FR2856425A1 - ADDITIVE FEEDING SYSTEM FOR MOTOR VEHICLE ENGINE - Google Patents

Abstract

This supply system of an additive intended to be deposited on a particulate filter (6) integrated in an exhaust line (4) of a diesel engine (2) of a motor vehicle, to lower the combustion temperature of soot trapped therein, is characterized in that the additive is mixed with the engine lubricating oil.

Description

The present invention relates to a system for supplying an additive intended for

  settle on a particulate filter integrated in an exhaust line

  of a diesel engine of a motor vehicle.

  These additives are in fact intended to be deposited within the soot bed 5 retained on the particle filter, in order to lower the combustion temperature of the latter.

  This additive in combination with a particular engine operation, in fact makes it possible to facilitate the regeneration of the particle filter, in particular over time.

  In particular, engines of this type are associated with means for controlling their operation which, during a regeneration phase of the filter, trigger an injection of fuel into the engine cylinders during their expansion phase in order to increase the temperature. exhaust gases.

  In the prior art, the additive is contained in a specific tank associated with the fuel tank by means of a pumping / metering system, which injects into the fuel tank, a determined quantity of additive depending on the amount of fuel added to the tank during a filling operation thereof for example.

  However, this structure has a number of drawbacks, particularly in terms of the complexity of such a pumping / metering system, its size, its cost and the fact that certain fuels are incompatible with this additive.

  Furthermore, certain vehicles are also fitted with equipment which requires fuel for their operation which does not contain additives of this nature.

  The object of the invention is therefore to solve these problems.

  To this end, the invention relates to a system for supplying an additive intended to be deposited on a particulate filter integrated in an exhaust line of a diesel engine of a motor vehicle, in order to lower the temperature by 30 combustion of the soot trapped therein, characterized in that the additive is mixed with the engine lubricating oil.

  According to other characteristics - the additive is mixed with the oil before it is introduced into the engine; The additive is contained in an additive reservoir associated with the oil filter to be mixed with the latter when the oil is introduced into the engine; The additive is contained in a reservoir associated with the engine lubricating oil circuit by pumping / metering means; - the additive is contained in the filter element of the oil filter to be mixed with it when it is introduced into the engine; - the oil filter is carried by an engine oil drain plug; - The additive is contained in an additive tank carried by a plug 10 for draining engine oil; - the engine is associated with a turbocharger; - the particle filter is associated with a catalyst; and the engine is associated with means for controlling its operation, making it possible to trigger a regeneration phase of the particle filter 15 by triggering a fuel injection phase in the engine cylinders during their expansion phase.

  The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows, given solely by way of example and made with reference to the appended drawings, in which: - Fig.1 represents a block diagram illustrating the structure and the operation a system for adding an additive of the state of the art; - Fig.2 shows a block diagram illustrating the structure and operation of an additive supply system according to the invention - Fig.3 shows a block diagram of an oil filter used in a mode production of a system according to the invention; and - Figs.4, 5 and 6 show alternative embodiments of an oil filter and a drain plug forming part of a system according to the invention.

  FIG. 1 has in fact illustrated a block diagram illustrating the structure and the operation of a system for supplying an additive of the state of the art.

  We recognize in this figure, a fuel tank designated by the general reference 1, a vehicle diesel engine designated by the general reference 2, possibly associated with a turbocharger designated by the general reference 3, placed in an exhaust line. 4 thereof, this exhaust line also comprising for example an oxidation catalyst 5 and a particle filter 6.

  A temperature sensor 7 can also be associated with this line, as well as a system for measuring the differential pressure at the terminals of the catalyst and the particle filter, this system being designated by the general reference 8. These various means are connected to means for controlling the operation of the engine to trigger, for example, a regeneration phase of the filter.

  Conventionally, the lower part of the engine 2 forms a lubricating oil reservoir thereof, designated by the general reference 9 and an oil filter is also associated with this engine.

  In the state of the art, the additive intended to be deposited on the particle filter in order to lower the combustion temperature of the soot trapped therein, is contained in an additive tank designated by the general reference 11, associated with the fuel tank 1 via a pumping / metering system designated by the general reference 12.

  It is therefore understood that during each supply of fuel to the fuel tank 1, a determined amount of additive is injected into this re20 fuel tank 1 by the pumping / metering system 12, so that the additive is mixed with this fuel and is transported through the engine, in the particulate filter to settle there.

  As indicated above, these structures have a number of drawbacks.

  Illustrated in Figure 2, in the form of a block diagram, an embodiment of a supply system according to the invention.

  In this FIG. 2, the same reference numbers as those used in FIG. 1, designate parts identical or analogous to those illustrated in this FIG. 1.

  This is how we recognize in this figure 2, the fuel tank 1, the engine 2, the turbocharger 3, the exhaust line 4, the catalyst 5 and the particle filter 6.

  In the system according to the invention, the fuel tank is no longer associated with a specific additive tank through a pumping / metering system.

  In fact, and according to the invention, the additive is mixed with the engine lubricating oil.

  Several solutions can then be envisaged.

  For example, the additive can be mixed with the oil before it is introduced into the engine. A specific oil already containing the additive is then developed and introduced into the engine, when it is first filled or when it is drained.

  A specific oil filling chute for this engine can then be used, this chute comprising a keying system to prevent a conventional oil from being used.

