Multi-fuel plasma injector

• US 9,322,373 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2014
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thrival Tech, LLC
• Original Assignee: Thrival Tech, LLC
• Inventors: Hill, Garrett, Lazar, Scott, Stonehouse, Dustin
• Primary Examiner(s): Gimie, Mahmoud
• Application Number:
  US14/297,334
• Publication Number:
  US 20150027404A1
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: 123/297, 123/298, 123/301, 123/302, 123305-308, 123/432, 123/256, 123/275, 123/536, 239/558
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 17/005 having direct injection in the combustion chamber
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 19/10 with fuel introduced partly into pre-combustion chamber, and partly into cylinder
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 19/14 with compression ignition
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 19/16 Chamber shapes or constructions not specific to sub-groups F02B19/02 - F02B19/10
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 23/04 the combustion space being subdivided into two or more chambers with pre-combustion chambers F02B19/00
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 31/04 by means within the induction channel, e.g. deflectors
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0025 Controlling engines characterised by use of non-liquid fuels, pluralities of fuels, or non-fuel substances added to the combustible mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 57/00 Fuel-injectors combined or associated with other devices
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 57/06 the devices being sparking plugs
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 61/06 the valves being furnished at seated ends with pintle or plug shaped extensions
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 61/162 Means to impart a whirling motion to fuel upstream or near discharging orifices
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 61/1806 characterised by the arrangement of discharge orifices, e.g. orientation or size
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 61/1893 Details of valve member ends not covered by groups F02M61/1866 - F02M61/188
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 23/04 Other physical ignition means, e.g. using laser rays
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 23/045 using electromagnetic microwaves

Abstract

The inventive subject matter provides apparatus, systems and methods for treating and delivering a fuel to a combustion chamber of an engine in order to improve efficiency of the engine. In one aspect of the invention, a fuel injector that cooperates with an internal combustion engine to combust a first fuel to produce power is presented. The fuel injector includes a fuel inlet, a pre-conditioning vortex chamber, and an excitation chamber. The fuel injector includes a vortex chamber that conforms a pulsed amount of the first fuel to produce a vortex that includes a coherent dynamic pressure wave. The fuel injector also includes an excitation mechanism that at least partially ignites the fuel.

Claims

1. A method of injecting fuel into a combustion engine comprising a vortex chamber, an excitation chamber, and a combustion chamber, the method comprising:

introducing a first pulse of fuel of a first type into the vortex chamber;

introducing a second pulse of fuel of a second type into the excitation chamber;

emitting a radio frequency radiation having an intensity to at least partially ionize the second pulse of fuel;

converting at least a portion of the second pulse of fuel into a plasma state;

igniting the second pulse of fuel in the combustion chamber,

wherein the second pulse of fuel is entrained into the combustion chamber at a position close to the first pulse of fuel such that the first pulse of fuel is ignited by the ignited second pulse of fuel.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising entraining the second pulse of fuel into a coherent vortical flow before igniting the second pulse of fuel.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein igniting the second pulse of fuel comprising injecting a pulsed flame at a cylinder inlet of the combustion chamber.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second pulse of fuel is converted into a plasma state using a combination of an inner conductor and an outer conductor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the second pulse of fuel is in a liquid state when it is introduced into the excitation chamber.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the second pulse of fuel is in a gaseous state when it is introduced into the excitation chamber.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first type of fuel is different from the second type of fuel.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising ionizing at least some of the first pulse of fuel.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising entraining the first pulse of fuel into a coherent vortical flow.

10. A fuel injection system for internal combustion engines comprising:

a fuel injector configured to (a) introduce a first pulse of fuel of a first type into a vortex chamber of the internal combustion engine and (b) introduce a second pulse of fuel of a second type into an excitation chamber of the internal combustion engine,

an excitation mechanism disposed within the excitation chamber and configured to;

emit a radio frequency radiation having an intensity sufficient to at least partially ionize the second pulse of fuel;

convert at least a portion of the second pulse of fuel into a plasma state; and

ignite at least a portion of the second pulse of fuel;

wherein the fuel injector is further configured to entrain the second pulse of fuel at a position within the combustion chamber close to the first pulse of fuel such that the first pulse of fuel is ignited by the ignited second pulse of fuel.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising entraining the second pulse of fuel into a coherent vortical flow before igniting the second pulse of fuel.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein igniting the second pulse of fuel comprising injecting a pulsed flame at a cylinder inlet of the combustion chamber.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the second pulse of fuel is converted into a plasma state using a combination of an inner conductor and an outer conductor.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the second pulse of fuel is in a liquid state when it is introduced into the excitation chamber.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the second pulse of fuel is in a gaseous state when it is introduced into the excitation on chamber.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the first type of fuel is different from the second type of fuel.

17. The system of claim 10, further comprising ionizing at least some of the first pulse of fuel.

18. The system of claim 10, further comprising entraining the first pulse of fuel into a coherent vortical flow.