Fuel injector assemblies having acoustical force modifiers and associated methods of use and manufacture

• US 8,205,805 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2011
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Advanced Green Innovations, LLC
• Original Assignee: McAlister Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: McAlister, Roy Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): HWU, DAVIS D
• Application Number:
  US13/027,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20110210182A1
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 239/5, 239/102.1, 239/102.2, 239 88- 96, 239/533.2, 239/533.3, 239/533.4, 239/533.12, 2395851-5855, 123/445, 123/456, 123/525
• US Class Current: 239/5
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 35/02 on interior conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 35/023 by determining the cylinder pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 35/025 by determining temperatures inside the cylinder, e.g. combustion temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/402 Multiple injections
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 51/0603 using piezoelectric or magnetostrictive operating means
• 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 69/041 having vibrating means for atomizing the fuel, e.g. with sonic or ultrasonic vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 13/00 Sparking plugs structurally combined with other parts of internal-combustion engines connection of ignition coil to spark plug connector F02P3/02; with fuel injectors F02M57/06 ; spark plug connector per se H01T13/04 – H01T13/06; predominant aspects of sparking plug, see H01T13/40 – H01T13/44
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 23/00 Other ignition
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to fuel injectors that provide efficient injection, ignition, and combustion of various types of fuels. One example of such an injector can include a sensor that detects one or more conditions in the combustion chamber. The injector can also include an acoustical force generator or modifier that is responsive to the sensor and can be configured to (a) induce vibrations in the fuel in the injector body and/or in the combustion chamber, (b) induce vibrations in air in the combustion chamber, (c) induce vibrations in a valve driver or other injector component to actuate a flow valve, and/or (d) control patterning of fuel injected into the combustion chamber.

Claims

1. An injector for introducing fuel into a combustion chamber and igniting the fuel in the combustion chamber, 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 in the nozzle portion, the ignition feature 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 valve operator assembly, the valve operator assembly including—

a valve actuator movable between a first position and a second position;

a sensor configured to register one or more conditions in the combustion chamber; and

an acoustical force modifier configured to at least partially control distribution of fuel injected into the combustion chamber, wherein the acoustical force modifier is responsive to the sensor and configured to induce vibrations in (a) fuel in the body and/or in the combustion chamber, (b) air in the combustion chamber, (c) the valve actuator to actuate the valve, and/or (d) the valve.

2. The injector of claim 1 wherein when the acoustical force modifier induces vibrations in the valve, the acoustical force modifier cyclically tensions and relaxes the valve driver, thereby instigating movement of the valve via the valve actuator.

3. The injector of claim 1 wherein the valve operator assembly further comprises a plurality of displacement drivers configured to displace a portion of the valve driver to instigate the actuation assembly to provide push, pull, and/or push and pull displacement of the valve actuator, thereby instigating movement of the valve.

4. The injector of claim 1 wherein the acoustical force modifier comprises at least one of a piezoelectric, magnetostrictive, electromagnetic, electromechanical, pneumatic, or hydraulic force generator.

5. A method of operating a fuel injector to inject fuel into a combustion chamber and ignite the fuel in the combustion chamber, the method comprising:

introducing fuel into a body portion of the fuel injector, the body portion including a valve adjacent to the combustion chamber, the valve being movable between an open position and a closed position;

actuating the valve to move from the closed position to the open position to introduce at least a portion of fuel into the combustion chamber;

imparting acoustical energy to at least one of the fuel, the valve, or air in the combustion chamber;

introducing a pattern of fuel through the valve from the body portion into the combustion chamber;

generating an ignition event to at least partially ignite the fuel in the combustion chamber; and

sensing one or more conditions in the combustion chamber, and wherein imparting acoustical energy comprises adaptively altering, in response to the sensing, the movement of the fuel, the valve, or the air in the combustion chamber.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein imparting acoustical energy comprises transferring energy to alter a vibrational frequency of at least one of the fuel, the valve, or the air in the combustion chamber.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein imparting acoustical energy comprises stimulating at least one of the fuel, the valve, or the air by means of a piezoelectric force, magnetostrictive force, electromagnetic force, electromechanical force, pneumatic force, or hydraulic force.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein imparting acoustical energy comprises propagating pressure waves of acoustical energy through the fuel and altering a frequency of vibration in the fuel.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein imparting acoustical energy comprises controlling the frequency, shape, pattern, and/or phase of fuel injection bursts into the combustion chamber.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein imparting acoustical energy comprises projecting a plasma of ionized air into the combustion chamber, thereby altering the frequency, shape, pattern, and/or phase of, fuel injection bursts in the combustion chamber.

11. The method of claim 5 wherein imparting acoustical energy comprises controlling the frequency of opening and closing the valve to induce sudden gasification of fuel injected into the combustion chamber.

12. The method of claim 5 wherein imparting acoustical energy comprises subjecting fuel to a pressure drop as the fuel passes through the valve into the combustion chamber.

13. The method of claim 5 wherein imparting acoustical energy comprises inducing a frequency above about 20,000 Hz in at least one of the fuel, the valve, or the air in the combustion chamber.

14. The method of claim 5, further comprising sensing a temperature or pressure in the combustion chamber and modifying the frequency, shape, pattern, and/or phase of fuel injection bursts into the combustion chamber in response to the sensed temperature or pressure.

15. A method of operating a fuel injector to inject fuel into a combustion chamber, the method comprising:

introducing fuel into a body portion of the fuel injector, the body portion including a valve and a valve driver;

sensing one or more conditions in the combustion chamber;

generating acoustical energy based on the sensing one or more conditions to control movement of at least one of the fuel, the valve driver, the valve, or air in the combustion chamber; and

generating an ignition event to at least partially ignite the fuel in the combustion chamber.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein generating acoustical energy comprises inducing vibrations having a vibrational frequency in the valve driver and opening and closing the valve at a regularity dependent on the vibrational frequency.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein generating acoustical energy comprises modifying the frequency, shape, pattern, and/or phase of the fuel.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein generating acoustical energy comprises generating acoustical energy having a first frequency, the method further comprising generating acoustical energy having a second frequency different than the first frequency in response to one or more sensed conditions in the combustion chamber.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein generating acoustical energy comprises introducing a plasma projection into the combustion chamber in response to the sensed conditions in the combustion chamber, the method further comprising altering a frequency of fuel in the combustion chamber in response to the sensing.