Multi-fuel engine

• US 20010047777A1
• Filed: 07/20/2001
• Published: 12/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: XRDI
• Original Assignee: XRDI
• Inventors: Allen, Andy
• Granted Patent: US 6,401,674 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/73C
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2075/025 two
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2075/125 Direct injection in the combustion chamber for spark ignition engines, i.e. not in pre-combustion chamber
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2075/1812 three
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2201/062 Liquid and liquid
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 23/10 with separate admission of air and fuel into cylinder
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 23/101 the injector being placed on or close to the cylinder centre axis, e.g. with mixture formation using spray guided concepts
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 25/14 using reverse-flow scavenging, e.g. with both outlet and inlet ports arranged near bottom of piston stroke
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 3/06 with compression ignition compression ignition engines using air or gas for blowing fuel into compressed air in cylinder F02B13/02
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 33/04 with simple crankcase pumps, i.e. with the rear face of a non-stepped working piston acting as sole pumping member in co-operation with the crankcase
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 33/06 with reciprocating-piston pumps other than simple crankcase pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 33/14 working and pumping pistons forming stepped piston
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 69/02 for different fuel types, other than engines indifferent to fuel consumed, e.g. convertible from light to heavy fuel
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0655 at least one fuel being an alcohol, e.g. ethanol F02D19/084 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0657 Heavy or light fuel oils; Fuels characterised by their impurities such as sulfur content or differences in grade, e.g. for ships
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0689 for in-cylinder direct injection
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 27/02 by catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/10039 Intake ducts situated partly within or on the plenum chamber housing
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/10078 Connections of intake systems to the engine
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/1017 Small engines, e.g. for handheld tools, or model engines; Single cylinder engines
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/1019 Two-stroke engines; Reverse-flow scavenged or cross scavenged engines
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/10275 : Means to avoid a change in direction of incoming fluid, e.g. all intake ducts diverging from plenum chamber at acute angles; Check valves; Flame arrestors for backfire prevention
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/16 : characterised by use in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/164 : Heavy duty vehicles, e.g. trucks, trains, agricultural or construction machines
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/165 : Marine vessels; Ships; Boats
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 61/08 : the valves opening in direction of fuel flow F02M61/047 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 71/02 : with fuel-air mixture being produced by the carburettor and being compressed by a pump for subsequent injection into main combustion-air
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 : Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 : Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels

Abstract

An engine capable of use with multiple different types of fuels including gasoline and alcohol based flues and heavy fuels such as diesel fuel, JP5, JP8, Jet A and kerosene based fuels. The engine includes a main cylinder having a compression chamber at one end and a piston that is movable along the length of the cylinder and which connects to a crankshaft for the engine. A fuel delivery system delivers a combustible mixture of fuel and air through a fuel delivery valve into the combustion chamber at a sonic velocity of flow such that the fuel is substantially atomized into the air of the combustible mixture delivered to the combustion chamber. The combustible mixture is ignited by an igniter within the combustion chamber to urge the piston along the cylinder for driving the crankshaft of the engine.

Claims

1. An engine capable of being run on various types of fuels including heavy fuels such as diesel fuel, JP5, Jet A, JP8, kerosene, and gasoline and alcohol based fuels, said engine comprising:

an engine block having at least one cylinder defining at least one cylinder chamber;

a cylinder head mounted on said cylinder and defining a combustion chamber;

at least one piston received within said at least one cylinder chamber and moveable therealong, said piston connected to a crankshaft for driving the crankshaft;

a fuel delivery system for delivering a combustible mixture of fuel and air to said combustion chamber with the combustible mixture being delivered at a sonic rate of flow so as to substantially atomize the fuel in the air for enhanced ignition; and

at least one igniter mounted adjacent said combustion chamber and having an ignition zone at which the combustible mixture is ignited to cause combustion of the combustible mixture within said combustion chamber for driving said piston.

2. The engine of

claim 1

and wherein said fuel delivery system includes a fuel delivery valve including a valve body defining a valve passageway having an inlet end and an exit end defining a valve opening, a valve member received in said valve body and movable along said first passageway, said valve member having an air passage formed therein and which communicates with valve opening as said valve member is moved along said passageway between open and closed positions, and biasing means for maintaining said valve member in its closed position until the combustible mixture is directed through said air passage at an opening differential pressure sufficient to overcome said biasing means and open said valve opening so as to create a sonic velocity flow of the combustible mixture through said fuel delivery valve.

3. The engine of

claim 2

and wherein said biasing means includes a series of spring washers engaging and urging said valve member toward its closed position.

4. The engine of

claim 3

and wherein said fuel delivery valve further includes a retaining washer positioned adjacent said spring washers limiting movement of said valve member along said valve passageway and a retaining ring for securing said retainer washer and spring washers to said valve body.

5. The engine of

claim 2

and wherein said fuel delivery system includes a fuel metering device in which fuel is received for mixing with air to form the combustible mixture supplied to said fuel delivery valve.

