DK179782B1

DK179782B1 - Internal combustion engine system

Info

Publication number: DK179782B1
Application number: DKPA201770739A
Authority: DK
Inventors: Højland Jesper; Mellergaard Simon
Original assignee: MAN Energy Solutions
Priority date: 2017-09-29
Filing date: 2017-09-29
Publication date: 2019-06-04
Also published as: CN109578115B; KR20190038443A; CN109578115A; KR102049971B1; JP2019065858A; DK201770739A1; JP6584616B2

Abstract

The present invention relates to an internal combustion engine system comprising an internal combustion engine generating exhaust gas, and an exhaust gas receiver having a receiver housing for receiving the exhaust gas, a turbocharger, a NOX reduction unit fluidly connected with the exhaust gasreceiver for receiving and purifying the exhaust gas, and a guiding arrangement for controlling the exhaust gas prior to entering the turbocharger, the guiding arrangement comprising a first inlet in fluid communication with the exhaust gas receiver, a second inlet in fluid communication with the NOX reduction unit, an outlet in fluid communication with the turbocharger, a piping unit connecting thefirst inlet, the second inlet and the outlet, a bypass valve having a valve element for closing and opening the first inlet, and a first reactor valve arranged in fluid communication with the second inlet for controlling passage of exhaust gas from the NOX reduction unit to the guiding arrangement, wherein the first inlet, the valve element and a main part of the piping unit are arranged in the receiverhousing.

Description

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE SYSTEM

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to an internal combustion engine system comprising an internal combustion engine generating exhaust gas, and an exhaust gas receiver having a receiver housing for receiving the exhaust gas.

Background art

When building vessels, e.g. container ships, one of the main focuses is to maximise space on board for the cargo, and therefore the space occupied by the engine is in focus.

Furthermore, in some engine system, the turbocharger is arranged aft of the exhaust gas receiver, and in other designs, the turbocharger is arranged side-byside in relation to the exhaust gas receiver. For all these engine system designs, e.g. known from WO2014020230, it applies that the exhaust gas receiver needs to be fluidly connected with the turbocharger while also being able to fluidly connect to some kind of after treatment. All this piping and valves for such fluid connections take up space but furthermore needs to be customised for each engine system, depending on which turbocharger is used. The piping and valves take up space on the platform in the top of the engine, and since the piping has to be supported, the platform needs to be large enough for the personnel to move around it.

Summary of the invention

It is an object of the present invention to wholly or partly overcome the above disadvantages and drawbacks of the prior art. More specifically, it is an object to provide an improved internal combustion engine system having a turbocharger, and which is easier to adjust between the turbocharger being arranged aft or side-by-side in relation to the exhaust gas receiver while not taking up more space on the vessel.

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The above objects, together with numerous other objects, advantages and features, which will become evident from the below description, are accomplished by a solution in accordance with the present invention by an internal combustion engine system comprising:

- an internal combustion engine generating exhaust gas, and

- an exhaust gas receiver having a receiver housing for receiving the exhaust gas,

- a turbocharger,

- a NOx reduction unit fluidly connected with the exhaust gas receiver for receiving and purifying the exhaust gas, and

- a guiding arrangement for controlling the exhaust gas prior to entering the turbocharger, the guiding arrangement comprising:

- a first inlet in fluid communication with the exhaust gas receiver,

- a second inlet in fluid communication with the NOx reduction unit,

- an outlet in fluid communication with the turbocharger,

- a piping unit connecting the first inlet, the second inlet and the outlet,

- a bypass valve having a valve element for closing and opening the first inlet, and

- a first reactor valve arranged in fluid communication with the second inlet for controlling passage of exhaust gas from the NOx reduction unit to the guiding arrangement, wherein the first inlet, the valve element and a main part of the piping unit are arranged in the receiver housing.

By incorporating the bypass valve and the main part of the piping unit for connecting the exhaust gas receiver and the turbocharger into the exhaust gas receiver, the overall space occupied by the internal combustion engine system is substantially minimised. Furthermore, when designing the engine system from having one inlet type turbocharger to another,very few alerations are required, which decreases work and costs for the engine designer/builder.

Furthermore, reduced requirements to the supportive structure as internal system is obtained in that it eliminates the use of a compensator, thereby removing the pressure force from the compensator.

When the connection, i.e. the bypass valve and the main part of the piping unit, is located inside the exhaust gas receiver, the pressure differential is reduced from 3.8 bar to the pressure loss in the NOx reduction unit, e.g. the SCR system, (i.e. 70 mbar), reducing the requirements for wall thickness, and together with the reduced supporting structure the overall mass of engine is reduced.

