KR20180101395A - Duct fuel injection - Google Patents

Abstract

The various techniques set forth herein may be combined with one or more locally premixed mixtures comprising fuel and charge gas to minimize, but not create, soot and / or other unwanted emissions during ignition and subsequent combustion of locally premixed mixtures Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 > combustion chamber < / RTI > To enable sufficient mixing of the fuel and charge gas, the fuel jets are oriented to pass through the bores of the duct to draw the charge gas into the bore and induce turbulence to mix the fuel and the drawn charge gas. The duct may be located close to the opening in the tip of the fuel injector. The various techniques set forth herein may be used in various applications such as compression-ignition (CI) reciprocating engines, spark-ignition (SI) reciprocating engines, gas-turbine (GT) engines, burners and boilers, wellhead / smelting flaring refinery flaring), and the like.

Description

Duct fuel injection

Related Applications

This application claims priority to United States Patent Application No. 15 / 363,966, filed November 20, 2016, entitled " Duct Fuel Injection " U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 278,184, filed concurrently herewith. This application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent Application No. 14 / 789,782, filed July 1, 2015 entitled " Duct Fuel Injection ", filed on October 1, 2014 entitled "Duct Fuel Injection & The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 058,613. All of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference.

Declaration on Government Rights

The present invention was developed in accordance with the contract DE-AC04-94AL85000 between Sandia Corporation and the US Department of Energy. The US government has certain rights in the invention.

Most modern engines are designed to include dedicated fuel injectors in which each combustion cylinder of the engine is configured to inject fuel directly into the combustion chamber. While such "direct injection" engines represent improvements in engine technology for past designs (e.g., carburetors) with respect to increased engine efficiency and reduced emissions, direct injection engines can produce relatively high levels of certain undesirable emissions have.

The engine emissions may include soot resulting from the combustion of a fuel mixture rich and oxygen-lean. The soot includes small carbon particles formed by the fuel-rich zone of the diffusion flame generally formed in the combustion chamber of the engine, which may operate at medium to high loads. Soot is environmental hazards, emissions regulated by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the second most important climate-forcing species (carbon dioxide is the most important). Today, soot is removed from the exhaust of the diesel engine by a large and costly particulate filter in the exhaust system. Other post combustion processes such as NOx selective catalytic reduction, NOx trap, oxidation catalyst, etc. may also have to be utilized. This aftertreatment system should be maintained to enable a continuous and effective reduction of soot / particulate and other undesired emissions, and therefore additional costs should be added to the combustion system in terms of initial equipment cost and subsequent maintenance.

The focus of the combustion technique is to burn fuel in leaner mixtures because these mixtures tend to produce less soot, NOx, and other potentially regulated emissions such as hydrocarbons (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO) to be. This combustion strategy is Leaner Lifted-Flame Combustion (LLFC). LLFC is a combustion strategy that does not produce soot, because combustion occurs at an equivalence ratio of about 2 or less. The equivalence ratio is the actual ratio of fuel to oxidant mass divided by the stoichiometric ratio of fuel to oxidant mass. The LLFC can be achieved by improved local mixing of the fuel with the charge gas (i.e., air with or without additional gaseous compounds) in the combustion chamber.

The following is a brief summary of the subject matter described in greater detail herein. This summary is not intended to be limiting as to the scope of the claims.

Various techniques are described herein that are designed to improve the local mixing ratio in the combustion chamber relative to the mixing produced in conventional combustion chamber configurations / arrangements. The improved mixing ratio may be used to form one or more locally premixed mixtures comprising the fuel and the charge gas so that the formed mixtures have a minimum or zero soot in the combustion chamber during ignition and subsequent combustion of locally premixed mixtures And / or other undesirable emissions. The fuel jets are arranged to pass through the bores of the duct (e.g., tubes, cylindroids, etc.) so that the mixture of fuel and charge gas can produce a locally premixed mixture having this improved distribution of fuel to gas ratio. Downward) and the passage of the fuel causes the charge gas to flow into the bore, thus turbulence is formed in the bore, resulting in an improved mixing of the fuel and the incoming charge gas. The charge gas in the combustion chamber may comprise air with or without additional gaseous compounds.

Combustion of the locally premixed mixture (s) may occur in the combustion chamber, and the fuel may be any suitable flammable or combustible liquid or vapor. For example, the combustion chamber may be formed according to various surfaces including the cylinder crown wall (e.g., formed in the engine block), the flame deck surface of the cylinder head, and the piston crown of the piston reciprocating within the cylinder bore have. The fuel injector may be mounted in the cylinder head and the fuel is injected into the combustion chamber through at least one opening in the tip of the fuel injector. For each opening in the fuel injector tip, the duct can be aligned with the opening so that the fuel injected by the fuel injector can pass through the bore of the duct. The charge gas enters the bore of the duct as a result of the locally formed low pressure by the high velocity fluid jet flowing through the bore. This charge gas is rapidly mixed with the fuel due to the extreme turbulence created by the large velocity gradient between the duct wall and the centerline of the fuel jets, resulting in minimal or zero soot and / or other undesirable combustion during subsequent ignition and combustion in the combustion chamber Resulting in the formation of a locally premixed mixture with a distribution of fuel to charge gas ratios exiting the ducts forming the non-effluent.

In an embodiment, the duct may further have a plurality of holes or slots formed along its length so that charge gas can flow into the bore of the duct during passage of fuel along the bore.

In another embodiment, the duct can be formed from a tube and the walls of the tube are parallel to each other (e.g., a hollow cylinder) and thus the diameter of the bore at the first end (e.g., inlet) For example, the outlet). In other embodiments, the walls of the tube may not be parallel so that the diameter of the bore at the first end of the duct is different from the diameter of the bore at the second end of the duct.

The duct (s) may be formed of any material suitable for application to the combustion chamber, such as metal containing materials such as steel, IN CONEL, HASTELLOY, etc., ceramic containing materials, and the like.

In a further embodiment, the duct (s) may be attached to the fuel injector prior to insertion of the fuel injector into the fuel chamber, and the assembly including the fuel injector and the duct (s) are positioned to form a portion of the combustion chamber. In another embodiment, the fuel injector may be located in the combustion chamber and the duct (s) may subsequently be attached to the fuel injector or the cylinder head.

During operation of the engine, the temperature in the bores of the duct may be lower than the ambient temperature in the combustion chamber to increase the ignition delay of the mixture, and the mixing of the fuel and charge gases prior to auto-ignition may be compared to direct injection of fuel into the combustion chamber Further improvement.

The various embodiments presented herein may be used in various applications including compression-ignition (CI) reciprocating engines, spark-ignition (SI) reciprocating engines, gas-turbine (GT) engines, burners and boilers, wellhead / smelting flaring / refinery flaring), and the like.

The foregoing summary provides a brief summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the systems and / or methods described herein. This summary is not an extensive overview of the systems and / or methods discussed herein. It is not intended to describe the scope of such systems and / or methods or to identify key / critical elements. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in a brief form as an overture to the more detailed explanation presented later.