6. The engine of

claim 5

and wherein said fuel metering device comprises a fuel injector.

7. The engine of

claim 1

and wherein said igniter comprises an igniter body having a first end and a second end, an igniter rod received within and extending along said igniter body and having a first end engaged and supported by an electrical connector at said first end of said body, a second end supported at said second end of said body, and a catalyst material applied along said igniter rod and through which a current is passed for heating said catalyst material to cause ignition of the combustible material.

8. The engine of

claim 7

and wherein said igniter rod is formed from a dielectric material and said catalyst material includes platinum.

9. The engine of

claim 1

and wherein said fuel delivery system further includes a fuel metering device for delivering a supply of fuel for mixing with air to form the combustible mixture, a fuel delivery valve for delivering the combustible mixture to said combustion chamber at a sonic rate of flow, and a compressor cylinder assembly positioned between said fuel metering device and said fuel delivery valve and comprising a compressor cylinder, a piston movable along said compression cylinder for drawing the combustible mixture into said compressor cylinder and directing the combustible mixture toward said fuel delivery valve at a sonic velocity so as to create an opening differential pressure sufficient to open said valve and enable passage of the combustible mixture therethrough at a sonic rate of flow.

10. The engine of

claim 1

and wherein said at least one piston comprises a stepped piston having a head portion, a skirt portion, a stepped portion at one end of said skirt portion, and a connecting rod connecting said piston to the crankshaft of the engine.

11. The engine of

claim 10

and wherein said at least one cylinder comprises a main cylinder chamber and a stepped cylinder chamber communicating with a secondary air intake and an air injection passage for said fuel delivery system, wherein as said piston is moved along said cylinder chamber, air is drawn into said stepped chamber and thereafter is urged along said air injection passage to said fuel delivery system as movement of said piston is reversed.

12. The engine of

claim 1

and wherein said igniter comprises a spark plug.

13. The engine of

claim 11

and wherein said fuel delivery system comprises a fuel delivery valve having an inlet end adjacent said air injection passage and a discharge end projecting into said combustion chamber, and wherein the engine further includes a fuel metering device positioned adjacent and communicating with said air injection passage for mixing fuel with the air from said air injection passage to form the combustible mixture of fuel and air delivered to said combustion chamber by said fuel delivery valve.

14. The engine of

claim 1

and further including a second and a third cylinder each defining at least one cylinder chamber in which a piston is received.

15. The engine of

claim 7

and wherein said second end of said igniter body includes a seat in which said second end of said igniter rod is received and held and which contacts said catalyst material to ground said catalyst material.

16. The engine of

claim 7

and further including an insulator positioned at the first end of said igniter body, in which said electrical connector is mounted, and wherein said electrical connector includes contacts that releasibly engage and hold said first end of said igniter rod.

17. The engine of

claim 7

and wherein said catalyst material is printed on a tape applied about said conductor rod and forms a heating zone at which said catalyst material is heated to a temperature sufficient to ignite the combustible mixture.

18. A method of operating an engine capable of being run using a variety of different types of fuels including heavy fuels such as JP5, JP8, Jet A, diesel fuel, and kerosene, and gasoline and alcohol based fuels, comprising:

drawing fuel and air into a fuel metering device to form a combustible mixture of fuel and air;

delivering the combustible mixture to a fuel delivery valve at a rate of flow sufficient to create an opening pressure differential sufficient to open the fuel delivery valve and cause the combustible mixture to flow through the fuel delivery valve at a sonic rate of flow such that the fuel of the combustible mixture is caused to be substantially atomized within the combustible mixture;

dispensing the combustible mixture into a combustion chamber of the engine;

igniting the combustible mixture with a heated igniter to cause combustion of the combustible mixture; and

in response to the combustion of the combustible mixture, moving a piston in a reciprocating cycle along a cylinder of the engine to drive a crankshaft of the engine.

19. The method of

claim 18

and wherein delivering the combustible mixture comprises driving an auxiliary piston so as to draw the combustible mixture of air and fuel into an auxiliary cylinder, and urging the combustible mixture from the auxiliary cylinder and into the fuel delivery valve at a sonic velocity sufficient to open the fuel delivery valve and cause the fuel to be substantially atomized into the air of the combustible mixture.

20. The method of

claim 18

and wherein igniting the combustible mixture comprises heating a catalyst material within the igniter to a temperature sufficient to ignite the combustible mixture, and passing a portion of the combustible mixture into contact with the heated catalyst material to ignite the combustible mixture.

21. The method of

claim 18

and wherein drawing fuel and air into a fuel metering device includes drawing air into a stepped chamber through a secondary air inlet as the piston is moved along a first stroke, and urging the air in the stepped chamber through an air injection passage and into the fuel metering device as fuel is drawn into the fuel metering device as the piston is moved along a return stroke.