  Another solution consists in associating with the lubricating oil circuit 15 of the engine, an additive tank associated with a pumping / metering system allowing, during the first filling with oil or at each draining, to introduce into the oil lubrication, a specified amount of additive.

  Finally, yet another solution may be to use a specific oil filter comprising an integrated additive reservoir.

  Such an exemplary embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 3, where we recognize the oil filter 10 fixed on the engine 2 and connected to the engine lubrication circuit.

  This oil filter 10 then includes an additive reservoir, for example in the form of an additive capsule designated by the general reference 13 containing a predetermined quantity of additive intended to be mixed with the oil during the first filling or each oil change.

  Specific means of fixing an oil filter of this type on the engine can then be used to authorize the mounting only of a filter of this type.

  Likewise, means for indicating the oil level of the engine can be used to deliver to the engine operating control means, information relating to the fact that a drain has been carried out, in order to impose a change of the filter. oil filter and replace it with a new filter containing additive.

  If this oil filter has not been replaced, alert means can then be activated to inform of this non-replacement.

  Likewise, a strategy for operating the engine in degraded mode can also be implemented by the means for controlling the operation of the engine in order to force the maintenance of the vehicle and require the oil filter to be changed.

  Once the oil filter fitted with the additive tank in position on the engine, the internal oil circulation system of the engine through the oil pump, allows to homogenize the additive thus brought to the lubricating oil .

  This then also makes it possible to introduce the additive into the exhaust gases of the engine so that it is deposited on the particle filter.

  Indeed, in such an engine, oil is consumed through the sealing of the segmentation with respect to the walls of the engine cylinders, so that oil is burned in the combustion chamber, through the bearing 15 turbocharger lubrication, in which case oil is also burnt in the hot exhaust gases or on the catalyst and through the intake valve guides, in which case oil is also burnt in the chamber combustion engine.

  The additive content of the lubricating oil is then fixed to take account of the average fuel consumption of the engine and of the lubricating oil consumption of the latter, in order to achieve the same rate of additive provided by the oil in the particulate filter, than that provided by the conventional intake system of the prior art, via the fuel.

  By way of example, such an additive used can be cerine and an additive for the lubricating oil of an engine consuming on average 0.1 liter of oil over 1000 kms and 7 liters of fuel per 100 kms additive. at a few ppm of additive by mass, is of the order of percent of cerine by mass or of any other compound making it possible to preserve the same kinetics of combustion of soot trapped in the internal structure of the particle filter.

  Of course, other types of additives and other structures can be used.

  Thus, for example, the filter element of the oil filter can also be soaked in additive to ensure its mixing with the oil, as illustrated in FIG. 4.

  We recognize in this figure, the engine 2 and the oil filter 10 fixed on it and the filter element 14 is soaked with additive.

  This filter element is in fact generally formed from a porous cardboard material whose properties make it possible to adsorb the additive and to restore it during the introduction and circulation of the oil in the engine.

  In addition, this oil filter and additive assembly can also be designed to be placed in the engine oil sump and to be carried by the engine oil drain plug as illustrated in FIG. 5.

  In this figure, the engine oil pan is designated by the general reference 10 and the oil filter by the general reference 10, the filter element 14 of which is soaked with additive. This filter is then carried by an oil drain plug 16 fixed to the rest of the engine by any appropriate means allowing, for example, to prohibit the reassembly of a used filter after disassembly.

  This then makes it possible to guarantee that the maintenance operator of the vehicle changes the filter containing the additive well at each draining, and this, in a very simple manner, since the filter and drain plug assembly being connected, a single operation is necessary unlike engines in which the filter is separate and separate from the drain plug.

  According to yet another embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, the said ad20 is contained in a capsule 17 carried by the drain plug 16, so as to be engaged in the oil sump 15 of the engine.

  In this case also, the fixing of the cap on this casing is carried out using means prohibiting the reassembly of a used capsule after disassembly. This makes it possible to guarantee that the maintenance operator of the vehicle changes the capsule well at each emptying, the capsule is then adapted to release the additive to allow it to be mixed with the oil.

  For example, the capsule can be made of a material that is thermally dilutable in oil so that when the engine oil heats up during operation of the engine, the additive can be released.

  Of course, still other embodiments can be envisaged.

Claims (10)

  1. Additive supply system intended to be deposited on a particle filter (6) integrated in an exhaust line (4) of a diesel engine (2) of a motor vehicle, to lower the combustion temperature soot pié5 gées therein, characterized in that the additive is mixed with the engine lubricating oil.   2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the additive is mixed with the oil before its introduction into the engine.   3. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the additive is contained in an additive reservoir (13) associated with the oil filter (10) to be mixed with the latter during the introduction of the oil in the engine (2).   4. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the additive is contained in a reservoir associated with the engine lubrication oil circuit by pumping / metering means.   5. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the additive is contained in the filter element (14) of the oil filter (10) to be mixed with it when introduced into the engine.   6. System according to claims 3 or 5, characterized in that the oil filter (10) is carried by an oil drain plug (16) of the engine.   7. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the additive is contained in an additive tank (17) carried by an oil drain plug (16) of the engine.   8. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the engine is associated with a turbocharger (3).   9. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the particle filter (6) is associated with a catalyst (5).   10. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the engine (2) is associated with means for controlling its operation, making it possible to trigger a regeneration phase of the particle filter (6) by triggering a fuel injection phase in the engine cylinders (2) during their expansion phase.