Flow intensifier for cold starting gasoline direct injection engine

1. In a common rail gasoline fuel injection system having a high pressure fuel supply pump in which fuel is pressurized in a pumping chamber and delivered through a high pressure passage to the common rail, the improvement comprising a flow volume intensifier situated in the high pressure passage.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the intensifier has a cranking configuration in which a primary piston of relatively low effective cross sectional area on which only the primary pressure of the pumping chamber is imposed, and a secondary piston contacting the primary piston and having a relatively large effective cross sectional area on which only the common rail pressure is imposed, whereby when the primary piston is displaced a primary volume toward the secondary piston by the primary pressure from the pumping chamber, the secondary piston displaces a secondary volume of fuel into the common rail that is larger said primary volume.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the intensifier transitions from said cranking configuration to a normal operating configuration when the secondary piston has been displaced to a limit position, and means are effective in said normal operating condition for fluid connection of the high pressure fuel in the pumping chamber with the fuel in the common rail.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the means for fluid connection comprise flow passages through the pistons, which fluidly connected only when the intensifier is in said normal operating configuration.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the primary piston is a solid body having said flow passages extending axially from an end face opposite the secondary piston, then radially outward to a primary piston port, and the secondary piston has a solid face confronting the primary piston and an open, hollow body extending toward said stop limit, with said passage extending through said solid face.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein a one-way valve is provided in said flow passages.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the primary piston is displaceable within a collar having an edge spaced from the solid face of the secondary piston, such that as the secondary piston reaches said stop limit, the port on the primary piston passes said edge and fuel from the pumping chamber enters said space, and passes through the solid face of the secondary piston.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein a one way valve is provided in the passage through the solid face of the secondary piston.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the intensifier has a cranking configuration of pistons in which a primary volume of fuel pumped into the intensifier at a high pressure acts on a primary piston such that a greater volume of residual fuel associated with a secondary piston is discharged from the intensifier to the common rail at a lower pressure, and a normal operating configuration in which all the fuel pumped into the intensifier at high pressure is discharged from the intensifier to the common rail at substantially the same pressure.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the high pressure pump delivers high pressure fuel to the intensifier at a pumping pressure above 100 bar and during the cranking configuration the intensifier delivers fuel to the common rail at a pressure less than about one-half the pumping pressure.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the high pressure pump delivers high pressure fuel to the intensifier at a pumping pressure above 120 bar and during the cranking configuration the intensifier delivers fuel to the common rail at a pressure no greater than about 50 bar.