JPS5934846B2 - Crankcase waste separation/collection device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a crankcase exhaust separator and collector for an internal combustion engine.

During operation of an internal combustion engine, a small amount of air-fuel mixture inside the combustion chamber flows into the crankcase between the S cylinder and the piston ring.

These gases are called blow-by, and about 80
The second part is the unburned mixture, which is about 20% combustion products containing water vapor, hydrocarbons, and carbon monoxide.

Blowby gas has been a problem for a long time because if it remains in the crankcase, it will shorten the life of the engine and generate various deposits, acids, sludge, etc. that reduce engine performance.

Conventionally, flow-by gas was discharged into the atmosphere through the crankcase exhaust pipe, but since it causes air pollution, it has become necessary to prevent blow-by gas from being discharged into the atmosphere.

As a result, the blowby gas is returned to the mixture introduction device of the engine, and from there it is returned to the combustion chamber -X.
positive crankcase ventil
a-tion: PCV) device was developed.

In order to maintain combustion efficiency during idling, acceleration, deceleration, and cruising, this system includes a flow control valve in the conduit that conducts the blow vitreous from the crankcase to the intake manifold.

Flow control valves, referred to as PCV valves, are typically modulated by the degree of pressure or vacuum within the crankcase, or the degree of vacuum within the intake manifold.

As long as the PCV valve 5 is operating properly, the PCV system will effectively serve its intended purpose.

(Actually) Returning unburned residue to the engine's combustion chamber improves fuel efficiency.

However, the PCV valve, which regulates the amount of crankcase exhaust sent to the intake manifold, often becomes clogged.

If the valve becomes stuck in a certain position and does not move, an excessive amount of air will disturb the mixture ratio of the engine, making it difficult to idle smoothly, or in extreme cases, causing the engine to stop.

If the PCV valve is fixed in another position, the amount of air will be too low.

In this case, blow-by gases are no longer removed, and the crankcase becomes contaminated with sludge, acids, and other harmful products (this results in poor lubrication,
Failure to clean or replace the valve will cause serious damage to the engine.

The exhaust from the crankcase is not a harmless mixture, but contains liquid old and vaporized water, resins, varnishes, acids, and carbonaceous and calcareous products (these are lubricating oils). (resulting from additives), clogging of PCV valves often occurs.

Soot and various oxidation products are also present which interfere with the operation of the PCV valve.

To maintain the PCV valve and engine in good working condition1
It is desirable to continue to strain the harmless unburned hydrocarbons and air contained in the crankcase exhaust back into the intake manifold through the PCV valve to separate and collect harmful components.

Several devices have been found in the patent literature and are commercially available for removing at least a portion of the harmful constituents and allowing the innocuous constituents to pass through the crankcase exhaust.

A collector for liquid components in crankcase effluent is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,250,062.

However, there is still considerable room for improvement in these devices.
be.

The present invention provides a device for removing undesirable contaminants from crankcase exhaust prior to passing through the PCV valve, which is legally installed in most motor vehicle internal combustion engines.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a crankcase exhaust separator and collector that is small, inexpensive, easy to maintain, and easy to install in an engine manufacturing plant and to dispose of elsewhere. That's true.

Another object of the invention is to provide a crankcase exhaust separator and collector that allows the PCV valve to operate at maximum efficiency without requiring replacement or cleaning of the PCV valve over time. be.

A further object of the present invention is to help maintain engine performance, maintain efficiency at a desired level, and
Not only passenger car engines but also stationary engines,
Provides a crankcase exhaust separator and collector that can be advantageously used on engines used in boats, trucks, forklifts, etc., and is advantageous on a variety of engines whether or not they include a PCV valve. It is to be.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a crankcase waste separator and collector that is easy to remove, clean, and replace.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an overall improved crankcase emissions separation and collector that is advantageous for use in all types of internal combustion engines.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Although the crankcase waste separator and collector of the present invention can be implemented in many different embodiments depending on the environment and requirements of use, the embodiments described herein are sufficient to provide a sufficient number of embodiments. After one test and use, all of them exhibited satisfactory performance.

The crankcase exhaust separator and collector 11 of the present invention is used, for example, in an internal combustion engine 12 of a motor vehicle.