1 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary combustion chamber apparatus.
2 is a schematic diagram of flame decks, valves, fuel injectors, and ducts forming an exemplary combustion chamber device.
3 is an enlarged view of an exemplary combustion chamber apparatus including an arrangement of ducts and a fuel injector.
4 is a schematic view of a duct having a cylindrical configuration;
Figure 5a is a schematic view of a duct having non-parallel sides.
5b is a schematic view of a duct having an hourglass profile.
Figure 5c is a schematic view of a duct having a funnel-shaped profile.
Figures 6a-6c illustrate a duct including a plurality of holes along its length.
7A and 7B are schematic views of a fuel injector and a duct assembly located in a combustion chamber.
Figures 8A and 8B illustrate an exemplary arrangement comprising three ducts and a threaded attachment portion.
8C is a schematic view of a duct assembly attached to the fuel injection assembly.
8D is a schematic view of a duct assembly attached to a flame deck to facilitate positioning of the duct assembly relative to the fuel injector assembly.
Figures 9a and 9b illustrate the use of ducts to guide the formation of openings in the tip of a fuel injector.
10 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary methodology for forming a locally premixed mixture having a distribution of fuel to charge gas ratios forming minimal or zero soot and / or other undesirable emissions within a combustion chamber .
11 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary methodology for locating an assembly comprising at least one duct and a fuel injector in a combustion chamber.
12 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary methodology for locating at least one duct in a fuel injector in a fuel chamber.
Figure 13 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary methodology for using ducts to guide the formation of openings in the tip.
14 is a schematic diagram illustrating ignition of a fuel / charge gas mixture in a duct fuel configuration in an exemplary combustion chamber apparatus;
15 is a schematic view of a fuel / charge gas mixture ignited by a catalytic material located on an exhaust end of a duct in an exemplary combustion chamber apparatus.
16 is a schematic view of a fuel / charge gas mixture ignited by a catalytic material located on an annulus in an exemplary combustion chamber apparatus.
17 is a schematic view of a fuel / charge gas mixture ignited by a plurality of rods covered with a catalytic material in an exemplary combustion chamber apparatus;
18 is a schematic diagram of a preheat plug for igniting a fuel / charge gas mixture in an exemplary combustion chamber apparatus.
19 is a schematic view of a laser beam that ignites a fuel / charge gas mixture in an exemplary combustion chamber apparatus.
20 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary methodology for igniting a fuel / charge gas mixture with an ignition auxiliary component.

Various techniques are described herein that relate to using one or more ducts to form locally premixed fuel and charge gas mixtures that form minimal, or zero, soot and / or other unwanted emissions during combustion. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to refer to like elements of the techniques. In the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of one or more aspects. It may be evident, however, that such embodiment (s) may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate describing one or more aspects.

Also, the word "or" is intended to mean " exclusive "or" rather than exclusive " That is, the phrase "X uses A or B" is intended to mean one of the natural, comprehensive permutations, unless otherwise specified or clear from the context. That is, the phrase "X uses A or B" is satisfied by one of the following examples: X uses A; X uses B; Or X uses both A and B. Also, the singular presentation as used in this specification and the appended claims should be interpreted generally to mean "one or more than one" unless explicitly indicated otherwise or indicated in the singular form thereof. Also, as described herein, the term "exemplary" is intended to be taken to be an explanation of, or provided as an example, and is not intended to indicate preference.

The various embodiments presented herein may be used in various applications such as compression-ignition (CI) reciprocating engines, spark-ignition (SI) reciprocating engines, gas-turbine (GT) engines, burners and boilers, wellhead / It can be used in a plurality of combustion systems.

Figures 1, 2 and 3 illustrate exemplary configuration (s) for a duct fuel injection system. 1 is a cross-sectional view through a combustion chamber assembly 100, which is in accordance with X-X of FIG. FIG. 2 shows a configuration 200 that is a top view of the combustion chamber assembly 100 in direction Y of FIG. Figure 3 shows a configuration 300 that is an enlarged view of the fuel injection assembly shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figures 1 to 3 collectively show a number of common components that are combined to form the combustion chamber 105. In an embodiment, the combustion chamber 105 has a generally cylindrical shape defined within a cylinder bore 110 (e.g., machined) formed in a crankcase or engine block 115 of an engine (not shown collectively) . The combustion chamber 105 is a piston (not shown) capable of reciprocating within the bore 110 at one end (the first end) by the flame deck surface 120 of the cylinder head 125 and at the other end Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 > 135 < / RTI > The fuel injector 140 is mounted in the cylinder head 125. The injector 140 has a tip 145 that protrudes into the combustion chamber 105 through the flame deck surface 120 so that it can inject fuel directly into the combustion chamber 105. The injector tip 145 may include a plurality of openings 146 (orifices) through which fuel is injected into the combustion chamber 105. Each opening 146 may have a particular shape, e.g., a circular opening, and each opening 146 may have a specific opening diameter D3.

The combustion chamber 105 also includes one or more ducts (not shown) that can be used to orient the fuel injected in the combustion chamber 105 through the opening 146 of the injector 140 (150). In accordance with conventional operation of the internal combustion engine, the inlet valve (s) 160 are utilized to enable entry of charge gas into the combustion chamber 105, and the outlet valve (s) Is used to enable the discharge of any combustion products (e.g., gases, soot, etc.) formed in the combustion chamber 105 in accordance with the combustion conditions. The charge gas inside the combustion chamber 105 may contain air with or without additional gaseous compounds.

Figure 2 shows a plurality of inlet valves 160 and a plurality of outlet valves 165 that can be integrated into the combustion chamber 105. 2, one or more ducts 150 may be arranged about the tip 145, and in accordance with the arrangement 400 of FIG. 4, the duct 150 may include an outer wall 150 having an outer diameter of D1, And an inner bore 153 passing through the length of the duct 150. The inner bore 153 has a diameter D2. As shown in Figure 4, the duct 150 is configured such that the inner surface 154 of the outer wall 152 and the outer surface 155 of the outer wall 152 are parallel, 1 opening 157 has the same diameter as the second opening 158 at the second end of duct 150 and the diameter of first opening 157 (e.g., inlet) = D2 = ) (E.g., an outlet). The first end of the duct 150 may be located closest to (proximate to, adjacent to) the opening 146 while the second end of the duct 150 may be located at the first end of the duct 150 As compared to the position of the opening 146. [ In one embodiment, the thickness of the outer wall 152 is such that the outer surface 155 of the outer wall 152 is cylindrical while the inner surface 154 is tapered and / or conical in shape The length of the duct 150 may vary. In a further embodiment, the length L of the duct 150 may be any desired length. For example, the duct 150 may have a length L of about 30 to about 300 times the nominal diameter D3 of the opening 146, for example, about 30 x D3 to about 300 x D3.

) 에 따라 도시될 수 있다. 따라서, 덕트 (150) 는 연료 제트 (185) 의 중심선과 (예컨대, 동축으로) 공동 정렬될 수 있어서, 연료 제트 (185) 는 개구 (146) 로부터 나와서 덕트 (150) 의 보어 (153) 를 통과한다. 도 3 및 도 4 에 따라, 덕트 (150) 의 제 1 (근위) 단부 (157) 는 각각의 개구 (146) 에 대해 근위에 포지셔닝될 수 있고, 제 1 단부 (157) 는 갭 (G) 이 덕트 (150) 의 제 1 단부와 개구 (146) 사이에 존재하도록 포지셔닝될 수 있다. 덕트 (150) 의 제 2 (원위) 단부 (158) 는 덕트 (150) 가 팁 (145) 으로부터 연소 챔버 (105) 로 연장되도록 연소 챔버 (105) 내에 위치될 수 있다.3, tip 145 may include a plurality of apertures 146 to enable passage of fuel 180 (e.g., fuel injection), as previously discussed. As the initial fuel 180 passes through the respective openings 146 from the initial volume of the fuel 180 flowing through the injector 140 a plurality of fuel jets 185 are positioned in the tip 145 May be formed according to the number and size of the openings (146). The injection direction of the injected fuel 185 corresponds to the center line (s) (

). ≪ / RTI > Thus, the duct 150 can be co-aligned (e.g., coaxially) with the centerline of the fuel jet 185 such that the fuel jet 185 exits the opening 146 and passes through the bore 153 of the duct 150 do. 3 and 4, the first (proximal) end 157 of the duct 150 can be positioned proximal to each opening 146, and the first end 157 has a gap G May be positioned to be between the first end of the duct (150) and the opening (146). The second (distal) end 158 of the duct 150 may be positioned within the combustion chamber 105 such that the duct 150 extends from the tip 145 to the combustion chamber 105.