The guiding arrangement is also easier to retrofit, and fewer components are required, which reduces the price.

The bypass valve may comprise a control unit for controlling the valve element to open or close the first inlet, the control unit being arranged at least partly outside the receiver housing.

Moreover, the piping unit may comprise a first piping part and a second piping part, the first piping part being arranged at an angle to the second piping part and connected to the second piping part by means of a connection.

Furthermore, the connection may be arranged inside the receiver housing.

Also, the first piping part may comprise the first inlet.

Further, the second piping part may comprise the second inlet.

Moreover, the second inlet may be arranged inside or outside the receiver housing.

In addition, the receiver housing may have an aperture for allowing passage of exhaust gas from the exhaust gas receiver to the NOx reduction unit.

The internal combustion engine system according to the present invention may further comprise a second reactor valve arranged in fluid communication with the aperture in the receiver housing for allowing passage of exhaust gas to the NOx reduction unit.

Also, the guiding arrangement may further comprise a third inlet in fluid communication with a scavenging air receiver.

Said third inlet may be in fluid communication with a scavenging air valve for controlling the passage of scavenging air to the guiding arrangement.

Furthermore, the outlet may be arranged inside or outside the receiver housing.

Additionally, the receiver housing may further comprise a hatch for providing access to at least part of the bypass valve in the receiver housing.

Further, the piping unit of the guiding arrangement may comprise piping which has an inner diameter of at least 0.2 metre.

Moreover, the turbocharger may be arranged aft in relation to the internal combustion engine.

Also, the guiding arrangement may comprise a support arranged inside the receiver housing for supporting the guiding arrangement in the receiver housing.

The receiver housing may comprise several exhaust gas inlets for receiving exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine.

In addition, the receiver housing may have a first opening for providing fluid communication between the NOx reduction unit and the second inlet of the guiding arrangement, and the receiver housing may have a second opening for providing fluid communication between the outlet of the guiding arrangement and the turbocharger.

Moreover, the first reactor valve may be a throttle valve.

Furthermore, the receiver housing may have a third opening for providing access to the control unit of the bypass valve.

Additionally, the receiver housing may have a fourth opening for providing fluid communication between the guiding arrangement and the scavenging air receiver.

Moreover, the piping of the piping unit may have an outer diameter which is at least 30% of an inner diameter of the receiver housing.

Also, the piping of the piping unit may be arranged at a distance from an inner wall of the receiver housing, so that the exhaust gas can circulate around the piping unit.

The guiding arrangement may be fluidly connected to the turbocharger via a tube via a radial turbine inlet of the turbocharger.

Further, the guiding arrangement may be fluidly connected to the turbocharger via a tube via an axial turbine inlet of the turbocharger.

The outlet of the guiding arrangement may be arranged axially of the receiver housing.

Additionally, the outlet of the guiding arrangement may be arranged radially of the receiver housing.

Furthermore, the NOx reduction unit may comprise one or more catalytic reactor(s).

In addition, the NOx reduction unit may be a high pressure SCR system.

Also, the combustion engine system may comprise one or more catalytic reactor housing(s) having a volume of at least 200 litres.

The NOx reduction unit may further comprise a reducing agent supply unit comprising a dosing unit for dosing an amount of reducing agent to the exhaust gas in or before it enters the NOx reduction unit.

Additionally, the NOx reduction unit may further comprise a control unit adapted to reduce the amount of reducing agent supplied to the NOx reduction unit.

Further, the reducing agent may comprise ammonia.

Moreover, the combustion engine system may further comprise a heat exchanger, e.g. a boiler.

Also, the internal combustion engine may be powered by a fuel having a sulphur content of at least 0.05%.

Said internal combustion engine may be a large two-stroke internal combustion engine.

Further, the internal combustion engine may be a large turbocharged two-stroke internal combustion engine of the crosshead type.

Furthermore, the internal combustion engine of the combustion engine system may be a two-stroke or a four-stroke internal combustion engine.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention and its many advantages will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, which for the purpose of illustration show some non-limiting embodiments and in which

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of an internal combustion engine system having a turbocharger aft of the exhaust gas receiver,

Fig. 2 shows the internal combustion engine system of Fig. 1, in which the housing of the exhaust gas receiver is partly removed for illustrative purposes in order to disclose the piping arrangement, and

Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of an internal combustion engine system having a turbocharger side by side the exhaust gas receiver.

