Shaping a fuel charge in a combustion chamber with multiple drivers and/or ionization control
View Patent ↗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, multiple drivers used to shape charges, controllers used to modify operations based on ionization parameters, and so on.
1. An injector, comprising:
a body having a base portion, a nozzle portion and a channel, wherein the channel is configured to deliver fuel from the base portion to the nozzle portion;
an actuator extending through the channel, the actuator having a distal end and a proximal end;
a flow valve positioned at the distal end of the actuator;
a driver operably connected to the proximal end of the actuator;
a first force generator positioned adjacent the driver and configured to impart a force to the driver to move the actuator toward the base portion to close the flow valve; and
a second force generator positioned adjacent the driver and configured to modulate movement of the flow valve when the flow valve is open.
2. The injector of claim 1 , further comprising a clamp member attached to the proximal end of the actuator, and wherein the driver is configured to impart the force to the clamp member to close the flow valve and to modulate movement of the flow valve.
3. The injector of claim 1 wherein the first force generator and the second force generator are electromagnetic devices positioned to generate magnetic fields to move the driver.
4. The injector of claim 1 wherein the nozzle portion includes a valve seat, wherein the valve seat and the flow valve include ferromagnetic materials, and wherein the flow valve is magnetically attracted to the valve seat.
5. The injector of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensor positioned to measure parameters associated with a fuel ignition event within a fuel combustion chamber; and
a controller operably connected to the force generators and configured to provide operating instructions to the driver based on data received from the sensor and associated with the measured parameters.
6. The injector of claim 1 , further comprising a controller operably connected to the force generators and configured to provide operating instructions to the force generators, wherein the controller provides operating instructions to the second force generator to vibrate the flow valve between an open position and a closed position.
7. The injector of claim 1 , further comprising:
a valve seat at the nozzle portion, wherein the valve seat is positioned to receive the flow valve to stop a flow of fuel;
an electrical conductor attached to the body;
a conductive portion extending from the electrical conductor to the valve seat and configured to deliver electrical energy from the conductor to the nozzle portion;
a middle portion positioned between the base portion and the nozzle portion; and
an insulator extending from the middle portion to the nozzle portion, wherein at least a portion of the insulator is spaced apart from the valve seat to create a gap, and wherein the gap is configured to facilitate the generation of a plasma upon delivery of the electrical energy to the nozzle portion.
8. A method for injecting fuel into a combustion chamber of an engine, comprising:
determining at least one parameter associated with a combustion event;
transmitting instructions to a force generator to impart a force to a driver to modulate the movement of a valve when the valve is in the open position to influence the fuel dispensed into the combustion chamber; and
discharging electrical energy into a gap to produce a plasma of ionized air.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein determining at least one parameter includes determining a degree of ionization of an air-fuel mixture during an ignition of the air-fuel mixture within the combustion chamber.
10. The method of claim 8 wherein determining at least one parameter includes determining a ratio of air to fuel within an air-fuel mixture.
11. The method of claim 8 wherein determining at least one parameter includes determining a rate of combustion of an air-fuel mixture during an ignition event within the combustion chamber.
12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising adaptively adjusting the modulation of the movement of the valve in response to the measured parameter.
13. The method of claim 8 wherein imparting a force with the force generator includes imparting an electromagnetic force to modulate the movement of the valve.
14. A method for injecting fuel into a combustion chamber of an engine, comprising:
determining at least one parameter associated with a combustion event; and
transmitting instructions to a force generator to impart a force to a driver to modulate the movement of the valve when the valve is in the open position to influence the fuel dispensed into the combustion chamber, wherein adjusting the modulation of the movement of the valve includes adjusting the modulation to produce a stratified charge fuel injection pattern.
15. An injector-igniter configured to inject fuel into a combustion chamber of a combustion engine and ignite a fuel air mixture, the injector-igniter comprising:
a body having a base portion, a middle portion and a nozzle portion;
a fuel channel extending from the base portion to the nozzle portion;
a flow valve positioned at the nozzle portion and moveable between a closed position and an open position to admit fuel to the combustion chamber;
an actuator operably coupled to the flow valve to adjust the position of the flow valve;
a driver positioned to engage the actuator to adjust the position of the flow valve;
a conductive portion extending from the middle portion to the nozzle portion and configured to deliver electrical energy to ignite the fuel air mixture;
an insulator extending at least partially through the body to the nozzle portion, the insulator defining a gap at the nozzle portion, wherein the gap is configured to facilitate the generation of a plasma;
a first fitting operably coupled to the base portion and configured to introduce a coolant into the body;
a closed loop circulation path inside the body and configured to circulate the coolant to remove heat from the body; and
a second fitting operably coupled to the base portion and configured to remove the coolant from the body.
16. The injector-igniter of claim 15 wherein the base portion includes a plurality of heat transfer fins configured to remove heat from the injector-igniter.
17. An injector-igniter configured to inject fuel into a combustion chamber of a combustion engine and ignite a fuel air mixture, the injector- igniter comprising:
a body having a base portion, a middle portion and a nozzle portion;
a fuel channel extending from the base portion to the nozzle portion;
a flow valve positioned at the nozzle portion and moveable between a closed position and an open position to admit fuel to the combustion chamber;
an actuator operably coupled to the flow valve to adjust the position of the flow valve;
a driver positioned to engage the actuator to adjust the position of the flow valve;
a conductive portion extending from the middle portion to the nozzle portion and configured to deliver electrical energy to ignite the fuel air mixture;
an insulator extending at least partially through the body to the nozzle portion, the insulator defining a gap at the nozzle portion, wherein the gap is configured to facilitate the generation of a plasma;
a sensor positioned at the nozzle portion to detect at least one parameter associated with conditions inside the combustion chamber; and
a controller operably coupled to the sensor and to the driver, wherein the controller is configured to adjust operation of the driver based on a value of the parameter.
18. The injector igniter of claim 17 wherein the sensor is positioned inside the flow valve, and wherein the flow valve includes a lens positioned to receive signals related to the parameter.
19. An injector-igniter configured to inject fuel into a combustion chamber of a combustion engine and ignite a fuel air mixture, the injector-igniter comprising:
a body having a base portion, a middle portion and a nozzle portion;
a fuel channel extending from the base portion to the nozzle portion;
a flow valve positioned at the nozzle portion and moveable between a closed position and an open position to admit fuel to the combustion chamber;
an actuator operably coupled to the flow valve to adjust the position of the flow valve;
a first driver positioned to engage the actuator to adjust the position of the flow valve;
a conductive portion extending from the middle portion to the nozzle portion and configured to deliver electrical energy to ignite the fuel air mixture; and
an insulator extending at least partially through the body to the nozzle portion, the insulator defining a gap at the nozzle portion, wherein the gap is configured to facilitate the generation of a plasma; and
a second driver positioned to engage the actuator to adjust the position of the flow valve, wherein the first driver moves the flow valve between an open position and a closed position, and wherein the second driver modulates the movement of the flow valve to produce a stratified charge fuel injection pattern.