Bosch developing new water-injection system

[wemay]

Link:
http://articles.sae.org/14176/

First paragraph:
Bosch powertrain engineers are re-investigating a technology proven in fighter aircraft engines 70 years ago to increase the efficiency of future gasoline engines for light-duty automotive use.

Pilot development of water injection (WI) is underway in collaboration with a customer, revealed Dr. Rolf Bulander, the Robert Bosch Board of Management member responsible for gasoline and diesel engine systems, during a presentation at the 2015 Vienna Motor Symposium. WI is a method of improving a combustion engine’s anti-knock behavior using the charge-cooling effects of water (typically mixed with methanol) injected into the inlet ports and then introduced into the combustion chamber.

 

[HerrStig]

It better be a big tank, Aunt Tilly doesn't have a ground crew to check it before every flight.

 

[panther427]

General motors used this in the Oldsmobile line up cal in the 60s. And today you can buy a kit From just about anyone. Banks aem snow performance. Devils own alky injection and other. It makes a big difference on gas and diesel forced induction motors and help keep valves. Clean on di naturally aspirated motors

 

[HerrStig]

The 215 Cubic inch aluminum block V8 engine GM produced, and the tooling for which was later sold to Rover, used a turbo and water injection. Jack Brabbham turned the engine into an FI winner, though it was a bit "modified". The engine was used by Buick, Olds, and perhaps Pontiac in their "mid sized" cars.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Ran this in my daily driver in 1978 with a Pontiac 400. System was mfg by Edelbrock.

Had a vacuum sensor, small tank, and an assortment of nozzles. The pump was variable speed.

Worked very well in a 12 to 1 compression engine running pump gas. I only sprayed the primaries, some folks sprayed both...

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted By: HerrStig
The 215 Cubic inch aluminum block V8 engine GM produced, and the tooling for which was later sold to Rover, used a turbo and water injection. Jack Brabbham turned the engine into an FI winner, though it was a bit "modified". The engine was used by Buick, Olds, and perhaps Pontiac in their "mid sized" cars.


Problem was that they relied on the water injection, which isn't a bad thing, then called it some proprietary name, and charged a lot for the "rocket" fuel...if they'd just labelled it "distilled water", not so many people would have run out.

Big fan of water injection.

Most stationary large Gas Turbines these days are "fogged" to get the last few MW out of them on a hot day.

http://www.meefog.com/fog-evaporative-cooling/gas-turbine-cooling/

 

[spasm3]

I remember reading a lot about that in the late 70's. Good for high compression engines that did not like the lower octane fuel.

 

[turtlevette]

I've never understood why they wouldn't use pure alcohol. Water tends to put out a fire.

Or just use e85 to begin with and dial up the timing.

 

[Jetronic]

because the water is beneficial aswell, turning waste heat into steam and extra power. or so they claim.

 

[HangFire]

Originally Posted By: Jetronic
because the water is beneficial aswell, turning waste heat into steam and extra power. or so they claim.


It's not just a claim, properly done it is a physical fact. So is decreased Nitrogen Oxide emissions and increased Carbon emissions (measured before the catalyst).

 

[flacoman]

Adding water creates a second power stroke as it runs to steam.
Bruce Crower experimented with this also. Google six stroke engine for more info.

 

[Clevy]

I've got a snow performance methanol kit. I used windshield washer fluid in it. I bought it for my mustang when spraying nitrous. Worked well.

If I sprayed without the nitrous continuously I could advance the timing significantly. Made for a very responsive toe in.

Originally Posted By: turtlevette
I've never understood why they wouldn't use pure alcohol. Water tends to put out a fire.

Or just use e85 to begin with and dial up the timing.

.

Ah yes. More wisdom from our resident Internet engineering expert.



So with water injection would it have a dedicated injector in the combustion chamber or would it be introduced somewhere in the airstream?

And once evaporated the hydrogen and oxygen would be separated which should aid combustion significantly.
How would this affect the a/f ratio?

 

[SteveSRT8]

Water has infinite octane numbers, quickly vaporizes if introduced properly as a fine stream. It would be impossible to get even distribution with todays 'dry' manifold designs.

I can tell you one thing, you've never seen such clean heads. Too much can allegedly erode the exhaust valve seat, but I never had that problem across two different engines...

 

[weasley]

Originally Posted By: Clevy
And once evaporated the hydrogen and oxygen would be separated which should aid combustion significantly.
How would this affect the a/f ratio?


This isn't what's happening. The water doesn't dissociate, it is used for evaporative cooling of the charge and steam expansion during combustion. It is an enabler of increased compression and advanced ignition, it doesn't actually burn. You need a load of energy to split hydrogen from oxygen and won't get it all back during recombination (combustion), so that is a dead end.