Apparatuses and methods for fuel injection and/or ignition in an internal combustion engine

An apparatus for igniting fuel in an internal combustion engine system, said system having an internal combustion engine including a cylinder and a cylinder head, a fuel injector arranged in the cylinder head and including a nozzle disposed within the cylinder, the nozzle including a plurality of nozzle holes, the fuel injector configured to inject fuel through the plurality of nozzle holes into the cylinder in a plurality of fuel jets respectively, the apparatus comprising:

• a shielded igniter including a positive-ignition source surrounded by a shield defining a shielded space therebetween, the shield including an inlet hole, a first outlet hole and a second outlet hole, the shielded igniter adapted to be disposed within the cylinder adjacent the fuel injector such that when the fuel injector is actuated to inject fuel through the plurality of nozzle holes into the cylinder, a first fuel jet in the plurality of fuel jets is directed towards the inlet hole;
• whereby fuel from the first fuel jet enters the inlet hole and forms an ignitable fuel-air mixture within the shielded space;
• the positive-ignition source ignites the ignitable fuel-air mixture within the shielded space such that combustion products from the ignited fuel-air mixture exit the first and second outlet holes
• combustion products emanating from the first outlet hole ignite a second fuel jet in the plurality of fuel jets and combustion products emanating from the second outlet hole ignite a third fuel jet in the plurality of fuel jets;
• and
• the second and third fuel jets are adjacent the first fuel jet on opposite sides thereof.