Method and system for fuel combustion
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorRobert M. McDavid
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuel injector assembly for an internal combustion engine includes a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, and a fuel injector extending at least to the distal end portion, the fuel injector including a fuel opening. The fuel injector assembly also includes a chamber formed between the proximal and distal end portions, a flame passage extending from the chamber to the distal end portion, and an atomizer configured to provide atomization of liquid fuel injected into the chamber.
Claims18
A fuel injector assembly for an internal combustion engine, the fuel injector assembly comprising:
- a proximal end portion;
- a distal end portion;
- a fuel injector secured within a housing of the fuel injector assembly and extending at least to the distal end portion, the fuel injector including a fuel opening;
- a chamber formed between the proximal and distal end portions and surrounding the fuel injector;
- a flame passage extending from the chamber to the distal end portion;
- and
- an atomizer configured to provide atomization of liquid fuel injected into the chamber.
A combustion system, comprising:
- a fuel storage device for storing a liquid fuel;
- an internal combustion engine including a combustion chamber;
- a fuel injector configured to directly inject a first portion of the fuel into the combustion chamber;
- a fuel injector assembly housing removably installed in a cylinder head of the internal combustion engine;
- and
- an atomizing fuel injector extending within the fuel injector assembly housing, the atomizing fuel injector being configured to receive a second portion of the fuel and inject the second portion of the fuel into a precombustion chamber upstream of the combustion chamber wherein the fuel injector extends within the fuel injector assembly housing.
A method of combusting fuel, comprising:
- supplying fuel, in liquid form, to an atomizing fuel injector, including an atomizing element, secured in a housing of a fuel injector assembly;
- injecting the fuel supplied to the atomizing fuel injector into a precombustion chamber and atomizing the fuel with the atomizing element, the precombustion chamber and the atomizing fuel injector being removable from a cylinder head together with the housing of the fuel injector assembly;
- injecting fuel into a combustion chamber via a fuel injector secured in the housing of the fuel injector assembly;
- igniting the atomized fuel in the precombustion chamber;
- and
- igniting the fuel injected into the combustion chamber with the ignited atomized fuel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.