Hydrogen-powered internal combustion engine and corresponding control method
The hydrogen injector with a convergent-divergent duct design and control unit optimizes hydrogen injection in internal combustion engines, addressing efficiency and manufacturability challenges by ensuring supersonic flow and extended injection duration.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2025545895
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2023-02-07
- Filing Date
- 2024-02-06
- Publication Date
- 2026-02-13
AI Technical Summary
Hydrogen-powered internal combustion engines face challenges in efficiently injecting hydrogen due to limitations in injector size, injection pressure, and timing, which affect the amount of hydrogen that can be injected and the engine's performance, while also being costly and complex to manufacture.
A hydrogen injector with a convergent-divergent injection duct design, utilizing an electromagnetic actuator to regulate hydrogen flow, allowing supersonic injection even at high back pressures, and a control unit to optimize injection timing based on cylinder pressure, ensuring efficient hydrogen delivery.
The injector enables increased hydrogen injection duration and amount, maintaining efficient hydrogen flow despite high back pressures, improving engine performance and manufacturability with minimal structural changes.
Smart Images

Figure 2026505359000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical Field]
[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This patent application claims priority to Italian Patent Application No. 102023000002025, filed February 7, 2023, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
[0002] The present invention relates to a hydrogen-powered internal combustion engine. [Background technology]
[0003] Hydrogen is not found on Earth in its natural state because it is bound to molecules of other atoms (e.g., water or hydrocarbons), and therefore, to obtain it, it must be produced through reforming or electrolysis, thereby consuming other energy (as a result, hydrogen is an energy vector, not an energy source).
[0004] Because hydrogen cars do not produce polluting emissions (greenhouse gases, particulate matter, etc.), but only water vapor, their environmental impact is very low, i.e., hydrogen cars are ZEVs ("zero emission vehicles"), and therefore, if hydrogen cars become widespread, they could be a solution to the problem of smog or air pollution in cities.
[0005] Fuel cells can be used to generate energy through hydrogen, allowing the generation of the electricity needed to run an electric motor without combustion. Alternatively, hydrogen combustion can be achieved by injecting hydrogen directly into the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, in which case the engine produces no (or very little) carbon dioxide or other pollutants.
[0006] Hydrogen has a low density (due to having a very simple molecule consisting of only two hydrogen atoms) and therefore to inject a sufficient amount (mass) of hydrogen into the combustion chamber, a correspondingly significant amount of hydrogen must be injected. The amount of hydrogen injected through the injector basically depends on three factors: the area of the hydrogen passage zone (i.e. how large the opening through which the hydrogen must flow to exit the injector), the hydrogen injection pressure and the injection time (i.e. how long the hydrogen injector is open).
[0007] However, to utilize as much of the hydrogen stored in the gas cylinder as possible, the aforementioned hydrogen injection pressure must be kept as low as possible (generally speaking, around 30 to 50 bar). For a gas cylinder with a maximum pressure of 700 bar, injecting hydrogen at an injection pressure of 100 bar allows for up to 80% of the tank's capacity to be used, while injecting hydrogen at an injection pressure of 50 bar allows for up to 90% of the tank's capacity to be used. In other words, the ideal injection pressure is a compromise between the need to utilize as much of the hydrogen contained in the cylinder as possible to increase the vehicle's range, and the possibility of injecting hydrogen during the compression stroke when the back pressure present in the combustion chamber continuously increases.
[0008] The maximum size of the fuel injector (which in turn limits the maximum size of the injection orifice through which hydrogen exits the injector) is limited by the available space in the roof of the combustion chamber (which houses the four valves and the spark plug in addition to the injector), by the need to accommodate the mass (i.e., inertia) of the movable plunger so that it can move between the injector-closed and injector-open positions with sufficient speed, and by the need to avoid the hydrogen injector spontaneously (and highly undesirably) opening due to the high pressure inside the combustion chamber at the end of the compression stroke and during the expansion stroke.
