Integrated fuel injector igniters suitable for large engine applications and associated methods of use and manufacture

1. An injector for introducing and igniting fuel at an interface with a combustion chamber, the injector comprising:

an injector body including—

a base portion configured to receive fuel into the injector body;

a nozzle portion opposite the base portion, wherein the nozzle portion is configured to be positioned proximate to the combustion chamber to inject fuel into the combustion chamber;

a fuel flow path extending through the body;

an ignition rod extending from the base portion to the nozzle portion;

an ignition insulator coaxially disposed over the ignition rod, the ignition insulator extending from the base portion at least partially into the nozzle portion; and

a valve coaxially disposed over the ignition insulator and operable from an open position to a closed position.

2. The injector of claim 1 , further comprising a valve operator assembly carried by the base portion, the valve operator assembly comprising:

a driver surrounding at least a portion of the valve and movable between a first position and a second position, wherein when the driver is in the first position the valve is retained in the closed position, and when the driver moves to the second position the driver engages and moves the valve to the open position;

a force generator configured to actuate the driver to move between the first and second position; and

a controller configured to selectively activate the force generator.

3. The injector of claim 2 , further comprising a fuel inlet fluidly coupled to the force generator to introduce fuel into the base portion via the force generator.

4. The injector of claim 2 wherein the valve includes—

a sealing end portion configured to stop a flow of fuel when the valve is in the closed position; and

a first end portion opposite the sealing end portion and having a stop, wherein the driver contacts the stop when the driver moves between the first position and the second position.

5. The injector of claim 4 wherein the driver moves a predetermined distance before contacting the stop.

6. The injector of claim 1 , further comprising one or more optical fibers extending through the ignition rod, wherein the one or more optical fibers are configured to transmit combustion chamber data from the combustion chamber to a controller operably coupled to the injector.

7. The injector of claim 1 wherein the injector further comprises a temperature sensor positioned at the nozzle portion to detect a temperature in the combustion chamber.

8. The injector of claim 1 wherein the ignition rod includes one or more ignition features positioned in the nozzle portion, and wherein the one or more ignition features are configured to generate an ignition event to ignite fuel exiting the nozzle portion.

9. The injector of claim 8 wherein the one or more ignition features are spirally wound around at least a portion of the ignition rod.

10. The injector of claim 1 wherein the valve includes a sealing end portion positioned in the nozzle portion adjacent to the interface with the combustion chamber, and wherein the sealing end portion is configured to stop a flow of fuel when the valve is in the closed position.

11. The injector of claim 1 , further comprising a controller for:

selectively controlling movement of the valve with reference to the ignition insulator; and

selectively controlling an ignition event generated by the ignition rod.

12. The injector of claim 1 wherein the valve has a first length, the ignition insulator has a second length greater than the first length, and the ignition rod has a third length greater than the second length.

13. The injector of claim 1 wherein the valve is an outwardly opening valve that moves in a direction toward the combustion chamber when the valve moves from the closed position to the open position.

14. The injector of claim 1 wherein the valve is an inwardly opening valve that moves in a direction away from the combustion chamber when the valve moves from the closed position to the open position.

15. The injector of claim 1 , further comprising a body insulator extending through at least a portion of the body, wherein the fuel flow path extends through the body between the valve and the body insulator.

16. An injector for introducing fuel into a combustion chamber, the injector comprising:

a body having a first end portion opposite a second end portion, wherein the second end portion is configured to be positioned adjacent to an interface of the combustion chamber;

an ignition conductor extending through the body from the first end portion to the second end portion, wherein the ignition conductor is configured to transmit ignition energy to generate an ignition event;

an insulator extending longitudinally along the ignition conductor and surrounding at least a portion of the ignition conductor; and

a valve extending longitudinally along at least a portion of the insulator between the first end portion and the second end portion and movable along the insulator between an open position and a closed position, wherein the valve surrounds at least a portion of the insulator.

17. The injector of claim 16 wherein—

the ignition conductor includes an expanded end portion having a valve seat, and wherein the expanded end portion is positioned proximate to the interface of the combustion chamber; and

the valve includes a sealing end portion, wherein the sealing end portion is spaced apart from the valve seat when the valve is in the open position, and wherein the sealing end portion contacts the valve seat when the valve is in the closed position.

18. The injector of claim 17 wherein the sealing end portion of the valve comprises an enlarged end portion of the valve having a first diameter that is greater than a second diameter of the valve.

19. The injector of claim 17 , further comprising one or more ignition features carried by the ignition conductor, wherein the one or more ignition features are positioned proximate the interface of the combustion chamber, and wherein the one or more ignition features are configured to generate an ignition event to ignite fuel that passes beyond the sealing end portion of the valve.

20. The injector of claim 16 wherein the insulator is a first insulator and wherein the injector further comprises:

a second insulator extending longitudinally along the body and spaced radially apart from the valve; and

an annular fuel flow passage extending from the first end portion to the second end portion between the second insulator and the valve.

21. The injector of claim 16 , further comprising a fuel flow passage coaxially disposed around and surrounding the valve.

22. The injector of claim 16 , further comprising one or more optical sensors extending from the first end portion to the second end portion, wherein the one or more optical sensors are configured to detect or transmit combustion chamber data from the combustion chamber.

23. The injector of claim 22 wherein the one or more optical sensors extend longitudinally through the ignition conductor.

24. The injector of claim 16 wherein the valve further comprises a base portion, the injector further comprising:

an actuator positioned in the first end portion, wherein the actuator is movable between a first position and a second position, wherein when the actuator moves from the first position toward the second position the actuator contacts the base portion of the valve and moves the valve from the closed position toward the open position; and

a force generator positioned in the first end portion adjacent to the actuator, wherein the force generator is configured to activate the actuator to move the actuator between the first position and the second position.