JP2008255943A - Latent heat accumulation device and engine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a latent heat accumulation device capable of securing electric power for starting and operating an engine and electric power for core formation of heat accumulation material without increasing the size of a battery. <P>SOLUTION: The latent heat accumulation device 1 is provided with a vessel 6 which has heat accumulation material 4 encapsulated therein and which is held in a water jacket 5 formed in a cylinder block 3 of an engine 2, a core formation inducing part 11 forming core of the heat accumulation material 4, and an actuator 9 operating the core formation inducing part 11. The device is provided with a capacitor 7 accumulating electricity for operating the actuator 9. The capacitor 7 is charged while the engine 2 operates, and is used as a drive power source for the actuator 9 in start of the engine 2. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a latent heat storage device incorporated in an engine.

An engine at the time of cold start is required to complete warm-up early in order to reduce friction, improve fuel efficiency, improve output, and improve exhaust composition. In particular, components having sliding portions such as cylinder bores, pistons, crankshafts, and the like are desired to complete early warm-up in order to realize efficient operation. When an in-cylinder explosion starts, a normal engine warms up engine components such as cylinder blocks and cylinder heads, and engine oil circulating in the oil passages formed in these engine components. Progresses.
Conventionally, in order to achieve such early warm-up completion of an engine, a rapid warm-up device for an internal combustion engine in which a latent heat storage material (heat storage material) is stored in a heat storage material storage chamber formed so as to surround a cylinder has been proposed. (Patent Document 1). Such a rapid warm-up device is configured to apply a voltage to the heat storage material in a supercooled state when the engine is cold started, thereby starting a phase change and generating latent heat. .

  It is known that the heat storage material starts a phase change from a liquid phase state to a solid phase state by receiving some kind of stimulation from a so-called supercooled state, and at this time, it is known to radiate latent heat. The rapid warm-up device disclosed in Patent Document 1 induces a phase change of the heat storage material by applying a voltage to the heat storage material, but operates a nucleation device that gives stimulation to the heat storage material by an actuator. A configuration is also conceivable in which the phase change of the heat storage material is started.

JP 11-182393 A

  As described above, the rapid warm-up device for an internal combustion engine described in Patent Document 1 can raise the temperature locally around the cylinder directly immediately after the cold start, and can efficiently raise the temperature of the engine. It is.

  Here, when a voltage is applied to the heat storage material in order to nucleate the heat storage material, or a current is supplied to the nucleation means, a large amount of power is consumed. In order to start and operate the engine, various devices included in the engine consume power supplied from the battery. For this reason, in order to secure the electric power for starting and operating the engine and the electric power for nucleating the heat storage material in the conventional apparatus, it is inevitable to increase the size of the battery.

  However, an increase in the size of the battery is considered to be a problem in size and weight when mounted on a vehicle, and also increases the cost of the device.

  Then, this invention makes it a subject to provide the latent heat storage apparatus which can ensure the electric power for engine starting and operation, and the electric power for nucleation of a thermal storage material, without enlarging a battery. .

  In order to solve such a problem, the latent heat storage device of the present invention includes a heat storage material arranged around a portion to be heated during engine warm-up, and a nucleation unit that nucleates the heat storage material, And a capacitor serving as a driving power source for the nucleating means. In addition to a normal battery provided in the engine, a capacitor is provided, and this capacitor is used as a driving power source for the nucleation means. Once the engine is started, it can be generated by an alternator or the like. Therefore, the electricity generated in this way is charged and stored in a capacitor. Is used. As a result, the battery power for starting the engine is not consumed by the operation of the nucleating means. That is, the nucleation means can be operated with little dependence on the power of the battery, and it is not necessary to increase the size of the battery.

  It should be noted that the area around the part to be heated when the engine is warmed up can appropriately include a part where early warm-up is desired, such as a cylinder bore wall. Moreover, as a heat storage material used for such a latent heat storage device, a conventionally known heat storage material, such as sodium acetate trihydrate, can be employed.

  In addition, the other latent heat storage device includes a heat storage material disposed around a portion to be heated when the engine is warmed up, a nucleation unit that nucleates the heat storage material, and a driving power source of the nucleation unit The nucleation means is energized after the engine starter is energized (Claim 2). In such a latent heat storage device, the nucleation means may be energized after the engine is started (Claim 3). The engine is usually started by energizing the engine starter, and once started, the engine can generate power by an alternator or the like. For this reason, first, the engine starter is energized, and preferably the nucleation means is energized after the engine is started. Thereby, the power of the battery is not consumed by energizing the nucleation means, and the engine can be started. As a result, it is not necessary to increase the size of the battery. Further, it is not necessary to newly provide a power source for driving the nucleating means such as a capacitor.

