Granted Patent B2

US 9,410,474 · App. 13/864,192 · Granted Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

Claims (34)

1. An injector comprising:

an injector body including—

a base portion configured to receive a first fuel and at least one of a second fuel and a coolant into the body; and

a nozzle portion coupled to the base portion, wherein the nozzle portion is configured to be positioned proximate to a combustion chamber for injecting the first fuel and at least one of the second fuel and the coolant into the combustion chamber;

a valve seal positioned at or proximate to the nozzle portion;

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

a valve coaxially disposed over at least a portion of the ignition rod, wherein the valve includes a sealing head and moves between an open position in which the sealing head is spaced apart from the valve seal, and a closed position in which the sealing head at least partially contacts the valve seal;

a first flow channel extending longitudinally through a center portion of the ignition rod, wherein the first flow channel is configured to deliver the first fuel to the nozzle portion;

a second flow channel fluidly separated from the first flow channel and extending longitudinally through the body and disposed radially outward from the valve and the first flow channel, wherein the second flow channel is configured to deliver at least one of the second fuel and the coolant to the nozzle portion when the valve is in the open position;

a first coupling fluidly coupled to the first flow channel to deliver the first fuel to the first flow channel; and

a second coupling fluidly coupled to the second flow channel to deliver at least one of the second fuel and the coolant to the second flow channel.

2. The injector of claim 1 , further comprising an ignition feature proximate to the ignition rod at the nozzle portion, wherein second flow channel delivers at least one of the second fuel and the coolant past the second ignition feature.

3. The injector of claim 2 further comprising:

a first ignition energy source coupled to the ignition rod for supplying a first ignition energy to ignite the first fuel; and

a second ignition energy source coupled to the ignition feature for supplying a second ignition energy to ignite the second fuel.

4. The injector of claim 1 wherein the nozzle portion injects the first fuel in a first injection pattern into the combustion chamber, and the nozzle portion injects at least one of the second fuel and the coolant in a second injection pattern into the combustion chamber, and wherein the first injection pattern is different than the second injection pattern.

5. The injector of claim 1 , further comprising a force generator assembly that one of fuels flows through force generator assembly that moves the valve between the open and closed positions, and wherein the second flow channel extends through at least a portion of the force generator assembly.

6. The injector of claim 1 wherein the valve moves longitudinally through the injector body as the valve moves between the open and closed positions to dispense at least one of the second fuel and the coolant from the second flow channel into the combustion chamber.

7. The injector of claim 1 , further comprising a third flow channel fluidly separate from the first flow channel and the second flow channel, and wherein the third flow channels is configured to deliver at least one of a third fuel and a second coolant to the nozzle portion.

8. A method of adaptively operating a fuel injector, the method comprising:

introducing at least one of a first fuel and a first coolant into a first flow channel in a body of the injector;

dispensing at least one of the first fuel and the first coolant from first flow channel into a combustion chamber in a first distribution pattern;

introducing at least one of a second fuel and a second coolant into a second flow channel in the body, wherein the second flow channel is fluidly separated from the first flow channel and is disposed radially outward from a valve carried by the body and the first flow channel, wherein the valve is movable between a closed position and an open position to introduce at least one of the second fuel and the coolant into a combustion chamber through the second channel;

dispensing at least one of the second fuel and the second coolant from the second flow channel into the combustion chamber in a second distribution pattern, wherein the second distribution pattern is different from the first distribution pattern;

when dispensing at least one of the first fuel and the second fuel, at least partially igniting the first fuel or the second fuel with an ignition feature carried by the body of the injector;

introducing at least one of a third fuel and a third coolant into a third flow channel in the body, wherein the third flow channel is fluidly separated from the first and second flow channels; and

dispensing at least one of the third fuel and the third coolant from the third flow channel into the combustion chamber, wherein dispensing at least one of the third fuel and the third coolant from the third flow channel into the combustion chamber comprises dispensing at least one of the third fuel and the third coolant into the combustion chamber in the second distribution pattern.

9. A method of adaptively operating a fuel injector, the method comprising:

introducing at least one of a first fuel and a first coolant into a first flow channel in a body of the injector;

dispensing at least one of the first fuel and the first coolant from first flow channel into a combustion chamber in a first distribution pattern;

introducing at least one of a second fuel and a second coolant into a second flow channel in the body, wherein the second flow channel is fluidly separated from the first flow channel and is disposed radially outward from a valve carried by the body and the first flow channel, wherein the valve is movable between a closed position and an open position to introduce at least one of the second fuel and the coolant into a combustion chamber through the second channel;

dispensing at least one of the second fuel and the second coolant from the second flow channel into the combustion chamber in a second distribution pattern, wherein the second distribution pattern is different from the first distribution pattern; and when dispensing at least one of the first fuel and the second fuel, at least partially igniting the first fuel or the second fuel with an ignition feature carried by the body of the infector;

introducing at least one of a third fuel and a third coolant into a third flow channel in the body, wherein the third flow channel is fluidly separated from the first and second flow channels; and

dispensing at least one of the third fuel and the third coolant from the third flow channel into the combustion chamber, wherein dispensing at least one of the third fuel and the third coolant from the third flow channel into the combustion chamber comprises dispensing at least one of the third fuel and the third coolant into the combustion chamber in a third distribution pattern, and wherein the third distribution pattern is different from the first and second distribution patterns.

Assignments (6)