JP2015135116A - Fuel injector and method for operating fuel injector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fuel injector realizing efficient injection, ignition and complete combustion of various kinds of fuel.SOLUTION: A fuel injector of this invention comprises a main body having a base part opposite to a nozzle part, in which the base part receives fuel at a main body and the nozzle part can be positioned while being adjacent to a combustion chamber; a casing storing a force generating unit at the base part and at the same time including a fuel inlet for receiving fuel from a fuel source and a fuel outlet enabling fuel to be discharged out; and a fuel passage connected to the fuel outlet like fluid flowing manner and extending in a longitudinal direction through the main body from the base part up to the nozzle part. The first valve is arranged near the force generating unit and can be moved in response to a starting from the force generating unit to move between a closed position and an opened position in order to enable the fuel to pass through the fuel passage. In addition, the second valve is arranged at the nozzle part and this valve can be moved between the closed position and the opened position in the fuel passage in response to a prescribed fuel pressure in order to inject fuel into the combustion chamber.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application includes US Provisional Application No. 61 / 237,425 entitled OXYGENATED FUEL PRODUCTION filed on August 27, 2009, and MULTIFUL MULTIBURST US Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 237,466, filed August 27, 2009, US Patent Provisional Application 61 / 237,479, filed FULL SPECTRUM ENERGY, filed on October 19, 2009 US patent application Ser. No. 12 / 581,825 entitled MULTIFUL STORAGE, METERING AND IGNITION SYSTEM, INTEGRATED FUEL INJECTORS AND IGNITERS filed on Dec. 7, 2009 US Patent Application No. 12 / 653,085 entitled AND ASSOCIATED METHODS OF USE AND MANUFACTURE, INTEGRATED FUEL INJECTRUS AND IGSOFTED OF US 9 filed on Dec. 7, 2009 US Patent Application No. 61 / 304,403, filed February 13, 2010, FULL SPECTRUM ENERGY AND RESOURCE INDEPENDENCE, and SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING, filed March 9, 2010 HIGH VOLTAGE RF SHIELDIN , FOR The EXAMPLE, which claims priority to and the benefit based on FOR USE WITH A FUEL INJECTOR entitled U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 312,100. Each of these applications is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

  The following disclosure relates generally to integrated fuel injectors and igniters and related components for storing, injecting, and igniting various fuels.

  Renewable resources are intermittent to produce various forms of required substitute energy such as electricity, hydrogen, alcohol fuel, and methane. Solar energy is a daytime event, and daytime concentrations vary from season to season and with weather conditions. In most areas, wind energy is intermittent and varies greatly in size. Falling water resources vary from season to season and are susceptible to extended droughts. In most of the Earth's continents, biomass is seasonal and subject to drought. Delivered worldwide by hydropower plants, wind farms, biomass conversions, and solar collectors due to the lack of practical ways to store kinetic energy, fuel, and / or electricity until needed A considerable amount of energy that could be wasted.

  The global population and demand for energy has increased to demand more oil than it can produce. While demand for increasing dependency on increasing population and energy-intensive goods and services will accelerate, future production rates will decline. This will continue to increase the fossil depletion rate. Urban areas suffer from smog caused by the use of fossil fuels. The use of natural gas, including natural gas liquids such as ethane, propane, and butane for non-fuel purposes, is mainly used in applications such as packaging, fabrics, rugs, paints, and appliances made from thermoplastic and thermosetting polymers. Increased exponentially.

  Coal has a relatively low hydrogen to carbon ratio. Petroleum has a higher hydrogen-to-carbon ratio, and natural gas has the highest hydrogen-to-carbon ratio of fossilized coal. By using petroleum as a typical solvent, the global burn rate of hydrocharified coal now exceeds the equivalent of 200 million barrels of oil per day.

  Global oil production has steadily increased to meet growing demand, but the oil discovery rate has not caught up with production. Oil peak production occurs, and oil production rates in almost all known reserves are steadily declining. After peak production, the world economy has experienced the expansion (expansion) of all energy intensive and petrochemical based products. The struggle for remaining fossil fuel resources and the use of oil to refuel and refuel destruction machinery has spurred all wars in World War I, World War II, and beyond. . Replacing an amount of fossil fuel equivalent to 200 million barrels of oil a day requires the development of virtually all practical methods for the production, distribution, storage and use of renewable energy.

  Air and water pollution caused by fossil fuel production and combustion is now eroding fishing grounds, farms and forests, as well as all metropolitan areas. Mercury and other heavy metal contamination of fishing grounds and farm soils increasingly follow coal combustion. Global meteorological changes, including stronger hurricanes and tornadoes, heavy storms, and increased fire losses from lightning strikes to forests and metropolitan areas, contribute to the accumulation of atmospheric greenhouse gases released by fossil fuel combustion. Closely related. As solar energy collection of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere increases, the Earth Atmosphere Engine will allow more evaporation of ocean water, melting of glaciers and polar ice caps, and improved properties and More work is done, including subsequent extreme weather events that cause large losses of natural resources.

  Use mixed fuel options including, in addition to or instead of gasoline and diesel fuels, hydrogen, generator gas, and higher hydrogen-to-carbon fuels such as methane, alcohol fuels, and various other alternative fuels The previous attempts faced various difficulties and failed to solve, and these attempts were expensive, resulted in unreliable results, and frequently caused engine degradation or damage including the following events: Caused.

  (1) More expensive, stronger, and heavier pistons, connecting rods, crankshafts, bearings, flywheels, engine blocks, and support structures for engine compression ratio and acceptable power production, and more Greater equipment weight that increases corresponding requirements for heavy suspension springs, shock absorbers, starters, batteries, etc.

  (2) Requirements for more expensive valves, hardened valve seats, and machine shop equipment that prevent valve wear and seat dents.

  (3) Requirements to supercharge to recover power loss and operability due to reduced fuel energy per volume and overcome compromised volumetric and thermal efficiency.

  (4) Multistage gaseous fuel pressure regulation with very precise filtration and very small tolerances to changes in fuel quality including vapor pressure and octane and cetane numbers.

  (5) Engine coolant heat exchanger for preventing freezing of the gaseous fuel pressure regulator.

  (6) Tank shutoff valve (TSOV) and pressure relief valve (PRD) system operated by expensive and bulky solenoids.

  (7) A significantly larger flow measurement system.

  (8) Delivery after fuel dribbling at a wasteful time and when a back torque is generated.

  (9) Post-dribbling delivery of fuel at the point of detrimental effects such as exhaust strokes that reduce fuel consumption and cause engine or exhaust system damage.

  (10) Engine deterioration or failure due to predetonation and combustion knock.

  (11) Engine hesitation or damage due to failure to strictly control fuel viscosity, vapor pressure, octane or cetane number, and combustion rate.

  (12) Engine deterioration or failure due to fuel washing, vaporization, and seizure of the lubricant film on the cylinder wall and ring or rotor seal.

  (13) Failure to prevent the formation of nitrogen oxides during combustion.

  (14) Failure to prevent the generation of particles due to incomplete combustion.

  (15) Failure to prevent contamination due to lubricant aerosol formation in the upper cylinder region.

  (16) Failure to prevent increased piston piston, cylinder wall and valve overheating and degradation resulting from friction.

  (17) Failure to overcome damaging flashback in suction manifold and air purifier components.

  (18) Failure to overcome damaging combustion and / or explosion in the exhaust system.

  (19) Failure to overcome overheating of exhaust system components.

  (20) Failure to overcome fuel vapor lock and resulting engine hesitation or failure.

  In addition, special fuel storage tanks are required for low energy density fuels. Storage tanks designed for gasoline, propane, natural gas, and hydrogen are separated to suit the widely changing chemical and physical characteristics of each fuel. Separate fuel tanks are required for the various fuels that the vehicle may use. This dedicated tank approach for each fuel selection takes considerable space, adds weight, requires additional spring and shock absorber functions, changes the center of gravity and thrust axis, and is very expensive.

  In conventional approaches, metering alternative fuel choices such as gasoline, methanol, ethanol, propane, ethane, butane hydrogen, or methane into the engine is one or more gas carburetors, throttle body fuels. It may be achieved by an injector, or a timed port fuel injector. Since the expanding gaseous fuel molecules occupy a large proportion of the intake volume, the power loss experienced by each of the conventional approaches varies. Thus, the reduced intake inflow can cause less fuel to burn and draw lower power.

  At standard temperature and pressure (STP), gaseous hydrogen occupies a volume 2,800 times greater than liquid gasoline for equal combustion energy delivery. Gaseous methane requires about 900 times larger volume than liquid gasoline to deliver equal combustion energy.

  Arranged to flow such large volumes of gaseous hydrogen or methane through the suction manifold vacuum, through the suction valve (s) and into the cylinder vacuum in the intake cycle, and to meet gasoline performance Doing so with enough air to support complete combustion to release the assumed heat is a tremendous challenge that has not been adequately addressed. Some power restoration may be available by using a larger displacement engine. Another approach requires expensive, heavier, more complex, and less reliable components for higher compression ratios and / or intake system supercharging. However, these approaches reduce engine life and result in higher original and / or maintenance costs unless the basic engine design provides adequate structural area for stiffness and strength.

  Engines that are designed to run on gasoline are known to be inefficient. For the most part, this is due to the gasoline being mixed with air to form a homogeneous mixture that enters the combustion chamber during throttle conditions in the intake cycle. This uniform charge is then compressed to a state near top dead center (TDC) and sparked. With uniform charge combustion, combustion gas from 4,500 ° F. to 5,500 ° F. (2,482 ° C. to 3,037 ° C.) is immediately applied to the rotary engine cylinder head, cylinder walls, and pistons or corresponding components. It will heat transfer. Lubricant protective films burn or evaporate resulting in contamination causing cylinders and piston rings to suffer from wear due to lack of lubrication. Uniform charge combustion, which imposes energy loss as heat, is also a cooler combustion chamber maintained at a relatively low temperature of 160 ° F. to 240 ° F. (71 ° C. to 115 ° C.) by a liquid and / or air cooling system. Transmitted to the surface.

  The use of hydrogen or methane as a uniform charge fuel instead of gasoline presents an expensive challenge to provide enough fuel storage to accommodate the substantial energy waste common in gasoline engines To do. It is even more difficult to burn these cleaners and replace them with potentially richer gaseous fuels instead of diesel fuel. Diesel fuel has a higher energy value per volume than gasoline. Hydrogen, generator gas, gaseous fuels such as methane, propane, butane, and alcohol fuels such as ethanol or methanol lack the proper cetane number and are required for efficient diesel engine operation. The compressed air is not ignited quickly, so additional difficulties arise. Diesel fuel injectors are designed to work with a lubricating protective film provided by diesel oil. Furthermore, diesel fuel injectors only cyclically pass a relatively small amount of fuel that is about 3,000 times smaller (at STP) than the volume of hydrogen required to deliver an equal calorific value.

  Most recent engines have a minimum excess weight and a substantially excess oxygen equivalent ratio in attempts with a homogeneous charge mixture of air and fuel to reduce nitrogen oxide production by limiting peak combustion temperatures. Designed for with operating. Smaller cylinders and higher piston speeds are used to achieve minimum equipment weight. Higher engine speeds are reduced to the required shaft speeds for propulsion through higher-ratio transmissions and / or differential gears.

  Operation with an excess oxygen equivalent ratio requires more air inflow and the combustion chamber head often has 2 to 3 intake valves and 2 to 3 exhaust valves. This leaves very little room for cylinder fuel injectors or spark plugs directly in the head area. Faster valve actuation with an overhead camshaft is more complex, reducing the space available for direct cylinder fuel injectors and spark plugs. Designers use virtually all of the space available on the piston for the valve and the valve operator to interrupt the spark plug for gasoline ignition or diesel injector for compression ignition engine I barely left the room.

  Thus, any conduit that has a larger cross-section than a gasoline engine spark plug or diesel engine fuel injector, all of which have a lower heating value per volume than gasoline or diesel fuel, hydrogen, methane, propane, butane, ethanol, or Delivering equal energy with alternative fuels such as methanol is extremely difficult. The problem of very small area available for spark plugs or diesel fuel injectors is due to the greater heat gain from 3 to 6 valves that transfer heat from the combustion chamber to the head and related components. Deteriorated by the greater thermal load on the head Further exacerbations of space and heat load problems are due to more heat generation in the tight head area due to cam friction at high speed operation, valve springs, and valve lifters.

  In many ways, piston engines have changed their agents and provided essential energy conversion through the industrial revolution. Today, compression-ignited internal combustion piston engines using diesel fuel rated by cetane number, along with new attempts to improve passenger and light truck fuel efficiency in smaller engines with higher piston speeds, are used in agriculture, mining, railways. And powers most of the equipment for marine heavy haulage and stationary power systems. The lower compression internal combustion piston engine with spark ignition is less expensive to manufacture and is rated at octane to power the majority of the growing population of 900 million passengers and light truck vehicles Use fuel.

  Hydrocarbon fuel applications rated by octane and cetane numbers in conventional internal combustion engines are emissions that cause unacceptable levels of pollution such as unburned hydrocarbons, particulates, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide Produce.

  Conventional spark ignition consists of high voltage but low energy ionization of a mixture of air and fuel. In naturally aspirated engines equipped with spark plugs operating at a compression ratio of 12: 1 or less, the conventional spark energy magnitude is typically about 0.05 to 0.15 Joules. The appropriate voltage to cause such ionization must be increased with higher ambient pressure in the spark gap. Factors that require higher voltage are a leaner air / fuel ratio, a wider spark gap when needed for ignition, an effective compression ratio increase, supercharging, and air flow into the combustion chamber. Includes a reduction in the amount of impedance. Conventional spark ignition systems fail to provide adequate voltage generation to reliably provide spark ignition in engines such as diesel engines having a compression ratio of 16: 1 to 22: 1, and It often fails to provide adequate voltage for a throttleless engine that is supercharged for the purpose of increasing power production and improving fuel economy.

  Failure to provide the proper voltage at the spark gap is most often due to inadequate dielectric strength of ignition system components such as spark plug porcelain and spark plug cables.

  The high voltage applied to the conventional spark plug at essentially the combustion chamber wall is a uniform air-fuel mixture at or near all surfaces of the combustion chamber including the piston, cylinder wall, cylinder head, and valves. Causes heat loss of qi combustion. These heat losses reduce engine efficiency and increase wear due to oxidation, erosion, thermal fatigue, increased friction due to thermal expansion, strain, warpage, and surviving loss of overheated or oxidized lubricating films. The combustion chamber components that are prone to failure may be degraded.

  Even if a spark at the surface of the combustion chamber results in sustained combustion of the homogeneous air-fuel mixture, the flame transfer rate sets the limit for completion of combustion. As the amount of heat deprived by the combustion chamber surface increases, the degree of failure to complete the combustion process increases. This undesirable situation is linked to the problem of increased concentrations of unburned fuel such as hydrocarbon vapor, hydrocarbon particulates, and carbon monoxide in the exhaust.

  Attempts to control air / fuel ratios to provide leaner combustion conditions for higher fuel efficiency, and to reduce peak combustion temperatures and, if possible, reduce nitrogen oxide production, are many additional Cause problems. For example, a leaner air / fuel ratio burns more slowly than a stoichiometric or fuel rich mixture. In addition, slower combustion requires more time to complete the 2- to 4-stroke operation of the engine, thus reducing the specific power potential of the engine design. In adopting natural gas as a replacement for gasoline or diesel fuel, one must be aware of the fact that natural gas burns much more slowly than gasoline and that natural gas does not facilitate compression ignition when replaced with diesel fuel. I must.

  In addition, modern engines protect components that must withstand cumulative degradation due to high voltage, cyclic application of corona discharge, and shock, vibration, and rapid thermal cycling to high and low temperatures. Provides a space that is too small to access the combustion chamber along with previous electrical insulation components having sufficient dielectric strength and durability. Moreover, previous approaches for uniform stratified charge combustion fail to overcome the limitations associated with octane or cetane dependence and are detrimental to enable higher thermal efficiency or appropriate Failure to provide control of fuel dribbling at the burning rate, they fail to prevent nitrogen oxides produced by combustion.

  In order to meet the need for mixed fuel utilization with lower equipment weight and more air inflow, it allows an unintroduced air inflow into the combustion chamber to burn gas more cleanly Finally, it is important to directly inject less expensive fuel and provide stratified charge combustion as a substitute for gasoline and diesel (petrol) fuel. However, this desire faces the extremely difficult problem of providing reliable metering of these very different fuel densities, vapor pressures, and viscosities, and then ensuring the precise timing of subsequent ignition and combustion event completion. In order to achieve positive ignition, it is necessary to provide a spark-ignitable air-fuel mixture in a relatively small gap between the spark electrodes.

  In an attempt to produce stratified charge, when fuel is delivered to each combustion chamber by a separate fuel injector, fuel moment swirling, jumping from the combustion chamber surface into the spark gap Careful measures such as rebound or rebound must be taken, but these approaches always cause a compromise heat loss to the combustion chamber surface when the stratified charge concept is sacrificed. If the fuel is controlled by a metering valve at a distance from the combustion chamber, fuel “after dribbling” will occur at any point in time that is useless or damaging, including the time when it produces torque opposite to its intended output torque. I will. Both approaches allow much of the fuel to be cooled so that some small amount of fuel is delivered to the spark-ignitable air-fuel mixture in the spark gap at the exact point in the desired ignition. Inevitably "washed" or collided against the cylinder wall. This results in thermal efficiency due to heat loss, loss of cylinder-wall lubrication, thermal deformation caused by cylinder and piston friction, and heat loss from work production due to expanding gas to non-expandable components of the engine. Cause losses.

  Attempts to create a swirl of air entering the combustion chamber and to put lower density fuel into the swirling air suffer from two detrimental features. Swirl induction causes an impedance to the flow of air into the combustion chamber, thus reducing the amount of air entering the combustion chamber, resulting in reduced volumetric efficiency. After ignition, the combustion products are quickly transported by the swirl moment to the combustion chamber surface, and adverse heat loss is accelerated.

  Past attempts to provide internal combustion engines with mixed fuel functions such as the ability to switch between fuel options such as gasoline, natural gas, propane, alcohol fuel, generator gas, and hydrogen are extremely complex and very compromised Proven to be Past approaches have resulted in a compromise of detuning all fuels and negating optimization techniques for specific fuel characteristics. Such attempts are prone to malfunction and have proven to require very expensive components and controls. These difficulties are exacerbated by the very different specific energy values, wide range of vapor pressures, and viscosities of these fuels, and other physical property differences between gaseous and liquid fuels. In addition, methane burns the slowest of the fuels listed, while hydrogen burns approximately 7-10 times faster than any of the other desired fuel options, thus requiring an immediate regeneration of ignition timing. Is done.

  Additional problems are encountered between cryogenic liquids or slushes of the same fuel material and compressed gas fuel storage. Illustratively, liquid hydrogen is stored at -420 ° F. (−252 ° C.) at atmospheric pressure, causing unprotected delivery lines, pressure regulators, and injectors to condense and freeze atmospheric water vapor, Damage by ice as a result of exposure to moisture inside. Low temperature methane faces similar problems of ice formation and damage. Similarly, these cryogenic fluids also typically cause metering orifices, particularly small orifices, to malfunction and become clogged.

  The remaining very difficult problems to be solved are low power (low hydrogen or methane) or ambient temperature (propane or butane) and low power using idle or such fuel vapors to meet energy production requirements. How can a vehicle be rapidly refilled with rich liquid fuel at a level and at high power levels using liquid delivery of such fuels? It is.

  At atmospheric pressure, the injection of cold liquid hydrogen or methane requires an accurate metering of a very small volume of concentrated liquid compared to a very large volume delivery of gaseous hydrogen or methane. Furthermore, there is an urgent need to accurately produce, ignite, and burn a fuel and air stratified charge mixture regardless of the specific fuel mix delivery delivered to the combustion chamber.

  Achieving essential goals including the highest thermal efficiency, highest mechanical efficiency, highest volumetric efficiency, and longest engine life for each fuel selection is fuel delivery timing, combustion chamber penetration, and distribution due to incoming fuel Requires precise control of the pattern, precision ignition timing to optimize air utilization, and maintenance of excess air that insulates the combustion process with an inflatable medium that produces work.

  In order to meet the global economy's energy demands sustainably, it is necessary to improve the production, transport and storage of methane and hydrogen by virtually any known means. One gallon of cold liquid methane at 256 ° C. provides an energy density of 89,000 BTU / gal, less than about 28% of one gallon of gasoline. Liquid hydrogen at -252 ° C provides only about 29,700 BTU / gal, ie less than 76% of gasoline.

  It has long been desirable to use methane, hydrogen, or a mixture of methane and hydrogen interchangeably as a cryogenic liquid or compressed gas, instead of gasoline in spark ignition engines. However, this goal has not been met satisfactorily, and as a result, the vast majority of cars remain dedicated to petrol, despite the prices of methane and many forms of renewable hydrogen being much lower than gasoline. It is. Similarly, it has long been a goal to use methane, hydrogen, or a mixture of methane and hydrogen interchangeably as a cryogenic liquid and / or compressed gas instead of diesel fuel in compression ignition engines. The goal has proven to be even more difficult to realize, and most diesel engines remain dedicated to diesel fuel that causes pollution and is more expensive.

1 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of an integrated fuel injector / igniter configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 1 is a side view of a system configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 illustrates several exemplary fuel stratified burst patterns that can be injected by an injector configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 illustrates several exemplary fuel stratified burst patterns that can be injected by an injector configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 illustrates several exemplary fuel stratified burst patterns that can be injected by an injector configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 illustrates several exemplary fuel stratified burst patterns that can be injected by an injector configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an embodiment component assembly operated in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. FIG. 5 is an end view of the component assembly of FIG. 4 configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an embodiment component assembly operated in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. FIG. 7 is an end view of the component assembly of FIG. 6 configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 illustrates a unit valve assembly configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 illustrates a unit valve assembly configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a schematic fuel control circuit layout according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an embodiment component assembly operated in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. FIG. 11 is an end view of the component assembly of FIG. 10 configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of an injector of the present disclosure that is operated in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. FIG. 11 is an enlarged end view of the flat tube shown in FIG. 10. 1 is a schematic including a cross-sectional view of certain components of a system operated in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 illustrates the operation of the present disclosure when provided in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 illustrates the operation of the present disclosure when provided in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 illustrates the operation of the present disclosure when provided in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 illustrates the operation of the present disclosure when provided in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a partial side cross-sectional view of an injector configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 2 is a side view of an insulator or dielectric body configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. FIG. 17B is a side cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 17B-17B of FIG. 17A. FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional side view taken substantially along line 18-18 of FIG. 16 illustrating an insulator or dielectric body configured in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional side view taken substantially along line 18-18 of FIG. 16 illustrating an insulator or dielectric body configured in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. 6 is a schematic diagram of a system for forming an insulator or dielectric body with compressive stress in a desired zone according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. 6 is a schematic diagram of a system for forming an insulator or dielectric body with compressive stress in a desired zone according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of an injector configured in accordance with a further embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of an injector configured in accordance with a further embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a side view of a truss tube alignment assembly configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure for aligning actuators. FIG. 22B is a cross-sectional front view taken substantially along line 22B-22B in FIG. 22A. 6 is a side view of an alignment truss assembly configured in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure for aligning actuators. FIG. FIG. 22D is a cross-sectional front view taken substantially along line 22D-22D in FIG. 22C. 6 is a partial cross-sectional side view of an injector configured in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of an injector configured in accordance with a further embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 illustrates several representative injectors of an ignition and flow regulator or cover configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 illustrates several representative injectors of an ignition and flow regulator or cover configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 illustrates several representative injectors of an ignition and flow regulator or cover configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 illustrates several representative injectors of an ignition and flow regulator or cover configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 illustrates several representative injectors of an ignition and flow regulator or cover configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 illustrates several representative injectors of an ignition and flow regulator or cover configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 2 is an isometric view of a check valve configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a rear view of a check valve configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. FIG. 26 is a side cross-sectional view of a check valve configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure, taken substantially along line 25C-25C in FIG. 25B. FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view of an injector configured in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 26B is a front view of the injector of FIG. 26A illustrating an ignition and flow regulator. 6 is a side cross-sectional view of an injector configured in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. FIG. 27B is a schematic graph of some combustion characteristics of the injector of FIG. 27A. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of an injector configured in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of an injector configured in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of an injector configured in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. 1 is a front view of an ignition device and a flow rate adjustment device configured according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 1 is a front view of an ignition device and a flow rate adjustment device configured according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of an injector configured in accordance with a further embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of an injector configured in accordance with a further embodiment of the present disclosure. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of a check valve configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a rear view of a check valve configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of a valve seat configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a rear view of a valve seat configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a front view of a valve seat configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view of an injector configured in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. FIG. 35B is a front view of the injector of FIG. 35A illustrating an ignition and flow regulator configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 6 is a partial cross-sectional side view of an injector configured in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. FIG. 36B is a front view of the injector of FIG. 36A illustrating an ignition and flow regulator configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of a system configured in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view of an injector configured in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 38B is an enlarged detail view of the injector valve assembly of FIG. 38A. FIG. 38B is a side cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 38C-38C of FIG. 38A. FIG. 38B is a side cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 38D-38D of FIG. 38A. FIG. 38B is a side cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 38E-38E in FIG. 38A. FIG. 38B is a cross-sectional side view of the embodiment of the force generator viewed substantially along line 38F-38F of FIG. 38A. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an injector configured in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view of an injector configured in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 40B is a plan view of a bias member of the injector of FIG. 40A. FIG. 6 is a partial side cross-sectional view of an injector configured in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view of an injector configured in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present disclosure.

  This application is the subject of US patent application Ser. No. 12 / 006,774 (currently US Pat. No. 7,628,137), filed Jan. 7, 2008, entitled MULTIFUL STORE, METERING, AND IGNITION SYSTEM. Which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. This application includes the following US patent applications: FUEL INJECTOR ACTUATOR ASSEMBLIES AND ASSOCIATED METHODS OF USE AND MANUFACTURE (Attorney Docket No. 69545-8032US), INTERGRATED AND IGNITERS WITH CONDUCTIVE CABLE ASSEMBLIES (Representative reference number 69545-8033US), SHAPING A FUEL CHARGE IN A COMBUSTION CHAMBER WITH MULTIPION DRIONS95 8034US), CERAMIC INSULATOR AND METHODS OF USE AND MANUFACTURE THERUETO (deputy reference number 69545-8036US), METHOD AND SYSTEM OF THEFLOW FELF ), And METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR REDUCING THE FORMATION OF OXIDES OF NITRROGEN DURING COMBUSTION IN ENGINES (attorney reference number 69545) Incorporated herein by reference in their entirety in each of the subject 8038US).

A. SUMMARY The present disclosure describes devices, systems, and methods for providing a fuel injector that is used with a plurality of fuels and that is configured to include an integrated igniter. The present disclosure further describes an integrated fuel injection and ignition device for use with an internal combustion engine, and associated systems, assemblies, components, and methods related thereto. For example, some of the embodiments described below are generally directed to adaptable fuel injectors / igniters that can optimize the injection and combustion of various fuels based on combustion chamber conditions. It is done. Certain details are set forth in the following description and in FIGS. 1-42 to provide a thorough understanding of various embodiments of the present disclosure. However, well-known structures often associated with internal combustion engines, injectors, igniters, and / or other aspects of the combustion system to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description of the various embodiments of the present disclosure. Other details describing the body and system are not described below. Accordingly, some of the details described below describe the following embodiments in a manner sufficient to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the disclosed embodiments. It will be understood that this is provided. Some of the details and advantages described below may, however, not be necessary to implement certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

  Many of the details, dimensions, angles, shapes, and other features shown in the drawings are merely illustrative of specific embodiments of the present disclosure. Accordingly, other embodiments can have other details, dimensions, angles, and features without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. In addition, those skilled in the art will appreciate that further embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced without some of the details described below.

  Throughout this specification, reference to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” includes a particular feature, structure, or feature described in combination with the embodiment in at least one embodiment of the disclosure. Means that Thus, the appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Moreover, the particular functional units, structures, or features may be combined in one or more embodiments in any suitable manner. The headings provided herein are for convenience only and do not explain the scope or meaning of the claimed disclosure.

Integrated Fuel Injector / Ignition Device FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of an integrated fuel injector / igniter 110 (“injector 110”) configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The injector 110 illustrated in FIG. 1 injects different fuels into the combustion chamber 104 and adapts the fuel injection or burst pattern and / or frequency based on combustion characteristics and conditions within the combustion chamber 104. Configured to adjust. As described in detail below, the injector 110 can optimize the injected fuel for rapid ignition and complete combustion. In addition to injecting fuel, the injector 110 includes one or more integrated ignition functions configured to ignite the injected fuel. Thus, the injector 110 can be used to convert a conventional internal combustion engine to operate with a plurality of different fuels. Although some of the functional parts of the illustrated injector 110 are shown schematically for purposes of illustration, some of these schematically illustrated functional parts are various in the embodiments of the present disclosure. This will be described in detail below with reference to the functional part. Accordingly, the position, size, orientation, etc. of the schematically illustrated components of the injector of FIG. 1 are not intended to limit the present disclosure.

  In the illustrated embodiment, the injector 110 includes a body 112 having an intermediate portion 116 that extends between a base portion 114 and a nozzle portion 118. The nozzle portion 118 extends at least partially through the port of the engine head 107 to the position of the end 119 of the nozzle portion 118 at the interface with the combustion chamber 104. The injector 110 further includes a passage or channel 123 that extends through the body 112 from the base portion 114 to the nozzle portion 118. Channel 123 is configured to allow fuel to flow through body 112. Channel 123 is also configured to allow actuator 122 and other components, such as instrumentation components and / or energy source components, to pass through body 112 of injector 110. In certain embodiments, the actuator 122 can be a cable or rod having a first end operatively coupled to a flow control device or valve 120 supported by the end 119 of the nozzle portion 118. Therefore, the flow valve 120 is positioned in the vicinity of the interface with the combustion chamber 104. Although not shown in FIG. 1, in some embodiments, the injector 110 is positioned in the vicinity of the combustion chamber 104 and elsewhere on the body 112, and more than one flow valve and one or A plurality of check valves can be included.

  According to another feature of the illustrated embodiment, the actuator 122 also includes a second end that is operatively coupled to the driver 124. The second end can be further coupled to a controller or processor 126. As described in detail below with reference to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the controller 126 and / or the driver 124 may move the actuator 122 through the flow valve 120 to inject fuel into the combustion chamber 104. Configured to operate quickly and accurately. For example, in certain embodiments, the flow valve 120 can move outward (eg, toward the combustion chamber 104), and in other embodiments, the flow valve 120 meters fuel and controls injection. To move inwardly (eg, away from the combustion chamber 104). Moreover, in certain embodiments, the driver 124 can tension the actuator 122 to hold the flow valve 120 in the closed or seated position, and the driver 124 can cause the flow valve 120 to inject fuel. The actuator 122 can be relaxed on the other hand, and vice versa. The driver 124 may provide controller and other force-inducing components (eg, acoustic components, electromagnetic components, and / or piezoelectric components) to achieve the desired frequency and pattern of injected fuel bursts. Can be responsive.

  In certain embodiments, the actuator 122 can include one or more integrated sensing and / or transmission components to detect combustion chamber characteristics and conditions. For example, the actuator 122 may be formed from a fiber optic cable, rod, or an insulated transducer integrated within the cable, or may include other sensors that detect and communicate combustion chamber data. it can. Although not shown in FIG. 1, in other embodiments and as described in detail below, the injector 110 may include other sensors or monitoring devices at various locations on the injector 110. it can. For example, to communicate combustion data to one or more controllers, the body 112 can include an optical fiber that is integrated into the material of the body 112, or the material of the body 112 itself can be used. it can. In addition, the flow valve 120 can be configured to sense or convey to a sensor for transmission of combustion data to one or more controllers associated with the injector 110. This data can be transmitted via radio, wiring, light, or other transmission medium. Such feedback may include, for example, fuel delivery pressure, fuel injection start timing, fuel injection duration to produce multiple stratified or stratified charge, single, multiple, or continuous plasma ignition or capacitive discharge. Allows very quick and adaptive adjustments to optimize fuel injection factors and features, including timing and the like.