[0009] The injection time (i.e., the time the hydrogen injector is open) is limited at the start of injection because it must wait for the intake valve to close; if hydrogen is injected while the intake valve is still open, the hydrogen will prevent air from entering, significantly reducing the combustion chamber filling rate (i.e., the volumetric efficiency of the internal combustion engine). The injection time (i.e., the time the hydrogen injector is open) is limited at the end of injection by the increase in pressure inside the combustion chamber; in currently produced hydrogen injectors, when the pressure inside the combustion chamber exceeds 50% of the injection pressure, the back pressure that the hydrogen injector must overcome significantly reduces the flow rate of injected hydrogen.
[0010] US Pat. Nos. 5,629,999 and 5,729,999 disclose the direct injection of compressible gaseous fuel into the combustion chamber of a reciprocating internal combustion engine. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0011] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2007 / 087685 [Patent Document 2] US Patent Application Publication No. 2005082393(A1) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0012] The object of the present invention is to provide a hydrogen-powered internal combustion engine that does not suffer from the above-mentioned drawbacks (i.e., other factors being equal, it is possible to increase the injection duration compared to known engines) and that is in particular easy and economical to manufacture. [Means for solving the problem]
[0013] According to the present invention there is provided a hydrogen-powered internal combustion engine as set out in the accompanying claims. The appended claims describe preferred embodiments of the invention, which are an integral part of the description.
[0014] The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show one non-limiting embodiment thereof. [Brief explanation of the drawings]
[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional side view of a hydrogen injector. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a longitudinal section of the end of the hydrogen injector of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a front view of a longitudinal section of the end of the hydrogen injector of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a detail of FIG. 3. [Figure 5] 4 is a diagram showing the change in area of the injection duct created when the injection valve is opened; FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the variation of the injectable fuel flow rate relative to the nominal flow rate as a function of the ratio between the injection pressure and the back pressure present in the combustion chamber; [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the variation of the ratio between the critical back pressure at which sonic flow can be maintained in the throat and the injection pressure as a function of the ratio between the (maximum) exit area and the minimum (throat) area of the injection duct. [Figure 8] 2 is a schematic diagram of an internal combustion engine using the hydrogen injector of FIG. 1 according to the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0016] In Figure 1, the number 1 indicates as a whole a gaseous fuel (particularly hydrogen) injector having cylindrical symmetry about a longitudinal axis 2 and designed to operate to inject hydrogen through an injection nozzle 3 leading directly into the combustion chamber of a cylinder of an internal combustion engine E (shown diagrammatically in Figure 8). The hydrogen injector 1 comprises a support 4 having a tubular cylindrical shape of varying cross section along the longitudinal axis 2, with a supply passage 5 extending along the entire length of the support 4 to supply hydrogen under pressure to the injection nozzle 3.
[0017] The support 4 houses in its upper region an electromagnetic actuator 6 and in its lower region an injector 7 (shown in Figures 2 and 3) which, in use, is operated by the electromagnetic actuator 6 so as to regulate the flow rate of hydrogen available in the region of the injector 7 through the injection nozzle 3. According to a different embodiment not shown here, the actuator 6 is a piezoelectric actuator instead of being an electromagnetic actuator.
[0018] The electromagnetic actuator 6 is configured to axially (i.e., along the longitudinal axis 2) move a movable device provided with a plunger 8 that leads to a shutter 9 (shown in FIGS. 2 and 3). The shutter 9 cooperates with a valve seat 10 (shown in FIGS. 2 and 3) of the injector 7 to regulate the flow rate of hydrogen through the injection nozzle 3. In other words, the support 4 ends in a through opening, which defines the valve seat 10 and is engaged by the shutter 9. In particular, the electromagnetic actuator 6 is configured to move the shutter 9 between a closed position and an open position of the injector 7. Furthermore, the electromagnetic actuator 6 is provided with a closing spring that keeps the hydrogen injector 1 normally closed, i.e., it pushes the shutter 9 toward the closed position of the injector 7. In other words, the injector 7 is normally closed due to the closing spring, which pushes the plunger 8 to the closed position, and the shutter 9 of the plunger 8 is pressed against the valve seat 10 of the injector 7.