All the figures are highly schematic and not necessarily to scale, and they show only those parts which are necessary in order to elucidate the invention, other parts being omitted or merely suggested.

Detailed description of the invention

Fig. 1 shows an internal combustion engine system 1 having a turbocharger 4 aft of an exhaust gas receiver 3. The turbocharger 4 and the exhaust gas receiver 3 are arranged on a top platform on top of the engine 2, so that the exhaust gas ejected in the top of the engine is ejected into the exhaust gas receiver 3 through several exhaust gas inlets 26 in a receiver housing 14 of the exhaust gas receiver 3. The exhaust gas receiver 3 is furthermore fluidly connected with a NOx reduction unit 5 illustrated by dotted lines. When purification of the exhaust gas is required, the exhaust gas is led through piping (illustrated by dotted lines) from the exhaust gas receiver 3 to the NOx reduction unit 5 and from NOx reduction unit 5 to the turbocharger 4. In another operating mode, the exhaust gas is led directly from the exhaust gas receiver 3 to the turbocharger 4.

In yet another operation mode, the exhaust gas from the exhaust gas receiver 3 is divided into two separate streams, such that one stream is supplied directly to the turbocharger 4 and the other stream is directed to the NOx reduction unit 5 before being directed to the turbocharger 4. This operation mode is usually applied when a specific temperature of the NOx reduction unit 5 is required, as the hot exhaust gas ensures that the temperature of the NOx reduction unit 5 is maintained.

In Fig. 2, part of the receiver housing 14 of the exhaust gas receiver 3 has been removed for illustration purposes only in order to show that the internal combustion engine system 1 comprises a guiding arrangement 6 which in a first operation mode controls the flow of exhaust gas such that the exhaust gas is led directly into the turbocharger 4 and in a second operation mode controls that the exhaust gas is directed through the NOx reduction unit 5 before being led to the turbocharger 4. The guiding arrangement 6 comprises a first inlet 7 in fluid communication with the exhaust gas receiver 3, a second inlet 8 in fluid communication with the NOx reduction unit 5, and an outlet 9 in fluid communication with the turbocharger 4. The guiding arrangement 6 further comprises a piping unit 12 connecting the first inlet 7, the second inlet 8 and the outlet 9. The guiding arrangement furthermore comprises a bypass valve 10 having a valve element 11 for closing and opening the first inlet 7, a first reactor valve 16 arranged in fluid communication with the second inlet 8 for controlling passage of exhaust gas from the NOx reduction unit 5 to the guiding arrangement 6. The combustion engine system 1 further comprises a second reactor valve 17 arranged in fluid communication with an aperture 18 in the receiver housing 14 for allowing passage of exhaust gas to the NOx reduction unit 5.

When the exhaust gas in the first operation mode is led directly into the turbocharger 4, the bypass valve 10 is open and the first reactor valve 16 and the second reactor valve 17 are closed. In this way the NOx reduction unit 5 is bypassed. In the second operation mode, the bypass valve 10 is closed and the first reactor valve 16 and the second reactor valve 17 are open such that the exhaust gas is directed through the aperture 18 in the receiver housing 14 to the NOx reduction unit 5 before being led through the second inlet 8 to the piping unit 12 and from the outlet 9 to the turbocharger 4. As can be seen, the first inlet 7, the valve element 11 and a main part of the piping unit 12 are arranged in the receiver housing 14. Thus, the main part of the guiding arrangement 6 is arranged inside the exhaust gas receiver 3 minimising the space needed on the platform, which reduces the overall space required on the vessel.

Therefore, by incorporating the bypass valve 10 and the entire or at least the main part of the piping unit 12 for connecting the exhaust gas receiver 14 and the turbocharger 4 into the exhaust gas receiver 3, the overall space occupied by the internal combustion engine system 1 is substantially minimised. The exhaust gas receiver 3 is increased, so that the volume of the exhaust gas receiver 3 is the same, but such enlargement may be obtained by prolonging the exhaust gas receiver 3, which does not result in the need for more space on the platform for walking around it, since the engine 2 is still slightly longer than the exhaust gas receiver 3.