Engine 12 includes an air cleaner 13 and a carburetor 14 in which the mixer generated passes through an intake manifold 16 and into a combustion chamber 17 of a cylinder 18 of the engine.

As is well known, part of the air-fuel mixture inside the combustion chamber 17 is just before combustion? Immediately after that, the crankcase 22 passes between the piston ring 19 of the piston 21 and the cylinder 18.
pushed inside.

These blow-by gases are composed of unburned mixture and combustion products including water, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide.

When these blow-by gases accumulate inside the crankcase 22, they form various sludges, varnishes, deposits, acids, and other products that can lengthen engine life and reduce performance.

Before 1960, blowby gases were vented into the atmosphere through pipes and therefore constituted one of the four sources of air pollution caused by internal combustion engine operation: crankcase emissions, exhaust gases, particulates, and evaporated carbohydrates. Ta.

Since 1960, most internal combustion engines have been fitted with blow-by gas reduction devices in order to virtually eliminate crankcase emissions as a source of air pollution.

It is normal to use a conduit 23 that guides new air from the G-1 air cleaner 13 to the crankcase 22 and a conduit 24 that guides a mixture of air and blow-by gas from the crankcase to the mixture side of the engine. be.

Conduit 24 includes a passage 25 from crankcase 22 to rocker arm cover 26 and a hose 27 from rocker arm cover 26 to intake manifold 16.

Up to now, the PCV valve 29 provided in the conduit 24 has often been attached to the rocker arm cover 26 or a suitable location on the hose 27, and in most cases the PCV valve 29 has been
The CV valve 29 is constructed so that at least a small amount of the air/blow-by gas mixture is routed from the crankcase to the intake manifold under all operating conditions of the engine, including at idle.

A dip biased plunger, diaphragm or other flow control member (not shown) is provided to allow more gas to flow during acceleration and cruising than during idling.

As long as the PCV valve 29 controls the flow rate in the desired manner, the blow-by gas reduction device can perform its intended function.

However, a clogged PCV valve reduces engine performance and shortens engine life as discussed above, as well as other undesirable consequences.

Remove harmful liquid or solid contaminants that could clog the PCV valve and cause other harmful consequences, and inhale a portion of the purified air mixture with blow-by gas through the PCV valve 29. In order to feed into the manifold 16, the separator/collector 11 of the present invention is preferably installed in the conduit 24 upstream of the PC 2 valve 29.

Thus, when the crankcase exhaust flows through the first portion 27a of the hose 27, a mixture of gases, liquids and solids enters the cap 30.

This cap 30 is connected to a bottomed cylindrical container 321 by a screw collar 31 to form one enclosed housing.

The cap 30 has a bracket 33 which can be secured to a nearby surface 34, such as a firewall of a vehicle, an inner wall of a fender, or other location by means of a fixing member 35t.

The crankcase discharge from the first section 27a of the hose is conducted into the inlet boat 39 at the lower end of the vertical passage 40 via a nipple 36 and a threaded volume port 37 into which the nipple is threaded. It communicates with a first passageway 38 in which the first passageway 38 is located.

As indicated by arrow 41 in FIG.
The crankcase effluent flowing through 8 is shown to contain (1) undesirable liquid and solid components, shown as solid black triangles, and (2) a large number of dots. (3) air forced into the crankcase through passageway 23, indicated by the white long sword shape and shown in FIG.

The crankcase exhaust is at a somewhat higher temperature and pressure under most conditions, and in order to initiate condensation, the crankcase exhaust must draw air from the relatively cooler atmosphere, as indicated by arrow 42. Inject into the vertical passageway 40 as it enters it.

This air 42 is then directed into an auxiliary air intake device 43, as will be described in more detail below.

Cold air 42 and warm gas 41 turn the corner into passage 40
During the sudden change in force plane as it descends along , this fringe gas 41 collides with the cold air 42, and this mixture expands rapidly as it exits the inlet port 39 of the cap 30.

Crankcase exhaust 4 diluted by cold air 42 from auxiliary air intake device 43 as shown by arrow 46
1 flows downward along axis 47 and radially outward.

Since the gas expands very quickly, this expansion process takes place adiabatically.

This action is performed adiabatically by the mixture. As a result, the temperature of the mixture decreases, and if the walls of the container 32 are transparent, a mist can often be seen forming inside the container 32.

The mixture 46 continues to expand in the radial and axial directions.

The radial portion of the mixture 46 first passes through a fine mesh screen formed by a hollow straight inner cylinder 481.

This inner cylinder 48 is coaxially surrounded by a fine-mesh outer cylinder 49#.

A flange is provided at the upper end of the inner cylinder 48 and welded to the upper disk 51f.

This disk 51 has a threaded hole 52 into which a threaded rod 53 protruding from the cap 30 is screwed.

A hole is drilled in the center of the threaded rod 53 to form the lower portion of the vertical passageway 40.

The lower end of the inner cylinder 48 is also provided with a flange and is fixed to the lower disk 56.

The upper and lower discs 51,56 also serve as fixing members for the fine-toothed outer screen cylinder 49.

The ends of the inner and outer cylinders 49, 49 are provided with flanges for reinforcement and attachment around the disks 51, 56.

The space between the cylinders 48 and 49 is filled with relatively inert fine particles such as glass or glass fibers.

For example, a large number of glass beads 6 with a diameter of 3M or less
1 was found to be very suitable.

However, the term bead used in the specification and depicted in the drawings is not limited to spherical glass, but can be composed of knitted or woven fibers; A combination of different shapes can be used.

As the mixture 46 expands, it passes through the gaps between the glass beads.

The glass bulb provides a large surface area and creates numerous tortuous paths through which the mixture passes.

The individual glass bulbs themselves do not change in any way, and liquid and solid contaminants can be separated from the blow-by gas and air mixture.

It remains to be determined whether the large surface area of individual microparticles separates contaminants through surface adsorption, or whether the particles separate these substances through an action similar to that of a catalyst.

However, as the blow-by gas and air mixture exits the outer screen cylinder and flows upwardly as shown by arrow 63, a high degree of separation or "purification" occurs.

At the same time, undesired solids and liquid are discharged from the glass beads 61 to the bottom, as indicated by arrow 64, and descend to form sludge 66 at the bottom of the vessel 32.

At periodic intervals, container 32 is removed from cap 30 for cleaning.

67 is a gasket for shutting off the inside of the container 32 and the outside air.

As best shown in FIG. 3, a mixture of blow-by gas and air, indicated by arrow 63, rises through an annular passageway and passes through an elongated tube provided in the upper connection 69 of the cap 30. It enters an exit channel or second passageway 68 formed by a radial hole.

The connections 69 are equivalent to the connections 71 provided in the inlet channel or first passageway 38, and these connections 69,71 are approximately 45 mm wide, as best shown in FIG.
They are offset from each other by an angle of degrees.

A mixed gas 63 of blow-by gas and air is contained in the nozzle 72.
The PCV valve 2 valve 9 flows through the hose portion 27b.

Two PCV valves adjust the flow rate in relation to engine operation.

A mixed gas 63 of blow-by gas and air enters the intake manifold 16 through the PCV valve 2 and 9 hose portion 27b, and is drawn into the combustion chamber 17 from there.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 and Figure 4, the cap 3
It can be seen that an auxiliary air suction device 43 is provided on the top of 0.

Although this device 43 is shown as being made integrally with the cap 30, the two can be made separately if desired.

The auxiliary air suction device 43 is a horizontally arranged straight cylinder 7.
I have 6.

That is, this cylinder 76 is provided with a hole 77, and this hole 7
In 7? Then, the plunger 18 is moved between an open position shown by a solid line in FIG. 4 and a nearly closed position shown by a broken line.

A metal fitting 81 is provided in the hole 77 at the right end of the cylinder 76.

This metal fitting 81] is connected to the tube 82. 1. , atmospheric air flows into this tube 82 through an air filter 83.
Enter through.

The air flowing in from the tube 82 is controlled by one movement of the plunger 78.

When the plunger 78 is closed, the right end of the stem 86 protruding from the plunger 78 substantially, but not completely, closes the opening 87 in the adjacent end of the fitting 81.

Further, when the end 85 of the stem 86 comes into contact with the metal fitting 81,
Plunger 78 substantially, but not completely, closes outlet 88 at the right end of hole 77.

Alternatively, the right end 85 of the plunger stem 86 is formed with multiple edges 89, so that even when the end 85 contacts the fitting 81, a small amount of air will enter through the notch 89 and the plunger 78 will exit. When 88 is completely closed, it is possible to descend through a very narrow gap 90.

A threaded mount attached to the left end of the cylinder 76 is connected to a member 92, and between the bottom of the blind hole 93 and the adjacent end of the plunger 78, a weak compression strut ring 91 is inserted.

In the case of mounting with a threaded part, a member 92 is connected between the carburetor 14, which is provided above or in front of a normal throttle, and a normal vacuum advancer 97, which is connected to a power distribution device 98 of the vehicle. The hose 94 that extends to the T fitting 95 of the hose 96 (connected).

However, it should be noted that although the vacuum advancer serves as a convenient source of vacuum as a function of throttle opening, if the advancer is not available, an auxiliary air suction device 43 can also be used. .

It is also possible to couple it to another vacuum source or to an electrically driven actuator.

Manual operation is also possible.

During idling, the throttle in the carburetor is nearly closed and there is very little, if any, vacuum in the vacuum advancer.

In this case, as spring 91 pushes piston 78 to the closed position, a small amount of air enters passageway 40 through notch 89 near opening 87 in fitting 81 and gap 90.

However, while the vehicle is accelerating or traveling at a constant speed,
The carburetor throttle, which determines the operating conditions of the engine, is opened and a vacuum is present at the vacuum advancer.

This creates a vacuum in the connecting hose 94 and in the left end of the cylindrical bore 77 near the compression spring 91 .

As a result, the differential pressure applied to both ends of the plunger 78 becomes greater than the pushing force of the spring 91, and the flange 78 is pushed to the left to the position shown by the solid line in FIG.

To this end, fresh air enters the right-hand part of the hole through the air filter 83, the tube 82 and the opening 87, and from there descends through the outlet 88, as indicated by the arrow 42, into the passage 40. t, where it collides with the incoming crankcase exhaust 41 (FIGS. 2 and 4).

Typically, the air filter 83 located at the end of the pipe 82 is located under the hood of the vehicle.

At that location, at least a slight positive pressure exists due to the movement of the vehicle and the operation of the cooling fan.

From passageway 40 a gas mixture 46 of crankcase exhaust 41 and fresh air descends into a sleeve filter or separator 60 suspended within vessel 32;
There, while the gas mixture 46 expands and moves through the tortuous path of the convolution of beads (a large number of beads (
They bump into each other, causing a sudden change in direction and separation.

Extensive testing has shown that the combination of expansion of the gas mixture through the beads, successive collisions, and rapid changes in flow rate removes solids and liquids from the mixture.

The gas and light hydrocarbon vapors are passed through a separator 60;
The heavy liquid and solid components are stored in the container 32 as sludge 66.
[into the empty sludge sump] Make a change so that it falls.

Dry hydrocarbons and air pass harmlessly through the PCV valve and into the combustion chamber, thereby improving engine performance and extending engine life.

The glass beads 61 used in this example are relatively inert particles. You can expect the same effect even if you change your mind.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of the crankcase exhaust separator-collector of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing the intake port and auxiliary air intake structure, and Fig. 3 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 1 showing the structure of the outlet port, and FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 2 showing the structure of the auxiliary air intake. 11...Crankcase exhaust separation/collection device,
22... Crank case, 23, 24...
...i-tube, 27...hose, 29...
PCV valve, 30... Cap, 38.68...
...Channel, 40...Aisle, 48.4
9...Screen cylinder, 51.56...
・Disc, 60...Separator, 61...Bead, 78...Plunger, 89...
Notsuchi.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A first passage 38 for guiding crankcase exhaust and a second passage 68j connected to the intake passage 16 of the engine 12
6 and a cap 30 with a passage 40 introducing metered air into the first passage 38 and below this camp (jl
Il (a cylindrical container 32 with a bottom that is detachably attached,
The inner and outer cylinders 48°49'j6 are suspended in the container 32 and have a large number of holes to form fine screens, and a large number of cylinders 48.49 filled between the two cylinders 48. a separator 60 consisting of beads 61, the first passage 38 is connected to the inner cylinder 48 of the separator 60, and the second passage is formed by the outer cylinder 49 and the container 32. A crankcase exhaust separation system characterized in that the amount of air connected to the space connected to the first passage 38 and introduced into the first passage 38 is adjusted by a plunger 781 that moves in relation to engine driving conditions. Collector.