Shaping a fuel charge in a combustion chamber with multiple drivers and/or ionization control
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A fuel injector, comprising:
- a body having a middle portion extending between a base portion and a nozzle portion;
wherein the body includes a channel configured to allow fuel to pass between the base portion and the nozzle portion to a combustion chamber of a fuel combustion engine;
an actuator contained within the channel of the body, the actuator having a distal end and a proximal end;
a flow control device fluidically coupled to the channel and operably connected to a distal end of the actuator;
a first driver operably connected to a proximal end of the actuator, wherein the first driver is configured to cause the actuator to move the flow control device laterally with respect to the channel and the second driver is a configured to modulate the lateral movements of the flow control device to produce multiple fuel layers or stratified charges;
a second driver operably connected to the proximal end of the actuator; and
a controller operably connected to the drivers and configured to provide operating instructions to the drivers.
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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, multiple drivers used to shape charges, controllers used to modify operations based on ionization parameters, and so on.
285 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A fuel injector, comprising:
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a body having a middle portion extending between a base portion and a nozzle portion;
wherein the body includes a channel configured to allow fuel to pass between the base portion and the nozzle portion to a combustion chamber of a fuel combustion engine;an actuator contained within the channel of the body, the actuator having a distal end and a proximal end; a flow control device fluidically coupled to the channel and operably connected to a distal end of the actuator; a first driver operably connected to a proximal end of the actuator, wherein the first driver is configured to cause the actuator to move the flow control device laterally with respect to the channel and the second driver is a configured to modulate the lateral movements of the flow control device to produce multiple fuel layers or stratified charges; a second driver operably connected to the proximal end of the actuator; and a controller operably connected to the drivers and configured to provide operating instructions to the drivers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method in a controller of a fuel injector for injecting fuel into a direct fuel injection engine, comprising:
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measuring at least one parameter associated with an air-fuel mixture inside a combustion chamber of a direct fuel injection engine; and transmitting instructions to one or more drivers that manipulate a valve of the fuel injector, wherein the instructions include; information associated with movement of the valve into an open position to dispense fuel from the fuel injector into the combustion chamber; and instructions associated with laterally modulating the movement of the valve when the valve is in the open position to modify the shape of the fuel dispensed into the combustion chamber to create multiple layers of stratified charge. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A fuel injection system configured to inject fuel into a combustion chamber of a combustion engine, the system comprising:
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a fuel dispensing component, wherein the fuel dispensing component is configured to dispense fuel in layers having a stratified charge having a certain ratio of surface area to volume into the combustion chamber; a measurement component, wherein the measurement component is configured to measure conditions within the combustion chamber; and a control component in communication with the fuel dispensing component and the measurement component, wherein the control component is configured to provide instructions to the fuel dispensing component associated with a modification of the certain ratio of surface area to volume of the fuel dispensed into the combustion chamber. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for injecting fuel into a combustion chamber of an engine, the method comprising:
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applying a first driving force to a valve of a fuel injector, wherein the first driving force opens the valve and causes fuel having a certain shape within the fuel injector to flow into a combustion chamber of an engine; and applying a second driving force to the valve of the fuel injector, wherein the second driving force laterally moves the valve at a certain frequency and causes the fuel to flow into the combustion chamber having a modified shape such as a layered or stratified charge. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A system for igniting fuel within a combustion chamber, the system comprising:
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a fuel injector, wherein the fuel injector is configured to inject fuel into the combustion chamber; a fuel igniter including two electrodes, wherein the fuel igniter is configured to produce a current that ignites a mixture of air and the injected fuel within the combustion chamber in response to a voltage applied to the two electrodes; an ionization sensor, wherein the ionization sensor is configured to measure the ionization of the ignited mixture; an operation controller, wherein the operation controller is configured to modify the operation of the fuel igniter in response to the measured ionization of the ignited mixture; and
wherein the operation controller reverses the polarity of the voltage applied to the two electrodes based on the measured ionization. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of operating a fuel combustion engine, the method comprising:
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injecting fuel into a combustion chamber of the fuel combustion engine; applying a voltage at a certain polarity to electrodes within the combustion chamber to cause a mixture of air and the injected fuel within the combustion chamber to combust; and after a complete engine cycle; injecting additional fuel into the combustion chamber; and applying a voltage at a polarity in reverse of the certain polarity to the electrodes within the combustion chamber to cause a mixture of air and the fuel injected after the complete engine cycle to combust. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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Specification