PRE-HEATING DEVICE

Abstract

A preheating device for preheating the fuel of an internal combustion engine with a heating medium has a fuel transport device with a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet, and has a fuel transport channel connecting the fuel inlet and the fuel outlet. The preheating device also has a heating medium transport device with a heating medium inlet and a heating medium outlet, as well as a heating medium transport channel connecting the heating medium inlet and the heating medium outlet and/or at least one heating element. The fuel transport device and the heating medium transport device and/or the at least one heating element are in thermal contact with each other and thus form a heat exchanger via which a fuel transported in the fuel transport device can be heated by a heating medium transported in the heating medium transport device and/or by the at least one heating element.

Claims

1. A preheating device (1) for preheating fuel of an internal combustion engine with a heating medium, comprising: a fuel transport device (22) having a fuel inlet (22a) and a fuel outlet (22b), and having a fuel transport channel (25) connecting the fuel inlet (22a) and the fuel outlet (22b); a heating medium transport device (21) having a heating medium inlet (21a) and a heating medium outlet (21b), as well as a heating medium transport channel (26) connecting the heating medium inlet (21a) and the heating medium outlet (21b); and/or at least one heating element (31), wherein the fuel transport device (22) and the heating medium transport device (21) and/or the at least one heating element (31) are in thermal contact with each other and thus form a heat exchanger via which a fuel transported in the fuel transport device (22) can be heated by a heating medium transported in the heating medium transport device (21), and/or by the at least one heating element (31), wherein the heating medium transport device (21) and the fuel transport device (22) are arranged in a metallic block (20), wherein the fuel transport channel (25) and the heating medium transport channel (26) are each designed to be meandering in the block (20), at least in sections, and in particular separated from each other in terms of flow, and/or in that the fuel transport device (22) is arranged in a metallic block (20), wherein the fuel transport channel (25) is designed to be at least partially meandering and the at least one heating element (31) is arranged in or on at least one cover plate (11a, 11b) of the metallic block (20).

2. The preheating device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the block (20) comprises copper or consists of copper.

3. The preheating device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the fuel transport channel (25) is incorporated into, milled into, or introduced into the metal block (22).

4. The preheating device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the fuel transport channel (25) is covered by the at least one cover plate (11a and/or 11b).

5. The preheating device (1) according to claim 1, wherein flow swirling means (21c, 22c) are arranged in the fuel transport channel (25).

6. The preheating device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the fuel transport channel (25) is arranged on a first side of the block (20), and in that the heating medium transport channel (26) is arranged on a second side of the block (20), which is in particular opposite the first side.

7. The preheating device (1) according to claim 6, wherein the heating medium transport channel (26) is incorporated into, milled into, or introduced into the second side.

8. The preheating device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the heating medium transport channel (26) and the fuel transport channel (25) are each covered by a cover plate (11a and/or 11b).

9. The preheating device (1) according to claim 4, wherein the at least one cover plate (11a, 11b) is fixed to the block (20), in particular by welding.

10. The preheating device (1) according to claim 1, wherein flow swirling means (21c, 22c) are arranged in the heating medium transport channel (26).

11. The preheating device (1) according to claim 5, wherein the flow swirling means (21c, 22c) are designed as steps and/or projections.

12. The preheating device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one heating element (31) is arranged on the at least one cover plate (11a) of the fuel transport channel (25).

13. The preheating device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one heating element (31) is arranged on the surfaces of each of the at least one cover plate (11a, 11b), or is introduced into the surface of the at least one cover plate (11a, 11b).

14. The preheating device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the outer contour of the block (20) is approximately cuboid.

