INTEGRATED FUEL INJECTORS AND IGNITERS AND ASSOCIATED METHODS OF USE AND MANUFACTURE

• US 20140345563A1
• Filed: 01/22/2014
• Published: 11/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Green Innovations, LLC
• Original Assignee: McAlister Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: McAlister, Roy Edward
• Granted Patent: US 9,581,116 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/297
• 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: F02D 19/027 Determining the fuel pressure, temperature or volume flow, the fuel tank fill level or a valve position
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/36 with means for controlling distribution
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/40 with means for controlling injection timing or duration
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/401 Controlling injection timing F02D41/402 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/406 Electrically controlling a diesel injection pump F02D41/401 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0206 Non-hydrocarbon fuels, e.g. hydrogen, ammonia or carbon monoxide
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0227 Means to treat or clean gaseous fuels or fuel systems, e.g. removal of tar, cracking, reforming or enriching
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0254 Electric actuators, e.g. solenoid or piezoelectric
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0269 Outwardly opening valves, e.g. poppet valves
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0275 for in-cylinder direct injection, e.g. injector combined with spark plug
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 2200/26 Fuel-injection apparatus with elastically deformable elements other than coil springs
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 45/086 Having more than one injection-valve controlling discharge orifices
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 51/0625 characterised by arrangement of mobile armatures
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 51/0671 the armature having an elongated valve body attached thereto
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 57/005 the devices being sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 57/06 the devices being sparking plugs
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 61/047 the valves being formed by deformable nozzle parts, e.g. flexible plates or discs with fuel discharge orifices
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04089 of gaseous reactants
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04186 of liquid-charged or electrolyte-charged reactants
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 : Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 : Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 : Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 : Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to injectors with integrated igniters providing efficient injection, ignition, and complete combustion of various types of fuels. These integrated injectors/igniters can include, for example, insulators with adequate mechanical and dielectric strength to enable high-energy plasma generation by components that have very small dimensions, multifunction valving that is moved to injector multiple bursts of fuel and to induce plasma projection, a fuel control valve at the interface to the combustion chamber for the purpose of eliminating fuel drip at undesired times, and one or more components at the interface of the combustion chamber for the purpose of blocking transmission of combustion sourced pressure.

Claims

1-40. -40. (canceled)

41. A fuel injector valve for use in a direct fuel injection engine, comprising:

a fuel injection valve fluidically connected to a fuel source and positioned adjacent to a combustion chamber to directly inject a first fuel stream per cycle into the combustion chamber;

at least one sensor configured to determine at least one engine operation parameter that affects formation of a stratified air-fuel mixture inside the combustion chamber; and

a controller configured to selectively control the fuel injection valve to use a plurality of fuel streams wherein a first fuel stream timing is set to control the injection valve to inject the first fuel stream during an intake stroke while a piston in the combustion chamber is approximately at an intake top dead center position such that a majority of the first fuel stream injected from the fuel injection valve is received inside a pocket of excess oxidant in the combustion chamber.

42. The fuel injector of claim 41, wherein the sensor is positioned flush with a wall of the combustion chamber.

43. The fuel injector of claim 41, wherein the sensor is integral with the valve.

44. The fuel injector of claim 41, wherein the parameter is temperature.

45. The fuel injector of claim 41 further comprising an igniter integral with the fuel injection valve.

46. The fuel injection valve of claim 41 is contained within a fuel injector-igniter device, the fuel injector-igniter device includes a body having a middle portion extending between a base portion and a nozzle portion;

the nozzle portion is configured to engage a standard spark plug connection in a fuel combustion engine, the body having a channel configured to allow fluid passage extending there through;

a first and a second electrode configured to provide a ignition event, the first and the second electrode positioned at a distal end of the nozzle portion;

an actuator contained within the channel of the injector-igniter body, the actuator having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the fuel injection valve operably connected to a distal end of the actuator;

a driver operably connected to a proximal end of the actuator; and

a controller operably connected to the driver, the controller configured to adaptively optimize the fuel injection and ignition characteristics of the injector-igniter.

48. The fuel injector-igniter of claim 46 wherein the driver is movable from a first position to a second position in response to an inducing component, wherein the movement from a first position to a second position creates a controlled pattern of fuel distribution.

49. The fuel injector-igniter of claim 46 wherein the inducing component is at least one of an acoustic component, an electromagnetic component and/or piezoelectric component.

50. The fuel injector-igniter of claim 46 further comprising an ignition and flow adjusting device carried by the flow control device.

51. The fuel injector-igniter of claim 46 wherein the ignition and flow adjusting device protects the flow control device.

52. The fuel injector-igniter of claim 46 wherein the ignition and flow adjusting device is a sensor.

53. The fuel injector-igniter of claim 46 wherein the ignition and flow adjusting device is the first electrode and wherein the ignition and flow adjusting device is configured to affect the shape, pattern, and/or phase of an injected fuel.

54. The fuel injector-igniter of claim 46 wherein the body is made from a first and a second dielectric material suitable to enable high energy ignition to combust different multiple fuels, wherein the dielectric material provides sufficient electrical insulation of the high voltage at the electrode for the production, isolation, and/or delivery of spark or plasma for ignition.

55. The fuel injector-igniter of claim 46 wherein the body portion is constructed from a first dielectric material and the nozzle portion is constructed from a second dielectric material having a dielectric strength higher than the first dielectric material strength.