  Such feedback and adaptive adjustment by controller 126, driver 124, and / or actuator 126 may also optimize results such as power production, fuel consumption, and minimizing or eliminating emissions that cause contamination including nitrogen oxides. Enable. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0238068, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, provides drivers suitable for starting the ultrasonic transducers of injector 110 and other injectors described herein. explain.

  The injector 110 can also optionally include an ignition and flow regulator or cover 121 (shown in phantom in FIG. 1) supported by an end 119 adjacent to the engine head 107. Cover 121 at least partially surrounds or surrounds flow valve 120. Cover 121 may be configured to protect certain components of injector 110, such as sensors or other monitoring components. The cover 121 can also act as a catalyst, a catalyst support, and / or a first electrode for ignition of the injected fuel. Moreover, the cover 121 can be configured to affect the shape, pattern, and / or phase of the injected fuel. The flow valve 120 can also be configured to affect these characteristics of the injected fuel. For example, in certain embodiments, the cover 121 and / or the flow valve 120 can be configured to provide a sudden gasification of fuel flowing through these components. More particularly, the cover 121 and / or the flow valve 120 includes a surface having sharp edges, a catalyst, or other feature that produces gas or vapor from a rapidly flowing liquid fuel or mixture of liquid and solid fuel. be able to. The acceleration and / or frequency of operation of the flow valve 120 can also suddenly gasify the injected fuel. In operation, this sudden gasification causes the vapor or gas emanating from the nozzle portion 118 to burn more quickly and completely. Moreover, this sudden gasification may be used in various combinations with superheated liquid fuel and the acoustic momentum of the plasma or fired fuel burst. In still further embodiments, the frequency of operation of the flow valve 120 can induce plasma firing to beneficially affect the shape and / or pattern of injected fuel. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 672,636 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,122,816), which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, is a plasma produced by injector 110 and other injectors described herein. A suitable driver for initiating firing is described.

  According to another aspect of the illustrated embodiment, and as described in detail below, at least a portion of the body 112 is for burning different fuels, including unrefined fuels or low energy density fuels. Made of one or more dielectric materials 117 suitable for enabling high energy ignition. These dielectric materials 117 can provide high voltage sufficient electrical insulation for the production, separation, and / or delivery of sparks or plasma for ignition. In certain embodiments, the body 112 can be made from a single dielectric material 117. In other embodiments, however, the body 112 can include two or more dielectric materials. For example, at least the segment of the middle portion 116 can be made of a first dielectric material having a first dielectric strength, and at least the segment of the nozzle portion 118 has a second insulation greater than the first dielectric strength. It can be made from a dielectric material having proof stress. Due to the relatively strong second dielectric strength, the second dielectric can protect the injector 110 from thermal and mechanical shock, fouling, voltage tracking, and the like. Examples of suitable dielectric materials as well as the location of these materials on the body 112 are described in detail below.

  In addition to the dielectric material, the injector 110 can also be coupled to a power source or high voltage source to generate an ignition event and burn the injected fuel. The first electrode can be coupled to a power source (eg, a voltage source such as a capacitive discharge, induction, or piezoelectric system) via one or more conductors extending through the injector 110. The area of the nozzle portion 118, the flow valve 120, and / or the cover 121, along with the corresponding second electrode of the engine head 107, can generate an ignition event (e.g., an ultrasonic wave that quickly induces, drives, and completes combustion). In conjunction with application, it can act as a first electrode to generate a spark, plasma, compression ignition operation, high energy capacity discharge, spark caused by extended induction, and / or direct current or radio frequency plasma) . As will be described in detail below, the first electrode can be configured for durability and long service life. In still further embodiments of the present disclosure, the injector 110 provides conversion of energy from the combustion chamber source and / or drives one or more components of the injector 110 from energy generated by the combustion event. Therefore, it can be configured to recover waste heat or energy via thermochemical regeneration.

Injection / Ignition System FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating the environment of a portion of an internal combustion system 200 having a fuel injector 210 configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In the illustrated embodiment, the injector 210 schematically illustrated is merely illustrative of one type of injector configured to inject and ignite different fuels into the combustion chamber 202 of the internal combustion engine 204. . As shown in FIG. 2, the combustion chamber 202 is formed between the head portion including the injector 210 and the valve, the movable piston 201, and the inner surface of the cylinder 203. In other embodiments, however, the injector 210, along with many types of rotary combustion engines, includes other types of combustion chambers and / or energy transfer devices, including various vanes, axial and radial piston expanders. Can be used in other environments involving. As will be described in greater detail below, the injector 210 not only allows for the injection and ignition of different fuels in the combustion chamber 202, but the injector 210 also provides these different fuels according to different combustion conditions or requirements. It includes several functional parts that can be injected and ignited adaptively. For example, the injector 210 includes one or more insulating materials configured to allow high energy ignition to burn different fuel types including unrefined fuel or low energy density fuel. These insulating materials are also configured to withstand the harsh conditions required to burn different fuel types including, for example, high voltage, fatigue, impact, oxidation, and erosion degradation.

  In accordance with another aspect of the illustrated embodiment, the injector 210 is instrumented to sense various combustion characteristics in the combustion chamber 202 (eg, characteristics of the combustion process, combustion chamber 202, engine 204, etc.). Further can be included. In response to these sensed conditions, the injector 210 increases fuel efficiency and power production, and reduces noise, engine knock, heat loss, and / or vibration to extend engine and / or vehicle life. The fuel injection and ignition characteristics can be adaptively optimized to achieve. In addition, the injector 210 also includes actuating components that inject fuel into the combustion chamber 202 to achieve a specific flow pattern or spray pattern 205 of fuel to be injected, as well as its phase. For example, the injector 210 can include one or more valves positioned near the interface of the combustion chamber 202. The operating components of the injector 210 are accurate to control at least the following features: timing of fuel injection start and end, frequency and duration of repeated fuel injections, and / or timing and selection of ignition events. Provides high frequency actuation of the valve.

  3A-3D are individually identified as several fuel burst patterns 305 (first pattern 305a-fourth pattern 305d) that may be injected by an injector configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Is). As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the illustrated pattern 305 is merely representative of some embodiments of the present disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure is not limited to the pattern 305 shown in FIGS. 3A-3D, and in other embodiments, the injector may dispense a burst pattern that is different from the illustrated pattern 305. . Although the patterns 305 illustrated in FIGS. 3A-3D have different shapes and configurations, these patterns 305 share the feature of having a series of fuel layers 307. The corresponding individual layer 307 of the pattern 305 provides the advantage of a relatively large surface to volume ratio of the injected fuel. These large surface-to-volume ratios provide a higher combustion rate of the fuel charge and help isolate the fuel charge and accelerate its complete combustion. Such fast and complete combustion offers several advantages over the slower burning fuel charge. For example, more backwork is required to require earlier ignition than a slower burning fuel charge, causing significant heat loss to the combustion chamber surface and overcoming earlier pressure rise from earlier ignition. (Back work) or output torque loss. These previous combustion operations also cause emissions that cause pollution (eg, carbon-rich hydrocarbon particulates, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, quenched or unburned hydrocarbons, etc.), as well as combustion chamber It is plagued by heating and wear that harms pistons, rings, cylinder walls, valves, and other components.

  Thus, the systems and injectors according to the present disclosure offer the possibility of replacing conventional injectors, glow plugs, or spark plugs (eg, diesel fuel injectors, spark plugs for gasoline, etc.) at various locations. Produces full rated output with a variety of renewable fuels such as hydrogen, methane, and various inexpensive alcohol fuels produced from sewage, garbage, and crop waste and animal waste available at . Although these renewable fuels may have an energy density that is approximately 3,000 times lower than the fossil fuel being refined, the systems and injectors of the present disclosure provide these renewables for efficient energy production. Possible fuel can be injected and ignited.

System for Providing Mixed Fuel Injection FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-section of an embodiment component assembly operated in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is an end view of the component assembly of FIG. 4 configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In accordance with aspects of the illustrative embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the injector 3028 enables interchangeable utilization of fuel species characterized by the original fuel material or hydrogen resulting from the described process. To do. This includes petrol liquid, propane, ethane, butane, alcohol fuel, cold slush, the same fuel or liquid form, vapor form, or gaseous form of the same fuel or new fuel species produced by the thermochemical regeneration reaction of the present disclosure.

  As shown in FIG. 4, injector 3028 produces primary fuel from a tank warmed with primary fuel from heat exchanger 3036, vaporized primary fuel from heat exchanger 3036, and freshly produced from reactor 3036. Selected fuel type, fuel type including warmed fuel from reactor 3036 combined with fuel from heat exchanger, and fuel delivery rate and penetration into the combustion chamber, selected for ignition By controlling adjustable pressure regulators to optimize variables including local and global air-fuel mixtures, fuel burn rates, and many other combinations and permutations of these variables Allows optimal fuel selection through the provided circuit including flow selection by the various valves shown in FIG. 4 as a valve for utilization of conditions including selection of pressure for delivery to injector 3028 . The configuration of the fuel injector 3028 improves functions for adaptive fuel injection, fuel penetration patterns, air utilization, ignition, and combustion control to achieve many alternative optimization goals of the present disclosure. .

  FIG. 4 shows one exemplary embodiment 3028 of the variants initiated by the fuel injection and positive ignition system solenoids shown in the system diagram. According to an embodiment aspect, the injector 3028 is a mixture of solid and liquid hydrogen slush hydrogen at −254 ° C. (−425 ° F.), reformed methanol at a temperature of 150 ° C. (302) ° F. or higher. Providing precision volume injection and ignition of fuels that vary greatly in temperature, viscosity, and density, including hot hydrogen and carbon monoxide down to diesel and gasoline liquids at temperature. The vast range of volumes required to provide a partial or full rated output from such fuel due to the efficient operation of the engine is completely free of injector dribbling before or after the intended optimal injection timing, Rapid repeats every engine cycle require adaptive timing of precise volume delivery at precise time points and positively timed ignition. Avoiding such dribbling is extremely difficult, fuel loss during the exhaust cycle and / or backwork, and / or heat loss due to accidental fuel delivery and problematic fuel delivery during the exhaust, intake, or early compression periods Is important to avoid.

  In certain embodiments, the reduction in fuel dribbling is achieved by a flow control valve 3074 and a valve such as a solenoid valve operator comprising the insulated winding 3046, soft magnetic core 3045, armature 3048, and spring 3036 as shown. This is accomplished by providing a separation distance from the actuator. In order to meet very tight space limitations and to do so in the “warm-up” conditions provided in the engine valve and camshafts of modern engines, the lower portion of the injector 3028 is below the voltage isolation well 3066. The portions 3076 and 3086 are configured to have the same thread, reach, and body diameter dimensions as a normal spark plug. Similarly, diesel fuel injectors are incorporated, incorporating the essential functions of precision spark ignition and stratified charge delivery of fuels whose properties vary from low vapor pressure diesel fuels to hydrogen and / or fuels characterized by hydrogen. A small injector area to replace everything is provided.

  In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the injector configuration is such that a high voltage is applied to the conductor 3068 in the well 3066 for spark ignition, and thus a conductive nozzle 3070 as shown in FIGS. And the generation of an ionization voltage across the charge storage function 3085 in the thread 3086 at the interface with the combustion chamber. In certain embodiments, the flow control valve 3074 is lifted by a high strength insulator cable or photoconductive fiber cable 3060 that is moved by the force of a solenoid operator assembly driver or armature 3048 as shown. According to an aspect of one embodiment, the cable 3060 is 0.04 mm (0.015 inch) in diameter and has a selection of fibers that effectively transmit radiation at IR, visible, and / or UV wavelengths. It is formed of a bundle of high strength light pipe fibers.

  According to one feature of the illustrated embodiment, the bundle is housed in a protective shrink tube or assembled with a thermoplastic or thermoset binder to provide pressure, temperature for the flow control valve 3074 and the combustion chamber. , And forms a very high strength, flexible, and highly insulating actuator for data collection components that constantly report burn pattern conditions with IR, visible, and / or UV light data To do. According to a further embodiment, a cable 3060 at the combustion chamber interface 3083 to provide combustion pressure data with a fiber optic Fabry-Perot interferometer, or a microfabry Perot cavity-based sensor, or a side-polished optical fiber. A protective lens or coating for is provided. In operation, pressure data from the end of the cable 3060 positioned at or substantially adjacent to the combustion chamber interface is transmitted by the illustrated light pipe bundle, which protects against wear and thermal degradation, for example. can do. According to aspects of the present disclosure, suitable lens protection materials include, but are not limited to, diamond, sapphire, quartz, magnesium oxide, silicon carbide, and / or other ceramics in addition to the heat resistant superalloy and / or Kanthol. Not.

  FIG. 6 is a longitudinal cross-section of an embodiment component assembly operated in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 7 is an end view of the component assembly of FIG. 6 configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the injector 3029 includes a transparent dielectric insulator 3072, as illustrated in the alternative embodiment of the injector shown in FIG. Insulator 3072 provides a light pipe transmission of radiation frequency from the combustion chamber to the photoelectric sensor 3062P, along with a changing strain signal to the stress sensor 3062D corresponding to the pressure conditions in the combustion chamber.

  According to further embodiments, the embedded controller 3062 is preferably an analog or digitized fuel delivery event as a further improvement in efficiency, power production, smoothness of operation, fail-safe measures, and engine component life. And signals from sensors 3062D and 3062P to generate a spark ignition event. In certain embodiments, the controller 3062 records sensor indications to determine the time between each cylinder's torque generation in order to determine the adjustments necessary to optimize the desired engine operating parameters. Deriving positive and negative engine acceleration as a function of adaptive fuel injection and spark ignition timing and flow data. Accordingly, the controller 3062 may be configured to perform various operations of an injector such as an injector 3028, 3029, or 3029 ′ as shown in FIGS. 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, and 13. Acts as a master computer to control the system of FIG. 14 (described below) including selection.

  In certain embodiments, a substantially transparent check valve 3084 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 provides protection of the fiber optic bundle or cable 3060 below the flow control valve 3074. According to one embodiment, an exemplary fast closing check valve consists of a ferromagnetic element enclosed within a transparent body. This combination of functions may be provided by various geometric shapes including a ferromagnetic disk in a transparent disk or a ferromagnetic ball in a transparent ball as shown. In operation, these geometries allow the check valve 3084 to be magnetically forced to the normally closed position and be very close to the end of the flow control valve 3074 and cable 3060 as shown. When the flow control valve 3074 is lifted to provide fuel flow, to provide a very high surface-to-volume penetration of fuel into the combustion chamber air as shown in FIGS. The check valve 3084 is forced into an open position in the well bore that encloses it in an intersecting slot 3088 that allows fuel to flow through the magnetic valve seat 3090 through the check valve 3084 and through the slot 3088. Is done. Accordingly, cable 3060 continues to monitor combustion chamber events by receiving and transmitting the radiation frequency passing through check valve 3084. In accordance with aspects of this disclosure, suitable materials for the transparent portion of check valve 3084 include sapphire, quartz, high temperature polymers, and ceramics that are transparent to the monitoring frequency of interest.

  In general, it is desirable to produce maximum torque with minimum fuel consumption. In areas such as crowded city streets where NOx emissions are undesirable, adaptive fuel injection and ignition timing allows peak combustion temperatures to not reach 2,200 ° C (4,000 ° F) Provides maximum torque. One exemplary method of determining the peak combustion temperature is by a flame temperature detector using a small diameter fiber optic cable 3060 or a larger transparent insulator 3072. Insulator 3072 is a light pipe transmission of radiation produced by sapphire or high temperature wear and wear coatings such as diamond-coating on the high temperature polymer combustion chamber surface or by burning to sensor 3062D of controller 3062 as shown. May be manufactured from quartz, sapphire, or glass for combined functions in an injector 3028 including: 4 and 5, the controller 3062 and / or 3043 monitors the signal from the sensor 3062D in each combustion chamber to prevent fuel injection and / or spark ignition to prevent the production of nitric oxide. Adjust the timing adaptively.

  Thus, virtually any distance from the interface to the combustion chamber of modern engines to a closely spaced valve and location above the valve operator is the most optimal spark plug or diesel fuel injector With an integral spark ignition in place, it can be provided by a fuel control force transmitted by a flow control valve 3074 normally closed by an insulated cable 3060. The fuel injector configuration with integrated ignition of the present disclosure is highly efficient for a very wide variety of fuel options including less expensive fuel regardless of octane, cetane, viscosity, temperature, or fuel energy density value In order to provide precise fuel injection timing and adaptive spark ignition for stratified charge combustion, it allows the injector to replace a spark plug or diesel fuel injector. Engines that previously limited operation to fuels with a specific octane or cetane number will be converted by this disclosure to a more cost effective and long lasting operation with fuels that are much more environmentally beneficial. In addition, operating the injector 3028, 3029, or 3029 ′ as a pilot fuel delivery and ignition system or as a spark ignition only system, original operation with gasoline delivered by a vaporization or suction manifold fuel injection system It is possible to return to Similarly, the injector 3028, 3029, or 3029 'can be configured to operate with diesel fuel or an alternative fuel that is spark ignited according to these various fuel metering and ignition combinations.

  According to further aspects of the present disclosure, fuel injection timing and spark ignition for purposes such as fuel economy, maximizing specific power production, ensuring lubricant film maintenance on the combustion chamber cylinder, and / or minimizing noise. Prevention of the formation of nitrogen oxides is provided while adaptively controlling the timing. In some embodiments, to view combustion chamber events through the center of the slot 3088 as shown in FIGS. 5, 7, and 11, a cable 3060 through the flow control valve 3074 to the combustion chamber surface of the fuel distribution nozzle or It is preferable to fix and extend in the vicinity. In an alternative embodiment, the cable 3060 preferably allows the armature 3048 to move and begin generating moments before lifting the cable 3060 and thus suddenly beginning to lift the flow control valve 3074. One or more free-running flexures, such as loops, can be formed above the contact stop ball 3035, and to deliver radiation wavelengths from the combustion chamber to the sensor 3040 as shown, The soft magnetic core 3045 is fixedly passed. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, sensor 3040 may be separate or may be integrated with controller 3043 as shown. In one embodiment, the photoelectric sensor system includes a combustion event, an expansion event, an exhaust event, a suction event, a fuel injection event, and an ignition event as a function of pressure and / or radiation detection in the combustion chamber of the engine as shown. Provides comprehensive monitoring of combustion chamber conditions including 4 and 6, therefore, the temperature signal from sensor 3040 and / or sensor 3062D and / or sensor 3062P and the corresponding pressure signal indicate the temperature at which the fuel is burned and the time at that temperature. It is immediately interrelated with combustion chamber pressure, piston position, and combustion product chemistry.

  These interrelationships make the engine US Pat. Nos. 6,015,065, 6,446,597, 6,503,584, 5,343,699, and 5,394,852. And the piston position, combustion chamber pressure data collection combined by the technique disclosed in copending application 60 / 551,219, and fiber optic bundle / light pipe assembly / cable 3060 as shown. Is achieved immediately by operating on the combustion chamber radiation data as provided to sensor 3040. The resulting interrelation function is thus that the radiation signal and piston position data delivered to the sensor 3040 by the cable 3060 is such as fuel economy, maximized power production, avoidance of nitrogen oxides, avoidance of heat loss, etc. It makes it possible to show the pattern of combustion chamber pressure, temperature and combustion conditions required to adapt and optimize various engine functions. Thereafter, the data provided to controller 3043 by cable 3060 and sensor 3040 can allow for rapid and adaptive control of engine function with a very cost effective injector.

  Thus, according to one embodiment, a more comprehensive adaptive injection system is disclosed in previously referenced patents and co-pending applications as known in the art and / or included herein by reference. As can be seen, both sensor 3040 and cable 3060 can be incorporated with one or more pressure sensors. In such a case, it is preferable to monitor the rotational acceleration of the engine in order to adaptively improve fuel consumption and power production management. Engine acceleration may thus be monitored by a number of techniques including crankshaft or camshaft timing, distributor timing, gear tooth timing, or piston speed detection. Engine acceleration as a function of controlled variables, including fuel type selection, fuel type temperature, fuel injection timing, injection pressure, injection repetition rate, ignition timing, and combustion chamber temperature mapping, conventional or less expensive fuel Enables remarkable improvements in engine performance, fuel economy, emissions control, and engine life.

  In accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, this new combination of remote valve operator 3048 and flow control valve 3074 positioned at or substantially adjacent to the combustion chamber interface greatly varies fuel viscosity, heating value. And generation of spark plasma ignition with adaptive timing that optimizes the combustion of the vapor pressure. This configuration effectively eliminates the harm before or after dribbling because the clearance volume between the flow control valve 3074 and the combustion chamber is small or absent. By positioning the flow control valve 3074 at the combustion chamber interface, the fuel flow impedance normally caused by the channel delivering the fuel in a circuitous manner is avoided. In certain embodiments, the flow control valve 3074 is provided by a suitable mechanical spring or by a compressive force on the cable or rod 3060 as a function of the force applied by the spring 3036 or to a valve seat 3090 that includes a combination of such closing actions. The magnetic spring attractive force can normally be biased to the closed state.

  In accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, pressure tolerance performance is achieved by an armature driver 3048 that is designed to suddenly lift or displace the ball 3035 after impacting a ball 3035 that is fixed in place on the cable 3060. Achieved by providing free acceleration. In certain embodiments, the driver 3048 moves relatively freely over a cable 3060 that is fixed toward the electromagnetic pole piece as shown. After a significant moment is obtained, the driver 3048 strikes the ball 3035 in the spring well shown. In the illustrated embodiment, ball 3035 is attached to cable 3060 in spring 3036 as shown. Thus, in operation, the sudden application of force due to this impact, which is significantly greater than can be generated by a direct acting solenoid valve, results in a relatively closed inertia, normally closed flow control valve 3074. It will suddenly lift from the upper valve seat of the passage in the valve seat 3090.

  This embodiment may use any suitable valve seat for the flow control valve 3074; however, for use in a small engine combustion chamber, the flow control valve 3074 is shown as shown. It is preferred to incorporate a permanent magnet internally or as a valve seat 3090 to bias it to the normally closed state. Such a sudden collision start of the flow control valve 3074 by the armature 3048 causes the fuel to become independent of the fuel temperature, viscosity, presence of slash crystals, or applied pressure that may be necessary to ensure the desired fuel delivery rate. Allows for guaranteed precision flow of. Permanent magnets such as SmCo and NdFeB immediately provide the desired magnetic force at operating temperatures up to 205 ° C. (401 ° F.) and the flow control valve 3074 is biased to a normally closed position on the magnetic valve seat 3090. And therefore virtually eliminates clearance volume and after dribbling.

  In an illustrative comparison, if a flow control valve 3074 is to be incorporated with the armature 3048 for delivery to the conductive nozzle 3070 within the bore of the insulator 3064, it will temporarily pause in the indicated clearance volume. The fuel after dribbling can be the same volume as the intended fuel delivery at the desired point in the engine cycle. Such after-dribble flow can be during the final stage of expansion or during the exhaust stroke and thus increased due to flame shock loss of lubrication of the protective cylinder wall, unnecessary piston heating, and differential expansion In most cases, if not complete, it is wasted, causing friction and overheating of exhaust system components. This is a very important disclosure to allow interchangeable use of conventional or lower cost fuels to be used regardless of octane number, vapor pressure, or specific fuel energy per volume.

  Furthermore, the conventional valve actuation system would be limited to a pressure drop of about 7 atmospheres compared to over 700 atmospheres when provided by a sudden impact on the cable 3060 of the driver 3048 and thus on the flow control valve 3074. . Cold slush fuel, with a texture and viscosity that is prohibitively cumbersome compared to applesauce or cottage cheese, is immediately delivered to a flow control valve 3074 that is normally closed through a relatively large passageway, which is a valve seat 3090. Rest on a large diameter orifice. Rapid acceleration after a sudden impact of the large inertial armature 3048 transmits a very large lifting force through the dielectric cable 3060, causing the flow control valve 3074 to suddenly and reliably lift from the large orifice of the valve seat 3090. If present, the check valve 3084, which is normally closed, is opened and the fuel slush mixture is injected into the combustion chamber. The same guaranteed delivery is in any phase or mixture of phases containing hydrogen and other very low viscosity fuels at temperatures above 400 ° F. (204 ° C.) as may be provided intermittently Provided without any after-driving of fuel.

  According to aspects of the present disclosure, whether the fuel density is the density of liquid gasoline or cold hydrogen at cold engine start-up, and then to convert liquid fuel to gaseous fuel during engine warm-up operation Regardless of whether it is one hundredth or one thousandth the density to provide the heat, precise metering and ignition of the fuel entering the combustion chamber without adverse after dribbling is provided. This allows the vehicle operator to select the most desirable and available fuel to refill tank 3404 (shown in FIG. 14). The engine exhaust heat is then recovered by the heat exchanger (s) shown in FIG. 14 and the injector uses the engine waste heat to provide the benefits of stratified charge combustion characterized by hydrogen. Provides the most desirable optimization of the fuel selected by. In very cold climates and to minimize carbon dioxide emissions, accumulator hydrogen or a gas characterized by hydrogen is transferred to the reactor 3036 through a solenoid valve when abundant engine heat is available. It is preferable to transmit and store in. In operation, at low temperature engine start, the valve is opened and hydrogen or fuel characterized by hydrogen flows through the valve to the pressure regulator and to the injector (s) 3028, making the engine very fast and very efficient Providing a clean start.

  8A and 8B are unit valve assemblies configured in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. While providing the opportunity to use renewable fuels and improving the efficiency and life of large engines in marine, agricultural, mining, construction, and heavy hauling applications by rail and truck, It is extremely difficult to deliver sufficient gaseous fuel energy in a large engine originally designed for diesel fuel. FIGS. 8A and 8B show a partial cross section of a unit valve 3100 to allow controlled delivery of a large volume of relatively low energy density pressurized fuel supply to each cylinder of the engine. In accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, the unit valve 3100 provides a fuel with very low energy density in large engines in conjunction with an injector as a substantially stratified charge combustion combustant with higher thermal efficiency than conventional fuels. It is particularly beneficial to allow it to be used. Unit valve 3100 also uses such fuel in part to greatly improve the volumetric efficiency of the converted engine by increasing the amount of air induced into the combustion chamber during each intake cycle. Makes it possible to

  In operation, pressurized fuel is supplied through the inlet fitting 3102 to the valve chamber shown, where a spring 3104 biases a valve, such as a ball 3106, to a closed position on the valve seat 3108 as shown. In high speed engine applications, or when the spring 3104 is undesirable due to the tendency of solids in slush fuel to accumulate, the valve seat 3108 may be provided as a permanent magnet pole to assist in the rapid closure of the ball 3106. preferable. When fuel delivery to the combustion chamber is desired, push rod 3112 forces ball 3106 to lift from valve seat 3108 and the fuel is mounted around ball 3106 and through the passage shown for delivery to the combustion chamber. It is allowed to flow to the tool 3110. In certain embodiments, push rod 3112 is sealed by a close fitting within the bore shown at 3122 or by an elastomeric seal such as seal 3114. Activation of push rod 3112 may be by any suitable method or combination of methods.

  According to one embodiment, proper control of fuel flow can be provided by a solenoid action resulting from the passage of current through the annular winding 3126 in the steel cap 3128, where the solenoid plunger 3116 is As shown, it moves axially while connected to push rod 3112. In certain embodiments, the plunger 3116 is preferably a soft magnetic ferromagnetic material. The plunger 3116 is screwed into a permanent position on the ferromagnetic pole piece 3122 of the unit valve 3100 as shown, clamped, locked in place with a suitable adhesive, or crimped. Or by a sleeve bearing 3124, which is a self-lubricated or low-friction alloy, such as a Nitronic alloy, or a lubricated powder metallurgical oil-impregnated bearing. Guided by linear motion.

  In other embodiments, the valve ball 3106 may also provide a fairly high opening force after the push rod 3112 is allowed to move freely prior to suddenly hitting the ball 3106. The plunger 3116 may be opened by an impulse action that is allowed to obtain a significant moment. In this embodiment, when the plunger 3116 is in the neutral position at the start of acceleration toward the ball 3106, a significant moment can be generated before the ball 3106 is suddenly impacted. It is preferable to provide sufficient “at rest” clearance between the ball 3106 and the end of the push rod 3112.

  An alternative to intermittent actuation of push rod 3112, and hence ball 3106, is driven by a rotary solenoid or machine that operates at the same frequency that controls the air inlet valve (s) and / or engine power stroke. This is due to the cam displacement. Such mechanical starting can be used as the only source of displacement for the ball 3106 or in conjunction with a push-pull or rotary solenoid. In operation, the clevis 3118 holds the ball bearing assembly 3120 and the outer race of the roller or anti-friction bearing assembly rotates on the appropriate cam to move the plunger 3116 and push rod 3112 toward the ball 3106. Cause a linear motion. After striking the ball 3106 to generate fuel flow if desired, the ball 3106 and plunger 3116 are returned to the neutral position by magnetic valve seats and / or springs 3104 and 3105 as shown.

  Appropriate actuation of the unit valve 3100 is by a piezoelectrically actuated brake (not shown) or on the plunger 3116 to continue the fuel flow period after passing the camshaft 3120 as shown in FIGS. 8A and 9. It is similarly contemplated that it may be due to the displacement of the cam of the ball bearing assembly 3120 with a “hold-open” function upon activation of the applied electromagnet 3126. This provides a fluid flow valve function in which a movable valve element, such as a ball 3106, is displaced by a plunger 3112 that is forced by a suitable mechanism including a solenoid, a cam operator, and a combination of solenoid and cam operator. However, the valve element 3106 is sometimes held in a position that allows fluid flow by such solenoids, piezoelectric brakes, and / or combinations of solenoid and piezoelectric mechanisms.

  The flow of fuel from the unit valve 3100 is fairly detailed in the engine intake valve port, in a suitable direct cylinder fuel injector, and / or in FIGS. 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, and 11. It may be delivered to an injector having a selected combination of the embodiments shown. In some applications, such as large displacement engines, it is desirable to deliver fuel to all three entry points. If pressurized fuel is delivered to the combustion chamber inlet valve port by punctual injection while the suction port or valve is open, the fuel is generated to generate a higher air density in the combustion chamber. By applying a moment to cause air pumping, increased air intake and volumetric efficiency is achieved.

  In such cases, fuel is delivered at a rate well above the air velocity, thus inducing acceleration of the air into the combustion chamber. This advantage can be compounded by controlling the amount of fuel entering the combustion chamber to be less than the amount that would initiate or sustain combustion by spark ignition. Such lean fuel-air mixtures can, however, be ignited immediately by fuel injection and ignition according to the injector embodiments of FIGS. 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, and 11. Combustion of fuel into the lean fuel-air mixture generated by port fuel injection provides guaranteed ignition and rapid penetration.

  Additional power may be provided by direct cylinder injection through a separate direct fuel injector that adds fuel to the combustion initiated by the injector. Direct injection from one or more individual direct cylinder injectors into the combustion pattern, initiated and controlled by the injector / igniter, ensures rapid and complete combustion in excess air and from the combustion chamber surface Heat loss normally associated with individual direct injection and spark ignition components that require the fuel to swirl, jump and / or bounce and then burn on or near the surface around the spark ignition source To avoid.

  In larger engine applications, the plunger 3116 and ball 3112 solenoids are actuated by mechanical cams for high speed engine operation and when it is desirable to minimize current requirements and heat generation in the annular winding 3126. It is particularly desirable to combine with actuation. This allows the primary movement of the plunger 3116 to be provided by a camshaft, such as the camshaft 3212 of FIG. After the initial valve action of the ball 3106 has been established by a cam action for fuel delivery appropriate for engine idle operation, the plunger 3116 is produced as a result of producing a relatively small current flow in the annular winding 3126. By increasing the “holding time” by keeping it in contact with the stop 3122, increased fuel delivery and power production is provided. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 8A, 8B, 9, and 12, the valve operation is ensured by extending the holding time of the plunger 3116 by solenoid action after rapid opening of the ball 3106 by cam action. Accurate control of increased power is provided.