As previously described, in situations where the fuel-rich mixture of fuel and charge gas is burned, unwanted soot can be generated. Thus, it is desirable to have a fuel / charge gas mixture having an equivalent ratio of about 2 or less. As the fuel jets (s) 185 move through the bores 153 of the respective ducts 150, the charge gases in the combustion chamber 105 also flow into the ducts 150, A pressure difference is generated inside. The charge gas is rapidly mixed with the fuel 185 due to the intense turbulence formed by the large velocity gradient between the duct bore 153 (the fluid velocity is zero) and the center line of the fuel jet 185 (the fluid velocity is large) . The turbulence conditions can improve the mixing rate between the fuel jet 185 and the charge gas introduced and the degree of mixing of the fuel 185 and the charge gas at the bore 153 is such that the fuel jet 185 is simply May be greater than the degree of mixing occurring in the conventional configuration where the charge gas was injected into the filled combustion chamber 105 without passing through. The fuel jet 185 undergoes turbulent mixing with a smaller amount of charge gas than is possible by passing the fuel jet 185 through the duct 150 in accordance with the configuration 100. [

3, fuel jet 185 in zone 186 of fuel jet 185 includes a high volume fuel-rich mixture while fuel jet 185 in zone 187 of fuel jet 185 contains fuel- Is mixed with the incoming charge gas resulting in more locally premixed mixture in zone 187 compared to the fuel rich mixture in zone 186. Thus, according to the configuration 100 shown in Figures 1-4, a high degree of mixing between the fuel 185 and the charge gas in the duct 150 occurs, resulting in a locally pre- (E.g., from compression heating caused by motion of the piston 135) during ignition and combustion of the mixture, resulting in a lesser amount of fuel / charge gas mixture than is achieved with conventional arrangements Soot and / or other undesirable emissions are produced. The "lean-enough" mixture in zone 187 may have an equivalence ratio (s) of 0 to 2, while the "too rich" mixture in zone 186 has an equivalence ratio (s) .

The diameter D2 of the bore 153 of the duct 150 may be greater than the diameter D3 of each opening 146 at which the first end 157 of the duct 150 is adjacent. For example, D2 may be two times larger than D3, D2 may be about 50 times larger than D3, and D2 may be any size larger than D3, for example, about two times larger than D3 and 50 times larger than D3 And the like.

) 에 대해 정렬된다. 연료 제트 (185) 가 화염 데크 표면 (120) 의 평면 (P-P) 에 대해 실질적으로 평행하게 정렬되는 방향으로 연료 분사기 (140) 의 각각의 개구 (146) 를 나오는 실시형태에서, 덕트 (150) 는 또한 평면 (P-P) 에 실질적으로 평행하게 정렬될 수 있다. 덕트(들) (150) 의 얼라이먼트를 위한 고려 사항은 피스톤 (135), 흡기 밸브들 (160), 및 배기 밸브들 (165) 의 왕복 모션의 간섭을 방지하고, 예컨대 덕트(들) (150) 는 이것이 피스톤 크라운 (130), 흡기 밸브들 (160), 또는 배기 밸브들 (165) 과 접촉하지 않도록 정렬되어야 한다.As shown in FIG. 3, duct (s) 150 may be aligned with respect to flame deck surface 120 with an alignment of .theta..degree. Between duct 150 and flame deck surface 120. may have any desired value from 0 DEG (e.g., the duct 150 is aligned parallel to the plane PP formed by the flame deck surface 120) to any desired value, and the duct 150 ) Of the fuel jet 185 is determined by the moving center line (

). In an embodiment in which the fuel jet 185 exits the respective opening 146 of the fuel injector 140 in a direction that is aligned substantially parallel to the plane PP of the flame deck surface 120, And may also be aligned substantially parallel to the plane PP. The consideration for alignment of the duct (s) 150 prevents interference of the reciprocating motion of the piston 135, the intake valves 160, and the exhaust valves 165, Should not be in contact with the piston crown 130, the intake valves 160, or the exhaust valves 165.

4 shows the duct 150 as having an outer surface 155 of the wall 152 having a cylindrical shape parallel to the inner surface 154 (e.g., the bore 153 has a generally constant diameter D2) While the duct 150 may be formed with any desired cross-section. 5A, in configuration 500, a first opening 520 (e.g., an inlet) at a first end of the duct 500 is connected to a second end of the duct 510 at a second end of the duct 510, A duct 150 having an outer wall 515 tapered to have a diameter D4 that is different from the diameter D5 of the opening 530 (e.g., the outlet) may be formed. The configuration 500 may be considered to be the hollow frustum of a sternum. 5B, in another configuration 550, a duct 560 having an outer wall 565 with a "hourglass" profile may be formed, and a central portion may be formed in each of the first And may have a diameter D6 that is narrower than the diameters D7 (first opening) and D8 (second opening) of the end and the second end. It is to be appreciated that the diameter D7 of the first opening can have a diameter equal to the diameter D8 of the second opening or D7 > D8 or D7 < D8. It should also be appreciated that for the sake of simplicity of the drawing, the duct wall profiles shown in Figures 5A-5C include straight lines, while these wall profiles can likewise be made with curves per piece. 5c, a duct 580 having an outer wall 585 with a "funnel-shaped" profile may be formed, and a central portion having a diameter D9 may be formed in the duct 580, The diameter D9 is equal to the diameter DlO at the first opening of the first end of the duct 580 while the diameter D9 is smaller than the diameter Dl1 at the second opening of the second end of the duct 580. [ Alternatively, the duct 580 can be rotated with respect to the opening 146 such that an opening having a diameter Dl 1 can be located in the opening 146, Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 &gt; open. &Lt; / RTI &gt; Although not described herein, it should be appreciated that other duct profiles may be utilized in accordance with one or more embodiments presented herein.

Further, as shown in Figures 6A-6C, the tubular wall of the duct may include at least one hole (s) (s) (e.g., holes, etc.) formed therein to allow entry of charge gas into the duct during passage of fuel through the duct ), Aperture (s), aperture (s), orifice (s), slot (s) 6A, a duct 610 is shown wherein a duct 610 is defined by a plurality (not shown) of ducts 610 that are formed on the sides of the duct 610 and extend through the walls 620 into the interior bore 630. [ Holes H ₁ to H _n , where n is a positive integer. Figure 6a is only represent the five holes formed in the wall 620 of the duct 610 (H ₁ ~ H _n), the holes of any number of and each arrangement the inlet and the duct 610, the charge gas Can be used to enable subsequent mixing of the passing fuel and charge gas. The holes H ₁ to H _n may be formed by any suitable fabrication technique, such as conventional drilling, laser drilling, EDM, and the like.

에 평행하게) 정렬되는 것으로서 도시되지만, 덕트 (610) 는 덕트 (630) 를 통한 연료 제트 (685) 의 유동을 가능하게 하도록 팁 (145) (및 개구 (145)) 에 대해 임의의 각도로 포지셔닝될 수 있다.6B is a cross-sectional view of the duct 610 showing the fuel jet 685 being ejected from the opening 146 of the injector tip 145 through the bore 630 of the duct 610. [ Fuel jets 685 include an initially enriched zone 687. However, as the charge gas is introduced into the bore 630, the mixing of the fuel 685 and the charge gas may result in a "sufficiently thin" run without under- or over- (As previously described) to include a locally premixed mixture having a distribution of the fuel to charge gas ratio in which the mixture is burned. There is no separation between the end 611 of the duct 610 and the tip 145 (e.g., there is no gap G), as shown for configuration 601; The first end 611 of the duct 610 abuts the opening 146. For the configuration 601, the entry of charge gas into the bore 630 is eliminated by the lack of a gap between the end 611 and the tip 145 of the duct 610, ₁ to H _n allows the charge gas to flow through the holes H ₁ to H _n to enable the formation of the locally premixed jet 685. The duct 610 may be positioned perpendicular to the tip 145 (e.g.,

The duct 610 may be positioned at any angle relative to the tip 145 (and the opening 145) to enable the flow of the fuel jet 685 through the duct 630, .

