Patents Assigned to MTU Motoren- und Turbinen-Union Friedrichshafen GmbH
  • Patent number: 6622932
    Abstract: Within an injector housing, a nozzle needle comprising a nozzle needle shaft is accommodated in a first guide boring in a longitudinally displaceable manner. A nozzle prechamber which is arranged in front of the nozzle needle shaft and which is situated on the fore-part of the first guide boring is supplied with fuel via a high pressure channel. A control valve permits a control chamber, which is coupled to the nozzle needle and which is subjected to the action of highly pressurized fuel, to be relieved from pressure by opening the nozzle needle. According to a second embodiment, a spring chamber is configured as a high-pressure chamber on the rear side of the first guide boring that guides the nozzle needle shaft. The spring chamber is separate from the control chamber and contains a readjusting spring that impinges upon the nozzle needle in a direction of closure. This configuration prevents fuel exiting the nozzle prechamber from overflowing over the guide boring which guides the nozzle needle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: MTU Motoren-und Turbinen-Union Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventors: Günther Schmidt, Albert Kloos
  • Patent number: 6427932
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel injection nozzle for an internal combustion engine, especially of a common-rail injection system. The injection nozzle contains a nozzle needle which is coupled to an actuating element that serves to control a nozzle opening process. The nozzle needle comprises a needle point and a valve seat which interacts with the same. The valve seat has a conical sealing surface with an opening angle &agr;1, and the needle point has a conical sealing surface with an opening angle &agr;2. The opening angle &agr;2 of the sealing surface of the needle point is smaller than the opening angle &agr;1 sealing surface of valve seat. An expansion, said expansion serving as a cavitation chamber, of a ring-shaped flow channel, is configured between the needle point and the needle housing in the direction of flow of the fuel following the sealing surfaces of the needle point and valve seat. The cavitation chamber is configured and dimensioned to achieve a targeted cavitation results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: MTU Motoren-und Turbinen-Union Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Danckert, Bernhard Schuetz
  • Patent number: 6420062
    Abstract: The invention relates to a double layer cathode for molten carbonate fuel cells, containing a first layer (2a) consisting of a first cathode material, preferably lithium-treated nickel oxide, and a second layer (2b) consisting of cerium-activated lithium cobaltite. The inventive double layer cathode is characterised in that the polarization resistance is less dependent on temperature and in that it has a longer life. The double layer cathode is especially suitable for operating a fuel cell at less than 650° C. The material for the second cathode layer (2b) is produced by activating cobalt oxide by co-precipitation with cerium and treating it with lithium carbonate to form a suspension. Said suspension is then applied to the first cathode layer (2a) as a second cathode (2b), dried and sintered at a high temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Assignee: MTU Motoren-und Turbinen-Union Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventors: Armin Prohaska, Manfred Bischoff, Bernd Rohland, Vojtech Plzak
  • Patent number: 6290790
    Abstract: A method for reducing the electrical resistance caused by a corrosion oxide coating at the current-carrying transition of a chromium steel component includes annealing the chromium steel component a temperature of at least 950° C. and removing any oxide coating that develops during said annealing before the component carries current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: MTU Motoren- und Turbinen-Union Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventors: Jörg Wind, Felix Nitschke
  • Patent number: 6238619
    Abstract: The invention concerns a process for the production of a porous lithium cobaltite electrode plate with a large inner surface and low polarization resistance. Lithium carbonate powder and cobalt metal powder are uniformly mixed together and then films are produced from the mixture and plates from the films, which plates are sintered and then placed in an air stream for several hours at a temperature between 400° C. and 488° C. until the conversion of said plates to lithium cobaltite electrode plates with an extremely large inner surface has taken place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: MTU Motoren- und Turbinen-Union Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Bischoff, Bernd Rohland, Uwe Jantsch
  • Patent number: 6237569
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine, specially a diesel engine, comprising a crankcase and cylinder heads. Said system is provided with injectors to inject fuel into the combustion chambers of the internal combustion engine and a high pressure pump which supplies fuel to a common rail supplying fuel to the injectors via high pressure lines. According to the invention, the common rail is lodged in or on the walls of the crankcase. This arrangement of the common rail track and preferably also that of the fuel injectors and the high pressure lines in the housing of the internal combustion engine optimally protects the fuel injection system from external influence and damages while at the same time hermetically closing it from the outside by forming an internal leakage chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: MTU Motoren-und Turbinen-Union Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventors: Christian-Paul Stelzer, Juergen Giesselmann, Franz Edmaier, Werner Leicht
  • Patent number: 6223699
    Abstract: The present application relates to an injector for use in an internal combustion engine designed to work with fuel/emulsion. Two fuel inlet passages, which are connected to a multichannel distributor and used for feeding fuel from a high pressure hose, are linked with a mixing unit surrounding the nozzle needle. Downstream of the multichannel distributor, in the vicinity of the mixing unit, a make-up liquid inlet passage is connected to a second fuel inlet passage through which the make-up liquid, especially water, is fed to produce emulsified fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: MTU Motoren-Und Turbinen-Union Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventors: Georg Donauer, Bernd Danckert
