Fuel injector system and method for making air-filled diesel droplets

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9840992-B2
Application number	US-201514641096-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2015
Priority date	Mar 6, 2015
Publication date	Dec 12, 2017
Grant date	Dec 12, 2017

Abstract

A fuel injector for an engine includes a connection to a fuel source, a nozzle which provides an outlet from the fuel injector, a fuel path from the fuel source to the nozzle, a valve between the fuel path and the nozzle, and a gas injection mechanism configured to insert a gas core into the fuel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel injector for an engine, comprising:
a connection configured to receive fuel from a fuel source;
a nozzle configured to provide an outlet for the fuel from the fuel injector;
a fuel path extending from the fuel source to the nozzle;
a valve between the fuel source and the nozzle configured to selectively block the flow of fuel within the fuel path; and
a gas injection mechanism configured to inject a gas core into the fuel at a location along the fuel path, wherein the gas injection mechanism is an annulus within a valve stem included in the valve.

2. The fuel injector of claim 1 , wherein the gas injection mechanism is coupled to a gas source, and wherein the gas source is at least one of a turbocharger, a supercharger, or a pressurized tank.

3. The fuel injector of claim 1 , wherein the annulus receives gas from a gas source and provides the gas into a fuel stream of the fuel passing around the annulus in the fuel path, wherein the annulus creates a fuel stream of the fuel with a gas core when the fuel injector is injecting fuel.

4. The fuel injector of claim 1 , wherein the gas injection mechanism includes a piezoelectric driver.

5. The fuel injector of claim 4 , wherein the piezoelectric driver comprises:
a piezoelectric element coupled to a flexible portion configured to deform when the piezoelectric element is energized, wherein the flexible portion forms a top portion of a reservoir containing gas; and
a second nozzle coupled to the reservoir;
wherein energizing the piezoelectric element causes the flexible portion to deform, thereby decreasing the volume of the reservoir and driving gas through the second nozzle, wherein the gas is injected as a gas core into the fuel.

6. The fuel injector of claim 4 , wherein the piezoelectric driver is configured to inject gas bubbles into a fuel stream of the fuel enclosed in the fuel path, and wherein the fuel stream is separated into fuel droplets between the gas bubbles by the nozzle.

7. The fuel injector of claim 4 , wherein the piezoelectric driver is configured to inject gas bubbles into a fuel stream of the fuel during a breakup of the fuel stream into fuel droplets.

8. The fuel injector of claim 1 , wherein the nozzle includes one or more holes configured to break up a fuel stream of the fuel exiting the nozzle into individual fuel droplets including gas cores.

9. The fuel injector of claim 1 , wherein the valve includes a valve stem and a valve seat, wherein the valve seat includes an annulus valve seat shaped to receive an annulus within the valve stem, and wherein the annulus defines a path from a gas source to the fuel injector.

10. The fuel injector of claim 1 , wherein the fuel injector is positioned to inject fuel and gas into a combustion chamber of the engine.

11. The fuel injector of claim 1 , wherein the fuel injector is positioned to inject fuel and gas into a cylinder of the engine.

12. The fuel injector of claim 1 , wherein the fuel injector is positioned to inject fuel and gas into an intake manifold of the engine.

13. A fuel injector for an engine, comprising:
a connection configured to receive fuel from a fuel source;
a nozzle configured to provide an outlet for the fuel from the fuel injector;
a fuel path extending from the fuel source to the nozzle;
a valve stem shaped to engage a valve seat to control the flow of fuel through the fuel path; and
an annulus within the valve stem and coupled to a gas source; wherein the annulus is configured to provide gas to a core of a fuel stream of the fuel, in the fuel path, flowing around the valve stem,
wherein the valve stem is coupled to a solenoid configured to position the valve stem relative to the valve seat.

14. The fuel injector of claim 13 , wherein the annulus receives gas from the gas source and provides the gas into the fuel stream of the fuel, wherein the annulus creates a gas core within the fuel stream when the fuel injector is injecting fuel.

15. The fuel injector of claim 13 , wherein the annulus is configured to engage with an annulus valve seat to control the flow of the gas from the gas source to the core of the fuel stream in the fuel path, and wherein the annulus is coupled to the solenoid such that the solenoid positions the annulus relative to the annulus valve seat.

16. The fuel injector of claim 13 , wherein the flow of gas from the annulus is controlled by a valve and a control circuit, and wherein the control circuit controls the solenoid.

17. The fuel injector of claim 13 , wherein the nozzle includes an annulus valve seat configured to receive the annulus and control the flow of gas from the annulus, wherein the annulus valve seat is coupled to the nozzle with one or more supports, and wherein the fuel path passes around or through the supports.

18. The fuel injector of claim 13 , further comprising a control circuit configured to control the fuel injector, wherein the control circuit controls the annulus to fill a combustion chamber with high pressure gas before the solenoid injects fuel with a gas core into the combustion chamber.

19. The fuel injector of claim 13 , further comprising a control circuit configured to control the fuel injector, wherein the control circuit controls the gas source to fill a combustion chamber with high pressure gas, and not using the annulus, before the solenoid injects fuel with a gas core into the combustion chamber.

20. The fuel injector of claim 13 , wherein the fuel injector is positioned to inject fuel and gas into a combustion chamber of the engine.

21. The fuel injector of claim 13 , wherein the fuel injector is positioned to inject fuel and gas into a cylinder of the engine.

22. The fuel injector of claim 13 , wherein the fuel injector is positioned to inject fuel and gas into an intake manifold of the engine.

23. A fuel injector for an engine, comprising:
a connection configured to receive fuel from a fuel source;
a nozzle configured to provide an outlet for the fuel from the fuel injector;
a fuel path extending from the fuel source to the nozzle;
a valve stem shaped to engage a valve seat to control the flow of fuel through the fuel path, wherein the valve stem is coupled to a solenoid configured to position the valve stem relative to the valve seat; and
a piezoelectric driver configured to inject a gas from a gas source into a fuel stream of the fuel.

24. The fuel injector of claim 23 , wherein the piezoelectric driver includes:
a piezoelectric element coupled to a flexible portion configured to deform when the piezoelectric element is energized; the flexible portion forming a top portion of a reservoir configured to contain gas; and
a second nozzle coupled to the reservoir;
wherein energizing the piezoelectric element causes the flexible portion to deform decreasing the volume of the reservoir and driving gas through the second nozzle, wherein the gas is inserted as a gas core into the fuel.

25. The fuel injector of claim 23 , wherein operation of the piezoelectric driver is timed by a control circuit to cause injection of gas by the piezoelectric driver only when the fuel stream is present.

26. The fuel injector of claim 23 , wherein the piezoelectric driver injects the gas into the fuel stream such that the gas mixes with the fuel stream.

27. The fuel injector of claim 23 , wherein the piezoelectric driver injects the gas into the fuel stre

Assignees

• Elwha Llc

Inventors

• Duncan William D
• Hyde Roderick A
• Wood Jr Lowell L

Classifications

• F02M61/18

  Injection nozzles, e.g. having valve seats; {Details of valve member seated ends, not otherwise provided for} · CPC title

• F02M51/0603

  using piezoelectric or magnetostrictive operating means · CPC title

• F02M43/04 Primary

  Injectors peculiar thereto · CPC title