Furthermore, by arranging the bypass valve 10 and the main part of the piping unit 12 inside the exhaust gas receiver 14, it is only the position of the outlet which has to be designed, depending on the type of turbocharger preferred by the vessel builder. Thus, the position of the outlet 9 in one engine design having a turbocharger 4 of the radial inlet type has to be altered when having another turbocharger design of the axial inlet type. Fig. 2 discloses a turbocharger design of the radial inlet type, and Fig. 3 discloses a turbocharger design of the axial inlet type. The guiding arrangement 6 in Fig. 2 is rotated when compared to Fig. 3, so that the second inlet 8 in Fig. 2 is rotated approximately 90° in relation to Fig. 3, but the position of the second inlet 8 in the guiding arrangement 6 is the same and does not have to be altered from one turbocharger design to the other.

The piping unit 12 of Figs. 2 and 3 comprises a first piping part 33 and a second piping part 34. The first piping part 33 has a first end at which the first inlet 7 is arranged and a second end connected to a second end of the second piping part 34. The second piping part 34 has a first end at which the second inlet 8 is arranged. The first piping part 33 and the second piping part 34 are connected to form an angle A (shown in Fig. 3) there between. The first piping part 34 and the second piping part 34 are connected by means of a connection 35, and the connection 35 is arranged inside the receiver housing 14.

The bypass valve 10 comprises a control unit 15 for controlling the valve element 11 to open or close the first inlet 7, and in Fig. 2 the control unit 15 is arranged at least partly outside the receiver housing 14. Thus, the receiver housing 14 has a third opening 27 in order to provide access, so that the control unit 15 of the bypass valve 10 can be arranged outside the exhaust gas receiver 3 and the valve element 11 which it controls inside the exhaust gas receiver 3.

In Fig. 1, the second inlet 8 which the first reactor valve 16 operates is arranged outside the receiver housing 14, but in another embodiment the second inlet 8 may be arranged inside, so only the first reactor valve 16 extends on the outside of the receiver housing 14 through a first opening 23 in the receiver housing 14. The internal combustion engine system 1 further comprises a second reactor valve 17 arranged in fluid communication with an aperture 18 in the receiver housing 14 for allowing passage of exhaust gas to the NOx reduction unit 5. In order to ensure a full bypass of the NOx reduction unit 5, the second reactor valve 17 is closed. The first reactor valve 16 is throttling especially during startup of the engine 2.

The outlet 9 of the guiding arrangement 6 is arranged upstream of the turbocharger 4 and is, in Fig. 1, arranged in a second opening 24 of the receiver housing 14 for providing fluid communication between the outlet 9 of the guiding arrangement 6 and the turbocharger 4. The outlet 9 is thus arranged inside the receiver housing 14. The piping unit 12 may also extend out of the second opening 24 of the receiver housing 14, so that the outlet 9 is arranged outside the receiver housing 14. In Fig. 1, the outlet 9 of the guiding arrangement 6 is arranged axially of the receiver housing 14, and the guiding arrangement 6 is fluidly connected to the turbocharger via a tube 31 via a radial turbine inlet 32A of the turbocharger 4. In Fig. 3, the outlet 9 of the guiding arrangement 6 is arranged radially of the receiver housing 14, and the guiding arrangement 6 is fluidly connected to the turbocharger 4 via a tube 31 via an axial turbine inlet 32B of the turbocharger 4.

As seen in Fig. 2, the guiding arrangement 6 further comprises a third inlet 30 in fluid communication with a scavenging air receiver 19 for letting scavenging air into the gas in the piping unit 12 of the guiding arrangement 6 by means of a scavenging air valve 25 controlling the passage of scavenging air through the third inlet 30. The receiver housing 14 has a fourth opening 28 for providing fluid communication between the guiding arrangement 6 and the scavenging air receiver 19, and the guiding arrangement 6 may extend out of the fourth opening or be connected to the fourth opening 28 of the receiver housing 14.

The guiding arrangement 6 of Fig. 3 is supported inside the receiver housing 14 and thus comprises a support 22 arranged inside the receiver housing 14 connected to and supporting the piping unit 12 of the guiding arrangement 6. The piping 21 of the piping unit 12 is arranged at a distance d from an inner wall of the receiver housing 14, so that the exhaust gas can circulate around the piping unit 12. Depending on the support 22, the piping unit 12 may be arranged in the centre of the exhaust gas receiver 3 and preferably closer to the bottom of the exhaust gas receiver 3 than the top of the exhaust gas receiver 3 in order to provide more space to the newly injected exhaust gas from the several exhaust gas inlets 26. The piping unit 12 comprises piping 21 for guiding the exhaust gas in the piping unit 12, and the piping 21 has an inner diameter IDp of at least 0.2 metre. In Fig. 2, the piping 21 of the piping unit 12 has an outer diameter ODp which is at least 40% of an inner diameter IDr (shown in Fig. 3) of the receiver housing 14.