6C shows an alternative arrangement 602 in which the first end 611 of the duct 610 is located closest to the tip 145 and the opening 146 and the gap G is located closest to the duct 610, The first end 611 of the cap is separated from the tip 145. The gap G allows additional charge gas to flow into the duct 610 to supplement the charge gas entering the bore 630 through the holes H ₁ to H _n .

A plurality of ducts may be positioned closest to the injector tip 145 such that a plurality of ducts may be attached to the injector tip 145 and the injector tip 145 may be attached to the injector tip 145. In accordance with various embodiments herein, And the assembly of duct (s) may be positioned within the cylinder head 125 / flame deck surface 120 to form a combustion chamber. The duct (s) 150 may be integrated with the sleeve 170 (shroud) or the injector 140 into the support block 720, for example, according to the configuration 700 shown in Figures 7a and 7b. Lt; / RTI &gt; may be attached to a similar structure that may be &lt; RTI ID = The cylinder head 125 may include an opening 730 and the support block 720, the injector 140, the sleeve 710 and the duct (s) 150 may be connected to the combustion chamber 105, (E.g., plane PP) to enable positioning of the injector 140 and the duct (s) 150 to form a plurality of ducts 150. Each duct 150 is positioned relative to the flame deck surface 120 May be positioned relative to each of the openings 146 of the injector 140 to enable the passage of fuel jets (e.g., fuel jets 185)

In another embodiment, the injector tip may already be located in the flame deck, and the duct (s) may be subsequently attached to the injector tip. As shown in the configuration 800 of Figures 8A and 8B, the locator ring 810 has a plurality of ducts 150 attached thereto. Locator ring 810 may include means for attaching locator ring 810; For example, the interior surface 815 of the locator ring 810 may be threaded with the ducts 150 attached by connectors 817, respectively. Locator ring 810 and ducts 150 may be assembled in combination with injector 140, as shown in configuration 850 of FIG. 8C. Similar structures with integrated sleeves 820 or injectors 140 may additionally include attachment means that complement the attachment mechanism of the locator ring 810. For example, the sleeve 820 may include a threaded end 825 to which the locator ring 810 may be threaded, and each of the ducts 150 may include a fuel jet , Fuel jets 185) to allow passage of fuel (e.g., fuel jets 185).

The number of ducts 150 arranged around the injector tip 145 may have any desired number N (e.g., along with the plurality of openings 146 in the tip 145) It is a positive integer. Thus, while FIG. 2 illustrates a configuration 200 that includes six ducts 150, FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate a configuration 800 that includes three ducts 150, And is positioned with respect to the three openings 146 at tip 145.

In a further embodiment, the duct (s) may be attached directly to the flame deck or via a locator ring or other mechanism for attachment. As shown in configuration 860 of FIG. 8D, locator ring 870 has a plurality of ducts 150 attached thereto. Locator ring 870 may include means for attaching locator ring 870; For example, the outer surface of locator ring 870 may be threaded with ducts 150 attached by connectors 817, respectively. A threaded outer surface may be formed on the flame deck surface 140 to facilitate the positioning of the respective ducts 150 relative to the respective openings 146 in the tip 145 of the injector 140 (Not shown). It should be appreciated that other methods of attaching the ducts 150 to the flame deck may be utilized. In an embodiment, the ducts 150 may be separately attached to the flame deck 120 by using, for example, screws. In another embodiment, locator ring 180 may be attached to flame deck 120 at location 875, for example by welding.

) 으로 정렬된다.In an aspect, it may be beneficial to precisely align the discharge direction of the fuel from the opening in the fuel injector with the centerline of the bore to maximize mixing of fuel and charge gas in the duct bore. In order to achieve this exact cavity alignment, a bore may be used to assist in the formation of the aperture. This approach is illustrated in Figures 9a and 9b. The duct 150 is positioned such that the first end 157 of the duct 150 abuts the injector tip 145 (e.g., there is no gap G there) (see, for example, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 8c). The duct 150 is positioned at a desired angle? With respect to the plane PP of the flame deck surface 120 and a desired center line of travel of the fuel jets (e.g., fuel 185, 685)

).

) 의 방향으로 유동하게 하는 얼라이먼트를 가지는 개구 (146) 의 형성을 가능하게 하는 각도로 공구 피이스 (예컨대, EDM 전극) 를 안내하기 위해 이용될 수 있다. 도 9a 및 도 9b 는, 분사기 팁 (145) 에 맞닿고 추가로 덕트 (150) 의 길이를 따라 개구들을 가지지 않는 덕트 (150) 를 도시되지만, 다른 배열체들 (예컨대, 도 1 내지 도 8c 에 도시된 여러 구성들 중 하나) 이 이용될 수 있다는 것이 인지되어야 한다. 예를 들어, 덕트 (150) 의 제 1 단부 (157) 는 예컨대 그 사이에 갭 (G) 을 갖고서 분사기 팁 (145) 에 가장 근접하게 포지셔닝될 수 있다. 추가의 예에서, 덕트 (150) 는 그 길이에 따라 하나 이상의 구멍들 (예컨대, 구멍들 (H₁ ~ H_n)) 을 포함할 수 있다. 다른 예에서, 덕트(들) (150) 는 구성들 (700 또는 850) 중 어느 하나에 따라 분사기 팁 (145) 에 가장 근접하게 부착될 수 있다.If desired, the openings 146 can be formed in the tip 145 with the duct 150 being open. It should be appreciated that, in one embodiment, the opening 146 may be formed by electrical discharge machining (EDM), but any suitable fabrication technique may be used to form the opening 146. As shown, the duct 150 may be used to cause the EDM work to be performed at a desired angle, such as the duct 150,

(E. G., An EDM electrode) at an angle that allows the formation of an opening 146 having an alignment that causes it to flow in the direction of the tool (e. G., The EDM electrode). 9A and 9B illustrate a duct 150 that abuts the injector tip 145 and does not have openings along the length of the duct 150. However, other arrangements (e. G., Figs. 1 to 8C) It is to be appreciated that one of the various configurations shown may be utilized. For example, the first end 157 of the duct 150 may be positioned closest to the injector tip 145, e.g., with a gap G therebetween. In a further example, the duct 150 may include one or more holes (e.g., holes H ₁ to H _n ), depending on its length. In another example, duct (s) 150 may be attached closest to injector tip 145 in accordance with any of configurations 700 or 850.

The duct (s) 150 may be formed of any material suitable for application in a combustion chamber, such as metal containing materials such as steel, INCONEL, HASTELLOY, etc., ceramic containing materials, and the like.

The various embodiments presented herein are applicable to any type of fuel and oxidant (e.g., oxygen), and these fuels may include diesel, jet fuel, gasoline, crude or refined petroleum, petroleum distillates, hydrocarbons Branched or cyclic alkanes, aromatic), oxygenates (such as alcohols, esters, ethers, ketones), compressed natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, biofuels, biodiesel, bioethanol, synthetic fuels, hydrogen, ammonia, Or a mixture thereof.

Further, while the various embodiments presented herein are described with respect to a compression-ignition engine (e.g., a diesel engine), embodiments may include direct injection engines, other compression-ignition engines, spark ignition engines, gas turbine engines, industrial boilers, Such as a combustion driven system of a combustion engine.

