# US 2021/0277848 A1 · Water delivery system for delivering demineralized water to a combustion engine, and demineralization apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0277848 A1 - Document ID: US20210277848A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/101,448 - Filed: 2020-11-23 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2019-11-29 - Assignees: Röchling Automotive SE & Co. KG - Applicants: Röchling Automotive SE & Co. KG - Inventors: Fabrizio Chini; Gloria Paoli; Francesca Sartori; Edoardo Martelli; Filippo Dall'armellina; Luca Antoniazzi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210277848A1 ## CPC - F02M 25/0224: {Water treatment or cleaning (F02M25/032 takes precedence)} - F02M 25/03: into the cylinder {or the pre-combustion chamber} - C02F 1/008: {Control or steering systems not provided for elsewhere in subclass C02F} - C02F 1/42: by ion-exchange (ion-exchange in general B01J) - C02F 1/441: {by reverse osmosis} - C02F 1/4602: {for prevention or elimination of deposits} - C02F 1/52: by flocculation or precipitation of suspended impurities {(C02F1/463 takes precedence)} - C02F 5/02: Softening water by precipitation of the hardness - F02M 25/0222: {Water recovery or storage} - C02F 2001/425: {using cation exchangers} - C02F 2101/10: Inorganic compounds - C02F 2103/023: {Water in cooling circuits} - C02F 2201/001: Build in apparatus for autonomous on board water supply and wastewater treatment (e.g. for aircrafts, cruiseships, oil drilling platforms, railway trains, space stations) - C02F 2201/005: Valves - C02F 2201/006: Cartridges - C02F 2201/008: Mobile apparatus and plants, e.g. mounted on a vehicle - C02F 2301/043: Treatment of partial or bypass streams - C02F 2303/08: Corrosion inhibition - C02F 2303/22: Eliminating or preventing deposits, scale removal, scale prevention (C02F1/042, C02F1/4602, C02F5/00 take precedence) - Y02T 10/12: Improving ICE efficiencies - F02M: SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A water delivery system for delivering demineralized water to a consuming unit of a motor vehicle, in particular to a combustion engine, encompassing: a water tank having a filling opening; a first aspiration line; a first water pump; a discharge line; a discharge apparatus; a demineralization apparatus for demineralizing water; the first water pump being fluidically connected via the first aspiration line to an internal volume of the water tank; the discharge apparatus being fluidically connected via the discharge line to the first water pump. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-15. (canceled) ### Claim 16 A water delivery system for delivering demineralized water to a consuming unit in a motor vehicle, in particular to a combustion engine, encompassing: a water tank having a filling opening; a first aspiration line; a first water pump; a discharge line; a discharge apparatus; a demineralization apparatus for demineralizing water, the first water pump being fluidically connected via the first aspiration line to an internal volume of the water tank; the discharge apparatus being fluidically connected via the discharge line to the first water pump, wherein a) the water delivery system encompasses a demineralization circuit that comprises a second aspiration line, a second water pump, a pump line, and a return line, the second water pump being fluidically connected via the second aspiration line to an internal volume of the water tank; an inlet of the demineralization apparatus being fluidically connected via the pump line to the second water pump; and an outlet of the demineralization apparatus being fluidically connected via the return line to the internal volume of the water tank; or b) the water delivery system encompasses a demineralization arm that comprises a three-way valve, a pump line, and a return line, a first discharge line sub-portion of the discharge line fluidically connecting the three-way valve to the first water pump; a second discharge line sub-portion of the discharge line fluidically connecting the three-way valve to the discharge apparatus; the pump line fluidically connecting an inlet of the demineralization apparatus to the three-way valve; and an outlet of the demineralization apparatus being fluidically connected via the return line to the internal volume of the water tank; or c) the water delivery system encompasses a filler neck that fluidically connects the filling opening to the internal volume of the water tank; and the demineralization apparatus is arranged in the filler neck; or d) the water delivery system encompasses, downstream from the first water pump, a demineralization bypass that comprises a first branch line and a second branch line, an inlet of the demineralization apparatus being fluidically connected by the first branch line to a first branching point of the discharge line downstream from the first water pump; and an outlet of the demineralization apparatus being fluidically connected by the second branch line to a second branching point of the discharge line downstream from the first branching point; or e) the demineralization apparatus divides the internal volume of the water tank into two separate sub-volumes; or f) the water delivery system encompasses, upstream from the first water pump, a demineralization arm that comprises a three-way valve, a pump line, a direct aspiration line, an intermediate line, and a demineralization aspiration line, the pump line fluidically connecting the three-way valve to the first water pump; the direct aspiration line fluidically connecting the three-way valve directly to the internal volume of the water tank; the intermediate line fluidically connecting the three-way valve to an outlet of the demineralization apparatus; and the demineralization aspiration line fluidically connecting an inlet of the demineralization apparatus directly to the internal volume of the water tank; the first aspiration line being embodied as the direct aspiration line. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The water delivery system according to claim 16, wherein the consuming unit is a combustion engine, a fuel cell or a battery cooling circuit. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The water delivery system according to claim 16, wherein the demineralization apparatus is embodied with a replaceable cartridge. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The water delivery system according to claim 16, wherein the demineralization apparatus divides the internal volume of the water tank into two separate sub-volumes; and the demineralization apparatus is embodied with a reverse osmosis membrane. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The water delivery system according to claim 16, wherein the water delivery system encompasses a water quality sensor fluidically connected to the internal volume of the water tank. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The water delivery system according to claim 16, wherein the demineralization apparatus encompasses an ion exchanger as a demineralizing active substance. ### Claim 22 (depends on 16) The water delivery system according to claim 16, wherein the demineralization apparatus encompasses at least one demineralizing active substance that generates a precipitate in the context of a water demineralization process. ### Claim 23 (depends on 16) The water delivery system according to claim 16, further comprising a discharge arm downstream from the first water pump, the discharge arm comprising a further three-way valve, a first discharge line sub-portion of the discharge line, a second discharge line sub-portion of the discharge line, and a return line; the first discharge line sub-portion fluidically connecting the first water pump to a first port of the further three-way valve; the second discharge line sub-portion fluidically connecting a second port of the further three-way valve to the discharge apparatus; and the return line fluidically connecting a third port of the further three-way valve to the internal volume of the water tank. ### Claim 24 (depends on 16) The water delivery system according to claim 16, wherein the demineralization apparatus encompassing: an inlet; an outlet; a fluid flow channel extending between the inlet and the outlet; a baffle plate arranged transversely to a principal direction of extent of the fluid flow channel, wherein the baffle plate is shaped in such a way that the baffle plate constitutes an edge portion of a passthrough opening in the fluid flow channel, the opening cross section of which opening is smaller than an opening cross section of the fluid flow channel upstream from the baffle plate. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The water delivery system according to claim 24, wherein the demineralization apparatus further encompassing a further baffle plate arranged, directly downstream from the baffle plate, transversely to the principal direction of extent of the fluid flow channel, wherein the further baffle plate is shaped in such a way that the further baffle plate constitutes an edge portion of a further passthrough opening in the fluid flow channel, the opening cross section of which opening is smaller than an opening cross section of the fluid flow channel upstream from the further baffle plate; and a projection of the further passthrough opening along the principal direction of extent of the fluid flow channel does not completely overlap with the passthrough opening. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The water delivery system according to claim 24, wherein the principal direction of extent of the fluid flow channel, at least in portions, follows a flat spiral; and/or, at least in portions, follows a straight line; and/or, at least in portions, follows the course of a helix or coil. ### Claim 27 A demineralization apparatus encompassing: an inlet; an outlet; a fluid flow channel extending between the inlet and the outlet; a baffle plate arranged transversely to a principal direction of extent of the fluid flow channel, wherein the baffle plate is shaped in such a way that the baffle plate constitutes an edge portion of a passthrough opening in the fluid flow channel, the opening cross section of which opening is smaller than an opening cross section of the fluid flow channel upstream from the baffle plate. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The demineralization apparatus according to claim 27, further encompassing a further baffle plate arranged, directly downstream from the baffle plate, transversely to the principal direction of extent of the fluid flow channel, wherein the further baffle plate is shaped in such a way that the further baffle plate constitutes an edge portion of a further passthrough opening in the fluid flow channel, the opening cross section of which opening is smaller than an opening cross section of the fluid flow channel upstream from the further baffle plate; and a projection of the further passthrough opening along the principal direction of extent of the fluid flow channel does not completely overlap with the passthrough opening. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The demineralization apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the principal direction of extent of the fluid flow channel, at least in portions, follows a flat spiral; and/or, at least in portions, follows a straight line; and/or, at least in portions, follows the course of a helix or coil. ### Claim 30 (depends on 16) A vehicle having a consuming unit, in particular a combustion engine, and having a water delivery system according to claim 16, wherein the water delivery system delivers the demineralized water to the consuming unit. ### Claim 31 (depends on 16) A method for operating a water delivery system having the features of claim 16, wherein the demineralization apparatus is embodied with a replaceable cartridge and wherein the water delivery system further comprising a discharge arm downstream from the first water pump, the discharge arm comprising a further three-way valve, a first discharge line sub-portion of the discharge line, a second discharge line sub-portion of the discharge line, and a return line; the first discharge line sub-portion fluidically connecting the first water pump to a first port of the further three-way valve; the second discharge line sub-portion fluidically connecting a second port of the further three-way valve to the discharge apparatus; and the return line fluidically connecting a third port of the further three-way valve to the internal volume of the water tank; the method encompassing the following steps: detecting, by way of a water quality sensor, a degree of demineralization of water in the internal volume of the water tank and carrying out the following steps when the degree of demineralization is below a predetermined or determinable lower threshold value: either, in accordance with an operating mode A: switching the three-way valve into a demineralization aspiration state and switching a further three-way valve into a circulation state in which the first port and the third port of the further three-way valve are opened for the passage of fluid, and the second port of the further three-way valve is closed; conveying water or utility water out of the water tank by the first water pump through the demineralization apparatus; demineralizing the water component conveyed through the demineralization apparatus; returning that demineralized water component into the internal volume of the water tank; and terminating that demineralization process when the water quality sensor detects a degree of demineralization in the internal volume of the water tank which is above the predetermined or predeterminable lower threshold value or above a predetermined or predeterminable stop threshold value that is above the lower threshold value; or, in accordance with an operating mode B: switching the three-way valve into a demineralization aspiration state and switching a further three-way valve into a discharge state in which the first port and the second port of the further three-way valve are opened for the passage of fluid, and the third port of the further three-way valve is closed; and conveying water or utility water out of the water tank by the first water pump through the demineralization apparatus to the discharge apparatus. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The method according to claim 31, wherein the consuming unit is a combustion engine; and the operating mode A is selected when the combustion engine is shut off, and the operating mode B is selected when the combustion engine is operating.