Patent Application
20150107625
The present invention generally relates to a system and method for cleaning soot and oil deposits present in a diesel engine. More specifically, a portable system is provided through which a cleaning solution is heated and controllably directed into an air inlet region of a diesel engine for removing build-up throughout the engine.
At the heart of a modern day engine is the combustion process, where a fuel and compressed air mix and ignite to burn in order to generate thermal energy that is harnessed for mechanical purposes. In the case of an engine for a vehicle, the thermal energy generated can be converted to provide acceleration to a vehicle. Unfortunately, the combustion processes of modern internal combustion engines are not one-hundred percent efficient, thereby resulting in some fuel or by-products of combustion remaining in the engine. Due to the operating temperatures of the engine, these by-products can create undesirable build-up in parts of the engine, thereby affecting performance and efficiency.
Modern day diesel engines can generate soot and oil residue as part of the combustion process. These deposits can occur as a result of an incomplete combustion process. That is, since not all of the fuel injected is burned in the combustion process, heated liquid fuel droplets and soot are deposited at various points throughout the engine. These deposits build up over time and result in a clogging of the diesel particulate filter, reducing the amount of airflow to the engine, which then reduces the overall efficiency and performance of the engine. Furthermore, these deposits can also restrict turbo boost pressure and catalytic system operation and efficiency. Where diesel engines are utilized in automobiles or other vehicles, this reduced efficiency can result in increased operating costs to the vehicle owner.
To reduce the amount of build-up of soot and oil residue in diesel engines, a combination of sufficient heat and exhaust volume is necessary. This can often be achieved in vehicles that operate at high speeds, but does not often occur in vehicles that operate at lower speeds, such as in cities, where speeds are lower and more time is spent at idle, such as when in congested and slow moving traffic.
Presently, to combat the build-up of deposits over time in diesel fuel engines, vehicles will require periodic service where the diesel particulate filter is removed, placed in an oven, and baked at approximately 1300 degrees Fahrenheit. Baking the filter causes the soot particles to burn and form an ash that can then be blown out of the filter. This process, although proven, is costly and timely to complete.
Therefore, it is necessary to identify an alternative way to eliminate the soot and oil residues that build up in diesel engines in a way that is less costly and requires less time to perform.
Embodiments of the invention are defined by the claims below, not this summary. This summary is being provided to meet statutory requirements. A high-level overview of various aspects of the invention are provided here for that reason, to provide an overview of the disclosure, and to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description section below. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in isolation to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter.
The present invention discloses a cleaning system and method that provide a way of completing necessary maintenance for a diesel engine in order to remove soot and oil residue. The cleaning system and method provides a thorough chemical flush directly into the air intake of a diesel engine to soften and dissolve the soot and oil deposits.
In an embodiment of the present invention, a portable cleaning system for removing deposits from a diesel engine is disclosed. The portable cleaning system comprises a storage cart, a cleaning solution intake, a storage tank in fluid communication with the cleaning solution intake and a heating element for heating a cleaning solution. The storage tank includes a cleaning solution inlet, a pressure relief valve, an air pressure supply and a cleaning solution outlet. The cleaning system also includes an overflow tank, a service hose for directing heated cleaning solution to the diesel engine, and a vacuum gauge for monitoring engine vacuum pressure. The heated cleaning solution passes from the cleaning system to the diesel engine upon user activation via a control lever.
In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, a cleaning system comprises a cleaning solution intake, a storage tank, a supply conduit extending between the cleaning solution intake and the storage tank, a heating conduit extending from the storage tank and to a heating element, and an exit conduit extending from the heating element to a service hose. The storage tank comprises an inlet for receiving a cleaning solution, a pressure relief valve, a cleaning solution overflow conduit, and an outlet located opposite the inlet.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a method for removing deposits in a diesel engine comprises attaching a service adaptor coupled to a portable cleaning system to an air inlet portion of the diesel engine, operating the engine to achieve a normal operating temperature, filling the portable cleaning system with a predetermined amount of cleaning solution and applying pressurized air to the portable cleaning system. The cleaning solution is heated to a predetermined temperature and then a flow of cleaning solution is directed from the cleaning system into the air intake of the engine. The heated cleaning solution breaks down deposits as it passes through the engine. While the heated cleaning solution is being drawn into the engine, the cleaning system monitors the flow of the solution as well as engine output data to ensure proper functioning of the cooling cycle of the engine. Once a predetermined amount of cleaning solution has flowed into the engine, the engine is shut down and all service adaptors are removed.
Additional advantages and features of the present invention will be set forth in part in a description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following, or may be learned from practice of the invention. The instant invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings.
The present invention is described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein:
An embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with specific reference to
Prior to pouring a cleaning solution into the intake 104, or immediately thereafter, an intake cap 108 is placed over the intake 104 to ensure no dirt or debris or foreign fluid enters the cleaning system 100. The exact amount and type of cleaning solution to be used will vary depending on the size of diesel engine being cleaned by the portable cleaning system 100. For example, an acceptable type of cleaning solution is BG 258, a diesel induction system cleaning fluid, produced by BG Products, Inc. For a smaller diesel engine, such as that found in a passenger automobile, approximately one gallon of cleaning solution may be required to adequately clean the engine, whereas for diesel engines in larger cars or trucks, approximately 2-3 gallons of cleaning solution may be required to thoroughly flush and clean the engine of any deposits. As will be discussed in more detail below, the cleaning solution is injected into the air intake portion of the engine and is consumed during engine operation.