In Fig. 1, the receiver housing 14 further comprises a hatch 20 for providing access to at least part of the bypass valve 10 in the receiver housing 14. The personnel can thus open the hatch in order to gain access to the bypass valve 10, the first inlet 7 and part of the piping unit 12 of the guiding arrangement 6. The receiver housing 14 may be provided with more hatches if more of the guiding arrangement 6 is arranged inside the receiver housing 14 in such a way that the personnel will have access to all inlets 7, 8, outlet 9, piping 21 and valves 10, 16, 17 from more than one hatch 20.

In Fig. 3, the turbocharger 4 of the internal combustion engine system 1 is arranged side-by-side in relation to the exhaust gas receiver and parallel to the internal combustion engine 2.

The NOx reduction unit 3 comprises one or more catalytic reactor(s) and one or more catalytic reactor housing(s) having a volume of at least 200 litres. The NOx reduction unit may further comprise a reducing agent supply unit comprising a dosing unit for dosing an amount of reducing agent, e.g. ammonia, to the exhaust gas in, or before it enters, the NOx reduction unit.

Moreover, the combustion engine system may further comprise a heat exchanger, e.g. a boiler. The internal combustion engine may be powered by a fuel having a sulphur content of at least 0.05%. And the internal combustion engine may be a large two-stroke internal combustion engine or a large 5 turbocharged two-stroke internal combustion engine 1 of the crosshead type.

Although the invention has been described in the above in connection with preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be evident for a person skilled in the art that several modifications are conceivable without departing from the 10 invention as defined by the following claims.

Claims

Patent claims

An internal combustion engine system (1), comprising:

an internal combustion gas internal combustion engine (2), and

an exhaust gas receiver (3) having a receiver housing (14) for receiving the exhaust gas,

- a turbocharger (4),

a NOX reduction unit (5) fluidly connected to the exhaust gas receiver (3) for receiving and purifying the exhaust gas, and

- a control arrangement (6) for regulating the exhaust gas before it enters the turbocharger, the control arrangement (6) comprising:

- a first inlet (7) in fluid communication with the exhaust gas receiver (3),

- a second inlet (8) in fluid communication with the NOX reduction unit (5),

- an outlet (9) in fluid communication with the turbocharger (4),

- a pipe unit (12) connecting the first inlet (7), the second inlet (8) and the outlet (9),

a bypass valve (10) having a valve element (11) for closing and opening the first inlet (7), and

- a first reactor valve (16) arranged in fluid communication with the second inlet (8) for regulating the passage of exhaust gas from the NOx reduction unit (5) to the control arrangement (6), characterized in that the first inlet (7), the valve element ( 11) and a part of the stirring unit (12) is arranged in the receiver housing (14).

Internal combustion engine system (1) according to claim 1, wherein the bypass valve (10) comprises a control unit (15) for controlling the valve element (11) for opening or closing the first inlet, the control unit (15) being arranged at least partially outside the receiver housing (14).

Internal combustion engine system (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the pipe unit (12) comprises a first pipe part (33) and a second pipe part (34), the first pipe part (33) being arranged at an angle (A) relative to the second pipe part (34) and connected to the second pipe part (34) by means of a connection (35).

The internal combustion engine system (1) according to claim 3, wherein the connection (35) is arranged inside the receiver housing (14).

Internal combustion engine system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a second reactor valve (17) arranged in fluid communication with an opening (18) in the receiver housing (14) in order to enable the passage of exhaust gas to the NOX reduction unit (5).

An internal combustion engine system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the control arrangement (6) further comprises a third inlet (30) in fluid communication with a purge air receiver (19).

Internal combustion engine system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pipe unit (12) of the control arrangement (6) comprises pipes (21) having an inside diameter (IDp) of at least 0.5 meters.

Internal combustion engine system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the turbocharger (4) is arranged aft of the internal combustion engine (2).

Internal combustion engine system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the control arrangement (6) comprises a support (22) arranged inside the receiver housing (14) for supporting the control arrangement (6) in the receiver housing (14).

An internal combustion engine system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the receiver housing (14) has a first opening (23) for providing fluid communication between the NOX reduction unit (5) and the second inlet (8) of the control arrangement (6), and wherein the receiver housing (14) has a second opening (24) for providing fluid communication between the outlet (9) of the control arrangement (6) and the turbocharger (4).