Flame incubating and propagating apparatus for a fuel combustion system

A fuel combustion system for a direct-injection internal combustion engine including an open combustion chamber, a plurality of fuel spray orifice each having a centerline axis directed outwardly into the open combustion chamber, comprising:

• a fuel ignition-initiating means projecting directly into the open combustion chamber and spaced a preselected distance from a selected fuel spray orifice and also spaced from the centerline axis of the selected fuel spray orifice;
• and
• baffle means for intercepting a preselected portion of a respective fuel stream sprayed from the selected fuel spray orifice during engine operation, for temporarily maintaining that intercepted portion of fuel within ignition proximity to the fuel ignition-initiating means until an initially-localized flame of burning fuel is started, and for controlledly directing the resultant expanding flame of burning fuel to all of the other fuel streams sprayed from the other fuel spray orifices, wherein the baffle means is a baffle positioned in the open combustion chamber and having a generally concave and imperforate surface generally facing and spaced from the selected fuel spray orifice according to a second preselected distance which is greater than the first selected distance with the fuel ignition-initiating means being positioned in spaced relation generally between the selected fuel spray orifice and the concave surface of the baffle.

A fuel combustion system (10) for a direct-injection internal combustion engine (14) including a substantially quiescent open combustion chamber (18) adapted during engine operation to be substantially free of ordered motion of gases (74) periodically admitted thereto, a fuel injector (22) having at least three fuel spray orifices (90,94,98) projecting directly into the open combustion chamber (18) and adapted during engine operation to simultaneously spray distinct and mutually-spaced fuel streams (102,106,110) generally outwardly towards peripheral portions of the open combustion chamber (18), comprising:

• fuel ignition-initiating means (26) for initiating localized ignition and flaming of a respective pair of fuel streams each having a centerline axis extending (102,106) sprayed from a selected pair of fuel spray orifices (90,94), said fuel ignition-initiating means (26) being adapted to be energized to an elevated temperature during engine operation chamber (18) and spaced a preselected distance (L.sub.1) from the selected pair of fuel spray orifices (90,94) and also spaced between the centerline axes of the respective pair of fuel streams (102,106) sprayed during engine operation and projecting into the open combustion;
• and
• baffle means (30) for intercepting a preselected portion (34,38) of each of the respective pair of fuel streams (102,106), for temporarily maintaining in cooperation with the respective pair of fuel streams (102,106) those intercepted portions (34,38) of fuel within ignitable proximity to the fuel ignition-initiating means (26) in order to start an initially-localized flame (42) of burning fuel, and for controlledly reflecting and directing the resultant expanding flame (42) of burning fuel to all of the other fuel streams (110) so that they are interconnectedly bridged with the flame (42) and thereby ignited.

A fuel combustion system (10) for a direct-injection internal combustion engine (14) including a substantially guiescent open combustion chamber (18) adapted during engine operation to be periodically filled with intake air (74) and be substantially free of ordered motion of the intake air (74), a fuel injector (22) having at least three fuel spray orifices (90,94,98) projecting directly into a central portion of the open combustion chamber (18) and adapted during engine operation to simultaneously spray distinct and mutually-spaced conical fuel streams each having a centerline axis extending (102,106,110) generally radially outwardly towards peripheral portions of the open combustion chamber (18), comprising:

• fuel ignition-initiating means (26) for initiating localized ignition and flaming of a respective pair of adjacent fuel streams (102,106) sprayed from a selected pair of adjacent fuel spray orifices (90,94), said fuel ignition-initiating means (26) being adapted to be electrically energized to an elevated temperature during engine operation and projecting directly into the open combustion chamber (18) and unobstructively spaced a preselected distance (L.sub.1) from the selected pair of adjacent fuel spray orifices (90,94) and also spaced between the centerline axes of the respective pair of adjacent fuel streams (102,106) sprayed during engine operation;
• and
• baffle means (30) for intercepting only a stoichiometric preselected portion (34,38) of each of the respective pair of adjacent fuel streams (102,106), for temporarily maintaining, in cooperation with the respective pair of adjacent fuel streams (102,106), those intercepted portions (34,38) of fuel within ignitable proximity to the fuel ignition-initiating means (26) in order to positively start an initially localized flame (42) of burning fuel, and for controlledly reflecting and directing the resultant expanding flame (42) of burning fuel to all of the other fuel streams (110) so that they are interconnectedly bridged with the flame (42) and thereby positively ignited.