Injector having tangentially oriented purge line

• US 20080053069A1
• Filed: 08/31/2006
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Chen, Qiang, Miller, Robert Lowell, Stockner, Alan R., Cox, Glenn Brian, Wiley, Stephen Michael, McClure, Thomas Randall, Gong, Xiaohui
• Granted Patent: US 8,499,739 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/285
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2610/08 with prior mixing of the substances with a gas, e.g. air
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2610/1453 Sprayers or atomisers; Arrangement thereof in the exhaust apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2610/1493 Purging the reducing agent out of the conduits or nozzle
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/0253 adding fuel to exhaust gases
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/2066 Selective catalytic reduction [SCR]
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/30 Arrangements for supply of additional air control, e.g. using by-passes or variable air pump drives, F01N3/22
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 43/04 Injectors peculiar thereto
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 61/162 Means to impart a whirling motion to fuel upstream or near discharging orifices
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 67/02 the gas being compressed air, e.g. compressed in pumps arrangements or adaptations of such pumps F02B
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 69/08 characterised by the fuel being carried by compressed air into main stream of combustion-air
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

A fluid injector for an exhaust treatment device is disclosed. The fluid injector may have a housing at least partially forming a fluid chamber. The housing may have a central axis, and a fluid passageway configured to supply fluid to the fluid chamber. The supply of fluid may be in a tangential direction relative to the central axis.

Claims

1. A fluid injector, comprising:

a housing at least partially forming a fluid chamber and having a central axis; and

a fluid passageway configured to supply fluid to the fluid chamber in a tangential direction relative to the central axis.

2. The fluid injector of claim 1, further including a nozzle member disposed within the housing and having a central bore, wherein the tangential supply of fluid to the fluid chamber initiates a swirling motion of the fluid into the central bore.

3. The fluid injector of claim 2, wherein the nozzle member includes an upper surface at least partially forming the fluid chamber, the upper surface having a female taper directed toward a tip of the nozzle member.

4. The fluid injector of claim 1, wherein the housing at least partially forms a second fluid chamber and the fluid injector further includes a second fluid passageway configured to supply fluid to the second fluid chamber in a tangential direction relative to the central axis.

5. The fluid injector of claim 4, wherein the second fluid chamber is axially spaced apart from the fluid chamber.

6. The fluid injector of claim 4, wherein the flow rate of fluid supplied to the fluid chamber is less the flow rate of fluid supplied to the second fluid chamber.

7. The fluid injector of claim 6, further including a nozzle member disposed within the housing and having a central bore, and a plurality of passageways annularly disposed about the central bore, wherein the central bore fluidly communicates the fluid chamber with a tip of the nozzle member, and the plurality of passageways fluidly communicate the second fluid chamber with the tip of the nozzle member.

8. The fluid injector of claim 1, wherein two dissimilar fluids are selectively and separately directed through the fluid passageway to the fluid chamber.

9. The fluid injector of claim 8, wherein:

the housing at least partially forms a second fluid chamber; and

the housing includes;

a second fluid passageway configured to supply a third dissimilar fluid to the second fluid chamber; and

a third fluid passageway configured to drain the third dissimilar fluid from the second fluid chamber.

10. A fluid injector, comprising:

a housing having a bore;

a passageway configured to supply fluid to the bore; and

a nozzle member disposed within the bore to form a chamber receiving fluid from the passageway, the nozzle member having an upper surface with a female taper in communication with the chamber and directed toward a tip of the nozzle member.

11. The fluid injector of claim 10, wherein:

the housing and the nozzle member form a second chamber and the fluid injector further includes a second passageway configured to supply fluid to the second chamber;

the second chamber is axially spaced apart from the fluid chamber; and

the flow rate of fluid supplied to the chamber is less the flow rate of fluid supplied to the second chamber.

12. The fluid injector of claim 11, wherein the nozzle member has a second upper surface with a female taper in communication with the second chamber and directed toward the tip of the nozzle member.

13. The fluid injector of claim 11, wherein:

the nozzle member includes a central bore, and a plurality of passageways annularly disposed about the central bore;

the central bore fluidly communicates the chamber with a tip of the nozzle member; and

the plurality of passageways fluidly communicate the second chamber with the tip of the nozzle member.

14. The fluid injector of claim 10, wherein two dissimilar fluids are selectively and separately directed through the passageway to the chamber.

15. The fluid injector of claim 14, wherein:

the housing and the nozzle member form a second chamber; and

the fluid injector includes;

a second passageway configured to supply a third dissimilar fluid to the second chamber; and

a third fluid passageway configured to drain the third dissimilar fluid from the second chamber.

16. An exhaust treatment device for a power source, comprising:

a housing configured to receive exhaust from the power source;

a particulate trap disposed within the housing and being configured to remove particulate matter from the exhaust; and

a fuel injector configured to inject fuel into the exhaust to regenerate the particulate trap, the fuel injector including;

a nozzle member disposed within the housing to form a fluid chamber with a central axis, the nozzle member having a female tapered upper surface in communication with the fluid chamber; and

a fluid passageway configured to supply fluid to the fluid chamber in a tangential direction relative to the central axis such that a swirling motion of the fluid into the female tapered upper surface is generated.

17. The exhaust treatment device of claim 16, wherein:

nozzle member and the housing form a second fluid chamber;

the nozzle member has a second female tapered upper surface in communication with the second fluid chamber; and

the fluid injector further includes a second fluid passageway configured to supply fluid to the second fluid chamber in a tangential direction relative to the central axis such that a swirling motion of the fluid into the second female tapered upper surface is generated.

18. The exhaust treatment device of claim 17, wherein the flow rate of fluid supplied to the fluid chamber is less the flow rate of fluid supplied to the second fluid chamber.

19. The exhaust treatment device of claim 16, wherein:

the nozzle member has a central bore and a plurality of passageways annularly disposed about the central bore;

the central bore fluidly communicates the fluid chamber with a tip of the nozzle member; and

the plurality of passageways fluidly communicate the second fluid chamber with the tip of the nozzle member.

20. The exhaust treatment device of claim 17, wherein:

two dissimilar fluids are selectively and separately directed to both the fluid chamber and the second fluid chamber;

the nozzle member and the housing form a third fluid chamber; and

the fluid injector further includes includes;

a third fluid passageway configured to supply a third dissimilar fluid to the third fluid chamber; and

a fourth fluid passageway configured to drain the third dissimilar fluid from the third fluid chamber.

21. A method of purging an injector, comprising:

pressurizing a flow of fuel;

directing the flow of fuel through an injector;

pressurizing a flow of air;

generating a swirl in the flow of air; and

directing the swirling flow of air through the injector.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein directing the flow of fuel includes directing a pilot flow of fuel through a first flow path of the injector and directing a main flow of fuel through a completely different second flow path of the injector.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein generating a swirl in the flow of air includes directing air into the injector in a tangential direction relative to a central axis of the injector at two separate locations.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the directing of the pilot flow and the directing of the main flow are accomplished substantially sequentially, and the directing of air at two separate locations is accomplished substantially simultaneously.