  According to aspects of the present disclosure, there is provided an engine with multiple combustion chambers with precisely timed delivery of fuel by the placement unit valve of embodiment 3200 as shown in the schematic fuel control circuit layout of FIG. The In this illustrative case, six unit valves (3100) are arranged in the housing 3202 at equiangular intervals. Housing 3202 provides pressurized fuel to each unit valve inlet 3206 through manifold 3204. The cam shown on the camshaft 3212 intermittently starts each push rod assembly 3210 to direct fuel from the inlet 3206 directly to the desired intake valve port and / or combustion chamber, or FIGS. , And delivering through the injector / igniter as shown in FIG. 10 provides an accurate flow of fuel to the outlet 3208 corresponding to 3110 in FIG. 8B. In certain embodiments, the housing 3202 is preferably adaptive with respect to angular position relative to the camshaft 3212 to provide spark and injection advance in response to an adaptive optimization algorithm provided by the controller 3220 as shown. Adjusted.

  In certain embodiments, the controller 3220 and associated components preferably provide fuel delivery events for each combustion chamber as further improvements in efficiency, power production, operational smoothness, fail-safe measures, and engine component life. And adaptive optimization of spark ignition events can be provided. The controller 3220 records sensor indications to determine the time between each cylinder's torque generation to determine the necessary adjustments to optimize the desired engine operating results, and adaptive fuel injection and Deriving positive and negative engine acceleration as a function of spark ignition data.

  In general, it is desirable to produce maximum torque with minimum fuel consumption. However, in areas such as crowded city streets where nitrogen oxide emissions are undesirable, adaptive fuel injection and ignition timing allows peak combustion temperatures to reach 2,200 ° C (4,000 ° F). Provides maximum torque without. This is accomplished by the disclosed embodiments shown.

  The determination of the peak combustion temperature is preferably provided by a flame temperature detector using a small diameter fiber optic cable or a larger transparent insulator 3072 as shown in FIG. In certain embodiments, the insulator 3072 is sapphire on the high temperature polymer combustion chamber surface, or a heat and wear resistant coating such as a diamond-coating, or as shown, sensors 3062D and / or 3432 of the controller 3043. Manufactured from quartz, sapphire, or glass for combined functions in the injector including light pipe transmission of radiation produced by combustion. The controller 3043, for example, monitors the wireless signal from the sensor 3062D in each combustion chamber to adaptively adjust fuel injection and / or spark ignition timing to prevent the formation of nitric oxide or other nitrogen oxides. To do.

  In certain embodiments, the cast 30 Preferably, an injection molded polymer insulator is provided and an insulating well 3066 is formed as shown. In other embodiments, this same insulator is used to protect the electrical connection to the controller 3062 in a location adjacent to the well 3050 but below the well 3050 and rotated from the well 3050. Preferably, another insulating well 3066 similar to 3050 is formed.

  In some high speed engine embodiments and in single rotor or single cylinder applications, a solid state controller 3062 is used as shown in FIG. 10 to provide optical monitoring of combustion chamber events. It may be preferable. It is also preferred to incorporate one or more pressure sensor (s) 3062P in the face of controller 3062 at a location similar or adjacent to sensor 3062D for generating a signal proportional to the pressure in the combustion chamber. In certain embodiments, the pressure sensor 3062P monitors and compares intake, compression, power, and exhaust events in the combustion chamber and provides adaptive control of fuel injection and ignition timing as shown. Provides a reference for comparison.

  According to one embodiment, one option for providing fuel metering and ignition management provides a “time-on” duration with camshaft 3212 shown in FIG. 9 for engine idle operation. It is to be. In certain embodiments, the cam location is further adapted through the use of push rods such as 3112 and / or when needed to meet retrofit applications with special geometries of new engine designs. Can be remote from the valve component 3106 by a rocker arm. The passage of low power current through the annular winding 3126 for increased fuel delivery time after the first pass of the rotating camshaft 3212 causes the “hold” time of the plunger 3116, push rod 3112, and ball 3106. Increasing provides increased engine speed and power production. This provides a combined mechanical and electromechanical system to produce a full range of desired engine speed and power.

  According to the present disclosure, ignition detects Hall effect, piezoelectric crystal deformation, photo-optic resistance, magnetoresistance, or other synchronous events such as camshaft 3212 or gear tooth counts. Including many proximity sensors, or when a photogenerator, magnetic generator, capacitive generator, inductive generator, magnet generator, or plunger 3116 moves within the bushing 3124 and the annular winding 3126 It may be triggered by using several other electrical signal changes that occur. After this plunger motion signal is generated, one or more desired selected from increased power production, increased fuel consumption, reduced nitric oxide production, providing adaptive fuel injection and spark timing. Electronic computer 3072 or 3220 to optimize the results and to facilitate engine start with minimal starter energy or to eliminate the need to reverse the direction of engine rotation and reverse gear in the transmission Alternatively, it is preferable to use a separate engine computer such as 3062.

  The present disclosure overcomes the fuel waste problem that occurs when the valve that controls fuel metering is at a distance from the combustion chamber. This problem allows the fuel to continue to flow after the control valve is closed, resulting in fuel delivery when the fuel cannot be burned at the optimal time interval that is most beneficial in the power stroke. This is especially wasteful if such fuel continues to be drunk drastically during the exhaust stroke, leading to deterioration of the engine and exhaust system. Delivered and delivered by the present disclosure to overcome this difficult problem of delivering a sufficient volume of gaseous fuel without after-flow when the fuel could not be used optimally Injector 3028 or 3029 or 3029 as the final delivery point for quickly and accurately delivering fuel into the combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine that powers the system and / or on-site engine or transportation application receiving Is preferably used.

  The fuel to be combusted is delivered to the injector by a suitable pressure fitting through inlet 3042, as shown in FIG. Solenoid operator assemblies 3043, 3044, 3046, 3048, and 3054 are used when it is desirable to deliver fuel to the combustion chamber of a converted diesel or spark ignition engine. The ferromagnetic driver 3048 moves in response to electromagnetic forces generated when the voltage applied to the lead 3052 in the insulating well 3050 causes a current in the annular winding of the insulated conductor 3046, and the driver 3048 It moves toward the solenoid core pole piece 3045 as shown.

  The driver 3048 moves relatively freely over a dielectric fiber cable 3060 that is fixed toward the electromagnetic pole piece as shown. After a significant moment is obtained, the driver 3048 strikes the ball 3035 in the spring well shown. Ball 3035 is attached to dielectric fiber cable 3060 in spring 3036 as shown. As shown in FIG. 10, a normally closed valve component 3074 of relatively less inertia is applied by the sudden application of force due to moment transmission, which is much greater than can be generated by this direct acting solenoid valve. It will suddenly lift from the upper valve seat of the passage in the valve seat 3090.

  FIG. 10 is a longitudinal cross-section of an embodiment component assembly operated in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 11 is an end view of 3094 of the component assembly of FIG. 10 configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 12 is an illustration of an embodiment of the disclosed injector operated in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. FIG. 13 is an enlarged end view of the flat tube shown in FIG. According to another embodiment of the mixed fuel injector 3029 ′, the fuel selected at the desired time for fuel injection is delivered to the leaf spring tube 3094, which is normally flat and flows into it. Inflated with fuel, it provides a round tube for very low impedance flow into the combustion chamber as shown in FIGS. After completion of such forward fuel flow into the combustion chamber, the leaf spring tube 3094 collapses to a closed position of essentially “zero clearance volume” for the pressurized gas flow from the combustion chamber. Works effectively as a check valve. Fiber optic bundle 3060 extends through flow control valve 3074 'below magnetic valve seat 3090 to view combustion chamber events by converging through the flat tube 3094 and converging to the center of slot 3088 as shown. Or alternatively, as 3096 through a central hole of a clan of holes provided at a desired angle that will serve as a well for distributing fuel to produce the desired stratified charge combustion (this alternative These figures are not specifically illustrated).

  FIG. 10 shows a flat cross section of a leaf spring tube 3094 that is flat between fuel injection events to effectively provide a check valve for combustion chamber gas flow during the fuel injection event. FIG. 13 shows an enlarged end view of a cross-section of a flat tube that is inflated with a normally closed check valve and a round tube that is alternately inflated as a free flow channel for delivery of fuel to the combustion chamber. Suitable elastomers that work well as material choices for the leaf spring tube 3094 are PTFE, ETFE, PFA, PEEK, and FEP over a wide range of operating temperatures from -251 ° C to 215 ° C (-420 ° F to + 420 ° F). including. Such flat / circular tubes bulge elastically more or less than the limit of the passage 3092 when fuel is transmitted, shrinking and conforming to available space for flat material during the fuel delivery interval. Is intended to be. Accordingly, the flat shape shown in FIG. 13 may take a meniscus configuration, a twisted configuration, a curved configuration and / or a corrugated configuration to conform to the dimensions and geometry of the passage 3092. Synergistic advantages include cooling of the tube 3094 by passing fuel from the heat exchange, as shown in FIG. 14, to ensure a long life of the spring tube 3094.

  In operation, as the leaf spring tube 3094 collapses after a fuel delivery burst, the combustion gases pass inwardly through slots 3088 and 3089, flat with the bore 3092 of the nozzle 3072 as shown in the end view of FIG. Fill the remaining space between the pipes. In adiabatic engine applications and ultra-high performance engines, this provides heat transfer to the flat tube and thus to the fuel that is circulated through the flat tube. For these purposes, it is particularly advantageous to warm the delivery of rich cold or cryogenic fuels. This unique arrangement also provides cooling of the upper region of the injector assembly and then heats the fuel to increase vapor pressure and / or cause a phase change just prior to injection and ignition in the combustion chamber. To communicate. Thus, the spring tube 3094 can further serve as a circulating heat exchanger for beneficial operation with widely varying fuel selections and conditions as shown.

  When it is necessary to provide cold start and operation with a low vapor pressure liquid such as methanol, ethanol, diesel fuel, or gasoline, the injector 3028 or 3029 repeats very quickly for the flow control valve 3074. Providing a new type of fuel delivery with exceptionally high surface-to-volume characteristics. By operating the flow control valve with a duty cycle such as 0.0002 seconds open and 0.0001 seconds closed, achieved by a very low inertia cable or rod 3060 and ball 3074 collision release action. From the slots 3088 and 3089 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the fuel is a series of stratified and thicker as shown in FIGS. 2, 3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D. Injected as a patterned wave. This results in a thin, high surface-to-volume fuel resulting from guaranteed spark ignition, followed by a total injection period of about 0.001 seconds at idle to about 0.012 seconds during engine acceleration. Provides an excellent burn rate of the film. Such a patterned flat film wave of fuel injected from slot 3088 provides a uniform charge by bouncing off or jumping off the combustion chamber surface as required by a separate fuel injector and spark plug combination. -Fuel mixture or compromised stratified charge-To produce a fuel mixture, it allows for later injection and guaranteed ignition than is possible with conventional approaches.

  The adaptive timing of spark ignition with each wave of injected fuel provides much greater control of the peak combustion temperature. In operation, this first causes a fuel rich combustion to burn the fuel film, followed by a transition due to the expanding flame front into excess air surrounding the stratified charge combustion, resulting in 2,204 ° C. (4 A much more air-rich combustion that ensures complete combustion without exceeding the peak combustion temperature of 1,000,000 F), thus making it possible to avoid the formation of nitrogen oxides.

  A combination of the disclosed embodiments comprises storing one or more fuel materials in a container and the fuel, and / or the thermal, thermochemical, or electrochemical derivatives of such fuel at the engine combustion chamber boundary. By means of an insulated cable in order to communicate the valve operator, such as flow control valves 3074 to 3048, to a substantially isolating device and substantially eliminate fuel dribbling at unintentional points into the combustion chamber of the engine. And providing a process and a guaranteed process for energy conversion comprising controlling such fuels or derivatives of such fuels. This combination allows for efficient use of virtually any gas, vapor, liquid, or slush fuel regardless of the energy density, viscosity, or octane or cetane number of the fuel. The generation of sufficient voltage potential on or through valve 3074 in the combustion chamber provides plasma or spark ignition of fuel flowing in at the correct time to adapt to optimize engine operation. To do.

  According to aspects of the present disclosure, the mixed fuel injection and ignition system for energy conversion is applicable to mobile engine operation and stationary engine operation. Hybrid vehicle applications and distributed energy applications are particularly valuable examples of such applications. If maximum output from engine 3430 is desired, hydrogen produced from tank 3404, or produced by embodiment 236, then mixed with embodiment 3426 and / or cooler feedstock from tank 3404. Using a fuel characterized by hydrogen cooled and providing stratified charge injection during the compression stroke in the engine 30 to cool the non-throttle air charge and backwork due to compression work It is preferable to quickly burn hydrogen or hydrogen-characterized fuel with adaptive spark ignition timing to maximize the brake mean effective pressure (BMEP).

  Where nitrogen oxide minimization is desired, hydrogen or a fuel characterized by hydrogen is used, yielding the highest BMEP without exceeding the peak combustion chamber temperature of 2,204 ° C. (4,000 ° F.) Therefore, it is preferable to adjust the injection timing and the ignition timing adaptively. If it is desired to produce the quietest operation, one or more acoustic sensors such as 3417 near the exhaust manifold and near the exhaust pipe are monitored for operational noise to determine fuel injection timing and ignition timing. It is preferable to adjust to the minimum noise at the acoustic wavelength audible to humans. Where it is desired to produce the maximum engine life, it is preferable to adaptively adjust the fuel injection timing and ignition timing to produce the highest BMEP with a minimal amount of heat transfer to the combustion chamber surface.

  FIG. 12 is an embodiment 3028, 3029, or 3029 ′ with a suitable fuel valve operator located in the upper insulation 3340 and electrically isolated from the fuel flow control valve located very close to the combustion chamber. FIG. 6 shows a partial view of a characteristic engine block and head component and injector 3328 that operates as disclosed with respect to, where the stratified charge fuel injection pattern 3326 is shown in the illustrated combustion chamber geometry. Is asymmetric as shown to accommodate Such an asymmetric fuel permeation pattern preferably provides a suitably larger fuel delivery passage, such as a wider gap in the portions of slots 3088 and 3089 shown in FIGS. 4, 5, 6, 7, and 10. As shown in the figure, as a surplus air insulator surrounding the combustant and combustion, causing more permeation of fuel entering the combustion chamber with the appropriate fuel permeation line pattern 3326 as shown. Providing optimized air utilization and minimizing heat loss to the components of the head, including the piston, intake valve or exhaust valve 3322, or engine block containing coolant in the passage, as shown. .

  When it is desirable to maximize the production of nitrogen oxides for medical, industrial, chemical synthesis, and agricultural applications, quickly produce and quench the nitrogen oxides produced in the combustion chamber To do so, it is preferable to maximize the combustion temperature of the stratified charge and to operate at a high piston speed. This allows for combined production of the desired chemical species while efficiently producing the motive force for power generation applications, propulsion applications, and / or other shaft power applications. Systems that combine operation as disclosed with respect to FIGS. 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, and 12 are particularly effective in providing these new developments and advantages.

  FIG. 14 is a diagram that includes a cross-sectional view of certain components of a system 3402 configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. More specifically, FIG. 14 shows that fuel selections of greatly changing temperature, energy density, vapor pressure, combustion rate, and air utilization requirements are safely stored, injected interchangeably into the combustion chamber, and ignited. Shows a system 3402. The system 3402 has a test pressure above 7,000 atmospheres and 3,000 as required to store gas and / or liquid vapors as densely as cooler vapors, liquids, or solids. A fuel storage tank 3404 having an impervious and chemically compatible fuel containment liner 3406 that is sufficiently covered with fiber reinforcement to withstand circulating operating pressures above atmospheric pressure can be included.

  As further shown in FIG. 14, the regulator 3412 can deliver fuel to the fuel cell 3437 through a control valve 3439. According to one embodiment, fuel cell 3437 may be reversible to produce hydrogen from a feedstock such as water, including those characterized by low and high temperature models, and electrolyte types. May be of any suitable type. According to this embodiment, the fuel stored in tank 3404 can be further used in a more efficient fuel cell 3437 than can be provided by a system that provides such preferred fuel species by conventional reforming operations. It can be converted to a suitable fuel type. Such a combination of components and operation of the present disclosure thus provides a highly efficient hybridization and convenience in achieving higher operating efficiency and functionality.

  According to one embodiment, the tank 3404 is quickly driven by flowing fuel through various valves, for example, a fill port 3410, a first four-way valve 3411, and a second four-way valve 3414 as shown in FIG. Can be filled. The reflective dielectric layer 3416 and the sealing layer 3418 are designed to provide support and protection for the storage systems 3406 and 3408 while minimizing heat transfer between storage at 3406 as shown. And 3408 thermal insulation and support. According to an aspect of an embodiment, the dielectric layer 3416 and the seal layer 3418 can be coated with a reflective metal. For example, these transparent films of glass or polymer can be coated very thinly with a reflective metal such as aluminum or silver to provide radiant energy reflection and reduced thermal conductivity. In an alternative embodiment, the dielectric material itself can provide reflection due to the refractive index difference between the selected materials for alternating layers.

  According to a further aspect, the length of time required for substantial utilization of the coldest fuel stored in assemblies 3406 and 3408 can be considered. For example, the effective length of the heat transfer path and the number of reflective layers of insulator 3416 selected may be sufficient to minimize or prevent moisture, condensation, and ice formation on the 3418 sealed surface. Blocking can be provided. Thus, tank 3404 can provide an acceptable occurrence of pressure storage because cold solids, liquids, and vapors become pressurized fluids with very large energy density capacities at ambient temperatures. Similarly, fluids such as cold ethane and propane can be filled into the assembly 3404 without concern about the pressure generation that occurs when the tank is warmed to ambient conditions.

  According to a further aspect, tank 3404 also provides safe storage of solids such as cryogenic hydrogen solids as slushes in cold liquid hydrogen and cryogenic methane solids as cryogenic liquid hydrogen or slushes in methane. can do. Melting such solids, producing liquids, and subsequently heating such liquids to produce vapor prevents ice on surface 3418 by insulation system 3416 and seal layer 3418, and to surface components. It works well in the safe containment function of assemblies 3406 and 3408 while being prevented from being damaged.

  According to a further aspect, a fluid fuel suitable for transmission into and storage in the tank 3404 includes cold hydrogen and / or methane. In operation, it may be convenient to fill and store tank 3404 with ethane, propane, butane, methanol, or ethanol. In addition, gasoline or clean diesel fuel can also be stored in tank 3404 after proper curing of tank 3404 with at least two tanks of ethanol or methanol before refilling with cold fuel. Thus, convenient storage of the most desirable fuel to meet pollution prevention, coverage, and fuel cost targets is provided. According to aspects of the present disclosure, the use of hydrogen is considered in urban areas to provide air cleaning capabilities, while renewable generator gas of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, methanol, ethanol, ethane, or propane. Exchangeable use of the mixture is indicated. This provides an opportunity for farmers and entrepreneurs to produce and distribute various fuels and facilitates competition, and motorists who desire longer range capability and / or lower cost fuel storage And meeting the needs of co-generators.

  As shown in FIG. 14, by opening / closing valve 3414, fuel delivery from tank 3404 is from the bottom of the tank through strainer 3420 or through the strainer 3422 according to the desired flow path as shown. It may be from. If tank containment assemblies 3406 and 3408 are subjected to poor handling, containment of fuel selection within reinforcement 3408 integral with liner 3406 is maintained. In accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, the superjacket assembly of dielectric layer 3416 and seal layer 3418 minimizes radiative, conductive, and convective heat transfer, and fire rating by reflecting radiation. , Insulate against all forms of heat gain, and dissipate heat for a longer time than conventional tanks.

  According to additional embodiments, in cases where exposure to the flame is extended, the temperature or storage pressure of assemblies 3406 and 3408 may eventually increase to where relief is required. Where the temperature and / or pressure has increased to the appropriate percentage of maximum allowable storage, as shown, the embedded pressure sensor 3431 and temperature sensor 3433 are “black-boxed” by wireless, fiber optic, or wire connection. Reporting information to the controller 3432, giving a priority to sending additional fuel to the engine 3430 by sending a signal to the four-way valve 3414. If engine 3430 is not currently running, its state is queried by controller 3432 to determine if it is safe and desirable to run with or without load. In operation, the engine 3430 can be started and / or shifted to operate at a fuel consumption rate sufficient to prevent overpressurization or overtemperature conditions in the tank assembly 3404.

  As shown in FIG. 14, the system 3402 includes an injector device 3428 to facilitate a very rapid automatic start of the engine 3430, and in contrast to the preferred normal high efficiency mode of operation, uniform charge combustion and Low fuel efficiency can be provided with injection and ignition timing that results in significant backwork. According to aspects of this embodiment, fuel may be consumed more quickly than with more efficient stratified charge operation with fuel injection and ignition timing adjusted adaptively to optimize thermal efficiency. it can. In accordance with the present disclosure, the injector device 3428 also provides engine operation while creating an intake vacuum with an abnormal application of air restriction (throttle air entry) to the engine 3430. And this is necessary for the fuel delivery system to greatly reduce pressure and boil, or to remove very large heat gains due to long-term flame impingement on the tank 3404 In some cases, suction to the tank 3404 can be provided to force evaporative fuel cooling. Rather than dumping fuel to the atmosphere to relieve pressure during exposure to flame, a useful mode of application of fuel from such tank 3404 is to deliver engine power to water pumping applications to cool the tank and fire. It is highly preferred because it can provide propulsion to extinguish or escape from fire. The resource safety management mode to overcome this danger is applicable to stationary power plants and emergency response vehicles, especially forest and building fire extinguishing equipment.

  If such fail-safe measures are not sufficient to prevent over-pressurization or over-temperature conditions in tank 3404, additional fuel may be introduced into the air through safety stack 3434 as shown by the pressure relief measures in valve 3414. Thrown away. The safety stack 3434 is preferably a safety zone 3465 designed to reject hot gases such as chimneys or vehicle exhaust pipes, thus preventing harm to any person or property.

  As further shown with reference to FIG. 14, a cover gas for rotating equipment such as generators and engines 3430 to remove heat generated by the rotating equipment and reduce wind and friction losses. It is preferred to use hydrogen from accumulator 3419 when provided by a regulator or similar regulator to supply the treated fuel as. The purity of these hydrogens is not important, and significant amounts of methane, carbon monoxide, etc. may be present without harming the rotating machinery, and such use is very substantial in efficiency and energy conversion capacity. It has been found that improvements are provided. Thus, virtually any primary fuel that reacts with hydrogen-containing or hydrogen-containing compounds such as water to produce hydrogen, hydrogen cooling, and reduced generator windage loss, and improved internal combustion engine efficiency And for more safety, it can be transformed by embodiments of the present disclosure. The embodiment of FIG. 14 shows that, together with 3028, 3029, 3100, 3200, and 3029 ′, low energy density hydrogen is used as an excellent heat transfer agent for fuel cells 3437 and engines 3430 and as the preferred fuel. Enable.

  A particularly important application is the use of such hydrogen to lower the operating temperature of the rotating generator windings to allow more efficient operation and higher energy conversion capabilities. After being warmed by the passage through such rotating equipment, the hydrogen is then sent to the crankcase of the piston engine and then to the injector and / or valve assembly 3200 of such an engine as fuel in the engine. Can be used. This improves the efficiency of cogeneration applications and increases the capacity of the resulting system. Filling the crankcase 3455 of the piston engine with a hydrogen atmosphere is an operational safety by ensuring that there is no flammable mixture of air and hydrogen in the crankcase to boost accidental ignition. Improve sex. This lower viscosity atmosphere synergistically reduces wind and friction losses from the relative motion components of the engine. This also greatly improves the life of the lubricating oil by eliminating the adverse oxidation reaction between oxygen and oil slicks and droplets occurring in the crankcase. Maintenance of a dry hydrogen atmosphere in the crankcase above the water evaporation temperature provides further benefits of water removal and avoiding corrosion such as bearings and ring seals due to the presence of electrolyzed water .

  Combined with the removal of water that occurs in the crankcase, this hydrogen humidification is very advantageous for the maintenance of proton exchange membranes (PEMs) of fuel cells such as 3437, especially in hybrid applications. This is achieved by combining the shown engine-generator with such fuel cell operation to meet the changing demands due to diurnal, seasonal weather needs, or production requirements, resulting in several kilowatts of fuel cell 3437. Enables highly flexible and efficient operation of the system according to the embodiment of FIG. 14 across demands from output to megawatt capacity.

  In normal operation, fuel vapor is taken from the top of the storage tank 3404 and through a strainer 3422, a multiway valve 3414, and injection and injection at cold engine start conditions with a cold fuel selection in the tank 3404. Stratified charge combustion and sudden heating of excess air occur in all combustion chambers of the engine 3430 in power stroke via an insulated conduit 3425 to an injector device 3428 for ignition. If more power is required than is provided by the steam supply at the top of tank 3404 at a sustainable fuel ratio, liquid fuel is drawn from the bottom of fuel tank 3404 and through the strainer 3420 to the injector. Delivered to device 3428. According to aspects of the present disclosure, the exhaust heat can be used to pressurize and vaporize the liquid fuel in the heat exchanger 3436 after the engine is warmed. According to yet further aspects, the heat exchanger 3436 may incorporate one or more suitable catalysts for generating new fuel species from liquid, vapor, or gaseous fuel components.

In accordance with the present disclosure, depending on the fuel chemistry stored in tank 3404, heat exchanger 3436 produces fuel characterized by various hydrogens to improve the operation of engine 3430. Can do. For example, wet methanol can be vaporized and dissociated by applying heat as shown in Equation 1 to produce hydrogen and carbon monoxide.
2CH3OH + H2O + heat → 5H2 + CO + CO2 Formula 1

As illustrated in Equation 2, heat and / or the addition of an oxygen donor such as water can provide an endothermic modification of wet ethanol that is less expensive.
C2H5OH + H2O + heat → 4H2 + 2CO Formula 2

  Thus, this embodiment is further enhanced by allowing cracking distillation to synthesize carbon monoxide and hydrogen and / or large amounts of water as produced by fermentation and distillation to remain mixed with the alcohol. Enables the use of biomass alcohol from low-cost production methods. In operation, this allows for a more favorable energy economy because producing wet alcohol rather than dry alcohol requires less energy and capital equipment. Without being bound by theory, the processes and systems disclosed herein produce hydrogen and carbon monoxide fuel derivatives by endotherm and release 25% more combustion energy than dry alcohol feedstock. Therefore, utilization of waste heat from the engine is further facilitated. Additional benefits are derived from the faster and cleaner burning characteristics provided by hydrogen. Accordingly, by utilizing the injector device 3428 to meter and ignite such hydrogen-derived derivative fuel as a stratified charge in the air that is not throttled, the uniformity of the dry alcohol (s) An overall fuel efficiency improvement of over 40% is achieved compared to charge air combustion.

  According to yet further embodiments, the water for the endothermic reaction shown in Equations 1 and 2 is collected by the auxiliary water storage tank 3409 and / or by collecting water from the exhaust stream and adding it to the auxiliary tank 3409. Or condensing water and, if necessary, melt stabilizer, with the fuel stored in tank 3404 and / or from the atmosphere in air flow path 3423 onto the surface of heat exchanger 3426. Can be supplied by collecting water to do. As shown in FIG. 14, the pump 3415 exchanges heat through the check valve 3407 at a rate proportional to the fuel ratio through the valve 3411 and check valve 3407 to satisfy the stoichiometric reforming reaction. Provides delivery of water to reactor 3436.

  Alcohol fuels, such as ethanol, methanol, isopropanol, etc., can be dissolved in water in stoichiometric proportions, and more hydrogen with endothermic reforming, as generally illustrated and summarized by Equations 1 and 2. Produce. This allows even lower cost fuels to be used advantageously, for example, on farms and by other small businesses. Cost savings include, but are not limited to, reduced purification energy to remove water and transport from distant refineries.

  Burning any hydrocarbon, hydrogen, or fuel characterized by hydrogen in the engine 3430 produces water in the engine exhaust. According to aspects of the present disclosure, most of the water in such an exhaust stream can be recovered by the liquid stripper 3405 after the exhaust gas has been cooled below the dew point, for example. According to one embodiment, the countercurrent heat exchanger / reactor 3436 provides most if not all of the heat required for the endothermic reaction characterized by Equations 1 and 2, and in doing so exhausts Cool down dramatically. Depending on the countercurrent flow rate and area provided, the exhaust gas can be cooled to near the fuel storage temperature. This provides immediate condensation of water, and in many additional new embodiments, the disclosure applying this application is described in US Pat. No. 6,756,140, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 6,155,212, 6,015,065, 6,446,597, 6,503,584, 5,343,699, and 5,394,852, and In combination with hybridized engines, electrolyzers, reversible fuel cells and / or water, as disclosed in any non-provisional patent application claiming priority under copending provisional patent application 60 / 551,219 Combined with a process for storing fuel and / or a process for powering the bottoming cycle utilizing exhaust heat.

  If sufficient heat for the endothermic reforming reaction in reactor 3436 is not available or the desired temperature is not achieved, pump 3403 provides oxygen-rich exhaust gas to reactor 3436 as shown in FIG. Can be provided. The use of the pump according to this embodiment includes an exothermic reaction between the present oxygen and the fuel species that produces carbon monoxide and / or carbon dioxide with hydrogen and an endothermic reforming reaction leveraged by the release of additional heat. Easy to combine with. In conventional use of reaction products in reactor 3436, this will provide undesirable by-products such as nitrogen, but injector device 3428 may be at or near top dead center or engine 3430. A large gas volume can be injected and rapidly delivered into the combustion chamber during power stroke times and conditions that do not compromise the volume or thermal efficiency of the combustion chamber.

Thus, the hydrogen-containing fuel is subject to conditions selected from the group comprising a low temperature slush, a low temperature liquid, a pressurized low temperature vapor, an adsorbed material, an ambient temperature supercritical fluid, and an ambient temperature fluid. Stored in tank 3404 and converted to high temperature material selected from the group comprising high temperature steam, new chemical species, and mixtures of new chemical species and high temperature steam by applying heat from the engine exhaust Are injected into the combustion chamber and ignited. Preferably enough heat to cause condensation of significant water collected for the purpose of entering an endothermic reaction that produces hydrogen with the hydrogen-containing fuel in the higher temperature zone of reactor 3436 as shown. It may be removed from the exhaust gas of engine 3430. Equation 3 shows the production of heat and water from the combustion of a hydrocarbon fuel such as methane.
CH4 + 3O2 → CO2 + 2H2O Formula 3

Equation 4 is for reforming hydrocarbons such as methane, ethane, propane, butane, octane, gasoline, diesel fuel, and other heavier fuel molecules with water to produce a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. CxHy + XH2O + heat representing (0.5Y + X) H2 + XCO

Equations 3, 5, and 6 show that the amount of water produced by combustion of hydrocarbons such as methane is two to three times greater than the water required to reform methane to a fuel characterized by more desirable hydrogen. Illustrate that.
CH4 + H2O + heat → 3H2 + CO Formula 5

Equation 6 reforms hydrocarbons such as methane and burns the resulting fuel species of Equation 5 to produce more water for the reforming reaction in reactor 3436 and combustion Illustrates the benefits of producing more inflation gas in the chamber power stroke.
3H2 + CO + 2O2 → 3H2O + CO2 Formula 6

  Thus, reforming methane with water to produce and burn generator gas (hydrogen and carbon monoxide) requires more combustion energy and about the amount of heat required for endothermic reforming of methane in reactor 3436. Provides three times more production water. Thus, along with the water condensed in heat exchanger 3426, much water can be collected by the vehicle or stationary application of the present disclosure. Collecting water reduces equipment weight because most of the weight of water used in reactor 3436 is obtained by combustion of oxygen from the air and fuel characterized by hydrogen or hydrogen in engine 3430. Let Thus, each gram of hydrogen combines with 8 grams of atmospheric oxygen to provide 9 grams of collectable water from engine 3430 exhaust.

