Integrated fuel injector igniters having force generating assemblies for injecting and igniting fuel and associated methods of use and manufacture

• US 8,091,528 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2010
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Advanced Green Innovations, LLC
• Original Assignee: McAlister Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: McAlister, Roy E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Solis, Erick
• Application Number:
  US12/961,453
• Publication Number:
  US 20110132319A1
• Time in Patent Office: 400 Days
• Field of Search: 123/297, 123/634, 123/635, 313/120
• US Class Current: 123/297
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 57/06 the devices being sparking plugs

Abstract

Embodiments of injectors configured for adaptively injecting and igniting various fuels in a combustion chamber are disclosed herein. An injector according to one embodiment includes an end portion configured to be positioned adjacent to a combustion chamber, and an ignition feature carried by the end portion and configured to generate an ignition event. The injector also includes a force generator assembly and a movable valve. The force generator assembly includes a first force generator separate from a second force generator. The first force generator creates a motive force to move the valve between the closed and open positions into the combustion chamber. The second force generator is electrically coupled to the ignition feature and provides voltage to the ignition feature to at least partially generate the ignition event.

Claims

1. An injector for introducing fuel into a combustion chamber and igniting the fuel, the injector comprising:

an injector body including—

a base portion configured to receive fuel into the body; and

a nozzle portion coupled to the base portion, wherein the nozzle portion is configured to be positioned proximate to the combustion chamber for injecting fuel into the combustion chamber;

an ignition feature at the nozzle portion and configured to generate an ignition event to at least partially ignite fuel;

a valve carried by the body, wherein the valve is movable to an open position to introduce fuel into the combustion chamber; and

a force generator assembly carried by the base portion, the force generator assembly including—

a valve driver carried by the base portion, wherein the valve driver is movable between a first position and a second position; and

a force generator carried by the base portion and configured to actuate the valve driver, the force generator including—

a first solenoid winding configured to generate a magnetic field, wherein the magnetic field moves the valve driver from the first position to the second position to move the valve to the open position; and

a second solenoid winding separate from the first solenoid winding, wherein the second solenoid winding is electrically coupled to the ignition feature, wherein the magnetic field generates ignition energy in the second solenoid, and wherein the second solenoid supplies the ignition energy to the ignition feature to at least partially initiate the ignition event.

2. The injector of claim 1 wherein the first solenoid winding includes a first number of turns and the second solenoid winding includes a second number of turns greater than the first number of turns.

3. The injector of claim 1 wherein the first solenoid winding includes a first winding conductor having a first diameter and the second solenoid winding includes a second winding conductor having a second diameter that is less than the first diameter.

4. The injector of claim 1 wherein the first solenoid winding is in a separate circuit from the second solenoid winding.

5. The injector of claim 1 wherein the first solenoid winding includes a first insulation having a first thickness covering a first winding conductor, the second solenoid winding includes a second insulation having a second thickness covering a second winding conductor, and wherein the second thickness is greater than the first thickness.

6. The injector of claim 1, further comprising a conductor extending from the base portion to the nozzle portion, wherein the conductor is electrically coupled to each of the second solenoid winding and the ignition feature.

7. The injector of claim 1 wherein the second solenoid winding is a first ignition energy source that supplies ignition energy to the ignition feature, and wherein the injector further comprises a second ignition energy source separate from the second solenoid winding, wherein the second ignition energy source is electrically coupled to the ignition feature, and wherein the second ignition energy source supplies ignition energy to the ignition feature.

8. The injector of claim 1, further comprising one or more optical fibers extending at least partially through the body, wherein the one or more optical fibers are configured to transmit combustion chamber data from the combustion chamber to a controller operably coupled to the force generator assembly.

