Engine intake apparatus and method

An intake apparatus for an engine comprising:

• an injector in fluid communication with the intake apparatus configured to inject fuel into a flow stream of intake gas through the apparatus;
• and
• a heater configured to heat gas passing through the apparatus,
• wherein the injector injects fuel into the flow stream of intake gas both at starting and during normal operation such that (i) when intake gas flows through a primary intake path of the apparatus at a first flow rate, injected fuel from the injector impinges on the heater and (ii) when intake gas flows through the primary intake path of the apparatus at a second flow rate greater than the first flow rate, a trajectory of injected fuel from the injector in the flow stream is modified in response to contact with the flow stream of intake gas to be deflected by intake gas such that substantially no fuel impinges on the heater,
• wherein the injector is operable to inject fuel into the intake conduit of the apparatus in an upstream direction towards the heater and against a flow direction of the flow stream of the intake gas, and wherein the heater resides a distance upstream of the injector.

An intake apparatus for an engine comprising:

• an injector in fluid communication with the intake apparatus configured to inject fuel into a flow stream of intake gas through the apparatus;
• and
• a heater configured to heat gas passing through the apparatus,
• wherein the injector injects fuel into the flow stream of intake gas both at starting and during normal operation such that (i) when intake gas flows through a primary intake path of the apparatus at a first flow rate, injected fuel from the injector impinges on the heater and (ii) when intake gas flows through the primary intake path of the apparatus at a second flow rate greater than the first flow rate, a trajectory of injected fuel from the injector in the flow stream is modified in response to contact with the flow stream of intake gas to be deflected by intake gas such that substantially no fuel impinges on the heater,
• wherein the injector is operable to inject fuel into the intake conduit in a direction against a flow direction of the intake gas through the intake conduit and not directly towards the heater.

An intake apparatus for an engine comprising:

• an injector in fluid communication with the intake apparatus configured to inject fuel into a flow stream of intake gas through the apparatus;
• and
• a heater configured to heat gas passing through the apparatus,
• wherein the injector injects fuel into the flow stream of intake gas both at starting and during normal operation such that (i) when intake gas flows through a primary intake path of the apparatus at a first flow rate, injected fuel from the injector impinges on the heater and (ii) when intake gas flows through the primary intake path of the apparatus at a second flow rate greater than the first flow rate, a trajectory of injected fuel from the injector in the flow stream is modified in response to contact with the flow stream of intake gas to be deflected by intake gas such that substantially no fuel impinges on the heater,
• wherein the heater is in an auxiliary intake passage coupled to the intake conduit, the apparatus being operable to provide a flow of intake gas through the auxiliary intake passage to the intake conduit, and wherein the auxiliary intake passage is orthogonal to the intake conduit.

An intake apparatus for an engine comprising:

• an injector in fluid communication with the intake apparatus configured to inject fuel into a flow stream of intake gas through the apparatus;
• and
• a heater configured to heat gas passing through the apparatus,
• wherein the injector injects fuel into the flow stream of intake gas both at starting and during normal operation such that (i) when intake gas flows through a primary intake path of the apparatus at a first flow rate, injected fuel from the injector impinges on the heater and (ii) when intake gas flows through the primary intake path of the apparatus at a second flow rate greater than the first flow rate, a trajectory of injected fuel from the injector in the flow stream is modified in response to contact with the flow stream of intake gas to be deflected by intake gas such that substantially no fuel impinges on the heater,
• wherein the injector is operable to inject fuel into the intake conduit in a direction having at least a component directed substantially upstream of a direction of flow of the flow stream of intake gas a distance upstream of the injector, and wherein the heater is upstream of the injector.

A method of delivering a fuel and intake gas to an engine comprising:

• injecting fuel into a flow stream of intake gas through an engine intake apparatus using an injector;
• heating intake gas passing through the apparatus using a heater, wherein the heater is located upstream of the injector,
• wherein, at start-up and during normal operation, the injecting fuel into the flow stream of intake gas is carried out using the injector so that (i) when the intake gas is flowing at a first flow rate, the injected fuel from the injector is in a direction toward the heater and impinges on the heater and (ii) when the intake gas is flowing at a second flow rate greater than the first flow rate, the injected fuel from the injector is deflected directly by contact with the flow stream of intake gas whereby the injected fuel is forced to travel in a direction away from the heater and whereby substantially no fuel impinges on the heater,
• wherein the injecting fuel comprises increasing a flow rate of intake gas from the first flow rate to the second flow rate after starting the engine, and
• wherein the injecting fuel is carried out both at start-up and during normal operation to inject fuel from the injector in an upstream direction toward the heater.

An intake apparatus for an engine comprising:

• an injector configured to inject fuel into a flow stream of intake air past the injector through an intake conduit of the apparatus, wherein the injector injects the fuel in an upstream direction against a direction of the flow stream of the intake air with sufficient injection force to cause the injected fuel to travel upstream of the injector;
• and
• a heater configured to heat intake air passing through the apparatus, wherein the heater is upstream of the injector,
• wherein the apparatus being operable to inject fuel into the flow stream of intake air past the injector so that (i) when intake air flows past the injector through the intake conduit of the apparatus at a flow rate less than or equal to a first flow rate, injected fuel from the injector impinges on the heater and (ii) when intake air flows past the injector through the intake conduit of the apparatus at a flow rate greater than or equal to a second flow rate greater than the first flow rate, a trajectory of injected fuel from the injector is modified in response to contact with the flow stream of intake air to be deflected by the intake air such that substantially no fuel impinges on the heater.