In addition, not only does it reduce the generation of soot, but the embodiments presented herein can also lower emissions of other unwanted combustion products. For example, when a locally premixed mixture having a precise fuel to charge gas ratio distribution is prepared at the outlet of the duct bore (e.g., bore 153 of duct 150) or downstream of the outlet during combustion (NO), nitrogen and other compounds including oxygen, unburned hydrocarbons (HC) and / or carbon monoxide (CO) are lowered.

FIGS. 10-13 and 20 illustrate an exemplary method for forming a locally premixed mixture having a distribution of fuel to charge gas ratios to minimize the generation of soot and / or other undesirable emissions formed during combustion. Methodologies. While the methodologies are shown and described as being a sequence of operations performed in a sequence, it should be understood and appreciated that the methodologies are not limited by the order of the sequences. For example, some operations may occur in a different order than those described herein. Also, an operation may occur simultaneously with another operation. Also, in some instances, not all operations may be necessary to implement the methodologies described herein.

FIG. 10 shows a methodology 1000 for increasing the mixing of fuel prior to combustion. At 1010, the duct is positioned and / or aligned closest to the opening at the tip of the fuel injector. The duct may be a hollow tube in which an inner bore is formed by an outer wall. By orienting the fuel through the inner bore of the duct, as previously described, the charge gas enters the duct, where the turbulent mixing creates a duct that creates minimal or zero soot and / or other undesirable emissions during combustion Resulting in the generation of a locally premixed mixture that emerges. Further, as mentioned above, the plurality of openings may be formed in the outer wall of the combustion chamber to facilitate the introduction of additional charge gas from the combustion chamber to facilitate the formation of a locally premixed mixture having an improved distribution of fuel- As shown in FIG.

At 1020, the fuel may be injected by the fuel injector, wherein the fuel passes through the orifice into the bore of the duct. The passage of fuel through the duct causes the fuel to mix with the charge gas introduced into the bore such that the mixing level forms the desired locally premixed mixture having an improved distribution of the fuel to charge gas ratio.

At 1030, a locally premixed mixture having an improved distribution of fuel to charge gas exiting the duct may be ignited depending on the operation of the combustion engine. The ignition of the locally pre-mixed mixture may cause the soot to be negligible or not to be formed, as compared to the greater amount of undesirable emissions formed from the combustion of the "overly rich" mixture used in conventional combustion engines or devices Do not.

Figure 11 illustrates a methodology 1100 for positioning at least one duct in a fuel injector for integration into a combustion chamber. At 1110, at least one duct may be located closest to the opening at the tip of the fuel injector. In one embodiment, the fuel injector may be disposed within the sleeve to form an assembly such that the tip of the fuel injector protrudes from the first end of the sleeve. The at least one duct may be attached to the first end of the sleeve so that the fuel jets pass through the bores in the duct when the at least one duct is aligned and the fuel jets pass through the respective openings in the fuel injector. The at least one duct may be attached to the end of the first sleeve by any suitable technique, such as welding, mechanical attachment, and the like.

At 1120, an assembly including a fuel injector, a sleeve, and at least one duct includes an opening in the cylinder head such that the tip of the fuel injector and at least one duct are positioned relative to the plane PP of the flame deck surface of the cylinder head as needed. Which further forms a portion of the combustion chamber.

Figure 12 shows a methodology 120 for positioning at least one duct in a fuel injector incorporated within a combustion chamber. At 1210, the fuel injector may be positioned within the opening in the cylinder head such that the tip of the fuel injector is positioned relative to the plane (P-P) of the flame deck surface of the cylinder head as needed. Along with the piston crown and the walls of the cylinder bore, the cylinder head forms a combustion chamber.

At 1220, at least one duct is positioned at the tip of the fuel injector such that at least one duct can be positioned and / or aligned relative to the direction of movement of the fuel injected from each opening in the tip of the fuel injector for each aligned duct Most closely attached.

Figure 13 shows a methodology 1300 for using ducts to guide the formation of openings in the tip of a fuel injector. At 1310, the duct is positioned at the tip of the fuel injector and the duct can be positioned to abut the tip, or can be positioned with a gap (G) between the first (proximal) end of the duct. The duct can be aligned according to the direction in which the fuel should be discharged from the fuel injector into the combustion chamber, for example, the duct is aligned at an angle of &amp;thetas; relative to the plane (P-P) of the flame deck surface of the combustion chamber.

) 에 평행하게 정렬될 수 있다.At 1320, an opening may be formed in the tip of the fuel injector. As previously described, ducts may be used to guide the formation of openings. For example, if the opening is formed by EDM, the bore of the duct can be used to guide the EDM electrode to a point on the tip of the fuel injector where the opening is formed. The formation of the openings may occur subsequently to the standard EDM procedure (s). Thus, the openings are formed at the desired location and are centered with respect to the center of the circle forming the profile of the bore of the duct, for example. In addition, the walls of the openings are arranged in the bore such that, for example, the fuel jet injected along the bore of the duct is centered in the bore to maximize mixing between the charge gas entering the combustion chamber and the fuel.

). &Lt; / RTI &gt;

When ducts were used to inject fuel into the combustion chamber, experiments related to the measurement of soot incandescence indicating whether LLFC was achieved were performed. In experiments, LLFC was achieved, and chemical reactions that did not form, for example, soot were maintained throughout the combustion event. OH * chemiluminescence was used to measure the lift-off length of the flame (e.g., the axial distance between the fuel injector opening (orifice) and the self-ignition zone). OH * is generated when a high-temperature chemical reaction occurs inside the engine, and its maximum upstream position indicates the axial distance, e.g., the lift-off length, from where the fuel begins to burn.

The conditions under the test are indicated in Table 1.

Table 1: Operating conditions of the combustion chamber

A freely transferred jet ("free jet") flame of the baseline indicating high soot glow signal saturation has been found, which means that a significant amount of soot has been produced without ducting in situ. Then, the combustion of duct jets was studied. A plurality of duct diameters and duct lengths were tested, including duct inner diameters of about 3 mm, about 5 mm, and about 7 mm, and duct lengths of about 7 mm, about 14 mm, and about 21 mm.

) 주위에서 중심 맞춤된 연소 화염은 (이전에 설명된 바와 같이) 덕트에 의해 그리고 또한 덕트로의 열 전달에 따라 유발된 혼합의 조합으로부터 초래되었다. 덕트는 연소 챔버에서 주변 조건보다 낮은 온도 (예컨대, 950 K) 에서 작동되었고, 따라서 덕트는 자유 제트 화염에서 경험되는 것보다 더 낮은 온도에서 (예컨대, 덕트의 보어 내에서) 분사된 연료가 이동하는 것을 허용했다.This duct jet experiment was subsequently carried out using the same imaging conditions and similar operating conditions as described above for the free jet, wherein 3 mm of inner diameter x 14 mm long non-tapered steel duct was about &lt; RTI ID = 2 mm downstream (e.g., gap (G) = about 2 mm). The soot glow signal showed little saturation, indicating that minimal soot was generated if present. As this moved axially across the combustion chamber, the post-duct flame did not spread as wide as the free jet flame in the baseline experiment. Centerline

) Resulted from a combination of the blends induced by the duct (as previously described) and also by the heat transfer to the duct. The duct was operated at a temperature lower than the ambient conditions in the combustion chamber (e.g., 950 K), so that the duct was moved at a lower temperature than experienced in the free jet flame (e.g., in the bore of the duct) Allowed.

The degree of turbulence generated during the flow of fuel through the duct was calculated by determining the Reynolds number (Re) for the conditions in the bore of the duct according to Equation 1:

Here, ρ is the peripheral density, V is the velocity, L is the duct diameter, and μ is the dynamic viscosity. The velocity V was calculated according to Equation 2,

Where p _inj is the fuel injection pressure, p _amb is the ambient pressure, and ρ _f is the density of the fuel. The application of operating conditions to Equation 1 and Equation 2 produced a Reynolds number of at least 1 x 10 ⁴ , indicating that turbulent conditions are present in the duct.