Additional details of the cleaning system can be seen in
Referring to
As it can be seen from
A supply conduit 124 extends between the cleaning solution intake 104 and the cleaning solution inlet 112. The supply conduit 124 also includes a valve 126, such as a ball valve, for regulating fluid flow between the cleaning solution intake 104 and the inlet 112 of the storage tank 110. The valve 126, and therefore the flow of cleaning solution from the solution intake 104 to the storage tank 110, is controlled by an access lever 127. For the embodiment of the present invention depicted herein, the access lever 127 is positioned on an exterior side of the storage cart 102. A check valve 128 is also positioned in the supply conduit 124 to ensure that the cleaning solution only flows in the direction towards the storage tank 110.
The storage tank 110 also comprises an outlet 130 positioned proximate a bottom portion of the storage tank 110, opposite the inlet 112. Coupled to the outlet 130 is an outlet supply line 132 which carries the cleaning solution from the storage tank 110 through the storage cart 102 to a heating element 134. The heating element 134, which is depicted schematically in
Referring to
The portable cleaning system 100 also comprises a service hose 144 for directing heated cleaning solution from the storage cart 102 to the diesel engine being serviced. The service hose 144 is coupled to an adaptor 146, which is in turn, is coupled to an air inlet region of an engine to be cleaned (not depicted). The adaptor 146 can be a variety of sizes and shapes depending on the intake size and make of the engine being serviced. The storage cart 102 provides a hook or other means for storing the service hose 144 along a side of the storage cart.
The storage cart 102 also provides a slideable drawer or compartment 148 for storing additional equipment, such as adaptors 146, when not in use. Since the adaptor 146 or other equipment may have residual cleaning solution contained therein when it is placed in the compartment 148, the excess cleaning solution may leak out of the adaptor or other equipment. As such, the cleaning solution can collect in the compartment 148, which if left alone, can cause damage to the adaptors or other equipment stored in the compartment 148. To alleviate the collection of cleaning solution in compartment 148, a drain hose 150 is coupled to an outlet drain 152 in the compartment 148 and passes any cleaning solution or other dirt/debris from the compartment 148 to a drain tank 154. For the embodiment depicted in
The service hose 144 also comprises a vacuum pressure line 156, which is coupled to a vacuum gauge 158 displayed on a control panel 160 as a dial indicator. Engine vacuum pressure is regulated by the intake adaptor 146 and engine speed (RPM) in order to control exhaust temperatures. The vacuum pressure line 156 reads the engine vacuum pressure of the engine in order to provide the service technician with a real-time measurement of the engine vacuum pressure for the operating conditions of the engine so that the technician can ensure cleaning solution is being drawn from the cleaning system 100 at the proper rate.
Referring to
Referring now to
In a step 704, the diesel engine is then started and operated until a normal operating temperature is achieved. In addition, the service technician should ensure that the vacuum gauge of the cleaning system is operating and matches engine RPM. That is, for an embodiment of the present invention where the engine is operating at approximately 700 RPM, the vacuum pressure gauge should read approximately 7 in. Hg. During this engine start-up sequence, the engine speed is increased to approximately 1000 RPM such that exhaust gas temperatures reach and stabilize at approximately 650-750 deg. Fahrenheit. The specific target parameters can vary depending on the make and model of engine being serviced. Furthermore, while the method disclosed herein is based generally on engine speed and operating temperature, it is envisioned that the disclosed method could also be based on other engine parameters.
In a step 706, the portable cleaning system is filled with a cleaning solution as outlined above. Then, in a step 708, pressurized air is supplied to the portable cleaning system. Once the cleaning system is operational and the cleaning solution has been heated to a predetermined temperature in a step 710, then in a step 712, a flow of heated cleaning solution is directed from the portable cleaning system, through the service adaptor and into the air inlet portion of the diesel engine. The flow of the heated cleaning solution, status of the cleaning system and engine output data, such as vacuum pressure, are monitored in a step 714. The cleaning system will continue to operate and provide approximately one quart of cleaning solution to the diesel engine every fifteen minutes.
Upon complete injection of a predetermined amount of cleaning solution, the engine speed is lowered back to idle and the cleaning system and engine are shut down and the service adaptor removed in a step 716. In a step 718, all original equipment to the diesel engine removed for application of the cleaning solution is restored to its proper location.
While the invention has been described in what is known as presently an exemplary embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements within the scope of the following claims. The present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments, which are intended in all respects to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Alternative embodiments and required operations, will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains without departing from its scope.
From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all the ends and objects set forth above, together with other advantages which are obvious and inherent to the system and method. It will be understood that certain features and sub-combinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and sub-combinations. This is contemplated by and within the scope of the claims.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/892,762, filed Oct. 18, 2014, having the same title, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61892762 | Oct 2013 | US |
