SYSTEM FOR STORING AND DELIVERING AN AUXILIARY LIQUID TO AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE OF A MOTOR VEHICLE OR TO PARTS OF THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE OF THE MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

The invention relates to a system and to a method for operating a system for storing and supplying an auxiliary liquid to an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle or to parts of the internal combustion engine of the motor vehicle, in particular a water-injection system for the internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, comprising a reservoir for the fluid, comprising at least one conveying pump for the fluid, and comprising at least one line system, which has a feed flow to a consumer and a return flow into the reservoir, and comprising means for heating the fluid.

Claims

1-13. (canceled)

17. A system to store an auxiliary liquid and supply the auxiliary liquid to an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle or to parts of the internal combustion engine of the motor vehicle, comprising: a reservoir for the auxiliary liquid, at least one feed pump for the auxiliary liquid, and at least one line system, which has a feed flow to a load and a return flow from the load into the reservoir, and a heating device to heat the auxiliary liquid, wherein the return flow is connected to at least one distribution nozzle inside the reservoir, by which distribution nozzle the auxiliary liquid from the return flow is distributed in the reservoir.

18. The system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the heating device to heat the auxiliary liquid is arranged to heat the return flow.

19. The system as claimed in claim 17, wherein, the heating device to heat the auxiliary liquid comprises an electrical heating device and/or a heat exchanger.

20. The system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the electrical heating device and/or the heat exchanger are arranged in the return flow.

21. The system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the heat exchanger is thermally coupled to a primary cooling circuit of the internal combustion engine.

22. The system as claimed in claim 17, further comprising a connection module which is inserted in an opening of the reservoir, the connection module comprising fluid channels which communicate with the reservoir and which are connected to the line system, and the connection module comprising a module block which is preferably in the form of a thermally conductive member.

23. The system as claimed in claim 21, wherein the connection module comprises at least one thermally conductive member which extends into the volume of the reservoir.

24. The system as claimed in claim 17, further comprising an impeller arranged in front of the distribution nozzle, which impeller is rotatably mounted and arranged to be impinged upon by the auxiliary liquid, and which impeller is arranged to be driven by the auxiliary liquid issuing from the distribution nozzle.

25. The system as claimed in claim 17, further comprising an impact body arranged in front of the distribution nozzle, which impact body brings about a further distribution of the auxiliary liquid.

26. The system as claimed in claim 25, wherein the impact body comprises a cone or a prism.

27. The system as claimed in claim 17, further comprising a rotatably arranged nozzle assembly, which comprises two distribution nozzles which are oriented relative to one another such that the potential energy of the auxiliary liquid issuing from the distribution nozzles is converted into a torque which sets the nozzle assembly into rotation.

28. A method for operating a system to store an auxiliary liquid and supply the auxiliary liquid to an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle or to parts of the internal combustion engine of the motor vehicle, comprising: providing a system comprising a reservoir for the auxiliary liquid, at least one feed pump for the auxiliary liquid, and at least one line system, which has a feed flow to a load and a return flow from the load into the reservoir, and a heating device to heat the auxiliary liquid, wherein the return flow is connected to at least one distribution nozzle inside the reservoir, by which distribution nozzle the auxiliary liquid from the return flow is distributed in the reservoir. coupling heat into the auxiliary liquid by the heating device, wherein the return flow of the auxiliary liquid inside the reservoir is depressurized from a first, high pressure to a second, lower pressure, using at least one distribution nozzle.

29. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the heat coupled into the auxiliary liquid is extracted from a primary cooling circuit of the internal combustion engine.

30. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the return volume flow is heated to a temperature of at most 60 C.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] The invention will be described below with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings, in which:

[0036] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a system according to the invention;

[0037] FIG. 1a is an enlarged view of a detail from FIG. 1;

[0038] FIG. 2 is a calculation example which shows the heating power required to defrost a volume of ice of approximately 7 l;

[0039] FIG. 3 is a mathematical representation of the defrosting power of the return volume flow at a return flow temperature of 60 C. and at a return flow temperature of 20 C.;

[0040] FIG. 4a is a view of an arrangement of distribution nozzles with an impeller arranged in front thereof;

[0041] FIG. 4b is a plan view of the impeller shown in FIG. 4a;

[0042] FIG. 5a is a plan view of a rotatable nozzle assembly which is in the form of a reaction water wheel;

[0043] FIG. 5b is a side view of the nozzle assembly shown in FIG. 5a; and

[0044] FIG. 6 is a side view of a distribution nozzle with an impact body arranged in front thereof (conical distributor).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] The system shown schematically in FIG. 1 comprises a reservoir 1 having a filling pipe 2 and having means for ventilating the reservoir 1 and having means (not shown) for detecting the fill level.

[0046] The reservoir 1 comprises a flush-mounted connection module 3 which is inserted in an opening 4 in the base of the reservoir 1. The connection module can be inserted both in the base of the reservoir 1 and in a side wall of the reservoir 1. If the connection module 3 is inserted in a side wall of the reservoir 1, said module is preferably inserted in the reservoir in the bottom third or quarter of the side wall which is adjacent to the base of the reservoir. It will be understood by a person skilled in the art that the connection module 1 should be connected to the reservoir 1 as low down as possible with respect to a minimum possible liquid level inside the reservoir 1. The connection module 3 is in the form of a thermally conductive module block which comprises a plurality of fluid channels, by means of which the fluid can be removed from the reservoir 1 and can also be fed back into the reservoir 1.

[0047] On the reservoir side, that is to say inside the volume of the reservoir 1, the connection module 3 is provided with an intake fitting 5 and with a feedback line 6.

[0048] On the side which faces away from the reservoir volume, the connection module 3 is provided with a ventilation connection 3a, a return feed flow connection 3b and a feed (supply) feed flow connection 3c. To the return feed flow connection 3b, a return feed flow line 7 of the line system is connected, and to the feed feed flow connection 3c, a feed (supply) feed flow line 8 of the line system is connected. The feed feed flow line 8 is connected to a conveying pump 9 on the suction side, which pump supplies the fluid, via a filter which is not described in greater detail, to a distributor 10, to which a plurality of injection nozzles 11 are connected in turn. The conveying pump 9 is expediently in the form of a conveying pump having a conveying direction which can be reversed.

[0049] The fluid not used by the injection nozzles 11 is fed back into the reservoir 1 via the return feed flow line 7. In the return feed flow line 7, a heat exchanger 18 is arranged, by means of which heat can be coupled out of the primary cooling circuit of the internal combustion engine (not shown) into the return volume flow or into the return feed flow line 7.

[0050] The return volume flow, which is thus heated for example to 60 C., heats the connection module, and the heat thus generated is introduced into the volume of the reservoir 1 via thermally conductive members 12 on the connection module 3. The thermally conductive members 12 are in the form of ribs protruding into the volume of the reservoir 1.

[0051] Furthermore, the heated return volume flow is injected into the reservoir via the feedback line 6. The return volume flow is sprayed by means of at least one throttle or expansion nozzle inside the volume of the reservoir 1. For the sake of simplicity, the throttle or expansion nozzle is referred to in the following as a distribution nozzle 14.

[0052] According to the invention, it is assumed that an ice-free zone will firstly appear in the immediate vicinity of the connection module 3. The volume defrosted in this region is removed via the intake fitting 5.

[0053] Should a hollow space or a cavity 13 then be formed inside the ice which is present in the reservoir 1, the fluid sprayed by means of the distribution nozzle 14 of the feedback line 6 causes further defrosting of the ice.

[0054] According to the invention, the connection module 3 is in the form of a multiway valve and provided in such a way that the return feed flow line 7 and the feed feed flow line 8 can be drained or ventilated. Furthermore, the reservoir 1 can also be drained via the connection module 3 for servicing purposes. The connection module 3 can be in the form of a three/three-way valve or also a four/five-way valve.