[0019] 2, 3 and 4, the shutter 9 has the shape of a truncated cone and is designed to fit snugly against the valve seat 10, which also has the shape of a truncated cone. The shutter 9 is arranged outside the support 4 and is pressed against the support 4 itself by the closing spring of the electromagnetic shutter 6, so that, in order to move the injection valve 7 from the closed position to the open position, the shutter 9 moves along the longitudinal axis 2 towards the outside of the support 4, i.e. in the direction of the hydrogen supply. In the open position of the injection valve 7, the shutter 9 separates from the valve seat 10, so that an injection channel 11 (i.e., a passage opening) is created which has a cross section in the shape of an annular shape and the shape of a truncated cone, so that the hydrogen injected through the injection nozzle 3 has, at the outlet, the shape of a hollow cone with an opening angle which is substantially the same as the opening angle of the shutter 9.
[0020] In other words, the electromagnetic actuator 6 is configured to move the shutter 9 between a closed position of the injector 7, in which the shutter 9 is pressed against the valve seat 10, and an open position of the injector 7 (shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4), in which the shutter 9 is separated from the valve seat 10 to create an injection duct 11 through which hydrogen flows. As best shown in Figure 4, the injection duct 11 created between the shutter 9 and the valve seat 10 has an area that is equal to a maximum value A at the beginning of the injection duct 11 when the injector 7 is in the open position (shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4). MAX1 to the minimum value A (at the center of the injection duct 11, corresponding to the throat) min The convergent initial segment gradually decreases until the area of the injection duct 11 reaches a minimum value A min from the maximum value A at the end of the injection duct 11 MAX2 and a diffusion termination segment that gradually increases to
[0021] In other words, the convergent initial segment of the injection duct 11 is the area of the injection duct 11 at a maximum value A MAX1 From the zone where the area of the injection duct 11 is the minimum value A min , while the diverging end segment of the injection duct 11 extends to a zone (i.e., throat) where the area of the injection duct 11 is equal to a minimum value A minFrom the zone (i.e., throat) where the area of the injection duct 11 is equal to the maximum value A MAX2 extends to a zone that is the same as
[0022] According to a preferred embodiment, the maximum value A MAX2 is the maximum value A MAX1 Especially, the maximum value A MAX2 is the maximum value A MAX1 According to a preferred embodiment, the minimum value A min is the maximum value A MAX2 The range is 0.7 to 0.9 times.
[0023] According to a preferred embodiment, the minimum value A min is the maximum value A MAX2 In other words, the maximum value A MAX2 is the minimum value A min The range is 1.6 to 2.5 times the maximum value A MAX2 and minimum value A min The ratio between the critical back pressure at which sonic flow can be maintained at the throat and the injection pressure is very important because, if the ratio is within the above range, a high ratio between the critical back pressure at which sonic flow can be maintained at the throat and the injection pressure is ensured. In this regard, the diagram of FIG. 7 shows the critical back pressure at which sonic flow can be maintained at the throat and the injection pressure (value A MAX2 (corresponding to the maximum) exit area and (minimum A min The figure shows the change in the ratio between the injection pressure and the minimum (throat) area (corresponding to the maximum A MAX2 is the minimum value A min If the back pressure is in the range of 1.6 to 2.5 times, the critical back pressure at which sonic flow can be maintained in the throat becomes high, and therefore the hydrogen flow in the throat remains in a sonic state for the entire period of hydrogen injection, which is advantageous for the regularity and efficiency of hydrogen injection.
[0024] According to a preferred embodiment, the diffusing terminal segment of the injection duct 11 is longer than the converging initial segment of the injection duct 11 (i.e., the hydrogen must flow along a greater length in order to flow through the diffusing terminal segment of the injection duct 11 compared to the converging initial segment). In particular, the length of the diffusing terminal segment is in the range of 2.0 to 3.5 times the length of the converging initial segment. The length of the diffusing terminal segment, or rather the gradient dA / dx between the increase in cross-sectional area and the increase in length, is relevant to avoid the fluid veins splitting and therefore (at least partially) losing the benefits obtained from the alternating convergence and divergence.
[0025] The information discussed above is summarized in the diagram shown in FIG. 5, which shows the area A of the injection duct 11 as a function of the length X of the injection duct 11, where the area of the injection duct 11 reaches a maximum value A. MAX1 From the zone where the area of the injection duct 11 is the minimum value A min and a convergent initial segment of the injection duct 11 extending to a zone where the area of the injection duct 11 is equal to a minimum value A min From the zone where the area of the injection duct 11 is the same as the maximum value A MAX2 1 shows the diverging end segment of the injection duct 11 extending to a zone which is the same as
[0026] In other words, the alternation of convergence and divergence in the injection duct 11 creates a supersonic discharge nozzle, a De Laval nozzle consisting of a tube narrowed in the middle, creating an asymmetric hourglass shape, whose stable operation (at the throat, i.e. at the smallest section, a velocity equal to the speed of sound) allows the hydrogen to accelerate up to supersonic speeds, thus transporting the discharge flow in such a way that it converts its thermal and pressure energy into kinetic energy.
[0027] According to FIG. 4, as mentioned above, the shutter 9 has a truncated conical shape, and the valve seat 10 also has a truncated conical shape. It should be noted that the filleted biconical shape is perhaps the simplest from a manufacturing standpoint, but other shapes of revolution can be defined, provided they have an appropriate geometric profile (e.g., with a trumpet-like shape) that defines the expansion law. Preferably, the truncated conical shape of the valve seat 10 has a constant slope along its entire length, while the truncated conical shape of the shutter 9 has a variable slope along its length. In particular, the truncated conical shape of the shutter 9 has a first slope that defines a converging initial segment of the injection duct 11 and a second slope that is different from the first slope and defines a diverging end segment of the injection duct 11. As a result, in the closed position of the injection valve 7, the shutter 9 contacts the valve seat 10 in the slope change zone.
[0028] To summarize the information disclosed above, an internal combustion engine E is powered by hydrogen and is provided with an injection system that directly injects hydrogen into a number of cylinders using corresponding hydrogen injectors 1. In other words, the internal combustion engine E includes at least one cylinder and an injection system that directly injects hydrogen into the cylinder using gaseous fuel injectors 1 as disclosed above.
[0029] Furthermore, the internal combustion engine E includes a control unit, which is configured to use the fuel injector 1, when necessary (i.e., when a large amount of hydrogen must be injected into the cylinder while the internal combustion engine E is operating at high speed), until (as long as) the pressure inside the cylinder is in the range of 85% to 90% of the hydrogen supply pressure (i.e., between 85% and 90% of the hydrogen supply pressure), i.e., to keep the fuel injector 1 open, when necessary, until (as long as) the pressure inside the cylinder is in the range of 85% to 90% of the hydrogen supply pressure.
[0030] According to a preferred embodiment, the control unit is configured to determine the maximum pressure inside the cylinder for each combustion cycle and thus schedule the injection of hydrogen into the cylinder for each combustion cycle depending on the maximum pressure inside the cylinder for that combustion cycle, i.e. the control unit is configured to determine the maximum pressure inside the cylinder for each combustion cycle and thus determine the maximum amount of hydrogen that can be injected in one combustion cycle depending on the maximum pressure inside the cylinder for that combustion cycle (the higher the maximum pressure inside the cylinder, the less amount of hydrogen that can be injected).
[0031] In summary, the control unit is configured to determine the maximum amount of hydrogen that can be injected into a cylinder in one combustion cycle, assuming that fuel injector 1 remains open as long as the pressure inside the cylinder is in the range of 85% to 90% of the hydrogen supply pressure.
