Thermal Protection of Electromotive Exhaust Gas Recirculation Valve

CHAPTER 1 (Times NewRoman,18)

INTRODUCTION
(Times NewRoman,16)

1.1 INTRODUCTION:(Times New Roman,14)

The role of electronics in the automotive industry is developing promptly and the use of
innovative electronic systems in automotive embedded systems is on the rise. Today's
automobile enterprise experiences a rapid growth of embedded frameworks and gadgets
improving cost efficiency without trading off quality. Automotive embedded systems are
indicated by various areas in the automobile field with engine electronics being the focus
in this thesis. High fuel costs, stringent exhaust emission standards, and increased engine
performance demands are resulting in new “green” solutions to fulfill the requirements of
the engine market. An increase in engine efficiency with a simultaneous reduction of
emissions and fuel consumption is the goal.(TimesNewRoman,12)

1.1.1 BACKGROUND:(Times New Roman ,12)

The electronic engine management takes over the responsibility for reducing fuel
consumption and emissions, while at the same time guaranteeing more dynamic response
in all driving condition. The European emission standards regarding passenger cars are
EURO5, EURO 6 for heavy duty vehicles and EURO Stage 3/4 for off-highway vehicles.
For Indian markets the emission standards set by the government is called Bharat stage
emission standards. Bharat stage IV is the present emission standard, effective nationwide
since 1st April, 2017.It becomes very important to implement and use strategies that
reduce the amount of engine-out “raw” emissions to meet the stringent emission
legislations. It becomes important to consider the durability, lifespan, performance and
resistance to failures during life cycle of the component so as to ensure its reliability.This
project deals with the reliability aspect of an EGR system component and its assemblies
in diesel engines of Off-Highway vehicles (e.g.: truck, tractors).

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 Thermal Protection of Electromotive Exhaust Gas Recirculation Valve

1.2 INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE:

In an ICE, combustion of the air and fuel mixture takes place within an engine cylinder.
The release of energy during combustion causes the engine piston to move towards a
position closest to the crankshaft, transforming chemical energy (combustion) into useful
mechanical energy (i.e., rotation of the crankshaft). The up and down movement of a
piston from the top dead center (TDC) to the bottom dead center (BDC) is referred to as
stroke. The TDC of a piston is a position close to the intake and exhaust valve whereas
the BDC of a piston is a position nearest to the crankshaft.

1.2.1 FOUR STROKE DIESEL ENGINE:

An engine which requires four strokes of the piston to produce an output power is called
four-stroke engine. It requires two complete revolutions of the crankshaft (720°). Each
piston of an N-cylinder engine reports two strokes to each crankshaft revolution. The
engine cycle starts with the piston’s position at TDC. The engine produces power in the
following order:

1. Intake stroke: During this stroke, the inlet valve is open whereas the exhaust valve
is closed. This allows a huge quantity of air to enter the combustion chamber and
the piston is pushed in the downward direction towards BDC. The crankshaft
completes 360° revolution.
2. Compression stroke: Both inlet and exhaust valve are closed in this stroke. The
piston moves in the direction of TDC and compresses the air-fuel mixture inside
the combustion chamber.This work done on the intake air increases its pressure
and temperature.The ideal gas law gives an estimate to this behaviour. A t the end
of this stroke, the crankshaft completes one revolution.
3. Powerstroke: The inlet and exhaust valves remain closed even in this stroke. The
piston is at TDC. An increase in temperature caused due to compression ignites
the air-fuel mixture. Theexpansion of the hot ignited gases force the piston
towards BDC. This force is transferred through the connecting rod to apply torque
to the crankshaft which causes the crankshaft revolution.
4. Exhaust stroke: The exhaust valve is open while the intake valve remains closed.
The piston moves upward towards TDC, expelling the combustion gases.

The entire sequence of the four strokesas mentioned above repeats in the next power
cycle.

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 Thermal Protection of Electromotive Exhaust Gas Recirculation Valve

1.3BASICS OF COMBUSTION PROCESS IN THE AUTOMOBILE

ENGINE

Air is a mixture of gases, mostly nitrogen and oxygen. When air is compressed inside the
cylinder of a diesel engine, temperature of the air is increased enough to ignite the diesel
fuel after it is injected into the cylinder. When this fuel ignites, temperature inside the
combustion chamber increases to more than 1500°F and the volume of air in the engine
cylinder increases. This expansion of air pushes the piston down and causes the
crankshaft to rotate.
Lambda (λ): It is the stoichiometric air mass required to effect complete combustion of 1
unit mass of hydrocarbon by a diesel engine and depends on the fuel quantity. It is also
referred to as stoichiometric ratio, which is the air to fuel ratio (14.7:1) and is given by:
air
Actual ratio
fuel
λ=
air
Ideal ratio
fuel

If λ < 1, the air-fuel mixture has less concentration of air than fuel and is called rich
mixture and for rich mixtures, the fuel economy decreases, thermal efficiency decreases,
incomplete combustion takes place, hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO) and soot
formation increases and if λ > 1, the concentration of air is more than that of fuel, the air-
fuel mixture is called lean mixture and formation of toxic oxides of nitrogen
increases.There is always a trade-off in controlling NOx and particulate matter emissions.
The behavior of NOx and particulate matter as a function of air-mass is shown in Fig. 1.1.

Fig.1.1 Behavior of NOx and particulate emission as a function of air-mass(TNR,12)

[Bosch Internal Docupedia]

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 Thermal Protection of Electromotive Exhaust Gas Recirculation Valve

The resultant of combustion process is shown below:

If (Perfect combustion)
{
Fuel + Oxygen ==> Carbon dioxide + Water vapor + Heat
}

else
{
Fuel + Oxygen ==>
Carbon Monoxide (CO)
Unburnt Hydro Carbons (HC)
Particulate Matter (PM-Soot)
Nitrogen Oxides (NOx)
}

1.3.1FORMATION OF NOx:
Fuel in diesel engines is burnt with extra air and at an increased temperature. When the
peak temperature is high enough for long intervals of time, nitrogen and oxygen present
in air combines to form oxides of nitrogen. These are collectively referred to as “NOx”.In
any case, use of exhaust gas re-circulation increases hydrocarbon, particulate matterand
COemissions, if too high.It is observed in Fig. 1.2 that the formation of NOx increases
when the peak flame temperature is beyond 1800 °C for a recirculated exhaust gas mass
beyond 20%.

Fig.1.2 Rate of NOx formation w.r.t EGR flow rate and peak temperature
[Bosch Internal Docupedia]

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 Thermal Protection of Electromotive Exhaust Gas Recirculation Valve

1.3.2 THE NEED TO REDUCE NOx:

Oxides of nitrogen like nitrous oxide (N 2O), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and nitric oxide (NO)
emitted from these engines are toxic and pollute the surroundings. N 2O is a harmful
greenhouse gases and more harmful than carbon dioxide. NO 2is a major component of
smog, which dissolves in water to form acid rain. NO damages the respiratory tracts and
leads to breathing ailments like asthma and bronchitis. Furthermore, NOx reacts with
hydrocarbons in sunlight to form ozone and smog. This damages the health and
ecosystem thus violating the emission norms. So, there is a need to reduce the emission of
NOx. The engine should run at a lower temperature than the normal temperature so as to
reduce NOx. The cylinder temperatures can be lowered in the following ways:
1. Enriching the air fuel (A/F) mixture: This reduces the combustion temperatures but
also increases HC and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions.
2. Retarded ignition timings: This makes the combustion process start at a less-than-
optimum point. But these methods lead to reduced performance and fuel economy.
Hence not a feasible method to reduce the cylinder temperature.
3. Reducingthe amount of oxygen in the cylinder: The percentage of oxygen in the total
intake air reduces drastically when some amount of exhaust gas is re-routed into the
intake manifold. This reduction in oxygen avoids temperature distribution within the
cylinder.

1.4 EXHAUST GAS RECIRCULATION:

The process of re-routing exhaust gases in to the intake manifold is referred to as
“Exhaust Gas Recirculation”. Recirculation is usually achieved by piping a route from
the exhaust manifold to the intake manifold. Inert gases present in the exhaust replace the
oxygen content in fresh (intake) air.This will reduce the oxygen content in the intake
charge (intake air + recirculated exhaust gas). Lesser oxygen content during combustion
reduces the peak cylinder temperature and burn rate. Thus, reducing the rate of NOx
formation.
Water vapor and CO2present in the exhaust gas have high specific heat capacity and
hence more heat is required to raise its temperature by 1 °C as compared to atmospheric
air. EGR absorbs the combustion heatand acts as a heat sink. This is how EGR helps in
reducing peak temperature.
EGR is the first step in reducing NOx proven to be an effective strategy to control NOx
emissions from the engine exhaust.Due to the emission legislations, EGR is more

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 Thermal Protection of Electromotive Exhaust Gas Recirculation Valve

‘mandated’ than being ‘preferred’. EGR is necessary to meet the stringent emission
standards norms and become environmental friendly.

1.5EGR VALVE:
EGR valveis a control valve that regulates the exhaust gas flow back into the intake
manifold. It is used for a controlled exhaust gas recirculation to the intake area of an
internal combustion engine. It is driven by an electric DC motor in a range between 5%
and full valve lift of 100%.EGR cooler cools the exhaust gases, reducing the exhaust gas
temperature. Cooled EGR further adds advantage of more mass (dense) of exhaust getting
into the intake. The figure below shows an EGR system in a single cylinder engine.

Fig.1.3 Engine System with EGR Valve

[https://fjb.kaskus.co.id/product/512f6e881a7608365500000b/]

1.5.1 TYPES OF EGR VALVES:

There are two types of EGR valves, mainly:
i. Pneumatic EGR Valve
ii. Electric EGR Valve
1.5.1.1 Pneumatic EGR Valve:This type of valve is activated by means of vacuum
through electromagnetic valves which usually have an open and closefeature only. The
vacuum is generated from the inlet manifold or via a vacuum pump, relying on
automobile kind, and might include an EGR function sensor. It is a vacuum operated
diaphragm valve. When vacuum is applied to the EGR valve, the suction force pulls the
diaphragm and opens the valve. This permits intake vacuum to suck exhaust into the
engine. To prevent the EGR valve from opening whilst the engine is cold, the vacuum
line to the EGR valve can be related to a parted vacuum switch or an ECU controlled
solenoid. The figure below shows a pneumatic EGR valve.

