Integrated fuel injectors and igniters and associated methods of use and manufacture
First Claim
1. A fuel injector valve for use in a direct fuel injection engine, comprising:
- a fuel injection valve fluidically connected to a fuel source and positioned adjacent to a combustion chamber to directly inject a first fuel stream per cycle into the combustion chamber;
at least one sensor configured to determine at least one engine operation parameter that affects formation of a stratified air-fuel mixture inside the combustion chamber; and
a controller configured to selectively control the fuel injection valve to use a plurality of fuel streams wherein a first fuel stream timing is set to control the injection valve to inject the first fuel stream during an intake stroke while a piston in the combustion chamber is approximately at an intake top dead center position such that a majority of the first fuel stream injected from the fuel injection valve is received inside a pocket of excess oxidant in the combustion chamber, the excess oxidant further providing thermal insulation to the combustion chamber.
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Accused Products
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, insulators with adequate mechanical and dielectric strength to enable high-energy plasma generation by components that have very small dimensions, multifunction valving that is moved to injector multiple bursts of fuel and to induce plasma projection, a fuel control valve at the interface to the combustion chamber for the purpose of eliminating fuel drip at undesired times, and one or more components at the interface of the combustion chamber for the purpose of blocking transmission of combustion sourced pressure.
314 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A fuel injector valve for use in a direct fuel injection engine, comprising:
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a fuel injection valve fluidically connected to a fuel source and positioned adjacent to a combustion chamber to directly inject a first fuel stream per cycle into the combustion chamber; at least one sensor configured to determine at least one engine operation parameter that affects formation of a stratified air-fuel mixture inside the combustion chamber; and a controller configured to selectively control the fuel injection valve to use a plurality of fuel streams wherein a first fuel stream timing is set to control the injection valve to inject the first fuel stream during an intake stroke while a piston in the combustion chamber is approximately at an intake top dead center position such that a majority of the first fuel stream injected from the fuel injection valve is received inside a pocket of excess oxidant in the combustion chamber, the excess oxidant further providing thermal insulation to the combustion chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for injection fuel in a direct fuel injection engine, comprising:
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determining at least one engine operation parameter that affects formation of a stratified air-fuel mixture inside a combustion chamber; determining whether to inject multiple fuel bursts based on the a determination of the engine operation parameter; and injecting the plurality of fuel bursts based on the determination of the engine operation parameter, wherein a first fuel stream is injected while a piston is approximately at an intake top dead center position, and wherein a majority of the first fuel stream is received inside a pocket of excess oxidant in the combustion chamber, the pocket of excess oxidant further providing thermal insulation to the combustion chamber.
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Specification