56. The fuel injector-igniter of claim 46 wherein the valve control device includes a first and a second valve.

57. The fuel injector-igniter of claim 56 wherein the first valve is a check valve operably connected to the second valve.

58. The fuel injector-igniter of claim 56 wherein the first valve is a pressure valve mechanically and electronically decoupled from the actuator.

59. The fuel injector-igniter of claim 58 wherein the electrode has a plurality of enhanced surfaces designed to increase gasification of injected fuels and provide extended electrode life.

60. The fuel injector-igniter of claim 46 wherein the driver is mechanically coupled to the valve control device and electrically separated from the valve control device.

49-1. The fuel injector-igniter of claim 46 wherein the actuator is a fiber optic cable, insulated transducers integrated within a rod or cable, and/or other sensor.

61. A method for injection fuel in a direct fuel injection engine, comprising:

determining at least one engine operation parameter that affects formation of a stratified air-fuel mixture inside a combustion chamber;

determining whether to inject multiple fuel bursts based on the a determination of the engine operation parameter; and

injecting the plurality of fuel bursts based on the determination of the engine operation parameter, wherein a first fuel stream is injected while a piston is approximately at an intake top dead center position.

62. A fuel injector with an integrated igniter for use in an internal combustion engine, the injector configured to provide multiple bursts of fuel to the combustion chamber per combustion event, and further able to facilitate use of multiple fuels in an internal combustion engine, comprising:

a variable storage vessel configured to store fuels having different octane and cetane ratings;

an internal combustion engine having a combustion chamber, wherein the engine is fluidically connected to the storage vessel; and

a fuel injector with an integral igniter, the fuel injector having a proximal end, a distal end and a fluidic passageway there through, wherein the proximal end is fluidically coupled to the storage vessel and the distal end is fluidically coupled to the combustion chamber, wherein the distal end of the fuel injector includes a fuel distribution valve positioned proximate to the fluidic connection of the fuel injector with the combustion chamber and the distal end of the channel in a valve operating region includes a first dielectric material;

a plurality of sensors arranged for sensing actual engine operation parameters, load conditions, and fuel availability; and

a controller in electronic communication with the sensors, wherein the controller collects and analyzes information from the sensors to control the fuel distribution valve to provide multiple bursts of fuel to the combustion chamber per combustion event.

63. The fuel injector of claim 62 further comprising a second dielectric material wherein the first dielectric material has a first strength and the second dielectric material has a second lesser strength.

64. The fuel injector of claim 62 wherein the dielectric material is a grain oriented ceramic.

65. The fuel injector of claim 62 wherein the first dielectric material is a ceramic material having a high dielectric strength, such as quartz, sapphire, glass matrix, and/or other suitable ceramics.

66. The fuel injector of claim 64 wherein the dielectric material is circumferentially oriented.

67. The fuel injector of claim 64 wherein the dielectric material includes a compressive zone.

68. A method for operating an internal combustion engine, comprising:

injecting a plurality of fuel bursts during a single combustion event through a valve in a combined fuel injector/igniter positioned at top dead center of a combustion chamber;

igniting fuel in the combustion chamber with the fuel injector/igniter at an operating temperature below a NOx formation temperature.

69. The method for operating an internal combustion engine wherein the igniting fuel in the combustion chamber is in the presence of excess oxidant in the fuel combustion chamber.

70. A fuel injection system comprising:

a controller;

a fuel injector for injecting fuel, wherein the fuel is injected by the opening of a valve element;

igniter, wherein the igniter is integral to the injector; and

wherein the valve element is opened with one of a cable or rod connected to an actuator and wherein the cable or rod are electrically insulated and further comprise a fiber-optic element for communicating combustion data to the microprocessor.

71. The system of claim 70, wherein the igniter is located near the valve element.

72. The system of claim 70, wherein the actuator is an electromechanical actuator.

73. The system of claim 70, wherein the actuator provides an impact force upon the cable or rod.

74. The system of claim 70, wherein the igniter is selected from one of a spark, multiple sparks or a plasma discharge.

75. The system of claim 70, wherein the controller is located in a body of the fuel injector.

76. The system of claim 75, wherein the controller is located next to a conduit for supplying fuel to the injector, and the fuel passing through the conduit cools the microprocessor.

77. The system of claim 70, wherein the fuel is used to cool at least one of the valve element or the actuator.

78. The system of claim 70, wherein the fuel is injected to at least one of a heat engine or a fuel cell.

79. The system of claim 70, wherein the fuel is stored in a fuel tank suitable for storing cryogenic fuels.

80. The system of claim 79, wherein the fuel is selected from the group consisting of cryogenic liquid fuel, cryogenic solid fuel and cryogenic gaseous fuel.

81. The system of claim 79, wherein the fuel is selected from the group consisting of solid fuel, liquid fuel and gaseous fuel.

82. The system of claim 79, wherein the fuel is a mixture of cryogenic and non-cryogenic fuels.

83. The system of claim 70, wherein the fuel is delivered and combusted according to one of a stratified charge combustion mode, a homogenous charge combustion mode and a stratified charge combustion mode within a homogenous charge.

84. The system of claim 70 wherein the valve element is made from one of the group of sapphire, quartz, glass and a high-temperature polymer.

85. The system of claim 70, wherein the fuel is passed through a heat exchanger before being supplied to the injector.