15. A vehicle comprising an engine, a fuel tank, fuel which is located in the fuel tank, a fuel supply system which supplies the fuel to the engine, and a preheating device (1) connected between the fuel tank and the engine, wherein the preheating device (1) comprises: a fuel transport device (22) having a fuel inlet (22a) and a fuel outlet (22b), and having a fuel transport channel (25) connecting the fuel inlet (22a) and the fuel outlet (22b); a heating medium transport device (21) having a heating medium inlet (21a) and a heating medium outlet (21b), as well as a heating medium transport channel (26) connecting the heating medium inlet (21a) and the heating medium outlet (21b); and/or at least one heating element (31), wherein the fuel transport device (22) and the heating medium transport device (21) and/or the at least one heating element (31) are in thermal contact with each other and thus form a heat exchanger via which a fuel transported in the fuel transport device (22) can be heated by a heating medium transported in the heating medium transport device (21), and/or by the at least one heating element (31), wherein the heating medium transport device (21) and the fuel transport device (22) are arranged in a metallic block (20), wherein the fuel transport channel (25) and the heating medium transport channel (26) are each designed to be meandering in the block (20), at least in sections, and in particular separated from each other in terms of flow, and/or in that the fuel transport device (22) is arranged in a metallic block (20), wherein the fuel transport channel (25) is designed to be at least partially meandering and the at least one heating element (31) is arranged in or on at least one cover plate (11a, 11b) of the metallic block (20), wherein the fuel inlet (22a) of the preheating device (1) is connected to a line section leading to the fuel tank, and a fuel outlet (22b) of the preheating device (1) is connected to a line section leading to the engine, and wherein a heating medium is circulated through the heating medium transport device (21), and/or at least one heating element (31) is operated.

16. The vehicle according to claim 15, wherein the fuel is a fluid fuel, in particular diesel fuel.

17. The vehicle according to claim 15, wherein the heating medium is a fluid, in particular water.

18. The vehicle according to claim 15, wherein the at least one heating element is operated electrically.

19. The vehicle according to claim 15, wherein the vehicle is a watercraft, especially a ship.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the embodiment shown in the figures.

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a perspective exploded view of a preheating device according to the invention.

[0028] FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the block comprised by the preheating device according to the invention, on the side of the heating medium transport channel.

[0029] FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the block comprised by the preheating device according to the invention, on the side of the fuel transport channel.

[0030] FIG. 4 shows a view of a section through the block comprised by the preheating device according to the invention, along the line A-A in FIG. 3.

[0031] FIG. 5 shows a perspective exploded view of another preheating device according to the invention.

[0032] FIG. 6 shows a plan view of the block comprised by the preheating device according to the invention in FIG. 5, on a side of the fuel transport channel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0033] As FIG. 1 shows, the preheating device 1 has a block 20 in its core, which in this embodiment is cuboid. A heating medium transport device 21 in the form of a channel is introduced into the upper part of the block 20 with the greatest area of the cuboid. This heating medium transport device 21 is designed in a meandering shape and extends from a heating medium inlet 21a, attached on the end face, to the heating medium outlet 21b, which is preferably attached on the same surface. The inlet and the outlet are connected to the heat transport device 21 by bores in the end face of the block 20. The fuel transport device 22, which is described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 3, is introduced into the underside which is opposite the top side of the block 20 which carries the heat transport device 21, and which is not shown here. The fuel inlet 22a and the fuel outlet 22b are also arranged on the end face on which the heating medium inlet 21a and heating medium outlet 21b are also arranged. The inlets and outlets can also be at different points and/or on narrow sides of the block 20. The heat transfer device 21 and fuel transport device 22, which are introduced into the block 20, which is preferably made of metal, are transport channels 25, 26 which are open toward the outside. The transport channels 25, 26 are each closed by cover plates 11a, 11b, respectively which preferably have an elongated hole 27 or elongated depression in the center of the plate 11a, 11b. This slot 27 and/or the depression is/are placed, along with the cover plate 11a, 11b, over a preferably complementary projection 23 with a positive fit, wherein the guide web 23 in the example shown is preferably centrally located on the open side of the block 20, raised on the central web there. In addition, in this embodiment the edge of the surface with the transport channels 25, 26 introduced therein is raised, such that the cover plate 11a, 11b is enclosed. The inserted cover plates 11a, 11b can be fixed to the block 20 by means of screws, rivets or by welding or soldering. Since both the fuel and the heating medium are pumped through the transport device 21, 22 under pressure, the connection between the cover plate 11a, 11b must be pressure-resistant.

[0034] Furthermore, a housing cover 10a, 10b can be arranged over the cover plates 11a, 11b, and can be fastened to the block 20 with screws, or is likewise welded on. The housing cover 10a, 10b protects the preheating device 1 and serves as a surrounding housing, and can have an insulating effect in order to keep the heat loss in the preheating device 1 caused by thermal radiation to a minimum.