  According to yet further embodiments, the hybrids with reactions including reactions supported by the catalyst in the heat exchanger 3436 at a high or low temperature available by heat exchange from the engine 3430 or cooling the fuel from the tank 3404. In order to support regenerative operation and / or load leveling operation in the vehicle, suitable pure water can be supplied for operation of one or more electrolysis processes. This embodiment provides the improved overall energy utilization efficiency provided by the synergistic combination described herein, and such a large supply of pure water is bulky and requires maintenance reverse osmosis, distillation system It should be further noted that no other expensive and energy consuming equipment is required.

  The fuel characterized by the hydrogen produced provides many other advantages, including the following:

  Hydrogen burns 7 to 10 times faster than methane and similar hydrocarbons, which allows the ignition timing to be well behind the timing with the original hydrocarbon species, resulting in substantial backwork and compression. Avoid heat losses that would accompany ignition during the initial phase.

  Hydrogen and carbon monoxide produced by the endothermic reforming reactions release up to 25% more heat during combustion than the original hydrocarbon. This is due to the thermodynamic investment of endothermic heat in the production of hydrogen and carbon monoxide from the original hydrocarbon. This is a particularly beneficial method for using waste heat from the engine water jacket or air cooling system, as well as higher quality heat from the exhaust system as shown.

  Hydrogen burns very cleanly, guarantees very rapid combustion propagation, and ensures complete combustion in excess air of any hydrocarbon that passes through the reforming reaction and becomes an additional component of the fuel mixture characterized by hydrogen To do.

  The rapid combustion of hydrogen and / or other fuel species in the presence of water vapor delivered by the injector device 3428 is responsible for the isolated expansion and work production of the stratified charge in the combustion chamber. Is heated rapidly to provide much higher operating efficiency compared to premixing methods that expand water vapor.

  Rapid heating of water vapor along with the production of water vapor by combustion greatly reduces nitrogen oxides by lowering the peak temperature of the combustion products and by the synergistic reaction of these reactive water vapors with nitrogen oxides This greatly reduces the net generation and presence of nitrogen oxides in the exhaust gas.

  Rapid ignition and heating by rapid combustion of fuel oxidation, characterized by hydrogen when uniquely established by injector device 3428, completely oxidizes all fuel components and removes nitrogen oxides in the exhaust stream. Provides more time in the combustion chamber for a beneficial, synergistic reaction that reduces.

  15A-15D sequentially illustrate the results of stratified charge combustion by a valve actuation operator as generally disclosed with respect to piezoelectric or electromagnetic armatures in the upper portion of the injector device 3428, where the valve actuation operator is Is electrically isolated from the flow control valve 3584 located at the interface with the combustion chamber, but is mechanically linked. In this case, the flow control component 3584 acts as a movable flow control valve that takes in fuel that is displaced towards the combustion chamber and is injected, and is moved upward to a normally closed position to check the combustion gas pressure. Work as. Injection when a plasma discharge is generated by applying a voltage potential between a threaded ground to the engine head or block and the insulated flow control valve assembly of component 3584 as shown. Ignition of the fuel that occurs.

Integrated fuel injector / igniter dielectric function unit 16 are partial side cross-sectional diagram of a injector 410 in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. The injector 410 shown in FIG. 16 illustrates several features of a dielectric material that can be used in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. The illustrated injector 410 includes several features that may be at least generally similar in structure and function to the corresponding features of the injector described above with reference to FIGS. 1-3D. . For example, the injector 410 includes a body 412 having a nozzle portion 418 extending from the intermediate portion 416. The nozzle portion 418 extends into an opening or inlet port 409 in the engine head 407. Many engines, such as diesel engines, have a very small diameter inlet port 409 (eg, approximately 7.09 mm or 0.279 inch diameter). Such a small space presents difficulties in providing insulation suitable for spark or plasma ignition of the fuel species contemplated by the present disclosure (eg, fuel that is approximately 3,000 times lower in energy density than diesel fuel). . However, as described in detail below, the injectors of the present disclosure are required for the production, separation, and / or delivery of ignition events (eg, sparks or plasma) in a very small space It has a body 412 with a dielectric or insulating material that can provide electrical insulation suitable for ignition wires producing high voltages (eg, 60,000 volts). These dielectric or insulating materials are also configured for stability and protection against oxidation or other degradation due to periodic exposure to high temperature and high pressure gases produced by combustion. Moreover, as described in detail below, these dielectric materials provide an optical or electrical communication path from the combustion chamber to sensors such as transducers, instrumentation, filters, amplifiers, controllers, and / or computers. It can be configured to be integrated. Moreover, the insulating material can be brazed or diffusion bonded to the metal base 414 of the body 412 at the seal location.

Spiral Dielectric Function Part According to one embodiment of the body 412 of the injector 410 illustrated in FIG. 16, the dielectric material comprising the intermediate part 416 and / or the nozzle part 418 of the injector 410 is illustrated. Illustrated in 17A and FIG. 17B. More particularly, FIG. 17A is a side view of an insulator or dielectric body 512, and FIG. 17B is a cross-sectional side view taken substantially along line 17B-17B of FIG. 17A. Although the body 512 illustrated in FIG. 17A has a generally cylindrical shape, in other embodiments, the body 512 includes other nozzle shapes that include, for example, a nozzle portion that extends from the body 512 toward the combustion chamber interface 531. Can be included. With reference to FIGS. 17A and 17B together, in the illustrated embodiment, the dielectric body 512 comprises a spiral or wound base layer 528. In certain embodiments, the base layer 528 can be artificial or natural mica (eg, pinhole free mica paper). In other embodiments, however, the base layer 528 can be made of other materials suitable to provide adequate dielectric strength associated with relatively thin materials. In the illustrated embodiment, one or both sides of the base layer 528 are covered with a relatively thin dielectric coating layer 530. The coating layer 530 can be made from a high temperature, high purity polymer such as Teflon NXT, Dyneon TFM, Parylene HT, polyethersulfone, and / or polyetheretherketone. In other embodiments, however, the coating layer 530 can be made from other materials suitable for properly sealing the base layer 528.

  Base layer 528 and coating layer 530 can be tightly wound into a spiral shape to form a tube, thereby providing a continuous layer of sheets of combined base layer 528 and coating layer 530. In certain embodiments, these layers can be bonded with an adhesive (eg, ceramic cement) suitable for the rolled configuration. In other embodiments, these layers are impregnated with polymer, glass, fumed silica, or other suitable material to allow the body 512 to be wrapped into a tightly wound tube shape. be able to. Moreover, the sheets or layers of the body 512 can be separated by successive applications of dissimilar films. For example, the separation film between the layers of the body 512 may be a thin boron nitride, polyethersulfone, such as Parylene N on Parylene C, Parylene N on the Parylene C, HT film layer, and / or polyethylene, or other suitable separation material, Or it can include layers separated by application of other material options such as polyolefins. Such film separation may also be achieved by temperature or pressure instrumented fibers including, for example, single crystal sapphire fibers. Such fibers may be produced by laser-heated pedestal growth techniques, after which perfluorinated ethylene is used to prevent energy from leaking from the fiber into the potentially absorbing film surrounding the fiber. It may be coated with propylene (FEP) or other materials with similar refractive index values.

  When the coating layer 530 is applied with a relatively thin film (e.g., 0.1-0.3 mm), the coating layer 530 may be -30 <0> C (e.g., -22 [deg.] F) to about 230 <0> C (e.g., 450 [deg.]). A dielectric strength of approximately 2.0 to 4.0 KVolts / 0.001 inches up to F) can be provided. The inventor has found that a coating layer 530 having a greater thickness may not provide enough insulation to provide the voltage required for an ignition event. More specifically, as shown in Table 1 below, the coating layer with the greater thickness significantly reduced the dielectric strength. These reduced dielectric strengths may not adequately prevent the arcing and leakage currents of the insulating body 512 when it is desirable to generate an ignition event (eg, spark or plasma) in the combustion chamber. For example, in many engines with high compression pressure, such as typical diesel or supercharged engines, the voltage required to initiate an ignition event (eg, spark or plasma) is approximately 60,000 volts or higher. is there. A conventional dielectric body comprising a tubular insulator with an effective wall thickness of only 0.040 inches or more made of conventional insulators may provide only 500 volts / 0.001 inches; It will fail to fully accommodate these required voltages.

  The embodiment of insulator body 512 illustrated in FIGS. 17A and 17B is approximately 3,000 at temperatures ranging from −30 ° C. (eg, −22 ° F.) to approximately 450 ° C. (eg, 840 ° F.). Dielectric strength of volt / 0.001 inch can be provided. Moreover, the coating layer 530 can also serve as a sealant to the base layer 528 to prevent combustion gases and / or other contaminants from entering the body 512. The coating layer 530 can also provide a refractive index that is sufficiently different to improve light transmission efficiency through the body 512 for an optical communication body that extends through the body 512.

  According to another feature of the illustrated embodiment, the body 512 includes a plurality of communication bodies 532 that extend longitudinally through the body 512 between sheets or layers of the base layer 528. In certain embodiments, the communication body 532 may be a conductor such as a high voltage spark ignition wire or cable. These ignition wires can be made from metal wires that are insulated or coated with aluminum oxide, thereby providing alumina on the wires. Since the communication body 532 extends longitudinally through the body 512 between the corresponding base layers 528, the communication body 532 does not participate in any charge extending radially outward through the body 512. Thus, the communication body 532 does not affect or otherwise degrade the dielectric properties of the body 512. In addition to delivering a voltage for ignition, in certain embodiments, the communication body 532 is also operatively associated with one or more actuators and / or controllers to drive a flow valve for fuel injection. Can be combined.

  In other embodiments, the communicator 532 may be configured to transmit combustion data from the combustion chamber to one or more transducers, amplifiers, controllers, filters, instrumentation computers, and the like. For example, the communication body 532 is formed from an optical layer or fiber such as quartz, aluminum fluoride, ZBLAN fluoride, glass, and / or polymer, and / or other materials suitable for transmitting data through the injector. Optical fiber or other communication body. In other embodiments, the communication body 532 can be made from zirconium, barium, lanthanum, aluminum, and sodium fluoride (ZBLAN) and suitable transmission materials such as ceramic or glass tubes.

Particle Orientation of Dielectric Functionality Referring again to FIG. 16, according to another embodiment of the injector 410 illustrated in FIG. 16, the dielectric material of the body 412 (eg, the intermediate portion 416 and / or the nozzle portion 418). ) May be configured to have a particular grain orientation to achieve the desired dielectric properties capable of withstanding the high voltages associated with this disclosure. For example, the grain structure is circumferentially arranged around the tubular body 412 as well as layered, thereby producing crystallized grains that produce a compressive force on the outer surface that is balanced by subsurface tension. Can be included. More specifically, FIGS. 18A and 18B are cross-sectional side views of a dielectric body 612, taken along line 18-18 of FIG. 16, configured in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring initially to FIG. 18A, the body 612 can be made of a ceramic material having high dielectric strength, such as quartz, sapphire, glass matrix, and / or other suitable ceramics.

  As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the body 612 includes grains 634 that are generally oriented in the same direction. For example, the grains 634 are oriented with their respective longitudinal axes aligned in a direction extending generally circumferentially around the body 612. With the grains 634 layered in this orientation, the body 612 provides excellent dielectric strength at virtually any thickness of the body 612. This is because the layered long flat grains do not provide a good conductive path radially outward from the body 612.

  FIG. 18B illustrates the compressive force in a particular area of the body 612. More specifically, according to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 18B, the body 612 may include one or more compression zones 635 adjacent to the outer surface 637 and the inner surface 638 of the body 612 (ie, compressive force according to the orientation of the grains 634). In the area containing the particles 634). The body 612 also includes uncompressed areas 636 of grains 634 between the compressed areas 635. The uncompressed zone 636 provides a tensile force that is balanced in the middle of the body 612. In certain embodiments, each of the compression zones 635 can include more grains 634 per volume to achieve the compression force. In other embodiments, each of the compressed areas 635 is affected to retain an amorphous structure locally or has an amorphous structure or crystal lattice that has a lower packing efficiency than the grains 634 of the uncompressed areas 636. Can include grains 634 that have been modified by production. In still further embodiments, the outer surface 637 and the inner surface 638 may be ion implanted with one or more substances into the surface, such that the surface has a lower packing efficiency than the uncompressed area 636 of the body 612. As a result of sputtering and / or diffusion, it can be in a compressed state. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 18B, the compression zone 635 on the outer surface 637 and the inner surface 638 of the body 612 provides a higher anisotropic dielectric strength.

  One advantage of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 18B is that, as a result of this difference in filling efficiency in the compression zone 635 and the non-compression zone 636, the surface in compression becomes compressed, significantly more durable, It is to withstand damage or deterioration. For example, the generation of such a compressive force can form a conductive path in the body 612, thereby reducing the dielectric strength of the body 612, such as an electrolyte such as water associated with the dissolved material. , At least partially prevent intrusion, such as carbon-rich materials). The generation of such compressive forces is also the body from thermal and / or mechanical shock from exposure to temperature, pressure, chemical degradants, and impact forces that change rapidly with each combustion event. At least partially prevent 612 degradation. For example, the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 18B provides increased strength against failure due to sustained voltage confinement of body 612, high loading power including point loading, and low or high cycle fatigue forces. Specifically configured for.

  Another advantage of the oriented grain 634 combined with the compression zone 635 is that this grain 634 configuration provides maximum dielectric strength to accommodate the voltage established across the body 612. . For example, this configuration is 2.4 KV / .0 in cross sections greater than 1 mm or 0.040 inch thick. Provides remarkable dielectric strength improvement up to 001 inches. These are significantly higher than the same ceramic composition without these new grain features, having a dielectric strength of only approximately 1.0-1.3 KV / 0.001 inch.

Several processes for producing the above-described insulator with a compression surface feature are described in detail below. In one embodiment, for example, an insulator constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure may be made from the materials disclosed by US Pat. No. 3,689,293, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. it can. For example, the insulator can be made of a material containing the following components by weight. 25% to 60% of SiO _2, 15 to 35% of the R ₂ O ₃ (wherein, R ₂ O ₃ is 3 to 15 percent of B ₂ O ₃ and 5-25% of Al ₂ O _3), 4 ˜25% MgO + 0-7% Li ₂ O (where the sum of MgO + Li ₂ O is between about 6-25%), 2-20% R ₂ O (where R ₂ O is 0-15% of Na ₂ O, 0 to 15% of K ₂ O, 0-15% of Rb ₂ O), 0-15% of Rb ₂ O, and 0-20% of Cs ₂ O, and 4 20% F). More specifically, in one embodiment, an exemplary formulation is 43.9% SiO ₂ , 13.8% MgO, 15.7% Al ₂ O ₃ , 10.7% K ₂ O. , 8.1% B ₂ O ₃ , and 7.9% F. In other embodiments, however, insulators constructed in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure can be made from a greater or lesser percentage of these component materials, as well as different materials.

  According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the components that make up the insulator are ball milled and properly closed that are made impermeable and non-reactive to the blend of components that form the insulator. Melted in a crucible. The ingredients are maintained at approximately 1,400 ° C. (eg, 2,550 ° F.) for a period that ensures thorough mixing of the dissolved formulation. The melt is then cooled and ball milled again with an additive that may be selected from the group including binders, lubricants, and firing aids. The components are then extruded into various desired shapes including, for example, tubes, and heated to about 800 ° C. (1,470 ° F.) above the transformation temperature for a period of time. Heating above the transformation temperature stimulates nucleation of fluoromica crystals. The extruded component can then be further heated and pressed or extruded at about 850-1,100 ° C. (1,560-2,010 ° F.). This secondary heating results in crystals that are formed to have a shape as generally described above to maximize the dielectric strength in the preferred direction of the resulting product.

For example, the crystallization of such materials, including mica glass containing the composition of K ₂ Mg ₅ Si ₈ O ₂₀ F ₄ , increases the volume filling efficiency of the grains and reduces the exothermic heat dissipation as the corresponding density increases. Arise. Transformation activities such as nucleation, exothermic heat dissipation rate, crystallization characterization, and crystallization temperature are a function of the fluorine content and / or B ₂ O ₃ content of the insulator. Thus, the treatment of the insulator by controlling these variables allows for improvements in yield, tensile strength, fatigue strength, and / or dielectric strength, and increases the chemical resistance of the insulator.

  This is 104B formed and layered so as to surround more or less of the desired functionality, such as the inner diameter produced by conforming to the mandrel used to accomplish such hot forging or extrusion. Extruding the precursor tube into smaller diameter or thinner tubes to produce elongated and / or oriented grains commonly found in representative populations shown together. It provides an important new anisotropy result of maximum dielectric strength, as may be designed and achieved by directed forming including.

According to another embodiment, a method of at least partially orienting and / or compressing the grains 634 in accordance with the illustrated embodiment provides a tensile stress that is balanced in the substrate of the molded and heat treated product. Alternatively, it may be achieved by the addition of B ₂ O ₃ and / or fluorine to the surface where it is desired to become compressive stressed. Such addition of B ₂ O ₃ , fluorine, or similar agents may be accomplished in a manner similar to dopants that are added and diffused at desired locations in the semiconductor. These agents can also be applied as an enriched formulation of component formulations applied by sputtering, vapor deposition, painting, and / or plating. In addition, these agents may arise from the provision of reactants and condensation reactions.

The increased B ₂ O ₃ and / or fluorine content of the material at or near the surface where it is desired to be able to be subjected to compressive loading causes more rapid nucleation of fluoromica crystals. This nucleation results in a larger number of smaller crystals competing with the diffusion-added material as compared to the uncompressed substrate area of the formulation. This process, therefore, in the uncompressed substrate zone rather than the compressed zone closer to the surface enriched with B ₂ O ₃ , fluorine, and / or other agents that results in additional nucleation of fluoromica crystals. Provides higher filling efficiency. As a result, the desired surface compression preload strengthens the component against ignition events and chemicals.

Another method of producing or strengthening a compression force that is balanced by a tensile force in the corresponding substrate involves heating the area of interest to be placed in compression. The area of interest can be heated enough to allow the crystals to decompose as an amorphous structure. The substrate can then be quenched to fully retain most of the amorphous structure. Depending on the type of component involved, such heating may be performed in a furnace. Such heating may also be done by resistance heating or radiation from an induction heating source, as well as by an electron beam or laser. Alternatives to this process include heat treatment and / or crystallization nucleation and growth stimulants (eg, B ₂ O ₃ ) in the partially solutioned area to generate the desired compressive stress. And / or fluorine) to provide recrystallization quickly to provide an increased number of smaller crystals or grains.

FIG. 19A schematically illustrates a system 700a for performing a process that includes melting and extruding to form an insulator with compressive stress in a desired zone according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. More particularly, in the illustrated embodiment, system 700a includes a crucible 740a that can be made from a refractory metal, ceramic, or pyrolytic graphite material. The crucible 740a can include a suitable conversion coating, such as platinum or a thin selection of platinum group barrier coatings, or an impermeable and non-reactive liner. The crucible 740a is charged with a recipe 741a as generally described above (eg, approximately 25-60% SiO ₂ , 15-35% R ₂ O _3, where R ₂ O ₃ is 3-15% B ₂ O ₃ and 5 to 25 percent of Al ₂ O ₃₎ of at 4-25% of MgO + 0 to 7% of the Li ₂ O (wherein the sum of MgO + Li ₂ O is between about 6-25% 2-20% R ₂ O (wherein R ₂ O is 0-15% Na ₂ O, 0-15% K ₂ O, 0-15% Rb ₂ O), 0-20% Mica glass such as a material having an approximate composition of 15% Rb ₂ O and 0-20% Cs ₂ O and 4-20% F), or K ₂ Mg ₅ Si ₈ O ₂₀ F _4. Loaded with a charge containing a formulation suitable for production.

The crucible can heat and melt the charge 741a in a protective atmosphere. For example, the crucible 740a can be charged via any suitable heating process including, for example, resistance heating, electron beam heating, laser heating, induction heating, and / or heating by radiation from a source heated by such energy conversion techniques. 741a can be heated. After proper mixing and melting to produce a substantially uniform charge 741a, a cover or cap 742a applies pressure to the charge 741a in the crucible 740a. The gas source 743a can also apply an inert gas and / or process gas into the crucible 740a sealed by the R ₂ O ₃ cap 742a. The pressure regulator 744a can regulate the pressure in the crucible 740a to flow the molten charge 741a into the die assembly 745a. The die assembly 745a is configured to form a dielectric body shaped into a tube. The die assembly 745a includes a female sleeve 746a that receives a male mandrel 747a. The die assembly 745a also includes one or more stiffening spider fins 748a. The formed tube flows through the die assembly 745a to the first zone 749a, where the formed tube is cooled and solidified as an amorphous material and begins nucleating fluoromica crystals. The die assembly 745a then undergoes further purification by advancing the tube to the second zone 750a and reducing the wall thickness of the tube to further facilitate crystallization of the fluoromica crystals.

FIG. 19B schematically illustrates a system 700b for performing a process that also includes melting and extruding to form an insulator with compressive stress in a desired zone according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. More particularly, in the illustrated embodiment, system 700b includes a crucible 740b that can be made from a refractory metal, ceramic, or pyrolytic graphite material. The crucible 740b can include a suitable conversion coating, such as platinum or a thin selection of platinum group barrier coatings, or an impermeable and non-reactive liner. The crucible 740b is charged with a recipe 741b as generally described above (eg, approximately 25-60% SiO ₂ , 15-35% R ₂ O _3, where R ₂ O ₃ is 3-15% B ₂ O ₃ and 5 to 25 percent of Al ₂ O ₃₎ of at 4-25% of MgO + 0 to 7% of the Li ₂ O (wherein the sum of MgO + Li ₂ O is between about 6-25% 2-20% R ₂ O (wherein R ₂ O is 0-15% Na ₂ O, 0-15% K ₂ O, 0-15% Rb ₂ O), 0-20% Mica glass such as a material having an approximate composition of 15% Rb ₂ O and 0-20% Cs ₂ O and 4-20% F), or K ₂ Mg ₅ Si ₈ O ₂₀ F _4. Loaded with a charge containing a formulation suitable for production.

  System 700b also includes a cover or cap 742b that includes a reflective assembly 743b and a heater 744b. System 700b can heat and melt charge 741b in a vacuum or in a protective atmosphere with an inert gas between crucible 740b and cover 742b. For example, system 700b may emit radiation from crucible heater 745b, cover heater 744b and / or from a source heated by, for example, resistance heating, electron beam heating, laser heating, induction heating, and / or such energy conversion techniques. Charge 741b can be heated via any suitable heating process, including heating by. After proper mixing and melting to produce a substantially uniform charge 741b, cover 742b applies pressure to charge 741b in crucible 740b. The gas source 746b can also apply an inert gas and / or process gas into the crucible 740b that is sealed by the cover 742b at the seal interface 747b. The pressure regulator can regulate the pressure in the crucible 740b to flow the molten charge 741b into the die assembly 749b. Die assembly 749b is configured to form a dielectric body shaped into a tube. Die assembly 749b includes a female sleeve 750b that receives male mandrel 751b. Die assembly 749b may also include one or more stiffening spider fins 752b. The formed tube 701b flows through the die assembly 749b to the first zone 753b where the formed tube 701b is cooled and solidified as an amorphous material and begins nucleating fluoromica crystals.

At least a portion of die assembly 749b including tube 701b formed of crystallized fluoromica glass is then rotated to position 702b aligned with the second die assembly or otherwise. It is moved by. A cylinder 755b biases the formed tube 701b from the first zone 756b to the second zone 757. In the second zone 757, the second die assembly reheats the formed tube 701b to accelerate the crystal growth to be further purified, producing the preferably oriented particles described above. Can continue. The formed tube 701b is then advanced to the third zone 758b for further particle purification and orientation. The selected contact region of the third zone 758b may be sprinkled or mixed occasionally with a particle nucleation promoter including, for example, AlF ₃ , MgF 2 and / or B ₂ O ₃ . In the third zone 758b, the formed tube 701b is described above to make it easier to crystallize the fluoromica crystal, and thus balance with the tensile force in the region described above. Further refinement is achieved by reducing the wall thickness of the formed tube 701b to generate the desired compressive force in the region according to the grain structure. Thereafter, the formed tube 701b, which includes the exceptionally high physical and dielectric strength generated by the compressively stressed and impermeable surface, is placed on the conveyor 759b for moving the formed tube 701b. Can be deposited.

  Alternative systems and methods for producing insulating tubes with these improved dielectric properties are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety to develop the desired shape, compaction, and sintering process. A pressure gradient may be used as disclosed in US Pat. No. 5,863,326, incorporated herein. Further, the system and method is described in US Pat. No. 5,549, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety to convert polycrystalline material into an essentially single crystal material with much higher dielectric strength. 746, as well as the molding process disclosed in US Pat. No. 3,608,050, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, conversion of a polycrystalline material (eg, alumina) having a dielectric strength of only approximately 0.3-0.4 KV / 0.001 inch to a single crystal material is at least approximately 1 A dielectric strength of 2 to 1.4 KV / 0.001 inch can be achieved. This improved dielectric strength allows the injector according to the present disclosure to be used in, for example, high compression ratio diesel engines with very small ports to the combustion chamber, as well as high-boost supercharged and turbocharged engines. It can be used in various applications, including applications involving.

  According to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure for forming an insulator with high dielectric strength, the insulator can be formed from any of the compositions illustrated in Table 2. More specifically, Table 2 provides formula options that are illustrative of approximate weight percentage compositions based on oxides according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

The selected substance precursor, which will provide the final oxide composition percentage, such as the material illustrated in Table 2, is approximately ball milled and covered in a covered crucible to provide a homogeneous solution. It can be melted at 1300-1400 ° C. for approximately 4 hours. The melt may then be cast to form a tube, which may then be annealed at approximately 500-600 ° C. The tube may then be further heat treated at approximately 750 ° C. for approximately 4 hours and then sprinkled with a nucleation stimulant such as B ₂ O ₃ . The tube may then be reshaped at approximately 1100-1250 ° C. to stimulate nucleation and provide the desired crystal orientation. These tubes may also be further heat treated for approximately 4 hours to provide a dielectric strength of at least approximately 2.0-2.7 KV / 0.001 inch.

In still further embodiments, suitable binders and lubricating additives for extrusion at ambient temperature may be added to ball mill the homogeneous solution and provide a good tube surface. The resulting tube is then at least approximately 1.9 to 2.5 KV /. To provide a 001 inch dielectric strength and improved physical strength, it may be coated with a film containing a nucleation stimulant such as B ₂ O ₃ and heat treated. Depending on the ability to retain the appropriate dimensions of the tube, including, for example, the “roundness” of the extruded tube or the outer shape of the tube, it is shorter to provide similar high dielectric and physical strength properties. Higher heat treatment temperatures may be provided over time.

  Embodiments of the system and method for producing dielectric materials described above facilitate the improvement of dielectric strength of various combinations of materials, and thereby are required to burn low energy density fuels. Solve the very difficult problem of high voltage confinement. For example, injectors with high dielectric strength materials can be extremely robust and operate with fuels that vary from cold mixtures of solids, liquids and vapors to superheated diesel fuels and other types of fuels Is possible.

Fuel Injector and Related Components Any of the injectors described herein can be configured to include any of the dielectric materials described above. For example, FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional side view of an injector 810 configured in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure that incorporates a dielectric insulator having the characteristics described above. The illustrated injector 810 includes several features that are generally similar in structure and function to the corresponding features of the injector 110 described above with reference to FIG. For example, as shown in FIG. 20, the injector 810 includes a body 812 having an intermediate portion 816 extending between a base portion 814 and a nozzle portion 818. The nozzle portion 818 extends at least partially through the engine head 807 such that the end of the nozzle portion 818 is located at the interface with the combustion chamber 804. The body 812 further includes a channel 863 extending through a portion thereof so that fuel flows through the injector 810. Other components can also pass through channel 863. For example, the injector 810 further includes an actuator 822 operatively coupled to the controller or processor 826. Actuator 822 is also coupled to valve or clamp member 860. Actuator 822 extends through channel 863 from driver 824 in base portion 814 to flow valve 820 in nozzle portion 818. In certain embodiments, the actuator 822 can be a cable or rod assembly that includes, for example, an optical fiber, an electrical signal fiber, and / or an acoustic communication fiber along with a wireless transducer node. As described in detail below, the actuator 822 is configured to actuate the flow valve 820 to rapidly introduce multiple fuel bursts into the combustion chamber 804. Actuator 822 can also detect and / or send combustion characteristics to controller 826.

  According to one feature of the illustrated embodiment, the actuator 822 holds the flow valve 820 while remaining in contact with the corresponding valve seat 872 in the closed position. More particularly, the base portion 814 includes one or more force generators 861 (shown schematically). The force generator 861 can be an electromagnetic force generator, a piezoelectric power generator, or other suitable type of force generator. The force generator 861 is configured to generate a force that moves the driver 824. Driver 824 contacts clamp member 860 to move clamp member 860 with actuator 822. For example, force generator 861 can generate a force that acts on driver 824 to pull clamp member 860 and tension actuator 822. The tensioned actuator 822 holds the flow valve 820 on the valve seat 872 in the closed position. When the force generator 861 does not produce a force acting on the driver 824, the actuator 822 is relaxed, which allows the flow valve 820 to introduce fuel into the combustion chamber 804.

  According to yet another feature of the illustrated embodiment, the nozzle portion 818 can include a number of attractable components that facilitate operation and positioning of the flow valve 820. For example, in one embodiment, the flow valve 820 can be made from a first ferromagnetic material, or otherwise (eg, via plating of a portion of the flow valve 820) the first ferromagnetic material. Material can be incorporated. The nozzle portion 818 can support a corresponding second ferromagnetic material that is attracted to the first ferromagnetic material. For example, the valve seat 872 can incorporate a second ferromagnetic material. In this manner, these attractable components can help place the flow valve 820 in the center of the valve seat 872 and facilitate rapid operation of the flow valve 820. In other embodiments, the actuator 822 can pass through one or more centerline bearings (not shown) to center the flow valve 820 at least partially in the valve seat 872.

  Providing energy to actuate these attractable components of the injector 810 (eg, magnetic components associated with the flow valve 820) facilitates closing of the flow valve 820 and provides flow valve 820. Can provide an increased closing force acting against. Thus, such a configuration can allow very rapid opening and closing cycle times of the flow valve 820. Another advantage of providing electrical conductivity to a portion of the flow valve 820 is that application of a voltage for initial spark or plasma generation may ionize fuel passing near the surface of the valve seat 872. is there. This can also ionize the fuel and air adjacent to the combustion chamber 804 to further promote full ignition and combustion.

  In the illustrated embodiment, the base portion 814 also includes a heat transfer feature 865, such as a heat transfer fin (eg, a helical fin). The base portion 814 also has a first fitting 862a for introducing coolant that can flow around the heat transfer feature 865, and a second that allows the coolant to exit the base portion 814. Includes a fixture 862b. Such cooling of the injector can at least partially prevent condensation and / or ice formation when low temperature fuel is used, such as fuel that cools rapidly upon expansion. However, when high temperature fuels are used, such heat exchange can be used to locally reduce or maintain the vapor pressure of the fuel contained in the passage to the combustion chamber and to prevent dribbling at undesired times. May be.

