall of the spacer 3 (FIGS. 6 and 7).

(23) FIG. 9 illustrates a further embodiment wherein the hydrogen intake assembly 1 comprises two air intake manifolds 2, 2′ comprises each one air inlet 22, 22′. This embodiment allows better air flow efficiency.

(24) According to the present invention, a hydrogen internal combustion engine comprises: a hydrogen internal combustion engine (not illustrated) comprising: a cylinder head 6 comprising mixture intake valves 61, exhaust valves (not shown) and spark plugs (not shown), a cylinder block (not shown) housing a plurality of cylinders (not shown); each cylinder comprising a piston (not shown), said cylinder head 6 being configured to be secured on the top of the cylinder block so as to form a combustion chamber (not shown) receiving a mixture of hydrogen, air and water and the hydrogen intake assembly according to the present invention including the spacer 3 having mixture outlets 33 being secured on said cylinder head 6.

(25) The cylinder head 6 may further comprise an intake port 62 wherein the mixture may flow to reach the intake valve 61 and the combustion chamber (FIG. 8).

(26) Each hydrogen injector 43 may be located in front of an intake valve 61 included in the cylinder head 6 of the hydrogen internal combustion engine.

(27) In operating mode, the hydrogen internal combustion engine works by following the below cycle comprising: an intake phase where the mixture is introduced in the combustion chamber, a compression phase where hydrogen of the mixture is compressed by the piston, and a combustion phase where hydrogen of the mixture is ignited by a spark plug disposed in the combustion chamber.

(28) Thus, the mixture of hydrogen, air and water is indirectly injected in the combustion chamber, through the intake port 62 and the intake valve 61 of the cylinder head 6 (FIG. 8). Hydrogen and air react to form water. Additionally, the water injected in liquid phase controls the hydrogen combustion by lowering the temperature of the combustion gases thus avoiding back flow of combustion gases from the combustion chamber to the intake port.

(29) The hydrogen intake assembly according to the present invention is compact and optimizes the filling of the air intake runners. Furthermore, the architecture of the hydrogen intake assembly enhances the gases velocities of air and hydrogen and inhibits residual hydrogen rising up the runners and the air intake manifold. The hydrogen intake assembly avoids abnormal combustion. Additionally, the hydrogen intake assembly allows a high quality indirect injection.

(30) The invention is also of interest for user having a vehicle or a fleet of vehicles equipped with diesel internal combustion engine as the invention makes it possible to convert said diesel internal combustion engine into a hydrogen internal combustion engine according to the present invention.

(31) A diesel internal combustion engine commonly includes a diesel intake assembly connected to a cylinder head. The cylinder head is provided with intake valves 61, exhaust valves and diesel injectors a cylinder block housing a plurality of cylinders; each cylinder comprising a piston. The cylinder head 6 is configured to be secured on the top of the cylinder block so as to form a combustion chamber receiving a mixture of air and diesel. The diesel intake assembly includes air outlets being secured on said cylinder head.

(32) The invention makes provision for removing the diesel intake assembly and fit the hydrogen intake assembly 1 according to the present invention on the cylinder head 6. To complete the conversion from diesel to hydrogen, spark plugs are placed in the cylinder head.

(33) The method for the manufacture of a hydrogen internal combustion engine according to the present invention permits to recycle diesel internal combustion engine leading to a cost saving method and low environment impact. Additionally, the implementation of said compact hydrogen intake assembly can be carried out on any diesel internal combustion engine for any kind of vehicle.

(34) It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings; rather, the skilled person will recognize that many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims.