CN-116892473-B - Fuel modifying device

CN116892473BCN 116892473 BCN116892473 BCN 116892473BCN-116892473-B

Abstract

The fuel reforming device includes a first reservoir and a second reservoir for storing fuel of an internal combustion engine, a reformer for reforming the fuel supplied from the first reservoir according to temperature, a temperature adjustment unit for adjusting the temperature of the reformer, a first flow path for guiding the fuel reformed by the reformer to a gas phase of the first reservoir, a second flow path for guiding the fuel reformed by the reformer to the second reservoir, a switching valve for opening either the first flow path or the second flow path, an outside air temperature detection unit for detecting the outside air temperature, and a controller for controlling the switching valve and the temperature adjustment unit according to the detected outside air temperature. The controller controls the switching valve to open the first flow path when the detected outside air temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature during the start of the internal combustion engine, controls the switching valve to open the second flow path when the detected outside air temperature is equal to or lower than the predetermined temperature during the start of the internal combustion engine, and controls the temperature adjusting unit based on the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature detecting unit.

Inventors

KUDO TOMOHIDE
HASHIMOTO KOHTARO
IIMURO AKIHIRO

Assignees

本田技研工业株式会社

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20230321
Priority Date: 20220330

Claims (10)

1. A fuel reforming device (100) is characterized by comprising: a first reservoir (1) and a second reservoir (3) that store fuel for an internal combustion engine (5); a reformer (2) that reforms the fuel supplied from the first reservoir (1) according to temperature; A temperature adjustment unit (8) that adjusts the temperature of the reformer (2); a first flow path that guides the fuel modified by the modifier (2) to the gas phase of the first reservoir (1); a second flow path that guides the fuel modified by the modifier (2) to the second reservoir (3); a switching valve (18) that opens either one of the first flow path and the second flow path; an outside air temperature detection unit (19) that detects an outside air temperature; a controller (20) for controlling the switching valve (18) and the temperature adjusting unit (8) based on the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature detecting unit (19), When the internal combustion engine (5) is started, and when the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature detection unit (19) exceeds a predetermined temperature, the controller (20) controls the switching valve (18) to open the first flow path, When the internal combustion engine (5) is started, the controller (20) controls the switching valve (18) to open the second flow path and controls the temperature adjusting unit (8) based on the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature detecting unit (19) when the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature detecting unit (19) is equal to or lower than the predetermined temperature.
2. The fuel modifying device (100) of claim 1, wherein the fuel modifying device comprises, The fuel stored in the liquid phase of the first storage part (1) contains alcohol, The reformer (2) reforms alcohol contained in the fuel supplied from the first reservoir (1) into ether at a reforming rate corresponding to temperature.
3. The fuel modifying device (100) according to claim 2, wherein, Further comprises a concentration detection unit (1 a) for detecting the ether concentration in the gas phase of the first storage unit (1), The controller (20) controls the switching valve (18) to close the first flow path on the condition that the ether concentration detected by the concentration detecting unit (1 a) is equal to or higher than an upper explosion limit when the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature detecting unit (19) exceeds the predetermined temperature at the time of starting the internal combustion engine (5).
4. The fuel reforming device (100) according to claim 2 or 3, further comprising: A mixer (4) that mixes the fuel stored in the first storage unit (1) and the second storage unit (3) with air to generate a mixture; an alcohol concentration detection unit (4 a) that detects the alcohol concentration in the mixture gas generated by the mixer (4), and An ether concentration detection unit (4 a) that detects the ether concentration in the mixed gas generated by the mixer (4), The controller (20) controls the mixer (4) so that the alcohol concentration detected by the alcohol concentration detection unit (4 a) and the ether concentration detected by the ether concentration detection unit (4 a) are within an explosion range.
5. The fuel modifying apparatus (100) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein, The alcohol is ethanol, and the alcohol is ethanol, The ether is diethyl ether.
6. The fuel modifying device (100) according to any one of claim 1 to 3, The prescribed temperature is 14 degrees celsius.
7. The fuel modifying device (100) according to any one of claim 1 to 3, The modifier (2) is filled with a catalyst having a greater amount of Bronsted acidic sites than a predetermined amount.
8. The fuel modifying apparatus (100) according to claim 7, wherein, The specified amount is the amount of Bronsted acidic sites of H-ZSM-5 zeolite having a silica to alumina ratio of 24.
9. The fuel modifying device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, 8, The fuel reformer further comprises a condenser (13), and the condenser (13) is provided in the second flow path to condense the fuel reformed by the reformer (2).
10. The fuel modifying device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, 8, The controller (20) stores a first characteristic showing a relationship between an outside air temperature and a target concentration of a modified fuel and a second characteristic showing a relationship between the target concentration and a modification temperature required to reach the target concentration; When the internal combustion engine (5) is started, the target concentration is determined based on the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature detection unit (19) and the first characteristic when the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature detection unit (19) is equal to or lower than the predetermined temperature, the modified temperature is determined based on the determined target concentration and the second characteristic, and the temperature adjustment unit (8) is controlled based on the determined modified temperature.

Description

Fuel modifying device Technical Field The present invention relates to a fuel reforming apparatus for reforming fuel of an internal combustion engine. Background Conventionally, an apparatus for modifying an ethanol fuel of an internal combustion engine into DEE (diethyl ether) has been known (for example, see patent document 1). In the apparatus described in patent document 1, an MFI-type zeolite having a silica/alumina ratio of 20 to 45, or a mordenite having a silica/alumina ratio of 18 to 35 are used as a catalyst, ethanol is modified to DEE, and a fuel containing DEE obtained by the modification is supplied at the time of starting the internal combustion engine. From the viewpoint of helping to alleviate climate change and influence, it is preferable to replace the existing fossil fuel having high carbon strength with a renewable fuel such as bioethanol and reduce the carbon emission, but such new fuel has properties such as volatility different from those of the existing fuel. In order to facilitate development of a sustainable transportation system, when such a new fuel is applied to an existing internal combustion engine, it is preferable to perform not only modification required to ensure combustion performance but also storage, modification, and supply to the internal combustion engine in consideration of safety and efficiency. However, the device described in patent document 1 does not sufficiently consider this point. Prior art literature Patent literature Patent document 1, japanese patent application laid-open No. 2008-144730 (JP 2008-144730A). Disclosure of Invention The fuel reforming device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a first reservoir and a second reservoir that store fuel of an internal combustion engine, a reformer that reforms the fuel supplied from the first reservoir based on temperature, a temperature adjustment unit that adjusts the temperature of the reformer, a first flow path that guides the fuel reformed by the reformer to a gas phase of the first reservoir, a second flow path that guides the fuel reformed by the reformer to the second reservoir, a switching valve that opens either one of the first flow path and the second flow path, an outside air temperature detection unit that detects the outside air temperature, and a controller that controls the switching valve and the temperature adjustment unit based on the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature detection unit. The controller controls the switching valve to open the first flow path when the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature detecting unit exceeds a predetermined temperature during the start of the internal combustion engine, controls the switching valve to open the second flow path when the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature detecting unit is equal to or lower than the predetermined temperature during the start of the internal combustion engine, and controls the temperature adjusting unit based on the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature detecting unit. Drawings The objects, features and advantages of the present invention are further elucidated by the following description of embodiments in connection with the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing an example of the overall configuration of a fuel reforming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing an example of the main part configuration of the fuel reforming device according to the embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a diagram for explaining a relationship between the outside air temperature and the target DEE concentration at the time of starting the internal combustion engine. Fig. 4 is a graph for explaining the relationship between the modification temperature and the DEE concentration. Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the process executed by the fuel reforming device according to the embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Description Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to fig. 1 to 5. The fuel reforming device according to the embodiment of the present invention reforms fuel supplied to the internal combustion engine as needed. The average air temperature of the earth is maintained in a warm state suitable for living beings due to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Specifically, the greenhouse gas absorbs a part of heat radiated from the solar-heated surface to the space and re-radiates the heat to the surface, and the atmosphere is kept warm. When the concentration of the greenhouse gas in the atmosphere increases, the average temperature of the earth increases (earth warms). The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which contributes significantly to global warming, among greenhouse gases is determined by the balance between carbon f