The turbulent flow of the fuel jets 185 through the duct 150 is such that the fuel jets 185 are located in the vicinity of the duct inlet which is established by the high velocity of the injected fuel jet 185, (E.g., through the gap G and / or the holes H ₁ through H _n ) from the outside of the duct 150 as a result of the pressure. The turbulent mixing ratio established in the duct 150 can be regarded as a function of the velocity gradient in the duct and is approximately proportional to the centerline fluid velocity at a given axial location divided by the duct diameter at a given axial location.

The various embodiments shown herein may be used in a number of combustion device applications and the combustion devices may be used in various combustion applications such as compression-ignition (CI) reciprocating engines, spark-ignition (SI) reciprocating engines, gas- , Burners and boilers, wellhead / smelting flare rings, and the like.

14 shows a schematic diagram 1400 of the ignition of the fuel and charge gas mixture. 14, the fuel injector 1410 is axially aligned with the duct 1420 along the axis 1415 and the fuel 1430 is axially aligned with the charge gas 1420 to form the fuel / charge gas mixture 1440. As shown in FIG. 14, (CG). A first end (proximal end) 1450 of the duct 1420 is located proximal to the fuel injector 1410 and a second end (distal end) 1460 of the duct 1420 is located proximate to the fuel injector 1410, Lt; / RTI &gt; The fuel / charge gas mixture 1440 is subsequently discharged from the distal end 1460 into the combustion chamber (according to various embodiments shown herein). The fuel / charge gas mixture is ignited at position 1470 to form flame 1480 and the position of position 1470 is determined by the configuration of the combustion chamber in which the duct is located, the type of fuel, Position 1470 is at a distance D12 from the distal end 1460 of the duct 1420, depending on these factors, such as spark plug, compression based ignition, and the like. As previously described, the placement of the duct 1420 around the fuel jets 1430 improves and optimizes the degree of oxygen / oxidizer mixing, the yield of lower emissions, higher combustion efficiency, and improved flame stability prior to ignition Lt; / RTI &gt; In an aspect, the ignition of the fuel / charge gas mixture 1440 may occur at a later time than is required for the operation of the particular engine in which the duct fuel injection technique is being used. In an exemplary embodiment, delayed ignition may lead to increased noise in the engine compared to engines that do not utilize harmful operating effects, such as duct fuel injection techniques. Flame holder 1475 can be used as part of the system shown in Fig.

As previously described, various embodiments presented herein may be utilized for CI reciprocating engines, and the duct (s) (e.g., ducts 150, 1420) may be used to prevent soot formation &Lt; / RTI &gt; to achieve a fuel and charge gas mixture having an equivalent ratio of less than &lt; RTI ID = 0.0 &gt; Also, for duct configurations with fuel / charge gas mixture ratios of less than 1, the emission of nitrogen oxides (NOx) may also be lowered and ducts (e.g., ducts 150 and 1420) The HC and CO emissions may be similarly lowered to the extent that excessive mixing is avoided at the sides of the catalyst (e.g., catalyst layers 185 and 1430). Lower soot, HC and CO emissions correspond to higher combustion efficiency. As described (e.g., according to FIG. 2), one or more fuel ducts may be arranged in the combustion chamber to improve CI engine performance and reduce the need for costly exhaust aftertreatment systems. Various embodiments may be applied to all size classes of CI entities fueled, for example, by liquid fuel (s), gaseous fuel (s), or both.

For SI reciprocating engines, in an exemplary configuration, ducts (e. G., Ducts 150 and 1420) are configured such that direct injected fuel jets (e.g., fuel jets 185 and 1430) initially pass through the duct, Can be positioned to pass through the igniter downstream so that the ignited fuel / charge gas mixture has an equivalence ratio of less than 2 to prevent soot formation. If the duct can be constructed so that the fuel / charge gas mixture to be ignited has an equivalent ratio of less than 1, the NOx emissions will also be lowered and the HC and CO emissions will be reduced to the extent that the duct prevents excessive mixing at the sides of the jet Likewise, it will be lowered. Low soot, HC and CO emissions correspond to higher combustion efficiency, and also adjusting the duct configuration passively or actively to produce a narrow range of optimal equivalence ratios in the igniter can reduce combustion period variability. One or more ducts may be arranged in the combustion chamber to improve the performance of the SI engine and to reduce the need for expensive exhaust gas aftertreatment systems. This configuration can be applied to all size classes of SI engines, for example fueled by liquid fuel (s), gaseous fuel (s) or both.

For a GT reciprocating engine, in an exemplary configuration, ducts (e.g., ducts 150 and 1420) are configured such that direct injected fuel jets (e.g., fuel jets 185 and 1430) initially pass through the duct, And / or flame holder downstream (e. G., 1475) so that the ignited fuel / charge gas mixture prevents soot formation, lowers NOx emissions, and prevents excessive mixing leading to HC and CO emissions 1 &lt; / RTI &gt; Lower soot, HC and CO emissions correspond to higher combustion efficiency, and adjusting the duct configuration passively or actively can be used to improve flame stability. One or more ducts may be arranged in the combustor to improve GT engine performance and reduce exhaust emissions. This configuration can be applied to all size classes of mobile and stationary GT engines that are fueled, for example, by liquid fuel (s), gaseous fuel (s), or both.

(E. G., Ducts 150 and 1420) are configured such that directly injected fuel jets (e. G., Fuel jets 185 and 1430) initially pass through the duct, Can be subsequently positioned to pass through the igniter and / or the flame holder (e.g., 1475) so that the fuel / air mixture to be ignited has the desired equivalence ratio. Adjusting the duct configuration manually or actively can be used to improve performance and flame stability. A fuel rich mixture in a narrow range of stoichiometry can be used to maximize radiant heat transfer without creating excessive soot emissions, while the fuel-lean mixture can be used to remove soot formation and lower NOx emissions, HC and CO emissions may be similarly lowered to the extent that ducts prevent excessive mixing at the sides of the fuel jets. Lower soot, HC, and CO emissions correspond to higher combustion efficiency. The one or more ducts may be arranged in the burner to improve performance and / or reduce the need for expensive exhaust gas aftertreatment systems. This configuration can be applied to all size classes of industrial burners and boilers, for example fueled by liquid fuel (s), gaseous fuel (s) or both.

The duct ignition component may form part of a combustion device used in a gas flare operation, e.g., an apparatus configured to combust flammable gases and other materials in a wellhead gas flare operation, a smelting gas flare operation. For the well head / smelting flaring application, in an exemplary configuration, the ducts (e.g., ducts 150 and 1420) are configured such that jets of directly injected flare gas (e.g., fuel jets 185 and 1430) And can be positioned to pass through the igniter and / or flame holder downstream so that the ignited fuel / air mixture prevents soot formation, lowers NOx emissions, and prevents excessive mixing leading to HC and CO emissions 1 &lt; / RTI &gt; Adjusting the duct configuration passively or actively can be used to improve flame stability. This configuration can be applied to flaring operations of all sizes.

