Injector having tangentially oriented purge line

• US 8,499,739 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2006
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Cox, Glenn Brian, Wiley, Stephen Michael, Stockner, Alan R., McClure, Thomas Randall, Gong, Xiaohui, Chen, Qiang, Miller, Robert Lowell
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamen, Noah
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Long T
• Application Number:
  US11/513,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20080053069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,532 Days
• Field of Search: 60/390.94, 602/86, 602/74, 602/95, 602/98, 602/85, 603/01, 603/03, 123/299, 123/305, 123/294, 123/296, 123/298, 123/301, 123/467, 123/468, 123/469, 123/470, 123/471, 702/34, 731/181, 239/404, 239/405, 239/406, 239/125, 239/128, 239/130, 239/135
• US Class Current: 123/304
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2610/08 with prior mixing of the substances with a gas, e.g. air
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2610/1453 Sprayers or atomisers; Arrangement thereof in the exhaust apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2610/1493 Purging the reducing agent out of the conduits or nozzle
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/0253 adding fuel to exhaust gases
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/2066 Selective catalytic reduction [SCR]
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/30 Arrangements for supply of additional air control, e.g. using by-passes or variable air pump drives, F01N3/22
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 43/04 Injectors peculiar thereto
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 61/162 Means to impart a whirling motion to fuel upstream or near discharging orifices
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 67/02 the gas being compressed air, e.g. compressed in pumps arrangements or adaptations of such pumps F02B
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 69/08 characterised by the fuel being carried by compressed air into main stream of combustion-air
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

A fluid injector for an exhaust treatment device is disclosed. The fluid injector may have a housing at least partially forming a fluid chamber. The housing may have a central axis, and a fluid passageway configured to supply fluid to the fluid chamber. The supply of fluid may be in a tangential direction relative to the central axis.

Claims

1. A fluid injector for an exhaust treatment device of an internal combustion engine system, comprising:

a housing at least partially forming a fluid chamber and having a central bore oriented along a central axis of the housing;

a nozzle member disposed within the central bore and oriented along the central axis of the housing, the nozzle member being configured to introduce fluid into an engine exhaust stream, the nozzle member including an upper surface at least partially forming the fluid chamber, the upper surface having a female taper directed toward a tip of the nozzle member; and

a fluid passageway configured to supply fluid to the fluid chamber in a tangential direction relative to the central axis such that the tangential supply of fluid to the fluid chamber initiates a swirling motion of the fluid into the central bore.

2. The fluid injector of claim 1, wherein the housing at least partially forms a second fluid chamber and the fluid injector further includes a second fluid passageway configured to supply fluid to the second fluid chamber in a tangential direction relative to the central axis.

3. The fluid injector of claim 2, wherein the second fluid chamber is axially spaced apart from the fluid chamber.

4. The fluid injector of claim 2, wherein the fluid passageway is configured to supply fluid to the fluid chamber at a flow rate less than a flow rate of fluid supplied to the second fluid chamber.

5. The fluid injector of claim 4, further including a plurality of passageways annularly disposed about the central bore, wherein the central bore fluidly communicates the fluid chamber with a tip of the nozzle member, and the plurality of passageways fluidly communicate the second fluid chamber with the tip of the nozzle member.

6. The fluid injector of claim 1, further including:

a first fluid supply containing a first fluid;

a second fluid supply containing a second fluid, dissimilar from the first fluid;

wherein the passageway is configured to selectively and separately direct the two dissimilar fluids to the fluid chamber.

7. The fluid injector of claim 6, wherein:

the housing at least partially forms a second fluid chamber; and

the housing includes;

a second fluid passageway configured to supply a third dissimilar fluid to the second fluid chamber; and

a third fluid passageway configured to drain the third dissimilar fluid from the second fluid chamber.

8. The fluid injector of claim 1, wherein the upper surface having the female taper is disposed near an inlet of the chamber.

9. A fluid injector for an exhaust treatment device of an internal combustion engine system, comprising:

a housing having a central axis and a bore oriented along the central axis;

a passageway configured to supply fluid to the bore; and

a nozzle member disposed within the housing and the bore to form a chamber receiving fluid from the passageway, the nozzle member having an upper surface with a female taper in communication with the chamber and directed toward a tip of the nozzle member, the tip of the nozzle member being configured to introduce fluid into an engine exhaust stream,

wherein the passageway is configured to supply fluid to the chamber in a tangential direction relative to the central axis such that the tangential supply of fluid initiates a swirling motion of the fluid into the bore.