  According to another feature of the illustrated embodiment, the flow valve 820 can be configured to support an instrumentation 876 for monitoring an event in the combustion chamber 804. For example, the flow valve 820 can be a ball valve made from a generally transparent material such as quartz or sapphire. In certain embodiments, the ball valve 820 can support an instrumentation 876 (eg, sensor, transducer, etc.) within the ball valve 820. In one embodiment, a cavity may be formed in the ball valve 820, for example, by cutting the ball valve 820 in a plane generally parallel to the plane of the engine head 807. As described above, the ball valve 820 can be divided into the base portion 877 and the lens portion 878. A cavity, such as a conical cavity, can be formed in the base portion 877 to receive the instrumentation 876. The lens portion 878 can then be reattached (eg, glued) to the base portion 877 to retain the generally spherical shape of the ball valve 820. Thus, the ball valve 820 places the instrumentation 876 adjacent to the interface of the combustion chamber 804. Thus, the instrumentation 876 can measure and communicate combustion data including, for example, pressure, temperature, and motion data. In other embodiments, the flow valve 820 can include a processing surface that protects the instrumentation 876. For example, the surface of the flow valve 820 can be diamond-like plating, sapphire, optically clear hexagonal boron nitride, BN-AlN composite, aluminum oxynitride (AlON including Al23O27N5 spinel), magnesium aluminate spinel, and / or Alternatively, it may be protected by depositing a relatively inert material such as other suitable protective materials.

  As shown in FIG. 20, the main body 812 includes a conductive plating 874 extending from the intermediate portion 816 to the nozzle portion 818. Conductive plating 874 is coupled to a conductor or cable 864. Cable 864 can also be coupled to a generator, such as a piezoelectric, inductive, capacitive, or high voltage circuit, suitable for delivering energy to injector 810. The conductive plating 874 is configured to deliver energy to the nozzle portion 818. For example, the conductive plating 874 in the valve seat 872 can act as a first electrode that generates an ignition event (eg, spark or plasma) with a corresponding conductive portion of the engine head 807.

  According to another feature of the illustrated embodiment, the nozzle portion 818 can include an outer sleeve 868 made of a material that is resistant to spark erosion. The sleeve 868 can also withstand spark deposited material transferred to and from the conductive plating 874 (eg, the electrode of the nozzle portion 818). In addition, the nozzle portion 818 can further include an enhanced heat dam or protector 866 configured to at least partially protect the injector 810 from heat and other factors that degrade the combustion chamber. The protector 866 also includes one or more transducers or sensors for measuring or monitoring combustion parameters such as temperature, thermal and mechanical shocks, and / or pressure events in the combustion chamber 804. Can do.

  As also shown in FIG. 20, the intermediate portion 816 and the nozzle portion 818 include a dielectric insulator that can be configured in accordance with the embodiments described above. More details. In the illustrated embodiment, the intermediate portion 816 includes a first insulator 817a that at least partially surrounds the second insulator 817b. The second insulator 817 b extends from the intermediate part 816 to the nozzle part 818. Accordingly, at least the segment of the second insulator 817b is disposed adjacent to the combustion chamber 804. In one embodiment, the second insulator 817b can have a greater dielectric strength than the first insulator 817a. In this manner, the second insulator 817b can be configured to withstand severe combustion conditions in the vicinity of the combustion chamber 804. In other embodiments, however, the injector 810 can include an insulator made from a single material.

  According to yet another feature of the illustrated embodiment, at least a portion of the second insulator 817 b in the nozzle portion 818 can be spaced from the combustion chamber 804. This creates a gap or volume of the air space 870 between the engine head 807 (eg, second electrode) of the nozzle portion 818 and the conductive plating 874 (eg, first electrode). The injector 810 can generate a plasma of ionized air in the space 870 prior to the fuel injection event. This plasma firing of ionized air can accelerate the combustion of fuel entering the plasma. In addition, this plasma firing can affect the shape of the rapidly burning fuel according to the predetermined combustion chamber characteristics. Similarly, the injector 810 can also ionize fuel components to produce a high energy plasma, which can also affect or change the shape of the burning fuel distribution pattern.

  The injector 810 can further adjust the combustion and distribution characteristics of the injected fuel by providing super cavitation or sudden gasification of the injected fuel. More particularly, as will be described in detail below with reference to further embodiments of the present disclosure, the flow valve 820 and / or the valve seat 872 may have a sudden gas of fuel flowing through these components. It can be formed in such a state as to bring about chemical conversion. For example, the flow valve 820 may have a step with one or more sharp edges in the portion of the flow valve that contacts the valve seat 872. Moreover, the frequency of opening and closing the flow valve 820 can also induce a sudden gasification of the injected fuel. This sudden gasification produces gas or vapor from rapidly flowing liquid fuel or a mixture of liquid and solid fuel components. For example, this sudden gasification can produce steam as the liquid fuel is sent around the surface of the flow valve 820 and enters the combustion chamber. Sudden gasification of the fuel allows the injected fuel to burn more quickly and completely than non-gasified fuel. Moreover, sudden gasification of the injected fuel results in different fuel injection patterns or shapes including, for example, projected ellipsoids that differ significantly from the generally conical pattern of conventional injected fuel patterns. be able to. In still further embodiments, sudden gasification of injected fuel may be used with various other fuel ignition and combustion enhancement techniques. For example, sudden gasification can be combined with liquid fuel overheating, plasma, and / or acoustic impetus of a fired fuel burst. These enhanced fuel burst ignitions require much less catalyst as well as catalyst area when compared to catalytic ignition of liquid fuel components.

  FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional side view of an injector 910 configured in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. The injector 910 includes several features that are generally similar in structure and function to the injectors described above. For example, the injector 910 includes one or more high voltage dielectric insulators 917 (identified individually as a first insulator 917a and a second insulator 917b) that include the characteristics described above. The second insulator 917 b at least partially surrounds the nozzle portion 918 adjacent to the combustion chamber 904. Accordingly, the second insulator 917b can have a higher dielectric strength than the first insulator 917b. The second insulator 917b can also have greater mechanical strength (eg, due to a compressive stressed outer surface) to withstand harsh operating conditions at the nozzle portion 918.

  The injector 910 also includes a body 912 having an intermediate portion 916 that extends between the base portion 914 and the nozzle portion 918. The nozzle portion 918 extends at least partially through the engine head 907 such that the end of the nozzle portion 918 is located at the interface with the combustion chamber 904. The body 912 further includes a channel 963 extending through a portion thereof so that fuel flows through the injector 910. Other components can also pass through channel 963. For example, the injector 910 further includes an actuator 922 that is operatively coupled to a controller or processor 926. Actuator 922 is also operatively coupled to driver 924 in base portion 914. Further details regarding suitable drivers are described below with reference to FIG. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 21, actuator 922 extends through channel 963 from driver 924 to flow valve 920 in nozzle portion 918. In certain embodiments, the actuator 922 can be a cable or rod assembly including, for example, an optical fiber, an electrical signal fiber, and / or an acoustic communication fiber along with a wireless transducer node. Actuator 922 is configured to actuate flow valve 920 to rapidly introduce multiple fuel bursts into combustion chamber 904. Actuator 922 can also detect and / or send combustion characteristics to controller 926. When the flow valve 920 is in the closed position, the flow valve 920 remains in contact with the valve seat 972.

  Base portion 914 includes a fuel inlet port 902 for introducing fuel into injector 910. In certain embodiments, the inlet port 902 may include a leak detection feature that is configured to monitor whether fuel leaks as it enters the injector 910. For example, the inlet port 902, or other portion of the injector 910, may be co-pending US patent application Ser. Nos. 10 / 236,820 and 09 / 716,664, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Can include a “tailletale” fuel monitoring measure.

  Base portion 914 also includes a magnetic pole component 903 of magnetic winding 961 around coaxial bobbin 932. Bobbin 932 includes an inner diameter surface 933 that can serve as a linear bearing for unidirectional movement of driver 924. The pole components 903 can be sealed to the bobbin 932 to prevent fuel leakage between them. For example, the pole component 903 can include one or more grooves and a corresponding O-ring 930. Moreover, the bobbins 932 can also be sealed to the insulator 917 to prevent fuel leakage between them. For example, the insulator 917 can include one or more grooves and a corresponding O-ring 938.

  The injector 910 delivers energy (eg, high voltage for on-time generation such as spark, plasma, AC plasma, resistance heating, etc.) through an insulator 917 to connect to the metal alloy case 924 and conductive plating or sleeve 974. An energy port 964 is further included. The conductive sleeve 974 conducts energy to the nozzle portion 918 to generate an ignition event in the combustion chamber 904. More specifically, the conductive sleeve 974 conducts energy to the first electrode or cover portion 921 supported by the nozzle portion 918. The cover portion 921 can be an ignition and fuel flow regulator that at least partially covers the flow valve 920. A portion of the engine head 907 can act as a second electrode corresponding to the cover 921 for an ignition event.

  In other embodiments, energy for an ignition event can be provided via powering a piezoelectric or magnetostrictive driver 934 located downstream of the driver 924. Moreover, for applications that have a very restricted area for entering the combustion chamber 904, conductors in the insulator 917 (eg, a layered insulator wound in a spiral as described above) may be used. A high voltage may be delivered to the conductive plating 974 and / or the cover portion 921 of the nozzle portion 918. In this embodiment, the conductor can extend from the insulator 917 through the base portion 914 to be coupled to a voltage source. More particularly, the conductor can exit the base portion 914 through the first port 906 and the second port 908 of the pole component 903. Systems suitable for providing power and / or regulating power (eg, spark or plasma generation) for operation of the disclosed solenoid assemblies are each hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,122,816 and 7,349,193.

  According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the nozzle portion 918 of the injector 910 includes a heat dam or protector 966 that is configured to limit heat transfer from the combustion chamber 904. Moreover, the base portion 914 can include a heat transfer function portion 965 (eg, heat transfer fins). The injector 910 can accommodate a heat transfer fluid that flows around the heat transfer function unit 965. The heat transfer fluid may be maintained at a relatively constant temperature, such as a suitable thermostat temperature of approximately 70-120 ° C (160-250 ° F). Accordingly, around the heat transfer function 965 to prevent the formation of frost or ice from atmospheric moisture when cold fuel (eg, cryogenic fuel) flows through the injector 910. The heat transfer fluid flowing to the can maintain the operating temperature of the injector 910.

  The injector 910 is configured to inject fuel into the combustion chamber 904 in response to an appropriate pneumatic input, hydraulic input, piezoelectric input, and / or electromechanical input. For example, considering electromechanical or electromagnetic actuation, the current applied to the magnetic winding 961 creates a magnetic pole in the soft magnetic material facing the driver 924. This magnetic force induces movement of the driver 924, thereby applying tension to the actuator 922 and bringing the flow valve 920 into contact with the valve seat 972 and holding it in the closed position. When current is reversed or no longer applied, driver 924 does not tension actuator 922, thereby allowing fuel to flow through flow valve 920.

  In certain embodiments, the injector 910 is configured to eliminate undesirable movement and / or residual movement of the actuator 922 when injecting a quick burst of fuel. The injector 910 can also be configured to ensure centerline alignment of the actuator 922, which can include instrumentation such as fiber optic instrumentation. For example, the injector can include one or more components or assemblies that are positioned in the channel 963 of the body 912 for aligning the actuator 922. More particularly, FIG. 22A is a side view of an open truss tube assembly 1080 configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure for aligning actuators. 22B is a cross-sectional front view of truss assembly 1080 viewed substantially along line 22B-22B of FIG. 22A. Referring to FIGS. 22A and 22B together, in the illustrated embodiment, the truss assembly 1080 includes a number of braided fibers 1082 that surround the actuator 922. The fiber 1082 can include optical fibers, electrical fibers, instrumentation transducers, and / or reinforcing fibers. These fibers 1082 can be knitted or coiled around the actuator 922 so that the truss assembly 1080 is aligned with the actuator 922 in the injector. Suitable materials for the 1082 outer fiber can include graphite, diamond-coated graphite, fiberglass, filaments, or fiber ceramics, polyetheretherketone, and various suitable fluoropolymers. These materials can be configured to provide desired section modulus and low friction properties to allow the actuator 922 to move axially within the truss assembly 1080. For example, in certain embodiments, the inner diameter of truss tube assembly 1080 is superfinished and / or coated with an anti-friction coating comprising, for example, molybdenum sulfide, diamond-like carbon, boron nitride, or various suitable polymers. Also good. These surface treatments may be used in various combinations to achieve friction reduction, erosion protection, heat transfer, and other anti-friction purposes. In addition to aligning the actuator 922, the truss assembly 1080 also prevents resonant ringing, whipping, or axial springing of the actuator during operation.

  FIG. 22C is a side view of a truss assembly 1081 configured in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure to align the actuator 922 and prevent unwanted resonant ringing, whipping, or axial jumping. 22D is a cross-sectional front view taken substantially along line 22D-22D in FIG. 22C. Referring to FIGS. 22C and 22D together, the truss assembly 1081 includes a plurality of helical springs or biasing members 1083 arranged in series and in a configuration surrounding the actuator 922. Thus, in operation, the frequencies of the individual springs 1083 cancel each other, thereby stabilizing the actuator 922.

  FIG. 22E is a partial cross-sectional side view of an injector 1010 configured in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present disclosure including a guide member 1090 for aligning the actuator 1022. More particularly, the illustrated injector 1010 can have functionalities that are generally similar in structure and function to other injectors disclosed herein. For example, the injector 1010 illustrated in FIG. 22E includes an actuator 1022 that extends through the body 1012 between the driver 1024 and the flow valve 1020. In the illustrated embodiment, however, guide member 1090 at least partially surrounds actuator 1022 at a location downstream from driver 1024. Guide member 1090 supports actuator 1022 and prevents undesirable resonant ringing, whipping and / or axial jumping of actuator 1022. In the illustrated embodiment, guide member 1090 includes a first portion 1091 adjacent to driver 1024 and a second portion 1092 adjacent to flow valve 1020. The first portion 1091 has a first inner diameter that surrounds the actuator 1022, and the second portion 1092 has a second inner diameter that surrounds the actuator 1022. As shown in FIG. 22E, the second inner diameter is smaller than the first inner diameter, thereby more closely supporting the actuator 1029 adjacent to the flow valve 1020 within the nozzle portion of the injector. Moreover, in certain embodiments, the guide member 1090 can incorporate a piezoelectric device, an acoustic device, and / or a magnetoelectric device that can be used to generate momentum against the fuel burst. Guide member 1090 may also incorporate instrumentation, transducers, and / or sensors to detect and communicate combustion chamber conditions.

  FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional side view of a driver 1124 configured in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. Driver 1124 includes functional units that are generally similar in structure and function to the drivers described above. In the illustrated embodiment, the driver is coupled to the actuator and is configured to allow fuel to flow therethrough. More particularly, the driver 1124 includes a body 1138 having a first end 1140 opposite the second end 1142. The body 1138 also includes a channel 1144 extending therethrough. Channel 1144 branches into a number of smaller channels or passages at second end 1142 of body 1138. For example, the second end 1142 may be individually identified as a fuel flow path 1146 (first fuel flow path 1146a and second fuel flow path 1146b to allow fuel to flow through and out of the driver 1124. Included). Second end 1142 also includes an actuator passage 1148 configured to receive an actuator.

In certain embodiments, the driver 1124 can be configured to provide force to inject fuel from the injector. For example, the driver 1124 can provide an acoustic force to correct or enhance the fuel injection burst. In one embodiment, driver 1124 can be made from a composite ferromagnetic material. In other embodiments, the driver 1124 can comprise a magnetostrictive transducer material or a piezoelectric material laminated to produce an acoustic momentum. Suitable methods for providing such functionality in the driver 1124 include, for example, lamination of the desired material as described in US Pat. No. 5,980,251, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Including. Moreover, a suitable piezoelectric method for generating such desired acoustic momentum is the following material provided by Valpey Fisher Corporation: Quartz Crystal Oscillator Training Seminar , Jim Socci, Crystal Engineering, 2000, 11th. Provided.

  Referring again to FIG. 21, the injector 910 includes an ignition and flow regulator or cover 921 supported by a nozzle portion 918 that at least partially covers the flow valve 920. The cover 921 includes one or more conductive components so that the cover 921 can be a first electrode that generates an ignition event with a corresponding second electrode of the engine head. The cover 921 can be configured to protect components of the injector 910 that are configured to monitor and / or detect combustion characteristics. The cover 921 can also be configured to affect the shape, pattern, and / or phase of the injected fuel. For example, the cover 921 can be configured to induce a sudden gasification of the injected fuel as described above.

  Further details of the cover 921 are described with reference to FIG. 24A. More specifically, FIG. 24A is a front view of a first cover 1221a configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In the illustrated embodiment, the first cover 1221a includes a plurality of slots and holes to produce the desired fuel penetration and fuel flow through the first cover 1221a into the combustion chamber. The first cover 1221a also acts as a spark, plasma, catalyst, or hot surface igniter for the combustion chamber. The holes and slots in the first cover 1221a provide partial exposure to the combustion chamber for monitoring combustion characteristics. More specifically, the first cover 1221 a includes a plurality of radially extending first slots 1223 and second slots 1227. As shown in FIG. 24A, the first slot 1223 has a shorter length and a greater thickness than the second slot 1227. The first cover 1221a also includes a plurality of first holes 1225 spaced annularly around the cover between the slots and a second hole 1229 in the center of the cover. Slots and / or holes in the first cover 1221a, and in other covers described herein, should be set perpendicular or non-perpendicular with respect to the combustion chamber surface to achieve the desired fuel flow rate and combustion rate. Can do.

  The first cover 1221a of FIG. 24A represents one illustrative pattern or slot and hole, but other embodiments can include different patterns configured for the desired injection and ignition characteristics. . For example, FIG. 24B is a side view of a second ignition and flow regulator or cover 1221b configured in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure that includes a number of sharp edges, and FIG. 24C is a side view thereof. Referring to FIGS. 24B and 24C together, the second cover 1221b includes a plurality of slots 1223 extending radially outward from the central portion of the second cover 1221b. The slot 1223 is formed between the electrode portions 1231 extending from the bottom surface 1224. The electrode portion 1231 is further configured to create an ignition with a corresponding electrode portion of the engine head. The second cover 1221b also includes a hole 1229 in the center of the second cover 1221b. Accordingly, combustion characteristics can be monitored through the hole 1229 and through the gap 1233 between the electrode portion 1231 and the bottom surface 1224.

  In some cases it may be desirable to combine spark, plasma, hot surface, and / or catalytic ignition for an ignition event. For catalyst ignition, for example, the electrode portion 1231 and / or the ignition point 1232 can include a catalyst such as a platinum group metal or platinum black. For hot surface ignition, the electrode portion 1231 and / or the ignition point 1232 can include deposits including needle-like structures that are deposited as a result of sparks or plasma erosion and transport. Such deposits may be moved between the electrode portions 1231 by occasionally reversing the voltage polarity and / or using alternating current for the generation of plasma that occurs adjacent to the ignition point 1232.

  One advantage of the illustrated embodiment is that the second cover 1221b can provide protection for sensors or transducers used to monitor combustion characteristics. Another advantage is that the slot 1223 extending between the electrode portions 1231 creates a number of ignition points 1232 or acts as a hot surface to initiate ignition. Since the second cover 1221b has a number of ignition points 1232, the second cover 1221b is particularly suited for extended use. For example, even if one of the ignition points 1232 is clogged or otherwise degraded or rendered inoperable, the second cover 1221b still has many other ignition points to provide ignition. 1232.

  24D is an isometric view of a third cover 1221c configured in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, FIG. 24E is a front view, and FIG. 24F is substantially in line 24F-24F of FIG. 24E. It is the sectional side view seen along. In the illustrated embodiment, the third cover 1221 c includes a first surface 1226 that is spaced from the base portion 1224. The hole 1229 extends through the center of the first surface 1226, and the plurality of slots 1223 extend through the third cover 1221c between the first surface 1226 and the base portion 1224. Similar to the embodiments described above, the holes 1229 and slots 1223 allow the instrumentation supported by the injector to monitor combustion characteristics. In the illustrated embodiment, the slot 1223 extends from the first surface 1226 through the third cover 1221c at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. In other embodiments, however, the slot 1223 can be formed in the third cover 1221c with a larger or smaller angle. The third cover 1221c further includes a passage 1237 extending through the base portion 1224, through which fuel passes through the third cover 1221c.

  Referring again to FIG. 21, in some applications, it may be desirable to have a mechanical check valve in the nozzle portion 918 to prevent combustion pressure generated in the combustion chamber 904 from entering the injector 910. . Thus, in certain embodiments, the nozzle portion 918 can include a mechanical check valve that is aligned with a bearing guide 943 supported by the nozzle portion 918. FIGS. 25A-25C illustrate such a check valve 1345 configured in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. More specifically, FIG. 25A is an isometric view of check valve 1345, FIG. 25B is a rear view, and FIG. 25C is a side cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 25C-25C in FIG. 25B. is there. Referring to FIGS. 25A-25C together, in the illustrated embodiment, the check valve 1345 includes a protrusion 1351 extending from the base portion 1347. The protrusion 1351 is configured to be received at least partially within the nozzle portion of the corresponding injector. The check valve 1345 includes a flow surface 1353 that extends from the base 1347 to the protrusion 1351. In the protrusion 1351, the flow surface 1353 includes impeller fins or slots 1349. Check valve 1345 further includes a combustion surface 1357 configured to face the combustion chamber. An opening or slot 1355 extends from the combustion surface 1357 into the check valve 1345. The opening 1355 can at least partially receive the bearing guide 943 of FIG.

  In operation, the check valve 1345 may be biased toward the closed position by combustion chamber pressure, mechanical springs, and / or magnetic forces as provided by an electromagnet or by a permanent magnet incorporated within the valve seat. Good. The positive pressure of a given fuel flow through the corresponding valve seat opens the check valve 1345, allowing the fuel to flow and thereby be injected into the combustion chamber. This flow can create a Coanda effect to hold the check valve 1345 in the open position as the fuel flows into the combustion chamber. In certain embodiments, the relationship between flow rate and pressure corresponding to the Coanda effect positioning of check valve 1345 (including, for example, the ratio between the fuel delivered accordingly and the pressure in the combustion chamber) is monitored. Also good. This information is delivered as a liquid, superheated liquid, or vapor, including many permutations with or without additional permutations that further include products of thermochemical regeneration such as hydrogen and carbon monoxide It may be useful for fuels such as gasoline, diesel, ammonia, propane, alcohol fuel, and various other fuels that may be used.

  According to one feature of the illustrated embodiment, the check valve 1345 is configured to produce a rich flow of fuel in alternating zones to enhance fuel combustion. For example, the helical impeller fins or slots 1349 serve to provide an angular velocity to the check valve 1345 while also producing a richer fuel flow in alternating zones. This design feature may be used to facilitate faster combustion of fuel as a result of enhanced mixing ratio. This design feature also works when fuel is propelled into air or another oxidant that has entered the combustion chamber with angular momentum or is induced to have a swirl by the combustion chamber geometry. It may be used to impinge fuel injected along a counter flow path as well as to cause shear mixing according to a cross flow path. Accordingly, the check valve 1345 provides the injected fuel with an angular momentum for clockwise or counterclockwise movement to minimize heat transfer to the combustion chamber surface and reduce the heat release process. It may be configured to produce the desired acceleration.

  Turning now to FIG. 26A, FIG. 26A is a cross-sectional side view of an injector 1410 configured in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present disclosure. The injector 1410 includes several functional parts that are generally similar in structure and function to the corresponding functional parts of the injector described above. For example, the injector 1410 is particularly suited to fit within a very small port of the engine head 1407 in a relatively small diesel engine. For example, the injector 1410 includes an intermediate portion 1416 that extends between the base portion 1414 and the nozzle portion 1418. In the illustrated embodiment, the injector 1410 uses a ferromagnetic alloy case 1402 as part of an electromagnetic circuit with a driver armature 1424. Driver 1424 normally remains in contact with a first magnetic or mechanical biasing member or spring 1435 at intermediate portion 1416 downstream of driver 1424. The driver can also stay in contact with the second biasing member 1413, usually upstream of the driver 1424 in the counter bore 1433 of the intermediate portion 1416. The current applied to the solenoid winding moves the driver 1424 linearly along the longitudinal axis of the injector 1410. Case 1402 also houses and protects a high dielectric strength ceramic insulator 1417, which can include any of the insulators described in detail above. The insulator 1417 insulates the conductive tube or plating 1408 for the purpose of delivering ignition energy to the nozzle portion 1418. For example, the cable 1438 may supply ignition energy to the plating 1408 that conducts ignition energy to the ignition member or cover 1421 at the interface of the combustion chamber 1404.

  FIG. 26B is a front view of an injector 1410 illustrating the ignition member 1421. Referring to FIGS. 26A and 26B together, the ignition member 1421 includes a plurality of radial ignition points 1412 for generating ignition events such as spark, plasma, hot surface and / or catalyst stimulation. In addition to the ignition point 1412, the ignition member 1421 includes a plurality of holes for injecting fuel into the combustion chamber 1404 as described above. Additional features to minimize the space required for use of the injector 1410 may be provided by a fuel delivery passage 1442 that extends from the base portion 1414 to the nozzle portion 1418. In a multi-cylinder engine, the fuel delivery passage 1442 can be coupled to one or more flexible delivery conduits to a suitable fuel distributor manifold.

  In operation, current applied to the electromagnetic winding attracts driver 1424 toward winding 1411 and pole piece 1441 and draws pressurized fuel into injector 1410. The driver 1424 strikes a stop clamp 1460 that may be part of a high physical strength and dielectric strength polymer sheath, such as polyetheretherketone, that protects and connects and clamps the actuator 1422. Actuator 1422 is coupled to flow valve 1420 in nozzle portion 1418. The flow valve 1420 is received in the valve seat 1425. In certain embodiments, the actuator 1422 can include rods or cables that incorporate groups of various strands of conduits or optical fibers. In addition, the flow valve 1420 and the valve seat can be ferromagnetic. The nozzle portion 1418 further includes a check valve 1458 that can also be ferromagnetic. Check valve 1458 extends through hollow bearing tube 1426 and provides access for pressure measurement in combustion chamber 1404 and a comprehensive view for temperature and motion delineation. This includes piston movement, suction period, compression period, injection period, ignition period, flame propagation period, power period, and exhaust period pressure for determining piston speed and acceleration, and piston, cylinder wall Provides combustion chamber condition and event monitoring, including combustion temperature as well as combustion chamber component temperatures including valves and head surfaces. Fiber optic filaments and other instrumentation communication components (eg, including multiple layered insulators of electrically conductive instrumentation fibers) extend through the fuel delivery passages 1432 of the pole pieces 1441.

  An injector that includes a casing 1402 and an energy supply cable 1438 to minimize the diameter of the injector 1410 at the port of the engine head 1407 that provides access to the combustion chamber 1404, as shown in FIGS. 26A and 26B. The total diameter of 1410 is minimized. Moreover, the actuator 1422 can be routed internally through the injector 1410. Communication fibers from the actuator 1422 can exit the base 1414 through the outlet through the seal and are coupled to an external controller, processor, or memory. Similarly, an insulated cable 1440 may be routed through the base portion 1414 to deliver power that drives one or more piezoelectric or magnetostrictive devices including, for example, a driver 1424.

  In some applications, the check valve 1458 can be configured to have an impeller fin or slot that is generally similar to the check valve 1345 described above with reference to FIGS. 25A-25C. These impeller fins or slots can impart an angular velocity to the fuel to produce a richer fuel flow in alternating zones, thereby enhancing the type of fuel burst or pattern emitted from the nozzle section 1418 can do. This design feature is induced to enter the combustion chamber with angular momentum or have a swirl by the combustion chamber geometry to facilitate faster combustion of the fuel as a result of the enhanced mixing ratio. It may be used to impinge according to the countercurrent flow path and / or cause shear mixing according to the orthogonal flow path as the fuel is propelled into the air or another oxidant. Thus, the check valve 1458 provides angular momentum for the clockwise or counterclockwise movement of the fuel to minimize heat transfer to the combustion chamber surface and to provide the desired acceleration of the heat release process. It may be configured to occur.

  Referring now to FIG. 27A, FIG. 27A is a cross-sectional side view of an injector 1500 configured in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. The illustrated injector 1500 is particularly suitable for use in engines with high or low compression ratio operation to provide much faster and more complete combustion of fuel. These fuels include, for example, temperature, one or more mixed phases, viscosity, energy density, and octane and cetane numbers, including octane and cetane numbers that are much lower than conventional operating standards. Virtually any combination of these can be included. In the illustrated embodiment, the injector 1500 includes several features that are generally similar in structure and function to the corresponding features of the injector described above. For example, the injector 1500 includes an intermediate portion 1582 that extends between the base portion 1580 and the nozzle portion 1584. The injector also includes an actuator 1518 that extends from the driver 1515 to the fuel flow valve 1524.

  In the illustrated embodiment, any fuel that is not burned by spark ignition (such as diesel fuel made from energy crops, animal fat, and / or other organic waste) is delivered to the injector 1500 through the inlet port 1502. be able to. Fuel can flow along the fuel flow path along several components of the injector 1500. For example, fuel passes through appropriately reinforced instrumentation signal cable 1504, spring retaining cap 1506, compression spring 1508, optional magnet 1514, driver 1515, and optional compression spring 1516 in base 1580. And can flow. The fuel path extends through the passage 153 of the high dielectric strength insulator 1530 and into the bore of the conductive plating or tube 1522 in the intermediate portion for delivery to the nozzle portion 1584. In the illustrated embodiment, the nozzle portion 1584 includes a valve seat at the interface with the combustion chamber 1550 that is sealed by the normally closed flow valve 1524. In some applications, the plating or tube 1522 may be coated or plated with a high dielectric strength material 1520 in a zone 1517 near the combustion chamber for the purpose of ensuring electrical conduction to and from the flow valve 1524. In other applications, the tube coating 1520 may be highly conductive or highly resistant to spark erosion, as may be required to serve as a circuit component in spark and plasma ignition processes. Good.

  Thus, depending on the application, the plating or tube component 1522 may be a conductive metal, ceramic, providing conductive plating on the bore of the dielectric insulator 1530 or specialized valve sealing at the interface with the flow valve 1524. It may be a polymer or a composite material. This plating or tube component 1522, together with the actuator 1518 and driver 1515, allows the injector 1500 to have a very small outer diameter. This configuration also allows the injector to be relatively long if needed to reach through a zone with one or more overhead camshafts and valve operators.

  References to biasing members or thrust generating members can be configured to produce tension or thrust as needed, such as springs (eg, helical windings, conical windings, flat and curved plates Springs, or stacked leaf springs, elliptical springs, torsion springs and various disk springs, including mechanical spring forms such as shaped disk springs), magnets, and / or piezoelectric components. In many applications, the combination from these options is effective to provide the desired operating speed, resonant tuning, and / or suppress undesirable features.

  In the illustrated embodiment, the normally closed flow valve 1524 closed in contact with the plated or tube 1522 valve seat 1521 due to tension on the actuator 1518 when provided by the compression spring 1508 and spring cap 1506. Energized to the state. These springs can be attached to the actuator 1518 to mechanically limit the unidirectional movement of the actuator 1518 for the purpose of applying a closing tension to the flow valve 1524. Moreover, the flow valve 1524 may comprise a sharp annular feature, or it may have sharp ignition points spaced from each other in the circumferential direction. Conductive case 1510 can serve as part of a magnetic circuit for solenoid winding 1519 and driver 1515. Case 1510 can also serve as a multifunctional component that extends to the interface of the combustion chamber. At the interface with the combustion chamber, the case 1510 can also include an internal ignition feature 1528 such as a sharp point or an annular coaxial feature oriented radially inward. Moreover, at the base 1580, the injector may include one or more grooves and O-ring seals 1537, or an adhesive compound such as urethane or epoxy, to seal fuel into the base 1580. it can.