As described herein, duct fuel injection (DFI) may be effective in enhancing the degree of premixing of the fuel / charge gas prior to ignition in direct injected fuel jets. In one embodiment, the catalytic material may be attached to the duct and / or may include other features (e.g., rings or rods) and / or one or more surfaces of the duct (e.g., Inner surfaces). The catalytic material may be used to reduce the ignition delay of the partially premixed mixture formed in and downstream of the duct to reduce the scale of the heat emitted during the initial premixed auto ignition event so that the CI engine (or other combustion device) To &lt; / RTI &gt; For some applications and / or operating conditions, a mixture near the end of the duct (e.g., at the opening 158) may require ignition assistance for optimal combustion system performance. This may occur, for example, if the cyclic fluctuation is too large under given conditions without ignition assistance, or if the autoignition delay is too long. Potential ignition assist techniques that can be coupled with DFI to improve performance include catalyst materials, hot surfaces (e.g., preheating plugs), sparks, plasma (thermal or non-equilibrium), laser ignition, and the like.

In one embodiment, the ignition auxiliary component may comprise a material for catalytic ignition assistance, and the catalytic ignition aid may be a simple implementation, particularly in situations with multiple ducts. The catalytic ignition aid may be a catalytic material which facilitates a complete and passive solution, for example the catalytic ignition aid does not require a modification to the combustion system other than the installation of the catalytic component itself. These unwanted variations may include electrical systems, cabling and / or windows, which are in addition to the ignition assist devices themselves (e.g., a preheating plug, spark plug, plasma generator or lasers). While the components comprising the catalytic material may be disposed near the ends of multiple ducts, the application of multiple high temperature surfaces, sparks, plasma or laser ignition assist devices in the combustion system may be inherently complex and / or costly .

In one embodiment, a layer (coating) of catalytic material may be applied to one or more surfaces of the duct (e.g., the inner diameter surface of the duct). The configuration 1500 of FIG. 15 illustrates an exemplary configuration and the catalyst material layer 1510 may be applied to the duct 1520 (e.g., similar to the duct 1420). In one embodiment, the catalyst material layer 1510 can be applied to the downstream (distal) end 1525 of the duct 1520. The catalytic material 1510 may comprise any suitable material, such as a platinum group metal held in a pure form or on a binder or other substrate, an ignition enhancing material. The catalyst material 1510 may be incorporated into the duct 1520 during manufacture, or it may be applied to the duct 1520 as a washcoat or the like, e.g., by plasma spray deposition, after fabrication. The interaction of the fuel / charge gas mixture 1440 and the catalyst material 1510 is such that the fuel / charge gas mixture 1440, which occurs earlier than in a system in which the catalytic ignition aid is not utilized, Charge gas mixture 1440 as a result of the catalytic material 1510 that causes the chemical reaction (s) leading to the ignition and the ignition with the catalytic ignition aid serves to shorten the ignition delay of the subsequent flame (Distance D13 from the distal end 1525 of the duct 1520), with the airfoil 1540 in the interior of the duct 1520. The ignition of the non-catalytic ignition auxiliary system occurs in the flame 1480, (I.e., a distance D12 from the distal end 1525 of the duct 1520) having a predetermined distance (e.g. The catalyst coating 1510 may also help prevent the formation of carbonaceous deposits on and / or within any coating portions, as the catalyst coating 1510 may help burn these deposits.

16 shows another embodiment using a catalytic ignition assist system and the ring portion 1610 in which the layer of catalytic material 1615 is formed has its radial symmetry axis aligned with the line 1630 As is the case with the duct 1620, as shown in FIG. In one embodiment, the layer of catalytic material 1615 is configured such that as the fuel / charge gas mixture 1440 passes through the inner ring, the catalytic material 1615 facilitates reactions within the fuel / charge gas mixture 1440 (E.g., the inner concentric surface, the surface of the inner ring forming the ring 1610). 16, the annulus 1610 can be positioned at a distance D14 from the downstream end 1625 of the duct 1620 and the catalyst material layer 1615 located on the ring 1610 can be positioned, The ignition of the fuel / charge gas mixture 1440 causes the difference in the distances D15 and D12, the position at which the ignition of the non-catalytic ignition auxiliary system occurs as shown by D15 < D12 1470 located in the area 1530 that is located closer to the duct 1620 than the ducts 1420, The ring portion 1610 may be made of a metal-containing material such as steel, INCO EL, HASTELLOY, etc., ceramic-containing material, or the like.

The configuration 1700 of Figure 17 illustrates that the one or more rods 1710a-n on which the catalyst material layer is formed is positioned on the duct 1720 and the rods 1710a-n, for example, (Projecting from) the downstream end (distal end) 1725 of the catalytic ignition system. N are attached to the downstream end 1725 of the duct 1720 by a first proximal end 1712a-n and the second distal end 1714a-n of the rods 1710a- Is located on a circle from the downstream end 1725 of the duct 1720. [ The interaction of the fuel / charge gas mixture 1440 with the catalyst material of the rods 1710a-n causes ignition of the fuel / charge gas mixture 1440. 15 and 16, the ignition zone 1530 occurs at a distance D16 from the downstream end 1725 of the duct 1720, and the distance D16 is set such that a non-catalytic assist ignition occurs Is smaller than the distance D12 to the ignition zone 1470,

Another type of ignition assist is high temperature surface ignition assist. In one embodiment, one or more high temperature surface ignition assist devices (e.g., preheat plugs) may be located in a combustion chamber (e.g., combustion chamber 105) to facilitate ignition in a DFI configuration, Shortening the delay and / or reducing the combustion strain occurring during cyclic operation of the engine or the like. Figure 18 shows configuration 1800 and a preheat plug 1810 is located downstream of duct 1820, e.g., at the downstream end 1825 of duct 1820. As shown, the heated tip 1830 of the preheat plug 1810 is positioned within the flow path of the fuel / charge gas mixture 1440 so that the main axis PA of the preheat plug 1810 is located within the flow path of the duct 1820 And crosses the axis 1630, where the hot preheat plug end 1830 serves as a bluff body to stabilize the flame 1540. 15-17, ignition zone 1530 occurs at a distance D17 from the downstream end 1825 of duct 1820, and distance D17 occurs when a non-catalytic assist ignition occurs Is smaller than the distance D12 to the ignition zone 1470, The preheat plug 1810 and associated control electronics may be of any type utilized in the production CI organs to assist in initiating engine cooling, or may further include design improvements to improve the performance of the preheat plug in DFI applications.

In another embodiment, one or more spark plugs may be installed in the combustion system to facilitate ignition of the DFI configuration (e.g., spark ignition assistance). In this embodiment, the spark plug can be positioned in a manner similar to the preheating plug 1810, and the spark plug gap of the spark plug is positioned relative to the duct outlet in the downstream flow of premixed gases exiting the duct, The gas passes through the spark gap and can also be ignited by one or more suitably time-set spark discharges occurring in the spark gap. The spark plus gap may be located at a position similar to the heated tip 1830 of the preheat plug 1810 shown in Figure 18 and thereby the distance D17 from the downstream end 1825 of the duct 1820, Charge gas mixture 1440 in the first and second passages D17 and D17. Spark plugs and associated control electronics may be of any type used in production SI engines or may further include design improvements to improve the performance of spark plugs in DFI applications.

In a further embodiment, the one or more plasma torches can be installed in the combustion system to facilitate ignition in a DFI configuration (e.g., plasma ignition aid), and the first end of the plasma torch emits a plasma jet. The plasma torch may be positioned in a manner similar to the preheating plug 1810 and the first end of the plasma torch may be positioned downstream of the downstream end 1825 of the duct 1820 in the downstream flow of the fuel / charge gas mixture 1440. In this embodiment, ), So that the fuel / charge gas mixture 1440 passes through the plasma jet and can be ignited by one or more suitably timed plasma jet discharges. The first end of the plasma torch may be positioned at the same position as the heated tip 1830 of the preheat plug 1810 so that the fuel / charge gas 1830 at a distance D17 from the downstream end 1825 of the duct 1820 Facilitating ignition of the mixture 1440. The plasma jet may be of any suitable technique, such as heat or non-equilibrium.