[0035] The plan view of FIG. 2 shows the block 20 comprised by the preheating device 1, on the side of the heating medium transport channel 26. At the bottom left in the block 20, part of the heating medium inlet 21a is shown. From there, the heating medium transport channel 26 leads to the right with meanders, and ends at the heating medium outlet 21b. In the center, a somewhat stronger web is preferably left to stabilize the block 20. On this, for example, the centering web 23 for the cover plate 11b also rises. Four bores 24 are preferably made in the edge of the block 20, which is preferably designed to be raised relative to the region of the heat transport device 21. Threads can be cut into the bores 24, and screws with which the housing cover 10b is fastened to the block 20 can engage in these threads. As an alternative to this, the bores 24 can also pass through the block 20, such that the two housing covers 10a, 10b are screwed together. Since the block 20 is intended to transfer the heat of the heating medium to the fuel, the block should be formed from a thermally conductive material. The block is preferably made of metal. Particularly preferably, the block 20 is made containing copper or is made entirely of copper.

[0036] FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the block 20 comprised by the preheating device 1 according to the invention, on the side of the fuel transport channel 25. The fuel transport channel 25 runs in meanders from the fuel inlet 22a to the fuel outlet 22b. The fuel transport channel 25 in this case preferably has a smaller cross-section than the heating medium transport channel 26, as a result of which the fuel transport channel 25 has a greater surface area and, as a result, the heat absorption of the fuel conveyed therein is improved. A wider web with the raised web 23 for the cover plate 11b is also arranged in the center on this side. The edge of the block 20, which is also preferably raised here, likewise comprises the fastening bores 24.

[0037] FIG. 4 shows a sectional view through the block 20 comprised by the preheating device according to the invention, along the line A-A in FIG. 3. The section shows the fuel transport device 22 at the top and the heating medium transport device 21 at the bottom. The section passes through a straight part of each of the transport channels 25, 26; the heating medium inlet 21a/outlet 21b are shown on the lower right. Raised flow swirling means 21c, 22c are incorporated at the base of the channels, that is to say towards the center of the block 20, and ensure that the heating means and/or the fuel swirl. As a result, they produce a mixing of the heating means and/or the fuel, such that the temperature and therefore the heat transfer are distributed as evenly as possible.

[0038] Both the heating medium and the fuel can dwell long enough in this preheating device 1 to ensure the required fuel temperature.

[0039] FIG. 5 shows a further embodiment of a preheating device 1 according to the invention, in an exploded view. In this preheating device 1, the heat is supplied via heating elements 30. The open fuel channels 25 are incorporated into the two large surfaces of the cuboid block 20 with a meandering form. The fuel channel 25 is configured in this case in such a manner that the inlet 22a and the outlet 22b of the fuel transport device 22 are arranged on a narrow side. This has the advantage that when the preheating device 1 is installed later in an existing fuel transport system, the lines do not have to be relocated too much. As already stated above, guide webs 23 are situated on the inside between the meandering fuel channel 25; the elongated holes of the cover plates 11a are placed over these in order to enable closing the transport channel 25 with a positive fit. In this embodiment, a carrier plate 31 which carries a heating element 30 in a dimensionally stable manner is arranged on the outside of each cover plate 11a. It is also conceivable to arrange the heating element 30 on only one side. It is also possible to arrange the heating element 30 directly on a cover plate 11a or to introduce recesses into the cover plate 11a, in which the heating elements 30 are arranged. The cover plate 11a is covered by an insulating housing cover 10a (not shown here) to prevent heat losses from the preheating device 1 to the surroundings.

[0040] In the plan view shown in FIG. 6, the meandering of the fuel channel 25 can be clearly seen. The inlet plane is selected here as an example. The fuel enters the fuel channel 25 via the fuel inlet 22a, which cannot be seen from the top view, and is conveyed from left to right in the figure. At the right end, the fuel is conveyed into a passage 28 through which it is conveyed from the inlet plane to the outlet plane which, from this perspective, is below. There, the fuel is then conveyed from right to left and guided out of the preheating device 1 again through the fuel outlet 22b (not shown). By conveying the fuel in two planes, the heat exchange surface area is practically doubled without changing the base area of the preheating device 1.

[0041] The described embodiments do not constitute a restriction of the subject matter according to the invention. It is also conceivable to equip a preheating exchanger 1, as described in FIGS. 1 to 4, with a heating element, as described in FIG. 5, on the fuel-bearing side in order to enable additional heat input. It is also conceivable to equip both of the large surfaces with heating elements 30 or, on the other hand, to equip a preheating device 1, as described in FIG. 5, with only one heating element. A preheating device 1 according to the invention also comprises a configuration in which two or more heating elements are arranged on a cover plate.