  In operation, the injector 1500 can receive pressurized fuel through the inlet port 1502. Fuel flows to the normally closed flow valve 1524 and is then taken into the combustion chamber by starting the flow valve 1524 with a suitable force generator such as a piezoelectric or solenoid device to move the driver 1515. The driver 1515 provides a force that acts opposite to the tension exerted by the spring 1508, thus allowing fuel to burst from the nozzle portion 1584 into the combustion chamber. Any number of measures for delivering high current amperage pulses in the gap between the ignition function 1528 and the plating or tube 1522 and / or the gap between the flow valve 1524 and the ignition function 1528 May be provided. For example, the insulated cable 1532 can deliver such current to a conductive conductor 1553 attached to a conductive plating or fiber over the actuator 1518, thereby conducting the current to the flow valve 1524.

  Such operation may be repeated at a high frequency, including a resonant tuned frequency, to produce a series of fuel inflow bursts. These repeated bursts may be accompanied by the production of acoustic momentum from the piezoelectric or magnetostrictive force for each fuel burst. These momentum forces may include the forces generated by the multifunctional embodiment of driver 1515. For example, ignition can be applied by one or more ionizations of air in one or more annular gaps between the flow valve 1524 and the most proximal annular portion 1511 of the casing 1522. Such ionized air is subsequently delivered from the annular zone 1517 to provide a reliable ignition of the fuel that bursts into the combustion chamber 1550 when the fuel is injected by opening the flow valve 1524 to the outside. Also good.

  Spark generation in a relatively small gap that initially exists between the flow valve 1524 and the ignition feature 1528 of the annulus 1511 is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,122, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. No. 816, triggers a capacitive discharge and produces a plasma current that can increase rapidly above 500 amps, following the outward movement of valve 1524 at supersonic speeds in the combustion chamber. It is launched and accelerated, resulting in a newly generated plasma that impacts and provides momentum to the stratified charge fuel burst for a very rapid completion of the combustion process. This fired ignition and accelerated combustion process may be adaptively repeated with each fuel injection burst, or adapted for fired quick ignition of more than one continuous fuel injection burst. May be generated.

  In some applications, plasma generation may be timed by triggering and formed from ionized fuel molecules that enter a sharp or pointed surface or gap between ignition features 1524 and 1528. Also good. As the flow valve 1524 continues to open outward, the plasma of ionized fuel molecules is forced into the combustion chamber at supersonic speeds to ensure a very rapid completion of combustion for each fuel burst. This fired ignition process may be adaptively adjusted and repeated with each fuel injection burst, or for fired rapid ignition of more than one continuous burst of fuel being injected. It may be generated adaptively. The inventors are particularly surprised and noteworthy that, from the adaptive application of this rapid ignition and combustion process, the result is a much higher torque per calorie of fuel value at virtually all piston speeds. Found that occurs.

  The natural advantage of this plasma thrust is that the fuel injection is at top dead center or at top dead center in order to reduce heat loss during the compression phase as more rapid fuel injection, ignition, and combustion processes occur. That you may start after. Thus, the engine runs more smoothly, reducing friction due to heat losses that induce dimensional changes of the relative motion components, and in particular friction due to degradation of the lubricating film on the cylinder walls and rings. As a result, cylinder and ring life is extended, heat loss is reduced, fuel efficiency is increased, and maintenance costs are reduced.

  FIG. 27B is a schematic graph of some combustion characteristics of the injector of FIG. 27A, as well as other injectors configured in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 27B, compression ignition of diesel fuel (which requires a specific cetane number) requires the start of high pressure fuel injection early in the compression stroke. For shearing diesel liquid into small droplets and for propelling and penetrating the droplets far enough into the compressed heated air, gaining enough heat to vaporize the liquid fuel and additional High pressure is required to continue to penetrate into the hot air and crack large molecules of vaporized fuel into small molecules that can start the combustion process. If the air is not sufficiently heated, and / or if the droplets are not small enough, and / or if the piston speed is too low or too high, the diesel fuel will penetrate the quenching zone and heat will flow into the piston. , Cylinder walls, and head components will be lost to combustion chamber surfaces, with unburned particles and hydrocarbons, some as visible black smoke and another in human and animal lungs and hearts. It will be released as smaller particles that are particularly harmful to the vasculature.

  Diesel curve 1596 shows part of the pressure generation before TDC. This pressure rise portion (before TDC) is “back work” and is greater for early initiation of injection and firing of combustion events. The higher the piston speed, the faster the start of injection and the start of combustion should be to complete vaporization, cracking, and combustion events. During each period of diesel fuel injection per combustion cycle, the portion of the fuel that is most isolated by the hot surplus air quickly vaporizes, cracks, and burns rapidly, which is the threshold for the production of nitrogen oxides 2 Reaching temperatures in excess of 200 ° C. (4,000 ° F.).

  In comparison, operation with an integrated fuel injector / igniter constructed in accordance with the present disclosure begins and completes combustion much faster at all piston speeds and operating conditions, as shown by curve 1598. And provide a larger work area under the pressure curve (most but not all as torque x rpm on the power stroke) to improve fuel efficiency and horsepower compared to diesel operation . The fuel can be injected quickly through a larger passage (much later than after compression-ignition or TDC) and burned more quickly. This is because the inlet air temperature, atmospheric pressure, or fuel type that produces adverse consequences such as nitrogen oxide formation, overpressure of critical engine components, or heat loss due to the penetration of the generated insulating oxidant For all scene conditions (especially including combustion characteristics), multi-burst-mixed fuel operation adaptively provides sufficient plasma energy and / or gas generation (super cavitation) through a small shear orifice This is because it eliminates the need for diesel-type high pressure injection and the corresponding fuel that penetrates and vaporizes over large distances through hot air and cracks the fuel to burn the fuel. In addition, the injectors disclosed herein have peak combustion temperatures approaching 2,200 ° C. (4,000 ° F.), or the combustion zone exceeds the excess air insulation envelope and enters the quench region. At every approaching moment, multiple injections of fuel can be stopped. Thereafter, one or more additional fuel injections may be resumed to achieve the desired work production for each cycle of operation. Moreover, the injector disclosed herein avoids damage to pistons, connecting rods, bearings, or crankshafts, and / or disadvantages induced by the pressure of compounds such as radicals or various nitrogen oxides. In order to avoid excessive production, multiple injections of fuel can be turned off at every moment when the peak combustion pressure approaches a preset maximum.

  The fired rapid ignition and combustion process facilitates smooth operation over a fairly large turndown ratio including the operation of as many multi-cylinder engine cylinders as needed to meet load requirements instantaneously. For example, a quick ignition that is fired includes a much faster and more efficient response to operator demand for torque or increased engine speed (ie, cruise control demand). This further extends the benefits of longer cylinder and ring life with reduced heat loss, providing dramatic improvements in fuel efficiency, reduced emissions and reduced maintenance costs that cause contamination.

  Contamination-related emissions problems result from "stop and go" and "cold start" engine and catalyst reactor conditions where the catalyst correction process for high temperature engine steady state operation is not available. However, another advantage of the fired rapid ignition and combustion process is that the exhaust is cleaner at all engine temperatures, including, for example, cold engines or engines that are "stop and go". Thus, in these problematic conditions, the duty cycle may be started with a requirement for reduced or eliminated starter motor or consumption of starting energy required by conventional engines. Implementing a fired quick ignition and combustion process on each cylinder in the power stroke provides start-up without the traditional requirement for relatively high power consumption to start the engine. Conventional operation cranks the engine and causes the piston to reciprocate through the suction stroke, creating a vacuum in the intake system and adding fuel in the hope of producing a homogeneous mixture therein, any part of it Should be spark-ignited, and further cranked to rotate the camshaft, and if it works well for the intake system, more or less uniform intake air is being transferred to the combustion chamber It is required to provide the opening operation of the exhaust valve and the closing operation of the exhaust valve. Additional cranking to compress more or less homogeneous mixture to support the back work process through top dead center conditions, and further cranking against pressure generated in case of homogeneous mixture ignition is achieved Is done. Any energy that may remain in the combustion gas is used to provide positive work production on the power stroke to sustain engine start-up.

  Similarly, a diesel compression ignition engine that is converted in accordance with the present disclosure to include a quick ignition and combustion process that is fired at each cylinder in the power stroke is conventional for relatively high power consumption to start the engine. Provides startup without requirements. The compression-ignition operation of a conventional diesel engine involves cranking the engine, causing the piston to reciprocate through the suction stroke, transmitting air to the intake system, and further cranking to rotate the camshaft. Provides additional opening of the intake valve and closing of the exhaust valve as additional air is transferred to the combustion chamber, and results in further cranking that additionally causes the air to be vaporized and cracked Compressed to a temperature sufficient to yield a diesel fuel that is injected at high pressure, and when it is mixed with the hotter air, it will generate a fuel that undergoes the evaporation and cracking process and produces a good ignition. Ranking and supporting the back work process through top dead center conditions and keeping the engine running in the power stroke Sufficiently requesting also provide any energy that may remain in the combustion gases to achieve a positive work production.

  Referring again to FIG. 27A, the instrumentation and signal cable 1504 may have additional reinforcement in the intermediate area 1518 between the spring cap 1506 and the mounting or mechanical stroke stop in the fuel valve 1524. Such reinforcement exerts the actuation force by the driver 1515 against the mechanical stroke collar 1512 to provide adequate tensile strength, fatigue strength, and dielectric strength to ensure stable operation over a very long service life. Measures can be included. The instrumentation cable 1526 at the combustion chamber interface may have characteristics such as movement, temperature, and pressure at the combustion chamber interface of the valve 1524. This instrumentation may also provide wireless communication to the microprocessor 1539 located within the injector 1500 and / or to another microprocessor or computer 1540 located remotely or external to the case 1510.

  Thermal data from combustion chamber gases, plasmas, and solid surfaces, including infrared, visible, and ultraviolet frequencies, are processed along with pressure and acceleration data to make wireless nodes transmissive and / or conductive in actuator 1518. It may be transmitted by integrating with the fiber. For example, the actuator 1518 can include suitable instrumentation such as a transducer for communicating to the microprocessor 1539 and / or by extending to a remote microprocessor or computer 1540 through a suitable seal with a cable 1504. .

  Appropriate energy conversion devices or combinations of devices such as photoelectric, thermoelectric, electromagnetic, electrical, and piezoelectric generators may be used to power sensor nodes that may operate at frequencies from kilohertz to gigahertz Good. Such operation is described in TinyOS, U.S. Pat. C. It may be facilitated by systems such as free and open source component based operating systems and platforms for wireless sensor networks developed at Berkeley. Such actuation may be used to initiate and help easy activation of relays, system outputs, and alarms after certain events occur. This may be done by instrumentation in nozzle section 1584, or by transducer and signal analyzer 1535, which may include pressure and optical data that are functionally coupled or transmitted through transparent insulator 1530, or isolated. Includes events that may be detected by a fiber or path through the body 1530.

  These combinations facilitate the appropriate mechanical strength and dielectric strength of the assembled component to allow high energy plasma generation by components having very small dimensions. It is particularly helpful to provide a multifunctional valve that is moved to induce plasma firing and to prevent fouling by ash and residual deposits from relatively unrefined and less expensive fuel that may be used. . These advantages also provide for the suppression of pressure caused by combustion and provide fuel control at the combustion chamber interface to eliminate fuel drip or dribbling at undesired points and the flow valve described herein. It may be provided by a synergistic combination with a check valve.

  A further advantage of facilitating instrumentation is the ability to fuel a chemical that provides motion detection and delineation of the combustion process, as well as a favorable thermal signature, for the purpose of controlling the combustion process and / or peak temperature of the combustion. It may be provided by adding. In operation, relatively small amounts of these additives are delivered as admixtures or colloidal suspensions that release photons at some known frequency after being heated, ionized, or deionized. The granulated or otherwise activated transition metal is stored in that and is provided by an endothermic reaction according to the fuel storage embodiments of the present disclosure, i.e., ignition and combustion processes. May be combined to form a carbonyl that may be used as another family of additives to serve as a radioactive indicator of the event. Alternatively, one or more selected transition metal carbonyls such as manganese or iron may be prepared and stored for continuous or occasional addition to the fuel selection used. . Illustratively, one or more additives of these organic or inorganic materials that provide manganese, iron, nickel, boron, sodium, potassium, lithium, calcium, or silicon can be used to characterize such movement and temperature or process rate ( A typical drug with a separate emission signature for the purpose of depiction of the process rate. Such additives may be provided continuously or occasionally from a storage tank to calibrate a transducer that detects temperature in conjunction with the firing of the various reactants and products of the combustion process. These characteristics are used by the detection and analysis system to determine temperature (including avoiding the temperature at which nitrogen oxides are produced), combustion process steps, and combustion process rates. These results may be used to produce a comprehensive record of improved fuel efficiency along with cumulative records of benefits such as reduced carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate emissions.

  FIG. 28 illustrates an injector 1600 configured in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present disclosure. More specifically, FIG. 28 illustrates how many of the structures and functions are generally similar to the corresponding features of the injector 1500 described with reference to FIG. 27A and other injectors described herein. It is a sectional side view of the injector 1600 including such a functional part. Accordingly, these similar functional parts of the injector 1600 will not be described with reference to FIG. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 28, however, the injector includes at least: 1) the temperature, combustion process, pressure, movement of fluids such as, for example, gases, vapors, and liquids, and Monitor conditions and events in the combustion chamber, along with piston or rotor position, speed, and acceleration, 2) start of fuel injection, completion of fuel injection, delay between successive start of every fuel injection Electronic transducers, processors, computers, and controllers (e.g., FIG. 27A) in response to conditions monitored for the purpose of adaptively optimizing adjustments, as well as the selection and timing of correspondingly optimized ignition processes. Activating processors 1535 and 1539) described above with reference to 3) corresponding flow valves and / or Some of the energy conversion processes for starting and powering the valve operator and driver that exerts a force on the check valve, and 4) starting and powering the adaptively optimized ignition system function or Configured to provide the most.

  The thermoelectric generation of power for these purposes along with signal conduction or wireless communication with the electronic controller is a temperature between the combustion process and lower temperatures such as fuel flowing at or below ambient air temperature. It may be provided by the use of part of the energy transmitted through the difference. For example, one or more devices including a selection, such as a semiconductor thermoelectric generator 1620, may be supported by the injector 1600 to capture radiation from the combustion process and produce the necessary high temperature. A corresponding lower temperature may be established by the fuel flowing through the conduction tube 1622. Suitable thermoelectric films and circuits are available from Perpetua Power Source Technologies, Inc. 4314 SW Research Way, Corvallis, Oregon 97333 (see, for example, http://www.perpetupower.com/products.htm). Moreover, wireless sensor nodes for these purposes are available from sources such as Microchip, Atmel, and Texas Instruments.

  The power generation or generator according to another embodiment can include a photoelectric generator 1625 that can be disposed adjacent to or integrated with the thermoelectric generator 1620. Therefore, the photoelectric generator 1625 can convert the radiation emitted from the combustion chamber into electricity. The photovoltaic generator 1625 can further serve as an instrumented transducer for measuring temperature or other combustion characteristics and events in the combustion chamber. Photovoltaic generator 1625 may be cooled by heat transfer to fuel passing nearby in a fuel passage through the nozzle portion of injector 1600. For reliable heat transfer to the fuel flowing through the nozzle section, the photovoltaic generator 1625, as well as the cold side of the thermoelectric generator 1620, is made of silver, copper, aluminum, beryllium oxide, or diamond that delivers heat to the conductive tube 1622. It may be placed on or bonded to such a highly conductive material.

  Other power generation subsystems that may be incorporated with the injector 1600 include electrets and electromagnetic generators driven by vibration. Somewhat greater energy may be generated by one or more piezoelectric devices 1631 as part of the insulator 1630 of the injector 1600. Piezoelectric device 1631 can be used to generate a spark or plasma that ignites the fuel injected into the combustion chamber. Such piezoelectric process sparking may be used to trigger the discharge of a high current plasma, as generally disclosed in US Pat. No. 4,122,816, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Good. As an integral component of the injector 1600, the piezoelectric device 1631 is held within a relatively lower modulus material selection of the insulator 1630 to provide a mechanically stressed piezoelectric device 1631. And may be installed to receive forces applied by events in the combustion chamber.

  Thus, the piezoelectric device 1631 may act as a pressure transducer and as a generator. For example, it can convert the distortion that occurs when compressed by the compression and / or combustion pressure in the combustion chamber, even if connected to a spark gap between the flow valve 1624 and the ignition function 1628. First works as a good electrically open system. A flashover occurs in the spark gap when a breakdown voltage occurs in the gap. In some modes of operation, such breakdown that causes flashover may be stimulated by an additive to the fuel that reduces the breakdown voltage so that the timing of such ignition matches the passage of fuel through the gap. Additives to the fuel for such purposes may include a selection from the previously described additives to produce the desired radiated emissions after being sufficiently heated, ionized and / or deionized. .

In some applications, additional energy from the piezoelectric device 1631 resulting from the force applied by combustion may be applied through a high voltage cable 1632 to a separate injector that acts as another cylinder. This additional energy can also be supplied for other purposes such as driving piezoelectric or solenoid valve operators, actuators, and / or drivers. In such applications, suitable circuits for regulating, storing, and switching energy may include transformers, capacitors, diodes, and switches, as shown in the following references, along with power generation. Application guides for piezoelectric sensor devices for measuring force and pressure are described in “Piezoelectric Ceramics, Properties and Applications”, J. Am. W. By Waanders, N.C. V. Phillips Publishing, April 1991, and www. morganelectroceramics. com / pzbook. Information published in html , each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

  Thus, the injector 1600 illustrated in FIG. 28 provides each cylinder of the engine with an adaptively optimized timing of fuel delivery in one or more consecutive fuel injection events during each cycle of operation. There is a possibility to provide. The injector 1600 can also provide optimized timing and adaptive utilization of an ignition system selected from piezoelectric discharge, inductive discharge, capacitive discharge, and plasma firing, along with control of the peak combustion temperature. The illustrated injector 1600 may do so as a stand-alone, adaptively optimized fuel injection and ignition system that requires only proper connection to a fuel source. In other embodiments, the injector 1600 may operate in conjunction with other similar injectors including bi-directional artificial intelligence applications to improve performance. The illustrated injector 1600 also powers a fuel control valve or instrumentation to detect temperature and pressure transducers, power an ignition event, and / or operate a microprocessor or computer, etc. For this purpose, electrical energy may be distributed to one or more other injectors.

In operation, many combinations of the embodiments disclosed herein allow for efficient use of virtually any fuel selection. Illustratively, the fired rapid ignition disclosed with respect to the capacitive discharge process facilitated by the injectors disclosed herein, including, for example, the injector 1500 described with reference to FIG. Low cetane vegetable or animal fat, distillate that cannot normally be used to start a cold engine to start the cold engine immediately by first ensuring the production of clean exhaust by application of the combustion process Fuel choices that may include large molecular weight components such as food, paraffin or petrolatum may be used with this embodiment. Necessary to ensure clean combustion after the engine has produced coolant and / or exhaust fluid that is warm enough to drive the thermochemical regeneration process to produce hydrogen as summarized in Equation 7 below. Ignition by the piezoelectric generator 1631 or thermoelectric generator 1620 included in the injector 1600 of FIG. 28 may be used to greatly reduce the energy taken up and greatly reduce the energy consumption for ignition.
HxCy + yH ₂ O + heat → yCO + {y + 0.5 (x)} H ₂ formula 7

Similarly, as summarized by Equation 8, sufficient hydrogen in the reaction product to allow reliable ignition by the relatively low energy spark plasma generated by piezoelectric generator 1631 or thermoelectric generator 1620. In order to produce such partial oxidation of hydrocarbons may be used.
HxCy + 0.5yO ₂ → heat + yCO + 0.5 (x) H ₂ formula 8

  The heat generated by the process summarized by Equation 8 may be used in an endothermic process as shown in Equation 7.

  FIG. 29 is a cross-sectional side view of an injector 1700 configured in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. The illustrated embodiment includes several features that are generally similar in structure and function to the corresponding features of the injector described above. For example, the injector 1700 includes an intermediate portion 1703 that extends between the base portion 1701 and the nozzle portion 1705. The injector 1700 also includes a tube fitting 1704 that also acts as a ferromagnetic magnetic pole for the solenoid and includes an insulated winding in the annular zone 1710 of the base 1701. The injector 1700 also includes a magnetic circuit path 1708 that stops the driver 1714 and forces it against the collar 1716. Stop collar 1716 is coupled to actuator 1718, which is also coupled to a flow valve 1738 that is supported by nozzle portion 1705. Actuator 1718 holds flow valve 1738 in the closed position as driver 1714 applies tension to actuator 1718. Similar to other embodiments of the injector disclosed herein, the illustrated injector 1700 is a suitable pneumatic, hydraulic, piezoelectric, and / or electric machine that is applied to the starting components of the injector 1700. Configured for fuel control, metering, and injection functions resulting from one or more applications of the process. Thus, the injector 1710 is suitable for interchangeable use of a wide variety of fuel types. Moreover, the injector 1700 is also configured for use with an engine having a wide turndown ratio that requires a relatively flat torque curve.

  In operation, the flow valve 1738 is closed by applying a current through the winding 1710. More particularly, applying current in winding 1710 forces driver 1714 toward pole piece 1704, which tensions actuator 1718. The flow valve 1738 can be adaptively opened by releasing the tension in the actuator 1718. When the driver 1714 does not apply tension to the actuator 1718, the biasing member 1722 can bias the driver 1714 away from the pole piece 1704. Examples of suitable biasing members 1722 include mechanical springs with a suitable selection of ring-type permanent magnets or electromagnetic springs. The biasing member 1722 can be located in the middle portion 1703 of the injector 1700 downstream from the driver 1714. When driver 1714 is biased toward pole piece 1704, a lower solenoid force is required to move driver 1714 than when driver 1714 is furthest away from pole piece 1704.

  When driver 1714 is biased toward pole piece 1704, a voltage can be applied in coil winding 1710 to produce a pulsed current according to a selected “hold” frequency. Each time the current in coil 1710 is pulsed, a back electromotive force (CEMF) is generated. Charging circuit 1705 (shown schematically) may apply CEMF to provide charging of capacitor 1712, which may be located at the location shown. Various circuits may be suitable for this purpose. The circuit 1705 may be located in the injector 1700, on the surface of the injector 1700, or at any other suitable location, U.S. Pat. No. 4,122,816, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. And one or more integrated circuits that provide suitable use of the principles disclosed in US Pat. No. 7,349,193. The output may be connected to a conductive fiber or conductive coating (not shown for clarity) on the actuator 1718 and / or by an electrical cable 1707.

  At the appropriate time when a fuel injection event into combustion chamber oxidant 1740 is adaptively optimized by microcontroller 1706, the voltage applied to coil 1710 may be interrupted and CEMF may be applied to capacitor 1712. This is switched to deliver a suitable current adapted to optimize fuel ignition requirements. As noted above, these fuel injection requirements are determined by analysis of combustion chamber data, including optical and pressure information generated by the transducer at the combustion chamber interface 1736, and / or in the wireless node or actuator 1718. May be determined by a sensor 1709 and / or controller 1706 that transmits by a light transmissive or electrically conductive fiber that may be incorporated into the

  For cold fuel, cold engine, acceleration, warm engine cruise, or stop-and-go applications, including adaptively determined magnitude of sufficiently high amperage current and voltage One or more of the optimized currents as described above to cause ionization between the conductive zone in the sharp rim of flow valve 1738 and / or the conductive zone in the sharp rim of tube 1738 in zone 1725 May be delivered through any suitable conductor. For further momentum over one or more fuel injection bursts, an acoustic signal may be applied as previously disclosed. Thus, the fuel that enters the zone between these sharp conductor zones is blown into the oxidant 1740 along with the non-ionized fuel component that the ionized fuel components are driven to complete the combustion process very quickly. In the process, it is ionized and rapidly accelerated to a speed typically exceeding the speed of sound.

This new technology allows a selection of very cold or slowly burning fuels that may have a burning rate that is usually 7-12 times slower than hydrogen to approach or exceed the conventional hydrogen burning rate. to enable. If this new technique is applied to hydrogen or a mixture of hydrogen and hydrocarbons, even faster combustion completion occurs. These advantages allow for improved operating efficiency provided by reducing heat and backwork losses to increase cycle frequency limit (N) and improve brake mean effective pressure (P). By way of example, it may be applied to a very small engine that can generate a surprisingly high specific power rating. Therefore, as shown in Equation 9 below, power production (HP) is increased by increasing the brake mean effective pressure (P) and cycle frequency (N) for operation of the heat engine.
HP = PLAN Formula 9
Where HP is the power delivered,
L is the stroke length,
A is the BMEP application area,
N is the cycle completion frequency (such as RPM).

  The new high strength dielectric material embodiments disclosed herein also include emergency assistance and disasters including refrigerated storage and ice production with pure and / or safe water and sterilized equipment to support medical efforts. Various combinations and applications of engine-generator-heat exchangers for rescue purposes enable new processes with various hydrocarbons that can be stored over time to provide heat and power. The low vapor pressure and / or viscous fuel material is sufficient to produce a fuel injection burst with a high surface-to-volume ratio that flows quickly and completes a stratified or stratified charge air combustion process. And may be heated to produce a reduced viscosity. Illustratively, large blocks of paraffin, compressed cellulose, stabilized animal or vegetable fats, tars, various polymers including polyethylene, distillation residues, non-standard diesel oils, and other long chain hydrocarbon alkanes, Aromatics and cycloalkanes may be stored in areas suitable for disaster management. These illustrative fuel choices that provide long-term storage benefits cannot be used by conventional fuel vaporization or injection systems. However, this embodiment burns very quickly after injection and plasma firing ignition, including measures for utilizing high temperature coolant or exhaust flow from the heat engine of heat exchangers 3436, 3426 (FIG. 14). To provide a direct injection with the injector disclosed herein to complete a suitable temperature, for example, between about 150-425 ° C. (300-800 ° F.) Provide such fuel.

  In operation, these preheated and heated liquid fuels contain such fuels by locally reducing the vapor pressure and thus reducing the force required by the injector embodiments disclosed herein. Thus, in order to prevent dribbling at undesired points, it may be somewhat cooled by heat exchange to ambient air or by coolant passing through the heat exchanger device. Further assurance of containment may be achieved as needed depending on the particular fuel used by providing more than one valve, such as the check valve disclosed herein.

  However, very small engines and emerging high speed diesel engine designs pose difficult problems due to the very small space available for an integrated fuel injector / igniter to enter the combustion chamber . Optimized process operation may be enabled especially for engines with very small access ports that limit the diameter of the injector nozzle portion 1705 that extends to the combustion chamber interface. The heat dam or protector 1728 can provide high mechanical strength, fatigue strength, and dielectric strength that are required to extend without reinforcement by a metal jacket at the nozzle portion 1705. Electrical conduction by the engine metal alloy in the vicinity of the nozzle portion 1705 that surrounds the insulator 1730 may continue through the conductive zone 1734, which is a suitable metal plating, a metal alloy that is brazed onto the end of the nozzle portion 1730. It may consist of a chip or metal foam that is crimped in place and thus attached to the tubular insulator 1730 as shown. Each of these methods may have applications that meet various engine space requirements, including new engine designs under development.

  As illustrated in FIG. 29 and with reference to other embodiments of the present disclosure, an embodiment of an injector that uses space saving features and high speed operating capability is adapted to be pressed against the lip of the engine port to the combustion chamber. The assembly may be held in place by a variety of suitable arrangements including an axial clamp or a forked leaf spring (not shown) that securely locks the assembly with a guard 1727. Thus, the protective feature 1727 may serve as a heat dam and further provides a convenient feature to hold the assembly firmly in place. Various suitable seals to the combustion chamber may be used including, for example, compressible or elastomeric annular seals or conically tapered compression seals.

  If more than one injector according to the present disclosure is to be used for fuel injection and / or ignition in the combustion chamber of a very large engine, and such injectors have a relatively small inlet port If it is desirable to place it at the required strategic location, the injector fuel flow valve can be configured as shown in FIG. 30A. More specifically, FIG. 30A is a cross-sectional partial side view of an injector illustrating a flow control valve 1850 configured in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, the illustrated flow valve 1850 may be used with the injector 1700 described above with reference to FIG. 29 and / or with other embodiments of the injector described herein. it can. As shown in FIG. 30A, the larger diameter portion of the fuel control valve 1850 may be held closed by contacting the valve seat 1852 by a cable assembly or actuator 1818. Actuator 1818 may be attached to valve 1850 (eg, bonded, crimped, etc.). A suitable driver (eg, a piezoelectric or electromagnetic driver such as driver 1714 illustrated in FIG. 29) can tension and relax actuator 1818 to move valve 1850. Moreover, the valve 1850 may be guided or limited to unidirectional movement within the cage inner diameter. For example, the electrode material can guide the valve 1850. In other embodiments, the valve 1850 can also move along the guide pin 1856 to provide alignment with the valve 1850.

  The fuel control valve 1850 may be, for example, a fluoride glass composition, quartz, sapphire, or a variety of such materials for monitoring infrared, visible, and ultraviolet radiation, and pressure and motion events in the combustion chamber. It may be made of any suitable material, including optical window materials such as polymer compositions that include composites. The fuel control valve 1850 can also be plated or treated with a variety of materials to produce the desired confinement of radiation that may be received by the lens and guide pin 1850. For example, the valve 1850 may be a ZBLAN fluoride comprising, for example, appropriately protected sapphire, lithium fluoride, calcium fluoride, or a composite of such materials to deliver and / or filter certain emission frequencies of interest. You may coat | cover with the material containing glass.

  In operation, the tension on the cable or actuator 1818 causes the fuel to flow past the valve 1850 to cause full steady flow, one or more bursts of injected fuel, or fuel injection subject to momentum by an appropriate acoustic signal. As it occurs, it is reduced or relaxed to the desired value. Moving valve 1850 outwardly by fuel pressure and / or other forces that may be imposed provides one or more fuel injections per cycle of the combustion chamber. The illustrated embodiment also includes a valve seat 1852 that may include permanent magnets and / or electromagnets. The valve 1850 includes a plurality of channels or passage contacts 1854 that face the valve seat 1852. The contact 1854 of the valve 1850 may be ferromagnetic to produce the desired change in the burst frequency and characteristics of the fuel injection burst, or the permanent magnet pole in the valve seat 1852, or the valve seat 1852. It may consist of a permanent magnet that may be repelled by a selection of magnetic poles produced by the operation of an electromagnet therein.

  In certain embodiments, combustion chamber characteristics and conditions may be detected and communicated by sensors supported by flow valve 1850 and / or guide pin 1856. The optical, electrical, and / or magnetic signals from the guide pin 1856 may be used to fill a space when needed for communication to a flexible sub-cable 1855 or to a suitable transducer and / or wireless node, It can be transmitted through a transmissive medium such as a gel or elastomeric material to a corresponding communication body or fiber in the actuator 1818. This allows a fly eye or other type of other suitable lens 1853 to be supported by guide pins 1856 to provide the desired monitoring and characterization of events in the combustion chamber. Information can therefore be transmitted through the optical pin assembly 156, including transmission through window material or communication cable 1855. This information can also be received by the communication 1855 in the valve 1850 through the slot 1858 or opening 1858 of the first ignition and flow regulator or cover 1880 supported by the nozzle portion. FIG. 30B is a front view illustrating the first cover 1880a, which is configured to allow fuel to flow outward and provide exposure to combustion chamber conditions and characteristics. Corresponding to slot 1858 and opening 1857. Appropriate transducers, wireless communication nodes, and / or appropriate optical or electrical conduction sub-cables in actuator 1818 can pass this information to a controller positioned on the injector for adaptive fuel injection and ignition timing operation. Can communicate.

  FIG. 30C is a front view of a second ignition and fuel flow regulator configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The second cover 1880 b includes an opening 1857 to provide access to the guide pin 1856. Second cover 1880b further includes slot 1859. Referring to the covers 1880a and 1880b of FIGS. 30B and 30C together, these covers can also be used for ignition events. For example, ignition may involve ionized air or an ionized fuel-air mixture, or ionized fuel from slots 1858, 1859, as well as the sharp rim 1857 of the cover corresponding to the lip 1860 of the engine head access port. 30B) or an annular zone 1862 between the sharp rim 1864 (FIG. 30C), selected from arrangements for hot surfaces, catalyst stimulation, sparks, plasma, or high peak energy capacitive discharge plasma Also good.