In a further embodiment, a focused laser beam may be installed in the combustion system to facilitate ignition in a DFI configuration (e.g., laser ignition assistance). 19 shows an arrangement 1900 that uses a focused laser beam to ignite a fuel / charge gas mixture. The laser 1910 may be positioned behind the window 1912 and the window 1912 is located within the sidewall 114 or cylinder head 125 of the combustion chamber. The laser 1910 is configured to emit a focused pulse laser beam 1915 of sufficient energy to produce a spark at the focal point 1918 of the laser (also known as waist) Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 &gt; ions &lt; / RTI &gt; 19, the pulsed laser beam 1915 is directed to the sprue 1920 from a positioned waist 1918 proximate to the axis 1630 of the duct 1820 and slightly downstream of the downstream end 1825 of the duct 1820. [ . &Lt; / RTI &gt; The laser pulse (s) 1915 will be timed for the fuel injection event so that ignition is facilitated. The focus 1918 of the laser beam 1915 can be configured to occur at the same position as the heated tip 1830 of the preheating plug 1810 so that the distance D18 from the downstream end 1825 of the duct 1820 / RTI &gt; fuel / charge gas mixture 1440 at a &lt; / RTI &gt; The laser beam 1915 can be any suitable technique, such as a laser diode, neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd: YAG) laser. The timed control component 1950 can be used to control the operation of the fuel injector driver 1960 and can additionally be configured to control the operation of the laser 1910 so that the pulsed laser beam 1915 is required May be controlled to synchronize with the fuel injector driver 1960 to facilitate ignition of the fuel / charge gas mixture 1440, e.g., ignition occurs at position 1530, in accordance with FIG. Although not shown in FIG. 18, the timed components may be combined with an ignition auxiliary component (e. G., Preheating plug 1810, spark plug, etc.) to facilitate ignition of each fuel / charge gas mixture at the desired location And may be used to control the operation and fuel flow of the components.

The distal ends 1525 of the duct 1520 / catalytic material layer 1510, the annular portion 1610 and the catalytic material located thereon, the respective distal ends 1714a-n of the rods 1710a-n, D14, D15, D16, D17, and D18 of the heated tip 1830 of the preheating plug 1810, the focus of the laser beam 1918, etc., In order to facilitate the desired location of the &lt; / RTI &gt; These distances will generally be within 1/10 to 5 times the diameter D 2 of the duct 150 at the downstream end 158.

20 illustrates a methodology 2000 for igniting a fuel / charge gas mixture after the fuel / charge gas mixture has been discharged from a duct located within the combustion chamber. In 2010, the ignition auxiliary component is positioned relative to the discharge end of the duct, and the duct is positioned and aligned close to the fuel jet opening. As previously described, the fuel is directed through the fuel jet opening and mixed with the charge gas in the duct, where the fuel / charge gas mixture is discharged from the outlet end of the duct. The ignition auxiliary component may include any suitable device for facilitating ignition of the fuel / charge gas mixture exiting the discharge end of the duct, such as a preheat plug, a spark plug, a laser with an optical device to form a focused laser beam, Materials, and the like. Also, components from which a catalyst material layer or layers of catalyst material are positioned can be positioned relative to the release of the fuel / charge gas mixture from the duct, and the reaction of the fuel / charge gas mixture facilitated by the catalyst material, Thereby promoting ignition of the charge gas mixture. The component may be detached from the duct (e.g., a ring containing the catalytic material), or a layer of catalytic material may be applied to the duct.

At 2020, operation of the ignition auxiliary component may be controlled to facilitate ignition of the fuel / charge gas mixture as the fuel / charge gas mixture is discharged from the outlet end of the duct. For an example in which the ignition auxiliary component is a laser equipped with an optical device to form a focused laser beam, the laser operates as a pulsed laser to generate energy &lt; RTI ID = 0.0 &gt; May be controlled to emit a burst. In another embodiment where the ignition auxiliary component is a plasma torch, the actuation may be controlled to sequentially discharge a burst of plasma in which the plasma torch is synchronized with the timing of the fuel / charge gas mixture being discharged from the duct. In a further embodiment the preheating plug can be controlled to continuously heat and ignite the fuel / charge gas mixture as the preheating plug is discharged from the duct. In a further embodiment, the ignition auxiliary component may be formed from a catalytic material that facilitates reaction in the fuel / charge gas mixture to facilitate its ignition. As previously mentioned, the catalytic material may be contained within the duct (e. G., As a material layer or attached by rods), or the catalytic material may be located on a duct, e. G., A component that is separately located in the annulus , Wherein the fuel / charge gas mixture is discharged from the duct and also through the center hole in the annulus, the center hole being located therein.

What has been described above includes examples of one or more embodiments. It is, of course, not possible to describe all conceivable modifications and variations of the above structures and methodologies for purposes of describing the above-described aspects, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further modifications and variations of the various aspects are possible. Accordingly, the above-described aspects are intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications, and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. It is also to be understood that the term "includes ", as used in either the detailed description or the claims, is to be interpreted as transitive within the claim when the term " comprising & It is intended to be inclusive in a similar manner.

Claims (20)

As a combustion system,
A fuel injector including a first opening, and
A duct formed of a hollow tube,
Fuel is injected into the combustion chamber through the first opening,
The duct being arranged to inject the fuel exiting the first opening of the fuel injector into the combustion chamber through the hollow tube. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the combustion system is a compression-ignition reciprocating engine. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the combustion system is a spark-ignition reciprocating engine. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the combustion system is a gas-turbine engine. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the combustion system is contained within a burner apparatus. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the combustion system is contained within a boiler unit. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the combustion system is comprised in a device configured to combust a flammable gas in a gas flare operation. A method of mixing fuel and charge-gas in a combustion chamber,
Injecting fuel through an opening in the fuel injector, and
Mixing the fuel injected in the duct with the charge gas,
Said opening being located in said combustion chamber,
Wherein the duct comprises a hollow tube and the injected fuel is arranged to move through the hollow tube and passage of the fuel through the hollow tube causes turbulence of the fuel / charge gas mixture in the hollow tube, And injecting the charge gas present in the combustion chamber into the hollow tube, thereby mixing the injected fuel with the charge gas. 9. The method of claim 8,
Wherein the combustion chamber forms part of a compression-ignition reciprocating engine. 9. The method of claim 8,
Wherein the combustion chamber forms part of a spark-ignition reciprocating engine. 9. The method of claim 8,
Wherein the combustion chamber forms part of a gas-turbine engine. 9. The method of claim 8,
Wherein the combustion chamber is contained within a burner apparatus. 9. The method of claim 8,
Wherein the combustion chamber is contained within a boiler unit. 9. The method of claim 8,
Wherein the combustion chamber is comprised in a device configured to combust a flammable gas in a gas flare operation. A fuel injection system comprising:
A fuel injector comprising a first opening and a second opening wherein a first fuel jet is injected into the combustion chamber through the first opening and a second fuel jet is injected into the combustion chamber through the second opening, Injector,
A first duct formed from a first hollow tube wherein the first duct is aligned with the first fuel jet exiting the first opening to be injected into the combustion chamber through the first hollow tube;
And a second duct formed of a second hollow tube, wherein the second duct is arranged to inject the second fuel jet exiting the second opening into the combustion chamber through the second hollow tube Fuel injection system. 16. The method of claim 15,
Wherein the fuel injection system is located within the compression-ignition reciprocating engine. 16. The method of claim 15,
Wherein the fuel injection system is located within a spark-ignition reciprocating engine. 16. The method of claim 15,
Wherein the fuel injection system is located within a gas-turbine engine. 16. The method of claim 15,
Wherein the fuel injection system is contained within a burner apparatus. 16. The method of claim 15,
Wherein the fuel injection system is included in an apparatus configured to combust a flammable gas in a gas flare operation.

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