10. The fluid injector of claim 9, wherein:

the housing and the nozzle member form a second chamber and the fluid injector further includes a second passageway configured to supply fluid to the second chamber;

the second chamber is axially spaced apart from the fluid chamber; and

the passageway is configured to supply fluid to the chamber at a flow rate less than a flow rate of fluid supplied to the second chamber.

11. The fluid injector of claim 10, wherein the nozzle member has a second upper surface with a female taper in communication with the second chamber and directed toward the tip of the nozzle member.

12. The fluid injector of claim 10, wherein:

the nozzle member includes a central bore, and a plurality of passageways annularly disposed about the central bore;

the central bore fluidly communicates the chamber with a tip of the nozzle member; and

the plurality of passageways fluidly communicates the second chamber with the tip of the nozzle member.

13. The fluid injector of claim 9, further including:

a first fluid supply containing a first fluid;

a second fluid supply containing a second fluid, dissimilar to the first fluid;

wherein the passageway is configured to selectively and separately direct the two dissimilar fluids to the fluid chamber.

14. The fluid injector of claim 13, wherein:

the housing and the nozzle member form a second chamber; and

the fluid injector includes;

a second passageway configured to supply a third dissimilar fluid to the second chamber; and

a third fluid passageway configured to drain the third dissimilar fluid from the second chamber.

15. An exhaust treatment device for a power source, comprising:

a housing configured to receive exhaust from the power source;

a particulate trap disposed within the housing and being configured to remove particulate matter from the exhaust; and

a fuel injector configured to inject fuel into the exhaust to regenerate the particulate trap, the fuel injector including;

a nozzle member disposed within the housing to form a fluid chamber with a central axis, the nozzle member having a female tapered upper surface in communication with the fluid chamber, the female tapered upper surface at least partially forming the fluid chamber, and the female taper being directed toward a tip of the nozzle member; and

a fluid passageway configured to supply fluid to the fluid chamber in a tangential direction relative to the central axis such that a swirling motion of the fluid is generated.

16. The exhaust treatment device of claim 15, wherein:

the nozzle member and the housing form a second fluid chamber;

the nozzle member has a second female tapered upper surface in communication with the second fluid chamber; and

the fluid injector further includes a second fluid passageway configured to supply fluid to the second fluid chamber in a tangential direction relative to the central axis such that a swirling motion of the fluid into the second female tapered upper surface is generated.

17. The exhaust treatment device of claim 16, wherein the fluid passageway is configured to supply fluid to the fluid chamber at a flow rate less than a flow rate of fluid supplied to the second fluid chamber.

18. The exhaust treatment device of claim 15, wherein:

the nozzle member has a central bore and a plurality of passageways annularly disposed about the central bore;

the central bore fluidly communicates the fluid chamber with a tip of the nozzle member; and

the plurality of passageways fluidly communicates the second fluid chamber with the tip of the nozzle member.

19. The exhaust treatment device of claim 16, further including:

a first fluid supply containing a first fluid;

a second fluid supply containing a second fluid, dissimilar from the first fluid;

wherein the passageway is configured to selectively and separately direct the two dissimilar fluids to both the fluid chamber and the second fluid chamber;

the nozzle member and the housing form a third fluid chamber; and

the fluid injector further includes;

a third fluid passageway configured to supply a third dissimilar fluid to the third fluid chamber; and

a fourth fluid passageway configured to drain the third dissimilar fluid from the third fluid chamber.

20. A method of purging an injector for an exhaust treatment device of an internal combustion engine system, comprising:

pressurizing a flow of fuel;

directing the flow of fuel through an injector into an engine exhaust stream;

pressurizing a flow of air;

directing the flow of air into a chamber formed in the injector in a tangential direction relative to a central axis of the chamber and over a surface with a female taper which is in communication with the chamber, to generate a swirl in the flow of air within the injector; and

directing the swirling flow of air through the injector.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein directing the flow of fuel includes directing a pilot flow of fuel through a first flow path of the injector and directing a main flow of fuel through a completely different second flow path of the injector.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein directing the flow of air includes directing the flow of air into the injector in the tangential direction relative to the central axis at two separate locations.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the directing of the pilot flow and the directing of the main flow are accomplished substantially sequentially, and the directing of the flow of air at two separate locations is accomplished substantially simultaneously.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein directing the flow of fuel through the injector further includes directing the flow of fuel through a bore of the injector;

and

wherein directing the swirling flow of air through the injector further includes directing the swirling flow of air through the bore of the injector separately from the flow of fuel.