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 Thermal Protection of Electromotive Exhaust Gas Recirculation Valve

Fig. 1.4 Pneumatic EGR Valve[http://www.justanswer.com/chevy/4f5wg-chevrolet-

blazer-full-size-1989-chevrolet-v-10.html]

1.5.1.2 EM-EGR Valve:The Electromotive Exhaust Gas Recirculation Valve (EM-EGR

valve or EGR valve for short) is generally built up of an actuator and valve housing. The
actuator consists of a DC motor and a gear box. Valve position is controlled by an electric
DC motor. The position of the valve disk can be changed between its fully open to fully
closed range. An eccentric drive translates the gearbox output from a rotating to a linear
motion. An angle sensor onthe output shaft of the gear box detects the position of the
valve disk and is characterized as position sensor. The figures below show electric EGR
valve.

Fig.1.5 Basic draft function of EGR Valve[1] Fig.1.6 Electric EGR Valve [1]

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 Thermal Protection of Electromotive Exhaust Gas Recirculation Valve

The EM–EGR valve used in this project consists of the following function groups:

● Valve assembly: permits exhaust gas to flow and the adjustment of the opening

cross section.

● Valve unit: for infinitely variable valve lift adjustment; secured by a mechanical

return system (spring) against unintended opening by pressure or acceleration

effects.

● Mechanical return system: To guarantee the emergency/limp home mode

(actuator without power supply) a return spring is integrated in the kinematic to

close the valve.

● Electric drive system / actuator including gear drive: moves the valve lift.

● Angle sensor: detects the actual value of the valve position (at the gearbox output

shaft). It is a triaxial Hall sensor which is programmed in a way that 6mm valve
lift equates a voltage change of 3V at a power supply of 5V.
1.6 EGR VALVE MALFUNCTIONS:
The most common cause for malfunctions in the EGR system is stuck or carbonized EGR
valves. EGR valves are inclined to be jammed either at the valve open or close positions.
The deposition of burnt soot particles especially in diesel engines could cause the valve to
be jammed. At stuck open, the engine slows down, misfires or causes engine inactivity
and at stuck close position, NOx formation boosts abnormal engine timing and knocking
(knocks are generally described as rapid increase in the cylinder pressure during
combustion). A jammed EGR valve may result in jerking, excess fuel consumption,
insufficient engine power and may even cause total engine breakdown. These are the
major issues with a jammed EGR valve. Another accepted disadvantage as soon as the
valve is at stuck open position is unwanted misfiring of the engine. A jammed EGR valve
must be repaired or replaced quickly once the problem is detected.
Other problems that occur when the valve is shut-off include overheating of the valve and
clogging. The excessive temperature can negatively affect the overall performance of the
reciprocal movement of the valve stem within the valve guide consisting of, for example,
the valve sticking or seizing inside the valve guide. The corrosive substances located
inside the valve leads to clogged flow of exhaust gases and negatively affect the life of

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 Thermal Protection of Electromotive Exhaust Gas Recirculation Valve

the component. This reduces the engine cooling effect causes the engine to overheat.
Therefore, it becomes important to check the EGR valve whenever the vehicle idles as it
might violate the emission norms.
Even though EGR valves are designed for the high temperatures in the exhaust system,
heat damage to the valve may occasionally occur. Certain analysis of tested EGR valves
has indicated that valves would stick intermittently at some operating temperatures, whilst
at room temperatures the valves would function normally.
1.7. EGR VALVE CONTROL:
The position of the valve disk in an electric EGR valve is controlled by an Engine Control
Unit (ECU). The valve disk position control takes place in a closed loop system. Jammed
valves can be accurately detected due to feedback mechanism provided in this type of
system. The basic block diagram of an EGR valve control through an ECU in closed loop
is shown below in Fig.1.8.

Fig.1.7 Basic block diagram of EGR valve control

The ECU calculates the desired valve lift required for the exhaust gas flow based on the
amount of exhaust gases that has to be re-circulated. The EGR rateis obtained as a ratio of
the mass flow of exhaust gas (m EGR) to the total intake charge mass flow (m intake), given by
the following equation:
mex h aust
EGR rate=
mintake
; where,mintake=mintake−air + mex h aust

The closed loop control mechanism of the EGR valve is discussed in detail in the next
chapter.

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 Thermal Protection of Electromotive Exhaust Gas Recirculation Valve

ANNEXURE

PLAGIARISM REPORT

(Plagiarism check of the report should be less than <25%, which needs to be attached
as an annexure in the report)

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 Thermal Protection of Electromotive Exhaust Gas Recirculation Valve

PAPERS PRESENTED

(If any papers presented, attach the first page of the paper copy along with all
details to be mentioned. If carried out in Industry, attach a certificate from
Industry)

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