  • Patent number: 6220224
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel-injection system for an internal combustion engine. The fuel-injection system contains a number of fuel injectors which are supplied with fuel by a high-pressure pump via a common inlet pipe and high-pressure lines leading from said pump to the individual fuel injectors. High-pressure storage devices are provided in each of the high-pressure lines in each of the high-pressure lines, the fuel storage volumes of said high-pressure storage devices being between 80 and 300 times, preferably between 120 and 200 times the maximum injection quantity per injection action. The diameter D2 of the high-pressure lines leading from the common inlet pipe to the high-pressure storage devices is measured to minimize the difference in the quantities of fuel injected by the fuel injectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: MTU Motoren- und Turbinen-Union Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventors: Joerg Matthies, Guenther Schmidt
  • Patent number: 6153083
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electrolyzer for the electrolysis of water in hydrogen and oxygen with a number of electrolytic cells, each containing an anode and a cathode, connected in series in a cell block surrounded by a pressure vessel. At one end of the cell block is a first electrode, and at the opposite end of the cell block is a second electrode. Both are connected with leading-in cables, which run through the pressure vessel and conduct the electric current to the cell block, the interior of the pressure vessel being filled with pressurized water surrounding the cell block. In accordance with the invention, it is envisaged that the first electrode is placed inside the cell block so as to be electrically isolated, by encapsulation, with respect to the pressurized water, and that there is a channel, sealed against the pressurized water, that leads from the cell block through the pressurized vessel to the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: MTU Motoren-und Turbinen-Union Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventors: Hans Hofmann, Lutz Mueller-Froelich
  • Patent number: 6153324
    Abstract: The invention relates to corrosion proofing of current-carrying components of molten carbonate fuel cells. In particular, the invention relates to a current-carrying component for a molten carbonate fuel cell, particularly an anode current collector or bipolar plate, with a substrate made of stainless steel and with a corrosion proofing coating provided on the substrate to protect the component from the anode gas atmosphere and the molten electrolyte of the fuel cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: MTU Motoren-und Turbinen-Union Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Hiermaier, Reinhard Klose, Joerg Wind
  • Patent number: 6063141
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a cathode for a molten carbonate fuel cell includes oxidation of a porous precursor electrode and contact with molten carbonate. Following assembly of a layered arrangement containing the precursor electrode, a matrix layer made of molten carbonate, and a porous anode, the precursor electrode is anodically oxidized with a preset curve for the current density, and doped by contact with molten carbonate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Assignee: MTU Motoren-Und Turbinen-Union Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventors: Hartmut Wendt, Hans-Juergen Salge, Manfred Bischoff
  • Patent number: 5934686
    Abstract: A seal arrangement provides a reliable and durable seal even around a protruding edge or corner of a rim of a first component that is connected to a second component, for example the rim of an oil pan that is connected to the rim of a crankcase and the rim of the housing of an equipment mount of an internal combustion engine. An angular edge is formed at the intersection of a first sealing surface between the oil pan and the crankcase and a second sealing surface between the oil pan and the equipment mount housing. First and second grooves extend in skew directions and offset from one another along the first and second sealing surfaces, and an offset recess extends along and in the direction of the intersection edge to interconnect the first and second grooves. A rubber-elastic seal member includes major portions received in the grooves and an offset portion received in the offset recess. The seal member is press-sealed against facing complementary surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: MTU- Motoren- und Turbinen-Union Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventor: Josef Ottenschlager
  • Patent number: 5836421
    Abstract: A lubricating system for an internal combustion engine maintains lubrication even in extreme emergency positions of the engine such as slants within the range of about 90.degree. to about 270.degree., relative to the horizontal and even for upside down engine positions. For this purpose, a hydraulic accumulator (16) is connected to the lubricant circulating circuit through a parallel connection of a non-return valve (17) and a controllable valve. Under normal operating conditions, the hydraulic accumulator is charged with lubricant under the pressure prevailing in the lubricant circulating system. Under emergency conditions, the normal lubrication is stopped and emergency lubrication continues through the controllable valve that is opened in response to a pressure drop in the normal lubricant circulating system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: MTU Motoren- und Turbinen Union Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventor: Werner Leicht
  • Patent number: 5769052
