Air assist fuel injector with fuel swirl feature
AssigneeSiemens Automotive Corporation
InventorLisa Johnenne Egizi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fuel injector for a spark-ignition, internal combustion engine includes a fuel injector body having inlet and discharge ends. The discharge end includes a fuel swirl disk for inwardly directing a plurality of fuel streams to provide a turbulent swirling stream of fuel directed axially outwardly. A valve regulates the outward axial flow of the turbulent swirling fuel stream. A mixing chamber having an air supply provides a flow of assist air and a discharge passageway. The mixing chamber receives the turbulent swirling fuel stream which is atomized as it enters the mixing chamber and the atomized fuel mixed with the assist air is directed outwardly through a discharge passageway.
Claims16
A fuel injector for a spark-ignition, internal combustion engine comprising:
- a fuel injector body including inlet and discharge ends;
- said discharge end including a fuel swirl disk for inwardly directing a plurality of fuel streams to provide a turbulent swirling stream of fuel directed axially outwardly;
- a needle guide disposed adjacent the swirl disk;
- a valve for regulating the outward axial flow of the turbulent swirling fuel stream;
- and
- a mixing chamber having an air supply for providing a flow of assist air and a discharge passageway;
- said mixing chamber receiving said turbulent swirling fuel stream wherein the fuel is atomized and mixed with the assist air and the resulting mixture is directed outwardly through said discharge passageway.
A method of operating a fuel injector for delivering an air-fuel mixture in a fuel injected spark ignition internal combustion engine, the method comprising:
- inwardly directing a plurality of fuel streams through a fuel swirl disk to provide a turbulent swirling stream of fuel directed axially outwardly;
- regulating the axial flow of the turbulent swirling stream;
- providing a supply of assist air;
- atomizing the turbulent swirling stream of fuel;
- and
- mixing the atomized fuel with the assist air;
- thereby providing a finely atomized air-fuel mixture.
An air assist fuel injection system for supplying a mixture of atomized fuel and air to an internal combustion engine comprising:
- an air supply providing a flow of assist air;
- a fuel supply providing a supply of fuel;
- a fuel injector having inlet and discharge ends;
- said discharge end including a fuel swirl disk for inwardly directing a plurality of fuel streams to provide a turbulent swirling stream of fuel directed axially outwardly;
- a needle guide disposed adjacent the swirl disk;
- a valve for regulating the outward axial flow of the turbulent swirling fuel stream;
- and
- a mixing chamber having an air supply for providing a flow of assist air and a discharge passageway;
- said mixing chamber receiving the turbulent swirling fuel stream wherein the fuel is atomized and mixed with the assist air and the resulting mixture is directed outwardly through the discharge passageway.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.