Fuel injection nozzle and method of use

• US 6,386,463 B1
• Filed: 06/27/2000
• Issued: 05/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Universidad de Sevilla
• Original Assignee: Universidad de Sevilla
• Inventors: Ganan-Calvo, Alfonso
• Primary Examiner(s): Scherbel, David A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DINH Q
• Application Number:
  US09/604,935
• Time in Patent Office: 686 Days
• Field of Search: 239/5, 239/8, 239/86, 239/417, 239/418, 239/423, 239/424, 239/424.5, 239/425, 239/291, 239/338, 239/433, 123/531, 123/585, 261/78.1, 261/116, 222/420, 738/648.1
• US Class Current: 239/8
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0065 Inhalators with dosage or measuring devices A61M15/0028 takes precedence; dosage devices incorporated in aerosol cans B65D83/52
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/025 Bubble jet droplet ejection devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/064 Powder
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/232 using flow-mixing means for introducing the gases, e.g. baffles
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/30 Injector mixers mixing by creating vortex flow B01F25/10
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/3011 using a sheathing stream of a fluid surrounding a central stream of a different fluid, e.g. for reducing the cross-section of the central stream or to produce droplets from the central stream
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00378 Piezoelectric or ink jet dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/02 designed to produce a jet, spray, or other discharge of particular shape or nature, e.g. in single drops, or having an outlet of particular shapeB05B1/26, B05B1/28, B05B1/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/0475 with means for deflecting the peripheral gas flow towards the central liquid flow B05B7/0458 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/061 with several liquid outlets discharging one or several liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/065 an inner gas outlet being surrounded by an annular adjacent liquid outlet
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/066 with an inner liquid outlet surrounded by at least one annular gas outlet
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/0884 the outlet orifices for jets constituted by a liquid or a mixture containing a liquid being aligned
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 60/14 for creating libraries
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 43/04 Injectors peculiar thereto
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 67/10 Injectors peculiar thereto, e.g. valve less type
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 69/047 injectors with air chambers, e.g. communicating with atmosphere for aerating the nozzles F02M69/325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 69/08 characterised by the fuel being carried by compressed air into main stream of combustion-air
• CPC Class Codes: F23D 11/106 medium and fuel meeting at the burner outlet
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1409 : Handling samples, e.g. injecting samples
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/1406 : Control of droplet point
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/01 : Arrangements or apparatus for facilitating the optical investigation

Abstract

Atomized particles within a desired size range (e.g., 1 micron to about 5 microns) are produced from two immiscible fluids, the first a fuel source containing the formulation to be atomized, and a second fluid source which is contained in a pressure chamber surrounding at least the area where the first liquid is to be provided. The invention provides a method for the formation of small, relatively uniform fuel particles for use in internal combustion engines and a nozzle-type apparatus for providing the particles to a combustion chamber.

Claims

1. A method for producing atomized liquid, comprising the steps of:

forcing a first liquid through a channel of a first feeding source in a manner which causes the first liquid to be expelled from a first exit opening;

forcing a second liquid through a second channel concentrically positioned around the first channel in a manner which causes the second liquid to be expelled from a second exit opening;

forcing a gas through a pressure chamber in a manner which causes the gas to exit the pressure chamber from an exit orifice in front of a flow path of the first and second liquids;

wherein the first liquid and the second liquid are immiscible and the second liquid surrounds the first liquid forming concentric streams which are focused to a stable jet with a stable first liquid-gas interface which flows out of the exit orifice of the pressure chamber; and

allowing the stable jet of concentric streams to exit the pressure chamber surrounded by the gas and break up outside the pressure chamber and form spherical coated particles comprised of the first liquid coated with the second liquid.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second liquid is kerosene.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first liquid is selected from the group consisting of caster oil, ether, and isopropyl nitrate.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the spherical coated particles have a diameter of about 5 microns to about 500 microns.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the spherical coated particles have a diameter in a range of from about 10 microns to about 100 microns.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second liquid is comprised of a fuel.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first liquid is selected from the group consisting of castor oil, ether, and isopropyl nitrate.

8. A fuel injection nozzle comprising:

a first means for providing a first liquid, said means comprising a first fuel entrance port and a first fuel circular exit port having a diameter d;

a second means for providing a second liquid the second means being concentrically positioned about the first means, and comprising a second fuel entrance port and a second fuel exit port wherein the first exit port extends beyond the second exit port by a distance in a range of 0 to 2 d;

a pressure chamber for providing a pressurized gas to an area surrounding the first and second exit ports, the pressure chamber having an exit opening positioned downstream of the first and second exit ports;

wherein the first means for providing the fuel is a feeding needle having a cylindrical channel therein whereby the first fluid entrance port and first fluid exit port are each circular; and

wherein the feeding needle exit port has a diameter in the range of from about 0.1 mm to about 2 mm, and the pressure chamber exit port has a diameter in the range of about 0.01 mm to about 2 mm.

9. The nozzle of claim 8, having inserted therein fuel having a dynamic viscosity in the range of from about 10⁻

4 to about 1 kg/m/sec and wherein the fuel is a hydrocarbon.

10. A fuel injection apparatus comprising the fuel injection nozzle of claim 8.

11. An internal combustion engine comprising the fuel injection apparatus of claim 10.