  The nucleation means in such a latent heat storage device may include a nucleation induction section and an actuator that presses the nucleation induction section (claim 4). The heat storage material starts a phase change from a liquid phase state to a solid phase state by receiving some kind of stimulation from a so-called supercooled state, and at this time, radiates latent heat. Conventionally well-known means such as a needle body that is actuated by an actuator and appears and disappears with respect to the heat storage material can be adopted for the nucleation induction unit that applies such stimulation.

  The heat storage material in such a latent heat storage device may be enclosed in a container accommodated in a water jacket formed in a cylinder block of an engine. By setting it as such a structure, arrangement | positioning of a thermal storage material becomes easy.

  If such a latent heat storage device is incorporated in a conventional engine, the engine of the present invention can be obtained (claim 6).

  According to the present invention, a capacitor serving as a driving power source for the nucleation means is provided, or the nucleation means is energized after the engine is started and is in a state of generating power. Thus, it is possible to suppress the battery from running out of power.

  Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an engine 2 equipped with the latent heat storage device 1 of the present invention, and (a) is a diagram of the cylinder block 3 with the cylinder head removed as viewed from the cylinder head mounting side. (B) is the XX sectional view taken on the line in (a). The latent heat storage device 1 includes a container 6 in which a heat storage material 4 is enclosed and accommodated in a water jacket 5 formed in a cylinder block 3 of the engine 2. The container 6 is arranged on the bore side wall 3 a side of the cylinder block 3 in the water jacket 5, and is configured to circulate cooling water between the cylinder block outer wall 3 b and the container 6. That is, the heat storage material 4 is disposed with the portion to be heated as the bore side wall 3a when the engine is warmed up. The heat storage material 4 enclosed in the container 6 is sodium acetate trihydrate. Sodium acetate trihydrate has a melting point of about 58 ° C. and can maintain a supercooled state up to about −20 ° C. This latent heat can be used for heating and warming up the engine 2. Such a heat storage material 4 is normally in a liquid supercooled state before the engine is started (when cold). The container 6 is provided with a nucleation inducing portion 11 constituting the nucleation means in the present invention, and an actuator 9 for pressing the nucleation inducing portion 11 is further mounted. The nucleation inducing portion 11 has a plate shape, and is stimulated by the actuator by being pressed by the actuator to induce the nucleation of the heat storage material 4, that is, the phase change. The actuator 9 is connected to an alternator 10 that is driven by the crankshaft of the engine 2 to generate electric power. The cable 15 connecting the actuator 9 and the alternator 10 is provided with a capacitor 7 and a switch 13 in that order from the alternator 10 side.

  The actuator 9 and the switch 13 are electrically connected to an ECU (Electronic control unit) 8. An ignition 16 is connected to the ECU 8. An engine starter 12 connected to the battery 14 is connected to the ignition 16. The battery 14 is also connected to the alternator 10.

  Next, the operation of the latent heat storage device 1 configured as described above will be described. First, when the engine 2 is starting, the ECU 8 turns off the switch 13. Thereby, a part of the electricity generated by the alternator 10 is charged in the capacitor 7 and stored. The capacitor 7 maintains a charged state even after the engine 2 is stopped. The electricity generated by the alternator 10 is also stored in the battery 14. Further, the heat storage material 4 receives heat from the engine 2, the engine 2 is stopped, the cooling proceeds, and the heat storage material 4 shifts to a supercooled state.

  When the engine 2 is stopped and the engine is cold started, the ECU 8 issues a start command to the actuator 9 based on the ON signal of the ignition 16 and turns on the switch 13. As a result, the actuator 9 is driven by the electricity stored in the capacitor 7 and the nucleation induction part 11 is pressed. When the nucleation induction part 11 is pressed, a phase change from the liquid phase to the solid phase of the heat storage material 4 is induced, and latent heat is released. This warms up the bore side wall 3a of the cylinder block 3 and promotes warm-up.

  After the ignition 16 is turned on, the engine starter 12 is driven and the engine 2 is started. The engine starter 12 is driven by electric power supplied from the battery 14. That is, the drive source of the actuator 9 and the drive source of the engine starter 12 are different. Thus, since the actuator 9 is driven by the electricity stored in the capacitor 7, it is possible to avoid a situation where the battery power for driving the engine starter 12 is insufficient due to the driving of the actuator 9. . For this reason, the timing at which the actuator 9 is actuated can be determined regardless of whether the engine starter 12 is driven or not. If the actuator 9 is actuated before the engine starter 12 is driven, an early warm-up can be achieved. After the engine 2 is started, the ECU 8 turns off the switch 13 again, charges the capacitor 7, and prepares for the next operation of the actuator 9.

  Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the engine 2 to which the latent heat storage device 31 of the present invention is mounted. FIG. (B) is the XX sectional view taken on the line in (a). The latent heat storage device 31 includes a container 6 in which the heat storage material 4 is enclosed and accommodated in a water jacket 5 formed in the cylinder block 3 of the engine 2. As described above, the latent heat storage device 31 of the second embodiment has a basic configuration common to the latent heat storage device 1 of the first embodiment. However, the latent heat storage device 1 of the first embodiment is different from the latent heat storage device 31 of the second embodiment in that the latent heat storage device 1 of the second embodiment is not provided with the condenser 7 and the switch 13. For this reason, the actuator 9 provided in the latent heat storage device 31 of the second embodiment is connected to the battery 14 and is driven by receiving power supply from the battery 14. Since other configurations are not different from those of the first embodiment, common components are denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawings, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  The operation of the latent heat storage device 31 configured as described above, in particular, the operation when the engine 2 is cold started will be described. The engine 2 starts when the user turns on the ignition 16 and the engine starter 12 is energized. The ECU 8 determines whether or not the engine 2 has started. The ECU 8 issues a start command to the actuator 9 after confirming the start of the engine 2. The actuator 9 is driven by the supply of electric power from the battery 14 in response to a start command from the ECU 8 and presses the nucleation induction unit 11. When the nucleation induction part 11 is pressed, a phase change from the liquid phase to the solid phase of the heat storage material 4 is induced, and latent heat is released. This warms up the bore side wall 3a of the cylinder block 3 and promotes warm-up.

  Thus, since the latent heat storage device 31 of the present embodiment operates the actuator 9 after the engine 2 is started, the battery power for driving the engine starter 12 due to the driving of the actuator 9 is insufficient. Can be avoided. That is, when the engine 2 is started and operated, power generation by the alternator 10 is continuously performed. Therefore, even if power is consumed to drive the actuator 9, there is little risk that the battery 14 will run out of power. Thus, by setting the timing for operating the actuator 9 after the engine is started, the engine 2 is started and the actuator 9 is operated stably by driving the engine starter 12 without increasing the size of the battery 14. be able to.

  The above-described embodiments are merely examples for carrying out the present invention, and the present invention is not limited thereto. Various modifications of these embodiments are within the scope of the present invention. It is apparent from the above description that various other embodiments are possible within the scope.

It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the engine which mounted | wore the latent heat storage apparatus of Example 1, (a) is the figure which looked at the cylinder block of the state which removed the cylinder head from the cylinder head mounting side, (b) It is XX sectional drawing in a). It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the engine which mounted | wore the latent heat storage apparatus of Example 2, (a) is the figure which looked at the cylinder block of the state which removed the cylinder head from the cylinder head mounting side, (b) It is XX sectional drawing in a).

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Latent heat storage apparatus 2 Engine 3 Cylinder block 3a Bore side wall 3b Cylinder block outer wall 4 Thermal storage material 5 Water jacket 6 Container 7 Capacitor 8 ECU
9 Actuator 11 Nucleation induction part 12 Engine starter 13 Switch 14 Battery 16 Ignition

Claims (6)

A heat storage material arranged around the part to be heated when the engine is warmed up;
Nucleation means for nucleating the heat storage material;
A capacitor serving as a driving power source for the nucleating means;
A latent heat storage device characterized by comprising: A heat storage material arranged around the part to be heated when the engine is warmed up;
Nucleation means for nucleating the heat storage material;
A driving power source for the nucleation means;
With
The latent heat storage device according to claim 1, wherein energization of the nucleation means is performed after energization of the engine starter. The latent heat storage device according to claim 2,
The latent heat storage device characterized in that energization of the nucleation means is performed after the engine is started. The latent heat storage device according to claim 1 or 2,
The nucleation means is
A nucleation inducing part, and an actuator for pressing the nucleation inducing part,
A latent heat storage device comprising: The latent heat storage device according to claim 1 or 2,
The latent heat storage device, wherein the heat storage material is enclosed in a container accommodated in a water jacket formed in a cylinder block of an engine. An engine comprising the latent heat storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

Images