    Abstract: A method is provided for improving the loading behavior of an internal combustion engine that is supercharged by an exhaust turbocharger and is operated in an essentially steady-state mode, in which system-related sags in rpm when a load is applied the entire performance potential of the motor can be exploited by a temporary cutting in of a dynamic load- and motor-operation-adjusted variable regulation of the beginning of delivery. By regulating the beginning of delivery, the indicated average pressure is increased while exhausting the stated mechanical load limits, while the boost pressure buildup, which otherwise is delayed disadvantageously and is necessarily produced in Diesel engines supercharged with exhaust turbochargers by the limited acceleration capability of the turbocharger, can be used to increase performance by influencing the combustion process, said influence being regulated by the beginning of delivery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1998
    Assignee: MTU Motoren-und Turbinen-Union Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Oestreicher, Hans Zellbeck
  • Patent number: 5758718
    Abstract: A heat exchanger of a plate construction, as used, for example, in a water-cooled charge air cooler with air-side lamella plates avoids undesirable thermal expansion effects which occur in the transient operation of a charge air cooler and result in damage. The otherwise completely hard-soldered cooler block is divided along a plane parallel to the plate planes into two or more partial blocks. When the partial blocks are combined at a mutual distance to form a cooler block assembly, each partial block receives a clearance in the transverse direction which compensates the thermally caused transverse expansions of the individual blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: MTU Motoren- Und Turbinen-Union Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventors: Karl-Heinz de Lazzer, Franz Haug
  • Patent number: 5725964
    Abstract: The invention provides a fuel cell system with stacked fuel cells arranged in a fuel cell block, with an inlet for fresh combustion gas at the anodes on one side of fuel cell block and an outlet for the used combustion gas on the opposite side, as well as inlet for fresh cathode gas at the cathodes on another side of fuel cell block and an outlet for used cathode gas on the opposite side. A reforming device, which utilizes heat given off in the fuel cell reaction to reform the fresh combustion gas fed to the anode inlet of fuel cells, has an area provided with a catalyst. An inlet to the catalyst area receives fresh combustion gas to be reformed, which passes through the area containing the catalyst, in which the reforming process takes place, and exits through an outlet. The reforming device is designed as a heat exchanger located in the exhaust gas stream directly behind the fuel cell block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1998
    Assignee: MTU Motoren-und Turbinen-Union Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventor: Gerhard Huppmann
  • Patent number: 5722377
    Abstract: A fuel injection method and system for a Diesel engine, with an injection nozzle (1) supplied with a first fuel through a high-pressure pump (3) through a reservoir (2), wherein the engine can operate--rather than with the first fuel--with the second fuel in the form of pure fuel or of an emulsion of fuel and another substance that is insoluble in the fuel. Means are provided by which the second fuel is guided in a circuit through injection nozzle (1) and the second fuel, when the injection nozzle is actuated, is injected into the engine through the first fuel, which is under high pressure, from reservoir (2) to injection nozzle (1), with the mixture ratio of the fuel and additional substance in the second fuel being adjusted in the circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1998
    Assignee: MTU Motoren-und Turbinen-Union Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventors: Dieter Schoenfeld, Bernhard Baechle
  • Patent number: 5711154
    Abstract: A supercharged multi-cylinder internal combustion engine is provided having exhaust recycling with air supply and exhaust outlet devices, variably controllable air intake and exhaust outlet valves, a first lubricating oil circuit, and an exhaust processing cylinder having a driven piston and a variable control for air intake and exhaust outlet valves on the exhaust processing cylinder. The air intake and exhaust outlet valves on the exhaust processing cylinder are each partially opened during a downward stroke of the driven piston of the exhaust processing cylinder by a control unit. A second lubricating oil circuit is provided for the exhaust processing cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1998
    Assignee: MTU Motoren- und Turbinen-Union Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventors: Bernhard Baechle, Dieter Schoenfeld, Martin Freitag
  • Patent number: 5709192
    Abstract: Relative differences between cylinder torque moments are individually determined for each cylinder in a multicylinder internal combustion engine in which individual cylinders may be switched off. The torque moment differences are ascertained indirectly when the engine is subject to inner and outer resistance moments and to the inertia moments of all masses to be accelerated. Under these conditions the crankshaft r.p.m. is measured and the r.p.m. signal is split into components for the individual cylinders by applying the superposition principle of linear systems. The first r.p.m. is determined when all cylinders work. The second r.p.m. is determined with all cylinders but one working and the second r.p.m. is deducted from the first r.p.m. Gradually one cylinder after the other is switched off and the respective differences in the r.p.m. are ascertained. These r.p.m. differences are allocated to the ignition compression and are compared with a difference r.p.m. of a reference cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1998
    Assignee: MTU Motoren- und Turbinen-Union Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventor: Uwe Zimmermann
  • Patent number: 5705204
    Abstract: A model for a casting mold, particularly for the casting of blade wheels for turbo-engines, includes multiple cores which can be fitted into one another. The cores have exterior rings, portions of blade duct cores and connector plates. The portions of the blade duct cores supplement one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1998
    Assignee: MTU Motoren- Und Turbinen-Union Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventors: Heinz Hofmeister, Helmut Schmollinger