# US 2014/0191055 A1 · Multi-physics fuel atomizer and methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0191055 A1 - Document ID: US20140191055A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/209,385 - Filed: 2014-03-13 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2010-05-20 - Assignees: Enginetics, LLC - Applicants: Enginetics, LLC - Inventors: John Amaya; Luke Cruff; Joseph Lull; Marcel Prado; Bradley J. Vieau - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140191055A1 ## CPC - F02M 29/06: generating whirling motion of mixture - B05B 7/0466: {with means for deflecting the central liquid flow towards the peripheral gas flow} - F02M 35/10085: {having a connecting piece, e.g. a flange, between the engine and the air intake being foreseen with a throttle valve, fuel injector, mixture ducts or the like} - F02M 35/10216: {Fuel injectors; Fuel pipes or rails; Fuel pumps or pressure regulators} - F02M 67/00: Apparatus in which fuel-injection is effected by means of high-pressure gas, the gas carrying the fuel into working cylinders of the engine, e.g. air-injection type (using compressed air for low-pressure fuel-injection apparatus F02M69/08) - F02M 67/02: the gas being compressed air, e.g. compressed in pumps (arrangements or adaptations of such pumps F02B) - F02M 69/00: Low-pressure fuel-injection apparatus {; Apparatus with both continuous and intermittent injection; Apparatus injecting different types of fuel} - F02M 69/047: {injectors with air chambers, e.g. communicating with atmosphere for aerating the nozzles (F02M69/325 takes precedence)} - F02M 69/08: characterised by the fuel being carried by compressed air into main stream of combustion-air - F23D 11/24: by pressurisation of the fuel before a nozzle through which it is sprayed by a substantial pressure reduction into a space - F23D 11/40: Mixing tubes; Burner heads - B05B 1/265: {the liquid or other fluent material being symmetrically deflected about the axis of the nozzle} - Y02T 10/12: Improving ICE efficiencies - F02M: SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF - B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D) - F23D: BURNERS - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A fuel atomizer that includes a housing having a fuel inlet and at least one primary orifice positioned at the inlet, wherein the at least one orifice configured to disperse a stream of fuel into a plurality of fuel droplets. The plurality of fuel droplets contact a fuel impingement surface to break up the plurality of fuel droplets into a plurality of smaller secondary droplets and create a thin film of secondary droplets on the impingement surface. At least one pressurized air channel delivers an airflow into contact with the secondary droplets. The secondary droplets pass through a plurality of secondary outlet orifices to exit the housing. A size of the plurality of secondary droplets is reduced when passing out of the plurality of secondary orifices. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fuel atomizer, comprising: a mixing chamber; a fuel inlet configured to disperse a stream of fuel into the mixing chamber; a fuel impingement surface against which the stream of fuel contacts, the impingement surface being arranged at an angle of greater than 0° and less than about 60° relative to a plane arranged perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the fuel atomizer; a plurality of air channels arranged at a radial angle in the range of about 30° to about 60° and a tangential angle relative to the longitudinal axis, and configured to deliver an airflow into the mixing chamber to create an air/fuel mixture with the stream of fuel; a plurality of outlet orifices through which the air/fuel mixture passes to form a spray plume. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The fuel atomizer of claim 1, wherein the airflow creates a vortex flow within the mixing chamber. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The fuel atomizer of claim 1, wherein the air/fuel mixture accelerates to sonic speed when passing through the plurality of outlet orifices. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The fuel atomizer of claim 1, wherein the fuel impingement surface is arranged at an angle in the range of greater than 0° to about 45° relative to the plane arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The fuel atomizer of claim 1, wherein the outlet orifices are arranged at an angle between about 0° and about 90° relative to the longitudinal axis. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The fuel atomizer of claim 1, further comprising a fuel metering member that defines the fuel inlet. ### Claim 7 A method of atomizing fuel, comprising: providing an atomizing device comprising a mixing chamber, an impingement surface positioned within the mixing chamber, a plurality of air channels, and at least one outlet orifice, the impingement surface being arranged at an angle of greater than 0° and less than about 60° relative to a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the atomizing device; delivering liquid fuel into contact with the impingement surface to at least partially atomize the fuel; mixing the stream of fuel with a flow of air in the mixing chamber to form a fuel/air mixture and to further atomize the fuel, the flow of air being delivered to the mixing chamber through the plurality of air channels, which are arranged at a radial angle in the range of about 30° to about 60° and a tangential angle relative to the longitudinal axis; passing the fuel/air mixture through the at least one outlet orifice to further atomize the fuel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein providing the atomizing device includes arranging the impingement surface and the at least one outlet orifice coaxially. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein mixing the fuel with the flow of air includes delivering air into the mixing chamber in a direction that is at least partially radial. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein passing the fuel/air mixture through the at least one outlet orifice includes rapid acceleration of the fuel/air mixture to sonic speeds. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the atomizing device further includes a fuel metering device that controls delivery of the liquid fuel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the flow of air forms a vortex flow in the mixing chamber. ### Claim 13 A pre-combustion fuel mixing device, comprising: a mixing chamber; a valve arranged to deliver fuel into the mixing chamber; an impingement surface positioned in the mixing chamber and arranged in a flow path of the fuel, the impingement surface being arranged at an angle of greater than 0° and less than about 60° relative to a plane arranged perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the device; a plurality of air passages leading into the mixing chamber through which a flow of air is delivered to mix with the fuel to create an fuel/air mixture, the plurality of angled passages being arranged at a radial angle in the range of about 30° to about 60° and a tangential angle in the range of about 0° to about 90° relative to the longitudinal axis; a plurality of outlet orifices through which the fuel/air mixture passes to form a spray plume. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The pre-combustion fuel mixing device of claim 13, wherein the flow of air forms a vortex flow in the mixing chamber. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The pre-combustion fuel mixing device of claim 13, further comprising a dispersing nozzle in flow communication with the plurality of outlet orifices configured to form the spray plume. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The pre-combustion fuel mixing device of claim 13, wherein the plurality of outlet orifices are arranged at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis. ### Claim 17 A method of vaporizing fuel, comprising: providing a fuel atomizing device having a mixing chamber, an impingement surface positioned in the mixing chamber, and at least one outlet orifice, the impingement surface being arranged at an angle of greater than 0° and less than about 60° relative to a plane arranged perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the atomizing device; forming a vortex flow of air within the mixing chamber; delivering liquid fuel onto the impingement surface to at least partially vaporize the fuel; mixing the fuel with the vortex flow of air in the mixing chamber to form an air/fuel mixture and further vaporize the fuel; delivering the air/fuel mixture through the at least one outlet orifice to form a spray plume and further vaporize the fuel. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, wherein the fuel atomizing device further comprises a plurality of air passages arranged at radial and tangential angles relative to a longitudinal axis of the atomizing device, wherein forming the vortex flow of air includes delivering an air flow through the plurality of air passages and into the mixing chamber. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein the radial angle is in the range of about 30° to about 60° and the tangential angle is in the range of about 0° to about 90° relative to the longitudinal axis. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the tangential angle is greater than 0° and less than about 90° relative to the longitudinal axis.