  FIG. 31 is a cross-sectional side view of an injector 1960 configured in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. The injector 1960 includes a number of space saving features. For example, the injector 1960 includes a cable or actuator 1968 that is coupled to a flow valve 1950 that is supported by the nozzle portion of the injector 1960. The injector 1960 also includes a starter assembly 1968 configured to move the cable 1968 to start the flow valve 1950. More particularly, starter assembly 1959 also includes actuators 1962 (identified individually as first actuator 1962a through third actuator 1962c) configured to displace cable 1968. Although three actuators 1962 are illustrated in FIG. 31, in other embodiments, the injector 1960 can include a single actuator 1962, two actuators 1962, or more than three actuators 1962. Actuator 1962 can be a piezoelectric component, an electromechanical component, a pneumatic component, a hydraulic component, or other suitable force generating component.

  The starter assembly 1959 also includes a connector 1958 (first connector 1958a and 1958a) that is operatively coupled to the cable 1968 and the cable 1968 to provide push, pull, and / or push and pull displacement of the cable 1968. Individually identified as second connector 1958b). The cable 1968 can slide freely between the connectors 1958 in the axial direction along the injector 1960. According to another feature of starter assembly 1959, the first end of cable 1968 can pass through first guide bearing 1976 at base portion 1901 of injector 1960. The first end of cable 1968 also has an operational relationship to controller 1978 to relay combustion data to controller 1978 to allow the controller to adaptively control and optimize the fuel injection and ignition process. Combined with A second end of cable 1968 extends through guide bearing 1970 at nozzle portion 1902 of injector 1960 to align cable 1968 with flow valve 1950.

  In operation, actuator 1962 displaces cable 1968 to tension or relax cable 268B to provide the desired degree of movement of flow valve 1950. More specifically, actuator 1962 displaces cable 1968 at the connector in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of injector 1960.

  The injector 1960 also includes a capacitor 1974 in the nozzle portion 1902 when it is desirable to deliver a relatively large current burst of plasma at the combustion chamber interface by ionizing the fuel, air, or fuel-air mixture. be able to. Capacitor 1974 may be provided by a suitable metal selection, or a graphene layer separated by a suitable insulator such as the selection from Table 1, as well as any preparation such as the selection from Table 2. It may be cylindrical to include many good conductive layers. Capacitor 1974 may be charged with a relatively small current through a first isolated cable 1980 that can be coupled to a suitable power source. Capacitor 1974 may then be discharged more quickly at a relatively high current through a larger second cable 1982 extending from capacitor 1974 to a conductive tube or plating 1984. The plating 1984 can include desired sharp edges for ignition characteristics and propagation as described above.

  FIG. 32 is a cross-sectional side view of an injector 2060 configured in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present disclosure for quickly and accurately controlling the start of the flow valve 2050. FIG. The illustrated injector 2060 includes several features that are generally similar in structure and function to the corresponding features of other injectors disclosed herein. As shown in FIG. 32, the injector 2060 includes an actuator or cable 2068 coupled to the flow valve 2050. The injector 2060 also includes different starter assemblies 2070 (first starter assembly 2070a and second starter) for moving the cable 2068 axially along the injector 2060 (eg, in the direction of the first arrow 2067). Individually identified as starter assembly 2070b).

  The first starter assembly 2070 a (shown schematically) includes a force generating member 2071 that contacts the cable 2068. The force generating member 2071 can be a piezoelectric component, an electromechanical component, a pneumatic component, a hydraulic component, or other suitable force generating component. When the force generating member 2071 is energized or otherwise started, the force generating member 2071 moves in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the injector 2060 (eg, in the direction of the second arrow 2065). Accordingly, the force generation member 2071 applies a tension to the cable 2068 by displacing at least a part of the cable 2068. When the force generating member 2071 is no longer energized or started, the cable 2068 is no longer under tension. Thus, the first starter assembly 2070a can provide the fuel injection burst 2003 from the flow valve 2050 very quickly and accurately.

  The second starter assembly 2070b (shown schematically) includes a rack and pinion type configuration for moving the cable 2068 axially within the injector 2060. More particularly, the second starter assembly 2070 b includes a rack or sleeve 2072 that is coupled to the cable 2068. A corresponding pinion or gear 2074 engages the sleeve 2072. In operation, the second starter assembly 2070b transfers the rotational movement of the gear 2074 to the linear movement of the sleeve 2072 and consequently the cable. Thus, the second starter assembly 2070b can also provide a very quick and accurate fuel injection burst 2003 released from the flow valve 2050.

  FIG. 33A is a cross-sectional side view of an outwardly opening flow valve 2150 configured in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 33B is a left side view thereof. 34A is a cross-sectional side view of a valve seat 2270 configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure, FIG. 34B is a left side view thereof, and FIG. 34C is a right side view thereof. Referring to FIGS. 33A-34C together, the flow valve 2150 is configured to control fuel flow at the combustion chamber interface, and the valve seat 2270 aligns the valve 2150 within the injector. Composed. In the illustrated embodiment, the valve 2150 includes an elongated first end 2153 opposite the flanged second end 2152. The first end 2153 includes a cavity 2156 that can be coupled to a cable or actuator as described in detail above. The second end 2152 includes a first contact surface 2154.

  The valve seat 2270 includes a first end 2273 opposite to the second end 2271. The first end 2273 includes a plurality of channels or passages 2276 that are configured to allow fuel and / or instruments to pass through the valve seat 2270. The channel is associated with a single passage or bore 2272 at the second end of the valve seat 2270. Second end 2271 also includes a second contact surface 2274. The valve seat 2270 is configured to at least partially receive the first end 2153. More specifically, the central channel or passage 2276 can receive the first end 2153 of the valve 2150. When the valve 2250 is seated in the closed position of the valve seat 2270, the first contact surface 2154 of the valve 2270 contacts or engages the second contact surface 2274 of the valve 2270 and fuel flows therebetween. To prevent. In some embodiments, the surfaces of valve 2150 and / or valve seat 2270 can be configured to affect fuel flowing through these surfaces. For example, these components can include sharp edges that induce sudden gasification of the fuel as described above. In addition, these components can have surfaces with grooves or patterns that affect fuel flow, such as spiral grooves, for example, to induce a swirling motion of the injected fuel. . Although the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 34A-34C shows one configuration of a flow valve and corresponding valve seat 2270, those skilled in the art can appreciate that other valves and valve seats can include other configurations and features. Will understand.

  FIG. 35A is a cross-sectional side view of an injector 2300 configured in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. The injector 2300 includes several functional parts that are generally similar in structure and function to the corresponding functional parts of the injectors described above. For example, the injector 2300 includes an intermediate portion 2304 that extends between the base portion 2302 and the nozzle portion 2306. The nozzle portion 2306 extends to the combustion chamber 2301 through the engine head 2303. The injector 2300 also includes a dielectric insulator 2340.

  According to one feature of the illustrated embodiment, the dielectric insulator 2340 includes two or more portions with different dielectric strengths. For example, the insulator 2340 can include a first dielectric portion 2342 that is generally positioned in the middle portion 2304 of the injector 2300 and a second dielectric portion 2344 in the nozzle portion 2306 of the injector 2300. In certain embodiments, the second dielectric portion 2344 withstands severe combustion conditions (eg, pressure, thermal and mechanical shock, fouling, etc.) of the nozzle portion 2306 in the vicinity of the combustion chamber 2301, and is an insulator. In order to prevent the deterioration of 2340, it can be configured to have a higher dielectric strength than the first dielectric portion 2342. In some embodiments, these dielectric portions can be made of different materials. In other embodiments, however, the second dielectric portion 2344 can be made from the same material as the first dielectric portion 2342, however, the second dielectric portion 2344 can be made of the second dielectric portion 2344. To increase the dielectric strength of the body 2344 (eg, with a compressive load on the outer surface as described above), it can be sealed or otherwise processed. The first dielectric portion 2342 and the second dielectric portion 2344 can be made from any of the dielectric materials and / or processes described above, including, for example, the materials listed in Table 1. .

  According to another aspect of the illustrated embodiment, the second dielectric portion 2344 does not extend along the nozzle portion 2306 to the interface with the combustion chamber 2301 throughout. Accordingly, the nozzle portion 2306 includes a gap 2370 between the engine block 2303 and the conductive portion 2338 of the injector 2300, which delivers voltage to the nozzle portion 2306 for ignition. This gap 2370 in the nozzle portion 2306 provides a space for capacitive discharge that generates plasma from the nozzle portion 2306. Such an electrical discharge can also prevent or at least partially prevent contaminants (eg, petroleum) from depositing on the second dielectric portion 2344, thereby tracking the insulator 2340 or other types. Avoid degradation.

  According to another feature of the illustrated embodiment, the injector 2300 can further include a second check valve 2330 and a check valve seat 2332 in the base portion 2302 of the injector 2300. In certain embodiments, the check valve 2330 and the check valve seat 2332 can include magnetic portions (eg, permanent magnets) that are attracted to each other. In operation, a force on the check valve 2330 (eg, an electromagnetic or other suitable force that overcomes the attractive force of the check valve seat 2332) moves the check valve 2330 away from the check valve seat 2332; Allows fuel to flow through the injector 2300. The check valve 2330 remains in the closed position as long as no force is applied to the check valve 2330 so that if power loss occurs, the check valve 2330 prevents fuel from flowing or leaking into the injector 2330. it can.

  FIG. 35B is a front view illustrating an embodiment of a flow valve 2350 in the nozzle portion 2306 of the injector 2300 illustrated in FIG. 35A. As shown in FIG. 35B, the valve 2350 can include a plurality of slots 2358 and / or openings 2357 to allow and / or influence the flow of fuel. These slots 2358 and openings 2357 may also allow the injector 2300 to sense combustion chamber characteristics and conditions through the valve 2350. Moreover, the valve 2350 can be made at least partially from a transparent material such as quartz or sapphire to allow monitoring of the combustion chamber properties and conditions.

  FIG. 36A is a cross-sectional partial side view of a nozzle portion 2402 of an injector 2400 configured in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present disclosure. In the illustrated embodiment, the injector 2400 includes a connector 2442 that couples a cable or actuator 2440 to the first flow valve 2450. The first valve 2450 is an inwardly opening flow valve that remains in contact with the valve seat 2452 when the first valve is in the closed position. The nozzle portion 2402 also includes a second check valve 2460 that remains in contact with the valve seat 2452 when the second valve 2460 is in the closed position. Thus, the nozzle portion includes an intermediate volume 2456 between the closed first valve 2450 and second valve 2460. The nozzle portion 2402 also includes an ignition and flow regulator or cover 2470. In certain embodiments, the nozzle portion 2402 can also include one or more biasing components configured to control valve actuation for fuel injection. These biasing components can include, for example, magnets including springs such as mechanical springs and / or permanent magnets. More particularly, the first valve can include a first magnetic portion 2451 and the second valve 2460 can include a second magnetic portion 2463, each of which corresponds to a valve seat 2452. It is attracted or biased towards the third magnetic part 2454. In addition, the cover 2470 can also include a fourth magnetic portion 2472, however, the fourth magnetic portion 2472 is opposite the valve seat 2460 or otherwise from the valve seat 2460. Biased away. For example, the valve seat 2460 can include a fifth magnetic portion 2462 that is biased away from the fourth magnetic portion 2472 of the cover 2470. Thus, these biasing portions can help keep the valves in their closed positions. These biasing portions can further enhance valve actuation by providing at least partially a restoring force that returns these valves more quickly to their closed position. The illustrated nozzle component (eg, actuator 2440, first valve 2450, valve seat 2452, second valve 2460, and / or cover 2470) monitors the condition and / or characteristics of the combustion chamber and Various sensors and / or instrumentation for communicating may be included.

  In operation, the actuator 2440 is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow 2439 to move the first valve 2450 away from the valve seat 2452 and open the first valve 2450. The opening of the first valve 2450 allows fuel to flow along the first fuel path 2444a and enter the intermediate volume 2456. As fuel enters the intermediate volume 2456, the pressure of the fuel opens the second check valve 2460, thus allowing the fuel to exit the intermediate volume 2456 along the second fuel path 2444b. Thereafter, the fuel can flow past the cover 2470 to be injected into the combustion chamber. When the actuator 2440 returns to its original position, the first valve 2450 again contacts the valve seat 2452 and closes to stop fuel flow. As the pressure in the intermediate volume 2456 drops, the second valve 2460 again contacts the valve seat 2452 and closes, thereby preventing any fuel dribbling from the nozzle portion 2402. Thus, a quick start of the actuator 2440 allows an accurate fuel burst from the nozzle portion 2402.

  36B is a front view of the injector of FIG. 36A illustrating an ignition and flow regulator or cover 2470 configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The illustrated cover 2470 includes a slot 2474 for fuel flow and combustion chamber monitoring, as described in detail above. In addition, the cover 2474 can include a plurality of circumferentially spaced igniters 2476 to facilitate ignition at the engine head.

  FIG. 37 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of a system 2500 configured in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. In the illustrated embodiment, the system 2500 includes an integrated fuel injector / igniter 2502 (eg, an injector according to any of the embodiments of the present disclosure), a combustion chamber 2506, and one or more An unthrottled air flow valve 2510 (identified individually as a first valve 2510a and a second valve 2510b) and an energy transfer device or piston 2504 are included. As described in detail above, the injector 2502 is configured to inject a stratified or stratified charge of fuel 2520 into the combustion chamber 2506. According to one aspect of the illustrated embodiment, the system 2500 is configured to inject and ignite fuel 2520 in a rich or excess oxidant 2530, such as air. More particularly, system 2500 is configured such that valve 2510 maintains ambient or positive pressure in combustion chamber 2506 prior to a combustion event. For example, system 2500 can operate without throttling or otherwise interfering with the flow of air to the combustion chamber so that no vacuum is created in combustion chamber 2506 prior to igniting fuel 2520. Due to ambient or positive pressure in the combustion chamber 2506, excess oxidant forms an insulating barrier 2530 adjacent the surface of the combustion chamber (eg, cylinder wall, piston, engine head, etc.).

  In operation, the injector 2502 injects stratified or stratified fuel 2520 into the combustion chamber 2506 in the presence of excess oxidant. In certain embodiments, injection may occur when piston 2504 is at or beyond the top dead center position. However, in other embodiments, the injector 2502 may inject fuel 2520 before the piston 2504 reaches top dead center. The injector 2502 is described above (eg, by injecting multiple stratified bursts rapidly during an ignition event, including sudden gasification of fuel, plasma fired fuel, supercooling, etc.). The fuel 2520 is ignited quickly and burns completely in the presence of the oxidant insulating barrier 2530, because it is configured to adaptively inject the stratified charge 2520 as is done. Composed. Accordingly, the insulating barrier 2530 shields the walls of the combustion chamber 2506 from the heat provided from the fuel 2520 when the fuel 2520 ignites, thereby avoiding heat loss of the walls of the combustion chamber 2506. As a result, the heat released by the rapid combustion of the fuel 2520 is not transferred as a loss to the combustion chamber surface but is converted to work that drives the piston 2504. Moreover, in embodiments where the injector 2502 injects fuel and / or ignites after the piston 2504 has exceeded top dead center, the piston is already at or above top dead center, resulting in back work. Without any loss, all of the energy released by the rapid combustion of the fuel 2520 is converted to work that drives the piston 2504. In other embodiments, however, the injector 2520 may inject fuel before the piston 2504 is at top dead center.

  FIG. 38A is a cross-sectional side view of an injector 3800 configured in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present disclosure. The injector 3800 includes several functional parts that are generally similar in structure and function to the corresponding functional parts of the injector described above with reference to FIGS. For example, the injector 3800 includes a first or base portion 3804 opposite the second or nozzle portion 3802. The injector 3800 also includes a sleeve or body 3808 that extends between the base portion 3802 and the nozzle portion 3804. The body 3808 surrounds a dielectric portion or dielectric body insulator 3810 that extends longitudinally through the injector 3800. Further details regarding the material and / or formation of the body insulator 3810 are described in detail below. The body insulator 3810 includes a conductor opening 3812 extending centrally therethrough in the longitudinal direction. The conductor opening 3812 is configured to allow an electrode or conductor 3814 to extend from the nozzle portion 3804 to the base portion 3802 through the injector 3800. For example, conductor 3814 can be coupled to an energy source, such as a voltage source, to provide ignition energy to one or more electrodes or ignition function 3816 at the nozzle tip of nozzle portion 3804. The conductor 3814 can also include one or more optical monitoring fibers or features 3818 extending longitudinally therein. The light monitoring function 3818 is configured to detect or otherwise sense combustion chamber characteristics and transmit data related to these characteristics to a controller or processor.

  Base portion 3802 also includes a dielectric base portion insulator 3807 configured to accommodate a high voltage supplied to base portion 3802 via conductor 3814. For example, the base insulator 3807 can dielectrically isolate the receiver 3809 in the base 3802 that receives the conductor 3814. The base insulator 3807 can be tapped, brazed, soldered, or coated with an adhesive such as epoxy, or any other suitable sealing method or compound, to the housing of the ferromagnetic force generator. Or it can be further sealed to the casing 3820. If production line brazing or soldering of base insulator 3807 to force generator casing 3820 is desired in contact zone 3813, the contact zone of 3813 is masked or otherwise copper oxide and / or oxidized. It may be metallized by local hydrogen reduction of silver. Alternatively, the zone of contact zone 3813 may be plated by other suitable techniques including, for example, sputtering or evaporation.

  According to further features of the illustrated embodiment, the base 3802 includes a force generator 3806 (eg, appropriate pneumatic, hydraulic, electromagnetic solenoid, piezoelectric component, etc.) positioned within a force generator casing 3820. . Casing 3820 includes a fuel inlet 3822 that is connected to a fuel coupling 3826 for receiving fuel from a fuel source into casing 3820. The casing 3820 also includes a fuel outlet 3824 that allows fuel to exit the casing 3820 via the valve assembly 3828 shown in detail in FIG. 38B.

  More specifically, FIG. 38B is an enlarged detail view of the valve assembly 3828 of the injector 3800. Referring to FIGS. 38A and 38B together, the force generator fuel outlet 3824 allows fuel to pass from the force generator casing 3820 into the valve cavity 3830. The valve cavity 3830 includes a flow valve 3832 such as a ferromagnetic valve that is movable in response to a force induced from the force generator 3806. The valve 3832 also includes one or more valve fuel passages 3834 extending through the valve 3832. The valve fuel passage 3834 is configured to allow fuel to flow through the valve 3832 and exit the valve cavity 3830 via the fuel outlet passage 3836. In the illustrated embodiment, the valve fuel passage 3834 extends through the valve 3832 with an inclination angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the injector 3800 that is at least approximately equal to the inclination angle of the fuel outlet passage relative to the longitudinal axis of the injector 3800. In other embodiments, however, the valve fuel passage 3834 and the fuel outlet passage 3836 can extend at other angles with respect to the longitudinal axis. The fuel outlet passage 3836 is further coupled to one or more insulating fuel passages 3840 extending longitudinally along the insulator 3810 between the body 3808 and the insulator 3810. Further functional parts of the insulating fuel channel 3840 are described in detail below.

  According to another feature of the illustrated embodiment, valve assembly 3828 also attracts element 3838 (eg, a magnet, permanent magnet, etc.) that attracts or otherwise biases valve 3832 to the first or closed position. including. The valve assembly 3832 also optionally includes a biasing member 3839 (eg, a spring schematically shown in FIG. 38B, a coiled compression spring, etc.) that biases the valve 3832 toward the closed position. it can.

  During operation of valve assembly 3828, force generator 3806 generates force quickly and repeatedly to move valve 3832 between a closed position and a second or open position. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the valve 3832 is shown in a closed position so that the valve 3832 prevents fuel from exiting the fuel cavity 3830 via the fuel outlet passage 3836. As the valve 3832 opens by moving toward the base 3802, fuel in the fuel cavity 3830 can travel around the valve 3832 or pass through the valve 3832 via the valve fuel passage 3834. After passing through the valve fuel passage 3834, the fuel can exit the fuel cavity 3830 via the fuel outlet passage 3836 so that the fuel is transmitted to the nozzle portion 3804 via the insulated fuel channel 3840.

  In applications where a solenoid force generator 3806 assembly for actuating the valve 3832 at the base 3802 is used (eg, not piezoelectric, pneumatic, hydraulic, or mechanical link), the solenoid force generator 3806 is insulated. By applying 24 to 240V DC to the winding, a very fast actuation of the ferromagnetic valve 3832 can be induced. This is a short time with a duty cycle of about 3% to 21% depending on the mode of operation to allow cooling of the components of the force generator 3806 as a result of heat transfer to the fuel flowing through the force generator 3806. It works for the purpose of developing exceptionally high current and valve actuation force.

  Referring again to FIG. 38A, the insulating fuel channel 3840 extends longitudinally through the injector 3800 along the outer surface of the insulator 3810. Thus, the insulated fuel channel facilitates fuel flow through the injector 3800 between the insulator 3810 and the body 3808. The injector 3800 also includes a deformable or elastomeric sleeve valve 3842 in the nozzle portion 3804. More specifically, the sleeve valve 3842 is coaxially disposed on the insulator 3810 so as to be positioned between the insulator 3810 and the body 3808. In the nozzle portion 3804, the body 3808 is configured to extend to a seal 3844 (eg, an O-ring or similar seal) in the combustion chamber port. The sleeve valve 3842, however, extends beyond the seal 3844 toward the combustion chamber. As will be described in detail below, the elastomeric sleeve valve 3842 is a deformable elongate that allows fuel to exit the nozzle portion 3804 in response to sufficient hydraulic or pressure gradient in the injector 3800. Acts as a valve. For example, the insulating fuel channel 3840 tapers or otherwise decreases along the insulator 3810 as the insulating fuel channel 3840 approaches the nozzle portion 3804. Insulated fuel channel 3840 thus delivers fuel to nozzle portion 3804, however, sleeve valve 3842 provides sufficient pressure gradient upstream from sleeve valve 3842 so that valve assembly 3828 provides at least a portion of sleeve valve 3842. Until it deforms and provides an annular opening around the insulator 3810 to inject fuel to seal against the insulator 3810 to prevent fuel injection. Thus, the injector 3800, as well as some other injectors described herein, provide the advantage of having more than one fuel flow control. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the valve assembly 3828 provides a first or primary fuel flow control in response to the actuated force, and the sleeve valve 3842 provides fuel pressure (eg, hydraulic pressure) within the injector 3800. To provide secondary flow control in response to

  In certain embodiments, the sleeve valve 3842 may be made from a suitable high-strength polymer such as polyamide-imide (Torlon) or thermosetting composite with Kapton, glass fiber, and / or graphite reinforcement. it can. In other embodiments, the sleeve valve 3842 can be made of metal and made from aluminum, titanium, alloy steel, or other suitable metallic material. In addition, the port seal 3844 may be like FKM, Viton, or silicon fluoride elastomer to seal the body 3808 with the nozzle portion 3804 against gas generated in the combustion chamber and / or against engine lubricant. Can be made of any elastomeric material.

  38C-38E are a series of side cross-sectional views of the injector 3800 at various locations along the insulator 3810. More particularly, FIG. 38C is a cross-sectional side view of injector 3800 viewed substantially along line 38C-38C of FIG. 38A. As shown in FIG. 38C, the insulating fuel channel 3840 is relatively large with respect to the insulator 3810 at this location along the insulator 3810 in the vicinity of the base 3802. For example, the insulating fuel channel 3840 forms a generally concave or curved recess in the outer surface of the insulator 3810 adjacent to the inner surface of the body 3808. In other embodiments, however, the insulating fuel channel 3840 can have other cross-sectional profiles or shapes, including, for example, curved shapes, straight shapes, and / or other shapes. The illustrated embodiment includes six insulating fuel channels 3840, but in other embodiments, the insulator 3810 can include more or fewer than six insulating fuel channels 3840. According to another feature of the illustrated embodiment, the conductor 3814 extends through the conductor opening 3812 of the insulator 3810. In addition, the optical monitoring fiber or feature 3818 extends longitudinally through the conductor 3814.

  Referring now to FIG. 38D, which is a cross-sectional side view taken substantially along line 38D-38D of FIG. 38A. In this generally intermediate position along insulator 3810, insulating fuel channel 3840 shrinks or tapers to form a relatively smaller recess or channel in insulator 3810 and adjacent to the inner surface of body 3808. To do. For example, in FIG. 38D, the individual insulator channels 3840 are smaller and spaced from each other as compared to the size of the individual insulating fuel channels 3840 illustrated in FIG. 38C.

  Referring now to FIG. 38E, FIG. 38E is a cross-sectional side view of nozzle portion 3804 of injector 3800 viewed substantially along line 3E-3E of FIG. 38A. At this location along the insulator 3810, the insulated fuel channel no longer exists or is significantly reduced or tapered compared to other locations along the insulator 3810 that are closer to the base 3802. Moreover, at this location along the insulator 3810, the elastomeric sleeve 3842 is coaxially disposed and sealed around the insulator (eg, between the insulator 3810 and the body 3808). Thus, referring again to FIG. 38A, the insulator channels 3840 taper or shrink as they extend along the insulator 3810 toward the nozzle portion 3804. At the nozzle portion 3804 near the combustion chamber, the elastomeric sleeve valve 3842 is normally closed and sealed around the insulator 3810.

  In operation, fuel is delivered from the valve assembly 3828 at the base 3802 to the insulated fuel channel 3840. The pressurization of fuel in the insulated fuel channel 3840 causes the sleeve valve 3842 in the nozzle portion 3804 to expand or deform, thereby causing the fuel to be injected into the combustion chamber around the insulator 3810. An annular opening is provided. After the fuel injection event, the pressure in the insulator channel 3840 drops, allowing the sleeve valve 3842 to contact the cylinder portion of the insulator and return to a normally closed or sealed position.

  In accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure, the dielectric body insulator is up to megahertz frequencies in an area less than 1.8 mm (0.071 inches) thick between the conductor 3814 and the outer surface of the insulator 3810. Provides dielectric confinement in excess of 80,000 volts at DC. When a high frequency voltage is applied to establish an ionic current or ion oscillation between the electrode of the ignition function 3816 and the engine head bore, a copper or silver conductive layer is applied on the outer surface of the electrode 3814. May be. The conductive layer may also be increased by additional plating to provide greater high frequency conductivity. In alternative embodiments, however, a litz braided wire may be placed over the monitoring feature 3818 (eg, optical fiber) in the core of the conductor 3814 to reduce resistive losses.

The body insulator 3810 and / or the base insulator 3807 can be made from a glass material having the following approximate composition according to the weight percentage of Equation 1: These dielectric insulating materials are ball milled, melted in a suitable crucible such as a platinum, silica, magnesia, or alumina material option, reheated, and molded into a component close to the net shape and dimensions. Can be extruded, compacted or cast into a suitable mass. Equation 1, for _{example, SiO 2 24~48%, MgO 12~28} %, Al 2 O 3 9~20%, Cr 2 O 3 0.5~6.5%, F 1~9%, BaO 0~ 14%, 0~5% CuO, SrO 0~11%, Ag 2 O 0~3.5%, NiO 0~1.5%, and B ₂ O ₃ may include 0-9%. In another embodiment, the alternative by weight percentage of Formula 2 when the material is melted in a covered platinum, alumina, magnesia, or silica crucible at a temperature of at least between about 1350 ° C. and 1550 ° C. Any suitable composition can be used. Formula 2 is, for example, SiO ₂ 31%, MgO 22%, Al ₂ O ₃ 17%, Cr ₂ O ₃ 2.2%, F 4.5%, BaO 13%, CuO 0.4%, SrO 9. 5%, Ag ₂ O 0.3%, and NiO 0.1%.

The tubular profile of these insulating materials should be a cooled material that can be extruded from a molten material or hot formed at a temperature between about 1050 ° C. and 1200 ° C. Can do. The mass that is cast to provide the necessary volume to hot extrude into a tube or other profile or to forge into a part close to the net shape and dimensions can be cooled slowly. Such a mass is heated to a temperature suitable for thermoforming, such as between about 1050 ° C. and 1250 ° C., extruded to the desired outer shape and dimensions, and includes a refractory material such as platinum, molybdenum, or graphite. It may be produced through a suitable die. As a result, the surface zone produces a larger number of small crystals than the central zone, thus reducing volume packing efficiency and providing compressive stress to the surface zone and tensile stress to the central zone. One or more suitable crystallizing nucleates, such as BN, B ₂ O ₃ , AlF ₃ , B, AlB ₂ , AlB ₁₂ , or AlN, can be sprinkled on the formed contour. Moreover, further development of such compressive stress is desired by the die-induced deformation and dragging of the outer layer by dragging when the extruded article is forced to form a smaller cross-section that causes such elongation. May occur in some cases. In other embodiments, a superalloy or graphite mold assembly that has been sprinkled with suitable crystallization nuclei, such as B ₂ O ₃ or BN, to produce similar compressive stresses near the surface zone. Among them, more complex shapes and forms may be compression molded or compression formed.

  Conventional applications have desired a combination of chemical formula and heat treatment to produce an insulating material that can be machined. The present disclosure, however, accomplishes the opposite. For example, embodiments of the present disclosure are characterized by compressive stresses that are balanced by the tensile stress of a central cross-section zone between or adjacent to zones where the surface zones are too hard to machine and have compressive stresses. As it is attached, it will eventually produce an article that may not be machined. Such an embodiment would therefore be made of a material that is designed to intentionally crack near the zone where the cutting tool is stressed to allow progressive tip formation and provide machinability. The inherent material problems inherent to production can be overcome. These characteristic crack formations allow for machinability, but substances in the insulating material such as engine lubricants, surfactants, hand grease, sweat, etc. in these cracks. Inherently disadvantageous intrusions. These organic materials tend to eventually dehydrogenate or otherwise become carbon donors, which then become conductive pathways along with various electrolytes introduced into these cracks and are machined Compromises the dielectric strength of the possible ceramic article, which may ultimately cause voltage containment failure.

According to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, another suitable composition according to the weight percentage of Formula 3 can be used to form the body insulator 3810 and / or the base insulator 3807. For example, Equation 3 can have the following approximate weight percentages: SiO ₂ 30%, MgO 22%, Al ₂ O ₃ 18%, Cr ₂ O ₃ 3.2%, F 4.3%, BaO. 12%, SrO 3.6%, CuO 4.9%, Ag ₂ O 1.3%, and NiO 0.1%. In certain embodiments, after the insulating tube has been extruded, by passing hydrogen through the bore that reduces copper oxide and / or silver oxide to produce a metal surface of copper and / or an alloy of silver and copper. Cool to about 650 ° C. After the development of the appropriate thickness of the conductive metal, by a suitable source, such as radiation from an induction heated tube, to produce a compressive stress that is balanced by the tensile force of the zone within the interior of the insulating tube, Alternatively, the outer surface of the tube is heated by an oxidative flame, such as a surplus oxygen-hydrogen flame, and a suitable crystallization and / or fines agent is applied to the surface.

  In embodiments including a force generator 3806 with solenoid windings, copper magnet wire insulation suitable for such applications can include polyimide varnish and aluminum plating on the copper wire. Aluminum plating can be oxidized or partially oxidized to yield alumina. Such aluminum plating and oxidation may also be used in combination with polyimide, or polyamide-imide, and / or parylene insulating films. The ferromagnetic component of the base 3802 can thus guide the magnetic flux generated by the windings in the force generator 3806 through the ferromagnetic valve 3832 to allow for very fast movement of the valve 3832.

