Combustion ignition device for an internal combustion engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10018104-B2
Application number	US-201615350661-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2016
Priority date	Nov 14, 2016
Publication date	Jul 10, 2018
Grant date	Jul 10, 2018

Abstract

An internal combustion engine includes a combustion chamber formed by cooperation of a cylinder bore formed in a cylinder block, a cylinder head and a piston. A combustion ignition device is disposed in the combustion chamber and includes a nozzle defining a pre-chamber, a barrier discharge plasma igniter, including a tip portion disposed in the pre-chamber and a plurality of apertures disposed in the nozzle. The pre-chamber is in fluidic communication with the combustion chamber via the plurality of apertures. A controller is in communication with the engine and the barrier discharge plasma igniter.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A combustion ignition device disposed in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, comprising:
a nozzle defining a pre-chamber; and
a barrier discharge plasma igniter, including a tip portion disposed in the pre-chamber, wherein the barrier discharge plasma igniter comprises a groundless barrier discharge plasma igniter;
wherein the nozzle defines a plurality of apertures therein; and
wherein the pre-chamber is in fluidic communication with the combustion chamber via the plurality of apertures.

2. The combustion ignition device of claim 1 , further comprising a controller that is operatively connected to the internal combustion engine and the barrier discharge plasma igniter, the controller including an instruction set, the instruction set executable to activate the barrier discharge plasma igniter to enhance reactivity of a fuel/air mixture contained in the pre-chamber.

3. The combustion ignition device of claim 1 , further comprising a controller that is operatively connected to the internal combustion engine and the barrier discharge plasma igniter, the controller including an instruction set, the instruction set executable to activate the barrier discharge plasma igniter to ignite a fuel/air mixture contained in the pre-chamber.

4. The combustion ignition device of claim 1 , further comprising a pre-chamber air injector including a tip portion disposed in the pre-chamber.

5. The combustion ignition device of claim 1 , further comprising a pre-chamber fuel injector including a tip portion disposed in the pre-chamber.

6. The combustion ignition device of claim 1 , further comprising a pre-chamber fuel injector including a tip portion disposed in the pre-chamber and a pre-chamber air injector including a tip portion disposed in the pre-chamber.

7. The combustion ignition device of claim 6 , further comprising a controller that is operatively connected to the internal combustion engine, the pre-chamber fuel injector, the pre-chamber air injector and the barrier discharge plasma igniter, the controller including an instruction set, the instruction set executable to activate the pre-chamber air injector, the pre-chamber fuel injector and the barrier discharge plasma igniter to enhance reactivity of a fuel/air mixture contained in the pre-chamber.

8. The combustion ignition device of claim 6 , further comprising a controller that is operatively connected to the internal combustion engine, the pre-chamber fuel injector, the pre-chamber air injector and the barrier discharge plasma igniter, the controller including an instruction set, the instruction set executable to activate the pre-chamber air injector, the pre-chamber fuel injector and the barrier discharge plasma igniter to ignite a fuel/air mixture contained in the pre-chamber.

9. The combustion ignition device of claim 1 , wherein the barrier discharge plasma igniter comprises an electrode including a tip portion that is encapsulated in a dielectric material.

10. The combustion ignition device of claim 1 , further comprising a plasma ignition controller in communication with the barrier discharge plasma igniter and electrically connected to an electrical ground path that is connected to the engine.

11. The combustion ignition device of claim 10 , wherein the plasma ignition controller is disposed to execute a plasma discharge event in the combustion chamber via the barrier discharge plasma igniter.

12. The combustion ignition device of claim 10 , wherein the plasma ignition controller is disposed to apply a high-frequency, high-voltage electrical pulse to the barrier discharge plasma igniter.

13. An internal combustion engine, comprising:
a cylinder bore, a cylinder head and a piston cooperating to form a combustion chamber;
a fuel injector disposed to inject fuel to the combustion chamber; and
a combustion ignition device disposed in the combustion chamber and including:
a nozzle defining a pre-chamber,
a barrier discharge plasma igniter, including a tip portion disposed in the pre-chamber, wherein the barrier discharge plasma igniter comprises a groundless barrier discharge plasma igniter,

wherein the nozzle defines a plurality of apertures therein; and
wherein the pre-chamber is in fluidic communication with the combustion chamber via the plurality of apertures.

14. The internal combustion engine of claim 13 , further comprising a controller that is operatively connected to the fuel injector and the barrier discharge plasma igniter, the controller including an instruction set, the instruction set executable to:
activate the fuel injector to form a fuel/air mixture in the combustion chamber; and
activate the barrier discharge plasma igniter to enhance reactivity of a fuel/air mixture contained in the pre-chamber.

15. The internal combustion engine of claim 13 , further comprising a controller that is operatively connected to the fuel injector and the barrier discharge plasma igniter, the controller including an instruction set, the instruction set executable to:
activate the fuel injector to form a fuel/air mixture in the combustion chamber; and
activate the barrier discharge plasma igniter to ignite the fuel/air mixture.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Grover Jr Ronald O
• Idicheria Cherian A
• Najt Paul M

Classifications

• H05H1/2406

  using dielectric barrier discharges, i.e. with a dielectric interposed between the electrodes · CPC title

• F02P9/007

  by supplementary electrical discharge in the pre-ionised electrode interspace of the sparking plug, e.g. plasma jet ignition · CPC title

• F02B19/12 Primary

  with positive ignition (engines with non-timed positive ignition, and with incandescent chambers F02B9/08) · CPC title

• H05H1/2418

  the electrodes being embedded in the dielectric · CPC title

• F02P15/006

  Ignition installations combined with other systems, e.g. fuel injection (to advance or to retard the ignition spark F02P5/045) · CPC title