[0055] The connection module 3 can comprise an additional electric heater (not shown). By means of the electric heater, which is provided as a start-up heater, the thermally conductive member 12 of the connection module, which acts as a heating member, is heated up. In a start-up phase of the motor vehicle, a first small amount of the fluid is thereby defrosted so that the conveying pump 9 can firstly convey a first amount of the fluid to the internal combustion engine and so that a minimum amount of the fluid can be circulated through the system.

[0056] FIG. 1a is an enlarged view of the system according to FIG. 1, wherein in FIG. 1a, like components are provided with the same reference signs.

[0057] FIG. 1a shows, in outlines, in particular the formation of a cavity 13 inside the frozen fluid which is arranged in the reservoir 1. When, during a start-up phase of the motor vehicle, part of the frozen fluid which is located in the reservoir 1 is defrosted and conveyed out of the reservoir by means of the conveying pump 9 and the feed feed flow line 8, such a cavity 13 is firstly formed, as a result of which no more significant heat transfer takes place from the thermally conductive member 12 into the frozen fluid. To ensure that the frozen fluid also continues to defrost, the fluid heated in the return feed flow line 7 is depressurized and sprayed by means of the distribution nozzles 14 inside the reservoir 1. The warm sprayed fluid condenses on the ice block inside the reservoir and causes the fluid, to further defrost and run off which fluid collects in front of the feed feed flow connection 3c and can thus be conveyed.

[0058] To bring about a more uniform distribution of the heated return volume flow inside the reservoir, according to one variant of the invention, provision is made for an impeller 15 to be arranged in front of the distribution nozzle 14, which impeller is rotatably mounted and can be impinged upon by the fluid and which impeller can be driven by means of the liquid issuing from the distribution nozzle 14.

[0059] As shown in particular in FIG. 4a, in this variant of the system according to the invention, it is provided that two distribution nozzles 14 are connected to a return flow distributor which is in the form of a Y-shaped distributor.

[0060] The impeller 15 comprises two propeller blades which each have a hydraulically effective profile. The distribution nozzles 14 which are arranged symmetrically with respect to the impeller depressurize the fluid in the direction of the impeller 14 and bring about driving of the impeller, which is set into rotation by the dynamics of the fluid. The spray cone respectively issuing from the distribution nozzle 14 is distributed over a relatively large surface area inside the reservoir 1 by the rotation of the impeller 15.

[0061] Another variant of the system according to the invention is shown in FIG. 5, which shows a rotatable nozzle assembly 16, on which two distribution nozzles 14 are arranged, which each comprise outlet openings which point in diametrically opposed directions. As a result, in each case opposite impetuses are generated during the depressurization of the fluid, which impetuses introduce a torque into the nozzle assembly 16 and consequently set said assembly into rotation. A uniform distribution of the depressurized, heated fluid is thereby generated over a large surface area in the manner of a sprinkler.

[0062] Another variant of the system according to the invention is shown in FIG. 6. Said system comprises a distribution nozzle 14, in front of which an impact body 17 is arranged. The impact body 17 is in the form of a cone/prism, the point of the cone pointing toward the distribution nozzle 14 and being arranged symmetrically with respect to an outlet opening of the distribution nozzle.

[0063] In this way, the impact body 17 reflects and duplicates the spray cone of the fluid issuing from the distribution nozzle 14.

[0064] In each of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, means for enlarging/distributing the spray cone of the depressurized fluid issuing from one or more distribution nozzles 14 are provided, which are arranged directly in front of the relevant distribution nozzle 14.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0065] 1 reservoir [0066] 2 filling pipe [0067] 3 connection module [0068] 3a ventilation connection [0069] 3b return feed flow connection [0070] 3c feed feed flow connection [0071] 4 opening [0072] 5 intake fitting [0073] 6 feedback line [0074] 7 return feed flow line [0075] 8 feed feed flow line [0076] 9 conveying pump [0077] 10 distributor [0078] 11 distribution nozzles [0079] 12 thermally conductive member of the connection module [0080] 13 cavity inside the frozen fluid [0081] 14 distribution nozzles [0082] 15 impeller [0083] 16 nozzle assembly [0084] 17 impact body [0085] 18 heat exchanger