9. An injector comprising:

an end portion configured to be positioned adjacent to a combustion chamber;

an ignition feature carried by the end portion and configured to generate an ignition event;

a valve movable between a closed position and an open position to introduce at least one of fuel or coolant into the combustion chamber; and

a force generator assembly comprising—

a first force generator that generates a motive force to move the valve between the closed and open positions; and

a second force generator electrically coupled to the ignition feature, wherein the second solenoid winding provides ignition energy to the ignition feature to at least partially generate the ignition event;

wherein the first force generator comprises at least one of a solenoid winding and a piezoelectric component, and the second force generator comprises a solenoid winding and a piezoelectric component.

10. An injector comprising:

an end portion configured to be positioned adjacent to a combustion chamber;

an ignition feature carried by the end portion and configured to generate an ignition event;

a valve movable between a closed position and an open position to introduce at least one of fuel or coolant into the combustion chamber; and

a force generator assembly comprising—

a first force generator that generates a motive force to move the valve between the closed and open positions; and

a second force generator electrically coupled to the ignition feature, wherein the second solenoid winding provides ignition energy to the ignition feature to at least partially generate the ignition event, and wherein the first force generator induces the ignition energy in the second force generator.

12. The injector of claim 10, further comprising a valve driver configured to actuate the valve to move the valve between the closed and open positions, wherein the valve driver is responsive to the motive force from the first force generator.

11. An injector comprising:

an end portion configured to be positioned adjacent to a combustion chamber;

an ignition feature carried by the end portion and configured to generate an ignition event;

a valve movable between a closed position and an open position to introduce at least one of fuel or coolant into the combustion chamber; and

a force generator assembly comprising—

a first force generator that generates a motive force to move the valve between the closed and open positions; and

a second force generator electrically coupled to the ignition feature, wherein the second solenoid winding provides ignition energy to the ignition feature to at least partially generate the ignition event;

wherein the motive force is a first motive force, and wherein the second force generator generates a second motive force to move the valve between the closed and open positions.

13. An injector comprising:

an end portion configured to be positioned adjacent to a combustion chamber;

an ignition feature carried by the end portion and configured to generate an ignition event;

a valve movable between a closed position and an open position to introduce at least one of fuel or coolant into the combustion chamber; and

a force generator assembly comprising—

a first force generator that generates a motive force to move the valve between the closed and open positions; and

a second force generator electrically coupled to the ignition feature, wherein the second solenoid winding provides ignition energy to the ignition feature to at least partially generate the ignition event;

wherein the ignition energy provided by the second force generator is a first ignition energy, and wherein the injector includes a second ignition energy source separate from the second force generator, and wherein the second ignition energy source provides a second ignition energy to the ignition feature to at least partially generate the ignition event or at least partially sustain the ignition event.

14. A method of operating a fuel injector to inject fuel into a combustion chamber and at least partially ignite the fuel, the method comprising:

introducing at least one of fuel or coolant into a body of the fuel injector;

actuating a valve with a first force generator to dispense the fuel from the body into the combustion chamber; and

activating an ignition feature with a second force generator electrically coupled to the ignition feature, wherein the second force generator is adjacent to the first force generator;

wherein activating the ignition feature comprises activating the ignition feature with a solenoid winding by inducing a voltage in the solenoid winding with the first force generator.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein actuating the valve with the first generator comprises actuating the valve with a solenoid winding by applying a current to the solenoid winding.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein actuating the valve with the first generator comprises actuating the valve with a piezoelectric component.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising adaptively controlling at least one of actuating the valve and activating the ignition feature based on one or more detected combustion chamber properties.

17. A method of operating a fuel injector to inject fuel into a combustion chamber and at least partially, ignite the fuel, the method comprising:

introducing at least one of fuel or coolant into a body of the fuel injector;

actuating a valve with a first force generator to dispense the fuel from the body into the combustion chamber, wherein actuating the valve with the first force generator comprises actuating the valve with a first solenoid winding by applying current to the first solenoid winding and generating a magnetic force to actuate the valve; and

activating an ignition feature with a second force generator electrically coupled to the ignition feature, wherein the second force generator is adjacent to the first force generator, wherein activating the ignition feature with the second force generator comprises activating the ignition feature with a second solenoid winding by inducing voltage in the second solenoid winding from the magnetic force.