  38F is a cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of a force generator 3806 configured in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure, taken substantially along line 38F-38F in FIG. 38A. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 38F, force generator 3806 includes a plurality of individual force generators or valve operators 3850 (shown schematically as first valve operator 3850a through fourth valve operator 3850d, individually Identified). Each valve operator 3850 is configured to selectively start a corresponding valve, such as valve 3832 in valve assembly 3828. Thus, in the embodiment including the force generator 3806 of FIG. 38F with four valve operators 3850, the valve assembly will include four corresponding flow valves. In the illustrated embodiment, force generator 3806 also includes a fuel flow zone or region 3852 that surrounds each of valve operators 3850. The fuel flow region 3852 is configured to allow fuel to flow through each of the valve operators 3850, thereby at least partially cooling the valve operator 3850. Such a configuration provides the advantage of the relatively large cooling surface to volume ratio of force generator 3806.

  In certain embodiments, the valve operator 3850 can be configured to open at the same time or at different or separate times. For example, a single valve operator 3850 can be used to allow fuel to flow in a first engine operating condition, such as idle or lower power operation, and two valve operators 3850 can be used for cruise ( three, four, or more valve operators 3850 can be used in a third engine operation such as acceleration or full power operation. Can be used simultaneously with engine operation.

  The various features and corresponding components of the injector 3800 described above with reference to FIGS. 38A-38F provide several advantages over conventional fuel injectors. For example, the combustion chamber of a modern diesel engine has a very small diameter port for a “pencil” type direct fuel injector that must fit within a complex and closely packed inlet and exhaust valve actuation mechanism Generally designed to have The typical diesel fuel injector port diameter for entry into the combustion chamber is limited to about 8.4 mm (0.331 inches). In addition to these stringent space limitations, high temperature lubrication in the engine head environment within the valve cover to heat the fuel injector assembly to over 115 ° C (240 ° F) for most million-mile life requirements. Oil splatters constantly, preventing the application of conventional air-cooled solenoid valve designs.

  It is desirable to overcome the requirements that limit diesel engine operation with compression ignition and the use of narrow cetane number and viscosity diesel fuel along with stringent requirements for particulate and water removal. You may be able to select a richer fuel with much lower replacement costs. Accordingly, one object of embodiments of the present disclosure is a less expensive fuel having a wide variation of cetane number and / or octane number, along with impurities such as water, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and various particulates. Is to use. For example, conventional ethanol plants that currently produce pure ethanol that must be separated from non-fuel compounds such as water and carbon dioxide that are co-produced by fermentation, such as a mixture of ethanol, water, and methanol or butanol. The production of useful fuel can be more than doubled.

  Injector 3800 and other injectors described herein include at least 1) landfill gas, anaerobic digester methane, along with large amounts of non-fuel materials such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen, and 3000 times more fuel flow capacity than diesel fuel injectors, allowing for the use of low cost fuels such as various mixtures of hydrogen and other fuel species, 2) fired into the combustion chamber By providing and enabling such a plasma ignition of the fuel and 3) replacement of the diesel fuel injector at tune-up, the above difficulties can be overcome.

  FIG. 39 is a cross-sectional view of an injector 3900 configured in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. The injector 3900 is generally similar in structure and function to the corresponding features of the injector 3800 described above with reference to FIGS. 38A-38F and other injectors described herein. Includes several functional parts. For example, the injector illustrated in FIG. 39 includes a base portion 3802 opposite the nozzle portion 3804. Base portion 3802 includes a force generator 3806 and corresponding valve assembly 3828, and the nozzle portion includes an elastomeric sleeve valve 3842 disposed coaxially over a portion of dielectric body insulator 3810. In addition, the conductor opening 3812 of the body insulator 3810 allows the electrode or conductor 3814 to extend from the nozzle portion 3804 to the base portion 3802 through the injector 3900.

  The conductor 3814 also includes one or more optical monitoring fibers or features 3918 extending longitudinally therein. The optical fiber 3918 is configured to monitor or otherwise detect the characteristics of the combustion chamber at the nozzle section. In the illustrated embodiment, however, the optical monitoring function 3918 exits the base 3802 and relays or otherwise transmits combustion chamber data to the controller or processor 3901. In certain embodiments, processor 3901 can be supported by injector 3900. In other embodiments, however, the processor 3901 may be located remotely from the injector 3900. In addition, the optical fiber 3818 can be configured to transmit combustion chamber data to the processor via wiring or wireless connection.

  According to yet another feature of the illustrated embodiment, the base portion 3802 also includes a dielectric base insulator 3907 that is configured to accommodate a high voltage supplied to the base portion 3802 via the conductor 3814. . More specifically, the conductor 3814 includes an extension 3913 in the base 3802 that is separated from the optical fiber 3818. As also shown in the illustrated embodiment, the base portion 3802 includes an inlet fuel coupling 3926 that extends at a 90 degree angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the injector 3900.

  FIG. 40A is a cross-sectional side view of an injector 4000 configured in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. The injector 4000 includes several functional parts that are generally similar in structure and function to the corresponding functional parts of the injector described above with reference to FIGS. For example, the injector 4000 includes a first or base portion 4004 opposite the second or nozzle portion 4002. The injector 4000 also includes a sleeve or body 4008 that extends between the base portion 4002 and the nozzle portion 4004. The body 4008 surrounds a first dielectric portion or dielectric body insulator 4009 that extends longitudinally through the injector 4000 and is disposed coaxially within the second dielectric portion or dielectric body insulator 4010. The second body insulator 4010 is radially outward from the first body insulator 4009 by a gap that forms a fuel flow path 4011 extending longitudinally from the base portion 4002 to the nozzle portion 4004 along the injector 4000. Spaced apart.

  The first body insulator 4009 includes a conductor opening 4012 extending centrally therethrough in the longitudinal direction. The conductor opening 4012 is configured to allow an electrode or conductor 4014 to extend from the nozzle portion 4004 to the base portion 4002 through the injector 4000. For example, the conductor 4014 can be coupled to an energy source, such as a voltage source, to provide ignition energy to one or more electrodes or ignition function 4016 in the nozzle portion 4004. The conductor 4014 can also include one or more optical monitoring fibers or features 4018 extending longitudinally therein. The light monitoring function 4018 is configured to detect or otherwise sense combustion chamber characteristics and transmit data related to these characteristics to a controller or processor.

  According to further features of the illustrated embodiment, the base portion 4002 includes a force generator 4006 (eg, appropriate pneumatic, hydraulic, electromagnetic solenoid, piezoelectric component, etc.) positioned within a force generator casing 4020. . The casing 4020 includes a fuel inlet 4022 that is connected to a fuel coupling 4026 for receiving fuel from the fuel source into the casing 4020. Casing 4020 also includes a fuel outlet 4024 configured to allow fuel to exit casing 4020 via valve assembly 4028. More particularly, valve assembly 4028 includes a valve 4032 (eg, a ferromagnetic valve) positioned within valve cavity 4021. The valve cavity 4021 is fluidly coupled to the interior of the force generator casing 4020 via a fuel outlet 4024. Valve 4032 seals or closes fuel outlet 4024 when valve 4032 is in the normally closed position as shown in FIG. 40A.

  The valve assembly 4028 also includes a fixed ferromagnetic pole piece or pole element 4033 positioned within the valve cavity 4021. When the valve 4032 is in the closed position, the valve 4032 is separated from the pole piece 4033 by the cavity 4030. A bias, such as a non-ferromagnetic spring, a disc spring, etc., between the pole piece 4033 in the cavity 4030 and the valve 4032 to bias the valve 4032 away from the pole piece 4033 toward the closed position. Member 4830 can optionally be positioned. The valve assembly 4028 further includes an attraction element 4038 (eg, a magnet, a permanent magnet, etc.) that attracts or otherwise biases the valve 4032 toward the closed position. More particularly, in the illustrated embodiment, the valve 4032 has a generally cylindrical body with a generally tapered, conical or frustoconical end 4037 adjacent to the attraction element 4038. Accordingly, the conical end 4037 has a smaller cross-sectional dimension with respect to the cylindrical portion of the valve 4032.

  In operation, the current provided to the force generator 4006 magnetizes the pole piece 4033 and moves the valve 4032 toward the pole piece 4033 to an open position (eg, away from the nozzle portion 4004). When the valve 4032 moves from the closed position within the valve cavity 4021 to the open position adjacent to the pole piece 4033, the conical end 4037 of the valve 4032 no longer seals or plugs the fuel outlet 4024. As such, it is positioned adjacent to the power generator fuel outlet 4024. Accordingly, fuel is delivered from the force generator 4006 to the fuel slot or orifice 4013 of the valve cavity 4021 for delivery into the fuel flow path 4011 between the first body insulator 4009 and the second body insulator 4010. Can flow in. Thus, as the valve 4032 moves toward the open position, the valve 4032 allows fuel to flow from the fuel outlet 4024 to the fuel flow path via the fuel slot 4013 of the valve cavity 4021. When the valve 4032 returns to the normally closed position (eg, in the direction toward the nozzle portion 4004), the valve 4032 slidably seals the fuel outlet 4024 to stop fuel flow.

  Accordingly, the valve 4032 at the base 4002 moves longitudinally through the injector 4000. According to further features of the illustrated embodiment, however, the injector 4000 can also include a second valve 4042 in the nozzle portion 4004. More specifically, the second valve 4042 is a deformable or elastomeric sleeve valve 4042 disposed coaxially over the first body insulator 4009 and the second body insulator 4010 in the nozzle section. is there. The base of the sleeve valve 4042 can be adhered to the second body insulator 4010 with a suitable adhesive, thermopolymer, thermosetting compound, or other suitable adhesive. Moreover, in the illustrated embodiment, the sleeve valve 4042 includes an end 4043 configured to hold the sleeve valve 4042 in contact with the second body insulator 4010 with the second elastomer retention feature 4041. . Therefore, the holding function unit 4041 can contact the second body insulator 4010 and fix the valve sleeve while applying pressure.

  In addition, the valve sleeve 4042 extends over a plurality of outlets or injection ports 4041 in the nozzle portion. More specifically, the second body insulator 4010 includes a plurality of injection ports 4041 that are fluidly coupled to a fuel flow path 4011 between the first body insulator 4009 and the second body insulator 4010. Including. Thus, when opening the first valve 4032 and introducing pressurized fuel into the fuel flow path 4011 extending longitudinally to the nozzle portion 4004, the sleeve valve 4042 expands above the injection port 4041. Allows fuel to exit nozzle portion 4004.

  40B is a plan view of the biasing member 4039 of FIG. 40A configured in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. In the illustrated embodiment, the bias member 4039 can have a biased central portion 4051 that is separated from the periphery of the bias member by one or more channels 4053 extending through the bias member 4039. In certain embodiments, the bias member 4039 can be made from a non-magnetic stainless steel sheet stock that is 0.1 mm (0.004 inches) thick. Moreover, the bias member 4039 can be stamped or photoetched to achieve the illustrated geometry. The bias member 4039 can be further heat treated to provide the desired spring function within the central portion 4051 that lifts the central portion 4051. The non-magnetic nature of the biasing member 4039 is about 0.1 mm (0.004 inch) to prevent hard magnetic regions that may be formed from remaining attractive and prolonging the opening time of the valve 4032. Providing a gap allows the valve 4032 of FIG. 40A to quickly return to the normally closed position. In other embodiments, however, the biasing member can be another type of biasing member including, for example, a cone spring, a spring washer, a coiled compression spring, and the like. Moreover, in yet further embodiments, the bias member 4039 can be omitted from the valve assembly 4028 of FIG. 40A.

  FIG. 41 is a partial cross-sectional side view of an injector 4100 configured in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. In the illustrated embodiment, the injector 4100 includes a base 4102 having a valve assembly 4128 that is generally similar in structure and function to the valve assembly 4028 described above with reference to FIG. 40A. For example, the valve assembly 4128 of FIG. 41 includes a valve 4132 positioned in the valve cavity 4121. The valve cavity 4121 is fluidly coupled to the force generator fuel outlet 4124. In the illustrated embodiment, however, the portion of the valve cavity 4121 that surrounds the fuel outlet 4124 has a tapered shape that generally corresponds to the conical or frustoconical end of the valve 4132. More particularly, the end of valve 4132 includes a first tapered, conical or frustoconical surface 4138 extending from a second tapered, conical or frustoconical surface 4139. The surface of the valve cavity 4121 that contacts the valve 4132 has a tapered, conical, or frustoconical shape that is the same or generally similar to the second tapered surface 4139 of the valve 4132. One advantage of this embodiment is that the tapered or conical configuration allows for relaxed tolerances between the valve 4132 and the surface of the valve cavity 4121 that contacts the valve 4132.

  FIG. 42 is a cross-sectional side view of an injector 4200 configured in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present disclosure. The injector 4200 includes several features that are generally similar in structure and function to the injectors described herein, particularly the injector 1600 described above with reference to FIG. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 42, for example, the injector 4200 includes a base portion 4202 opposite the nozzle portion 4204. Actuator rod or cable 4214 extends from base portion 4202 to nozzle portion 4204 within longitudinal fuel passage 4211. Cable 4214 is coupled to an outwardly opening flow valve 4224 positioned in nozzle portion 4204. Cable 4214 may include one or more monitoring elements, such as fiber optic cables, for transmitting combustion chamber data to a controller or processor. The base fuel inlet 4209 is fluidly coupled to the fuel passage 4211.

  Base portion 4202 also includes a force generator 4206 (eg, appropriate pneumatic, hydraulic, electromagnetic solenoid, piezoelectric component, etc.) that provides an actuation force for a cable lock or brake 4266. The cable brake 4266 contacts the cable 4214 to provide a compressive force or radial compression force, holds the cable 4214 in tension, and keeps the valve 4244 in the closed position. Base 4202 further includes an attraction element 4270 such as a magnet or permanent magnet coupled to cable 4214 downstream from cable brake 4266. The attraction element 4270 is attracted toward a fixed ferromagnetic disk 4268 that is coupled to the base 4202 and positioned between the attraction element 4270 and the cable brake 4266. Accordingly, the attraction element 4270 also tensions the cable 4214 to at least partially hold the valve 4224 in the closed position.

  According to a further aspect of the illustrated embodiment, the base portion 4202 is also coupled to a cable 4214 configured to contact the cable brake 4266 to provide a limit on the amount of axial movement of the cable 4214. The first stop member 4264 is included. Base portion 4202 also includes a second stop member 4260 that is coupled to cable 4214 upstream from first stop member 4264. The first stop member 4260 contacts a biasing member 4262 (eg, spring, coiled compression spring) and further tensions the cable 4214 to hold the valve 4224 at least partially in the closed position.

  In operation, fuel is introduced into the fuel passage 4211 via the fuel inlet 4209. Cable brake 4266 locks cable 4214 and prevents valve 4224 from opening by contacting cable 4214 and providing a compression force. When fuel injection is desired, force generator 4206 triggers cable brake 4266 to the relaxed position. When the cable brake 4266 is in the relaxed position, the pressure from the fuel in the fuel passage 4211 opens the valve 4244. More specifically, the pressure gradient in the fuel passage 4211 must overcome the tension in the cable 4214 provided by the second stop member 4260 and bias member 4262, as well as the attraction element 4270 and the ferromagnetic disk 4268. Moreover, the total movement of the cable 4214 is limited by the first stop 4264 because the first stop 4264 contacts the cable brake 4266.

  The embodiment of the injector 4200 illustrated in FIG. 42 thus provides variable pressure control and increased control of injection events. For example, the cable brake 4266 can contact the cable 4214 to provide a variable limiting force to regulate the pressure required to open the valve 4224. Moreover, the second stop member 4260 and corresponding biasing member 4262 alone or in combination with the attracting element 4270 and corresponding ferromagnetic disk 4268 can further selectively control the pressure required to open the valve. Can do. As with the other embodiments described herein, the fuel injector 4200 can also be adaptively controlled in response to the characteristics of one or more monitored combustion chambers.

  According to further embodiments of the present disclosure, as described in detail above, an injector configured in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure includes one or more ignition functions supported by the nozzle portion of the corresponding injector. Part or electrode. Such injectors can further include a cover at the nozzle portion to direct or control the fuel dispersal pattern. In certain embodiments, for example, such nozzle portions and corresponding flow valves, electrodes, and end caps have at least the following configurations: a fuel control valve that opens outwardly with a stationary electrode outside the valve, the interior of the valve A fuel flow control valve that opens outward with a stationary electrode, a fuel flow control valve that opens inward with a stationary electrode outside the valve, a fuel flow control valve that opens inward with a stationary electrode inside the valve, outward An outwardly moving electrode with an inwardly moving valve, an inwardly moving electrode with an inwardly moving valve, and the like.

  Moreover, in certain embodiments, an injector with these nozzle portions (e.g., a combination of valves, electrodes, and / or caps) may launch a plasma axially away from the corresponding nozzle portion. it can. For example, an end cap or electrode, such as the end cap described above with reference to FIG. 24a, can at least partially induce plasma generation extending radially or axially away from the nozzle portion. . More particularly, an end cap having structural components for axial movement of fuel can therefore induce a plasma in the axial direction away from the nozzle portion. By inducing the plasma in these directions, in particular axially from the nozzle part, the swirl movement of the injected fuel can be counteracted or otherwise accounted for. Moreover, such plasma generation also provides better shape setting and control of the injector fuel pattern.

Further embodiments a fuel injector for injecting fuel, wherein the fuel is injected by means for regulating the flow of fuel with a valve, a fuel injector and a fuel igniter, integrated with the fuel injector A fuel injection system comprising: a fuel igniter, wherein the means for regulating the flow of fuel with a valve is an insulated rod means for opening, an insulated cable means, and an insulated light Means for adjusting the fuel flow with a valve, the force generating means being provided with the force required by the means for opening, which is occasionally opened by means for opening selected from the group consisting of fiber means, and fuel A fuel injection system in which the means for injecting fuel and the means for igniting the fuel are integrated at the interface with the means for burning the fuel.

  The system as described herein, wherein the means for opening also provides the control means with detection or communication of information detected from combustion.

  The system as described herein, wherein the means for controlling is integrated with the fuel injector means.

  The system as described herein, wherein the force generating means is electromechanical.

  The system as described herein, wherein the force generating means provides an impact force against a selection from the group consisting of cable, rod, or fiber optic means.

  The system as described herein, wherein the means for igniting the fuel is selected from the group consisting of a spark, a plurality of sparks, and a plasma means.

  The system as described herein, wherein the means for controlling is cooled by the fuel.

  The system as described herein, wherein the fuel cools at least the means for adjusting the force generation means or the valve.

  The system as described herein, wherein fuel is injected into at least one of a heat engine or a fuel cell.

  The fuel is stored by means for storing fuel, and means for storing the fuel includes cold liquids, cold solids and liquids, cold solids, liquids, vapors and gases, non-cold liquids, non A system as described herein, selected from the group for storing fuels consisting of cold solids and liquids and non-cold solids, liquids, vapors and gases.

  The system as described herein, wherein the fuel is selected from the group consisting of a cold liquid fuel, a cold solid fuel, and a cold gaseous fuel.

  The system as described herein, wherein the fuel is selected from the group consisting of solid fuel, liquid fuel, fuel vapor, and gaseous fuel.

  The system as described herein, wherein the fuel is a mixture of cold and non-cold fuel.

  The system as described herein, wherein fuel is delivered and combusted according to one of a stratified charge combustion mode, a premixed combustion mode, and a stratified charge combustion mode within a uniform charge.

  The system as described herein, wherein the means for regulating by the valve is protected by material means selected from the group consisting of sapphire, quartz, glass, and high temperature polymer.

  The system as described herein, wherein the fuel is passed through a means for heat exchange before being supplied to the injector.

  The system as described herein, wherein the means for igniting comprises means selected from the group consisting of capacitive discharge, piezoelectric voltage generation, induction voltage generation.

  Storing one or more fuel materials in the containment vessel means and fuel and / or fuel to a device that substantially separates the valve operator means from the flow control valve means located at the interface of the combustion chamber means of the engine means. Controlling the fuel or fuel derivative by means of an insulated cable or rod means to deliver the derivative and eliminate fuel dribbling at the point of trouble into the combustion chamber means of the engine means. Process for conversion.

  A process as described herein, wherein the control valve means is occasionally charged to provide a plasma discharge means.

  The process described herein, wherein the insulated cable or rod means also provides detection and / or communication of detected information from the combustion chamber means to the process control means.

  A process as described herein, wherein the fuel derivative is produced by means selected from the group consisting of a heat exchanger, a reversible fuel cell, and a catalytic heat exchanger.

  The process as described herein, wherein the fuel or fuel derivative comprises hydrogen used as a heat transfer means and / or to reduce losses in the operation of the relative motion component means of the process for energy conversion.

  A process as described herein, wherein the relative motion component means is a generator.

  A process as described herein, wherein the relative motion component means is a heat engine.

  A process as described herein, wherein the container means insulates the cold material.

  A process as described herein, wherein the container means contains a pressurized inventory of fuel and / or a derivative of the fuel.

  Fuel injection and ignition, wherein the intermittent intermittent flow providing the fuel injection is controlled by the valve means electrically separated by the insulating means and the starting means of the valve means, and the starting means exerts a force on the valve means by the insulating means A system for integrating means.

  A system as described herein, wherein the starting means applies force to the valve means by insulating means comprising an insulated cable or rod means.

  The system as described herein, wherein the cable or rod means also provides detection and / or communication of information detected from the combustion chamber means to the control means for operation of the system.

  A system as described herein wherein the control valve means is occasionally charged to provide plasma discharge means to ignite the occasionally injected fuel allowed to pass by the control valve means.

  The movable valve element means is displaced by plunger means forced by solenoid mechanism means, cam mechanism means, and means selected from the group consisting of a combination of solenoid mechanism means and cam mechanism means, wherein the valve element means is A system for providing a fluid flow valve function that is occasionally held in a position that allows fluid flow by means selected from solenoid mechanism means, piezoelectric mechanism means, and a combination of solenoid mechanism means and piezoelectric mechanism means.

  The system as described herein, wherein at least a portion of the fluid flow is delivered to the engine means to accelerate the inflow of air and increase the volumetric efficiency of the engine means.

  A system for integrating fuel injection and ignition means delivers at least a portion of the fluid flow to the combustion chamber of the engine means, and the intermittent flow providing fuel injection is electrically separated by the insulating means. A system as described herein, controlled by a valve means and a starting means of the valve means, wherein the starting means applies a force to the valve means by an insulating means.

  Such operation provides an adaptively maximized brake mean effective pressure for cyclic combustion of various fuel selections regardless of fuel octane, cetane, viscosity, energy content density, or temperature. The described system.

  A heat exchanger that supports the endothermic reaction by transferring heat from the engine to the hydrogen-containing fuel and / or compound converts the hydrogen-containing fuel and / or compound into hydrogen and / or a mixture of hydrogen and other fluid components. The system described herein.

  Hydrogen from the group consisting of cooling of rotating machinery, reducing windage loss of rotating machinery, as a medium to absorb and remove moisture, and as a fuel for two or more hybrid energy conversion applications A system as described herein that is used for a selected purpose.

  A fluid from the group consisting of cooling of rotating machinery, reducing windage loss of rotating machinery, as a medium to absorb and remove moisture, and as fuel for two or more hybrid energy conversion applications A system as described herein containing hydrogen used for a selected purpose.

  Microprocessor and fuel injector for injecting fuel, fuel injector by which the fuel is injected by opening the valve element, and means for igniting the fuel, integrated with the injector Means for igniting the fuel, wherein the valve element is opened with one of the cables or rods connected to the actuator, and the cables or rods are electrically insulated A fuel injection system further comprising an optical fiber element for communicating combustion data to the microprocessor.

  The system as described herein, wherein the means for igniting the fuel is located near the valve element.

  The system as described herein, wherein the actuator is an electromechanical actuator.

  The system as described herein, wherein the actuator provides an impact force to the cable or rod.

  The system as described herein, wherein the means for igniting the fuel is selected from one of a spark, a plurality of sparks, or a plasma discharge.

  The system as described herein, wherein the microprocessor is located within the body of the fuel injector.

  The system as described herein, wherein a microprocessor is located next to a conduit for supplying fuel to the injector, and fuel passing through the conduit cools the microprocessor.

  The system as described herein, wherein fuel is used to cool at least one of the valve element or the actuator.

  The system as described herein, wherein fuel is injected into at least one of a heat engine or a fuel cell.

  The system as described herein, wherein the fuel is stored in a fuel tank suitable for storing low temperature fuel.

  The system as described herein, wherein the fuel is selected from the group consisting of a cold liquid fuel, a cold solid fuel, and a cold gaseous fuel.

  The system as described herein, wherein the fuel is selected from the group consisting of a solid fuel, a liquid fuel, and a gaseous fuel.

  The system as described herein, wherein the fuel is a mixture of a low temperature fuel and a non-low temperature fuel.

  The system as described herein, wherein fuel is delivered and combusted according to one of a stratified charge combustion mode, a premixed combustion mode, and a stratified charge combustion mode within a uniform charge.

  The system as described herein, wherein the valve element is made from one of the group of sapphire, quartz, glass, and high temperature polymer.

  The system as described herein, wherein the fuel is passed through a heat exchanger before being supplied to the injector.

  An energy conversion system comprising means for cyclically achieving oxidant admission, fuel injection, ignition, combustion, and work production, wherein the oxidant is capable of complete combustion of fuel delivered by fuel injection. Injected in excess of the required amount, fuel injection is by means of multiple deliveries of fuel in each operating cycle, and ignition and combustion are from temperature, pressure, combustion rate, and combustion location Monitored to determine information selected from the group, the temperature at which the information fails to achieve the selected setpoint, the temperature above the selected setpoint, the pressure above the selected setpoint, The burn rate that fails to achieve the selected setpoint, the burn rate that exceeds the selected setpoint, and the location beyond the zone defined by the selected setpoint In order to prevent a condition selected from the group consisting of baked, used by the controller means to halt the fuel injection after the start the fuel injection and one or more fuel delivery, energy conversion system.

  An energy conversion system as described herein, wherein fuel injection is provided by valve means positioned at or substantially adjacent to the interface of the combustion chamber to effect energy conversion.

  An energy conversion system as described herein, wherein ignition is provided at or substantially near the interface of the combustion chamber to effect energy conversion.

  The energy conversion system as described herein, wherein after some event that suspends fuel injection, one or more fuel injections are resumed until a desired amount of work is achieved by the energy conversion system.

  The energy conversion system as described herein, wherein oxidant in excess of the amount required to completely burn the fuel delivered by fuel injection is maintained as an envelope that isolates each of the combustion events.

  It will be appreciated that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure. For example, the dielectric strength may be varied or changed to include alternative materials and processing means. Actuators and drivers may vary depending on the use of fuel or injectors. The cap may be used to ensure the shape and integrity of the fuel distribution, and the cap may vary in size, design, or position to provide different performance and protection. Alternatively, the injector may vary, for example, the electrodes, optics, actuators, nozzles or body may be made from alternative materials, or alternatively in the configuration shown and described, and Configurations that still remain within the spirit of the present disclosure may be included.

  Throughout the description and claims, the words “comprising”, “comprising”, etc. mean an inclusive rather than an exclusive or exhaustive meaning, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. That is, it should be interpreted in the meaning of "including but not limited to". Words using the singular or plural also include the plural or singular, respectively. When a claim uses the word “or” with respect to a list of two or more items, the words are all of the following interpretations of the words: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list, And any combination of items in the list.

  The various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. All of the U.S. patents, U.S. patent application publications, U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patent applications, and non-patent publications mentioned herein and / or described in the Application Data Sheet are: Which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Aspects of the present disclosure are required to employ various configurations of fuel injectors and igniters and various patents, applications, and published concepts to provide still further embodiments of the present disclosure. Can be corrected.

  These and other changes can be made to the disclosure in light of the above detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the disclosure to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but all terms operating according to the claims. It should be construed to include systems and methods. Accordingly, the invention is not limited by the disclosure, but instead its scope should be broadly defined by the following claims.

Claims (17)

A fuel injector configured to inject fuel into a combustion chamber and ignite the fuel in the combustion chamber;
A main body having a base portion opposite to the nozzle portion, wherein the base portion receives fuel in the main body and the nozzle portion is positionable adjacent to a combustion chamber;
A casing in the base portion at least partially containing a force generator, including a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet, wherein the fuel inlet is configured to receive fuel from a fuel source, the fuel outlet including the casing. A casing configured to allow fuel to exit; and
A fuel passage fluidly coupled to the fuel outlet of the casing, the fuel passage extending longitudinally from the base portion to the nozzle portion through the body;
A first valve in the vicinity of the force generator, which moves between a closed position and an open position to allow fuel to pass from the fuel outlet into the fuel passage. A first valve movable in response to a start from
A second valve in the nozzle section that moves between a closed position and an open position in the fuel passage and moves in response to a predetermined fuel pressure to inject fuel into the combustion chamber A second valve that is possible;
A fuel injector comprising:   The fuel injector of claim 1, wherein the first valve is a ferromagnetic valve and the second valve is a deformable polymer valve.   The body has a longitudinal axis, the first valve moves generally parallel to the longitudinal axis between the closed position and the open position, and the second valve is between the closed position and the open position. The fuel injector of claim 1, wherein the fuel injector moves generally radially outward from the longitudinal axis therebetween. A conductor extending longitudinally through the body from the base portion to the nozzle portion and configured to be coupled to an ignition energy source;
One or more ignition functions operably coupled to the conductor and configured to generate an ignition event in the combustion chamber to ignite fuel;
The fuel injector according to claim 1, further comprising:   The fuel injector of claim 4, further comprising one or more monitoring elements disposed coaxially with the conductor and extending from the base portion to the nozzle portion. A fuel injector configured to inject fuel into a combustion chamber,
A body having a base portion opposite to the nozzle portion;
A valve supported by the nozzle portion, movable between an open position and a closed position; and
An actuator operably coupled to the valve and extending from the valve to the base, the actuator moving the valve to the closed position when the actuator is at least partially tensioned;
An actuator brake configured to contact the actuator, wherein the actuator is movable between a first position and a second position, in which the actuator brake is Providing a contraction force on the actuator to at least partially immobilize the tensioned actuator to hold the valve in the closed position; in the second position, the actuator brake includes the Actuator brake to release the actuator,
A fuel injector comprising:   The fuel injector of claim 6, further comprising a force generator that induces the movement of the actuator brake between the first position and a second position.   A stop portion coupled to the actuator, the stop portion configured to contact the actuator brake to limit a distance the valve moves from the closed position to the open position. 6. The fuel injector according to 6. A stop coupled to the actuator;
A biasing member adjacent to the stop, biasing the stop away from the nozzle to apply tension to the actuator and at least partially hold the valve in the closed position; ,
The fuel injector according to claim 6, further comprising: An attraction element coupled to the actuator;
A fixed ferromagnetic disk coupled to the base portion;
The attraction element is biased towards the disk away from the nozzle portion to tension the actuator and at least partially hold the valve in the closed position. The fuel injector as described. A method of operating a fuel injector to inject fuel into a combustion chamber,
Introducing fuel into the base of the fuel injector;
Starting a first valve in a direction generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the fuel injector for flowing fuel from the base portion into a fuel passage, wherein the fuel passage is the base portion of the fuel injector. Extending from the nozzle part to the nozzle part,
Starting a second valve in a direction generally non-parallel to the longitudinal axis to dispense fuel from the fuel passage into a combustion chamber;
Including methods.   The method of claim 11, wherein starting the first valve comprises moving the first valve from a closed position to an open position with a solenoid winding.   The method of claim 11, wherein starting the second valve comprises at least partially deforming the second valve in response to a predetermined pressure in the fuel passage.   The second valve includes a sleeve valve disposed coaxially on the nozzle portion, and starting the second valve includes expanding at least a portion of the sleeve valve in a radial direction. The method of claim 11.   Starting the first valve includes starting the first valve electromagnetically, and starting the second valve includes starting the second valve hydraulically; The method of claim 11.   The method of claim 11, wherein starting the second valve includes automatically starting the second valve in response to a predetermined pressure in the fuel passage.   The method of claim 11, further comprising igniting fuel in the combustion chamber with an ignition function supported by the nozzle portion.

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