BMW develops water injection! This is great news for all tech advocates. water injection into engines defended on econologie.com since 2003 (!!), as for example on this subject about thewater vapor injection into an engine!
BMW has indeed developed an integrated water intake air injection system of an engine turbocharged gasoline. This system reduces the fuel consumption of the engine 8% while increasing performance and reducing emissions. Ultimately, it is conceivable that such a system can be integrated with a range extender electric vehicle, similar to the GM Volt or Vtrux Via Motors.
This innovation, hoping that it will spread throughout the entire BMW range, should nail the critics of water injection in heat engines (and there are some and not just a few!) ...
Then yes the injection of water in the engines works and yes it is beneficial and yes we know why… And no it was not yet exploited for reasons… mmmm… obscure?
Yet we already knew that the injection of water, under certain conditions, had been beneficial for over a century !! See these works of engineer Clerget (among others) Thank you # BMW and too bad for the other manufacturers… but they should get started quickly!
Learn more and technical debate on water injection by BMW
Contrary to what Mr. Clerget's patent application says in English, I do not think that the maximum temperature prevailing in the cylinder of a gasoline engine is sufficient to dissociate oxygen from hydrogen from water.
Moreover, this operation would be without energy interest since it would be necessary to provide as much energy for this dissociation as would be recovered by combustion.
On the other hand, at the same temperature, especially if it is relatively low but above 300 ° C, the expansion of water vapor is much greater than that of air. This results in greater pressure on the piston, all other things being equal, and therefore greater efficiency.
Diesel engines reject soot micro-particles because they are adjusted so that combustion is incomplete because then the temperature is too low for very toxic nitrogen compounds to form. But this carbon released into the particulate filter is wasted, wasted fuel.
The efficiency would be better if the combustion were complete but an injection of water by cooling the temperature of the cylinder prevents the formation of nitrogen oxides while increasing the pressure on the piston free of charge.
This system could be used on aircraft engines. But the weight of the water to take away would risk making the operation less interesting.
Since water evaporation is particularly calorie-intensive, it would be preferable for the injected water to be as hot as possible: given the pressure in the cylinder, it could be over 100 ° C, previously heated by the engine. itself (special high pressure radiator).
It is of course necessary to use completely demineralized water.
When starting a diesel engine from cold, since the cylinder walls are responsible for cooling the gases below the temperature at which nitrogen oxides are formed, the injection of water can be dispensed with.
However, the thermolysis of water begins at 750 ° C… and can be favored by the presence of carbon! 750 ° C are largely reached on the flame front in a 4-stroke automobile engine, whether gasoline or diesel!
Yes for the relaxation of water vapor! This article summarizes all the possible effects: https://www.econologie.com/synthese-theses-hypotheses-procede-gillier-pantone/
Above the dew point is enough, there is condensation water that drags everywhere you just have to direct it.
No need to reserve
Yes that's right where this Renault patent: https://www.econologie.com/telechargement-brevet-renault-recirculation-condensation-gaz-echappement/