[0032] The embodiments described herein can be combined with one another without thereby exceeding the scope of protection of the present invention.
[0033] The hydrogen injector 1 described above has many advantages.
[0034] First, the hydrogen injector 1 described above makes it possible to inject a significant amount of hydrogen even when the back pressure present in the combustion chamber of the cylinder is high. The diagram shown in Figure 6 shows the variation of the injectable hydrogen flow rate (on the vertical axis) relative to the nominal flow rate as a function of the ratio between the injection pressure and the back pressure present in the combustion chamber (on the horizontal axis). Even when the back pressure present in the combustion chamber is close to 90% of the injection pressure, the hydrogen injector 1 is able to inject a hydrogen flow rate that is substantially the same as the nominal flow rate and is therefore not adversely affected by the back pressure present in the combustion chamber (under similar conditions, known hydrogen injectors are only able to inject about 60% of the nominal flow rate).
[0035] This result is achieved thanks to the fact that when the injector 7 is in the open position, the injection duct 11 created between the shutter 9 and the valve seat 10 has a convergent initial segment followed by a divergent terminal segment. This (appropriately sized) convergent-divergent alternation leads to hydrogen outflow under supersonic conditions (i.e., faster than the speed of sound) when the ratio between the back pressure existing in the combustion chamber and the injection pressure is less than a critical ratio (approximately 0.5). The hydrogen outflow is unaffected by the back pressure existing in the combustion chamber until the back pressure in the combustion chamber reaches a very high value (i.e., until the ratio between the back pressure existing in the combustion chamber and the injection pressure approaches 0.9, as shown in Figure 6). In this way, even when the back pressure existing in the combustion chamber is high (i.e., close to the injection pressure), the hydrogen outflow enters the combustion chamber in an ideal manner. In other words, the convergent-divergent alternation in the injection duct 11 creates a supersonic ejection nozzle, a De Laval nozzle, which allows excellent inflow into the combustion chamber even when the back pressure in the combustion chamber is high.
[0036] Thus, the hydrogen injector 1 described above allows hydrogen to be effectively injected over a longer period of time compared to similar known hydrogen injectors, thereby increasing the amount (mass) of hydrogen that can be injected into the cylinder per combustion cycle (other things being equal).By using the hydrogen injector 1 described above, the end of the injection window can be increased, with a corresponding increase in the width of the injection window (and therefore the injection time) of approximately 20%.
[0037] Furthermore, the above-described hydrogen injector 1 is simple and economical to manufacture, since it only has minor structural differences compared to known hydrogen injectors, which can be easily implemented.
[0038] Finally, the hydrogen injector 1 disclosed above, thanks to the outward opening of the shutter 9, has a particularly large passage area A of the injection passage 11, which ensures that the high pressure present in the combustion chamber of the cylinder does not cause the injection valve 7 to open (unwantedly). [Explanation of symbols]
[0039] 1 fuel injector 2 Longitudinal axis 3 spray nozzle 4 Support 5 Supply route 6 Electromagnetic Actuators 7 Injection valve 8 plunger 9 Shutter 10 Valve seat 11 Injection duct E. Internal combustion engine A min minimum area A MAX1 maximum area A MAX2 maximum area
Claims
1. A hydrogen-powered internal combustion engine (E) comprising a control unit, at least one cylinder, and an injection system for injecting hydrogen directly into said cylinder using a gaseous fuel injector (1), said gaseous fuel injector (1) comprising: an injection nozzle (3); a support (4) having a tubular shape and having a supply channel (5) inside leading to the injection nozzle (3); an injection valve (7) configured to regulate the fuel flow rate through the injection nozzle (3), the injection valve having a movable shutter (9) arranged outside the support (4) and a valve seat (10) obtained within the support (4); an actuator (6) configured to move the shutter (9) between a closed position of the injector (7), in which the shutter (9) is pressed against the valve seat (10), and an open position of the injector (7), in which the shutter (9) is separated from the valve seat (10) to create an injection duct (11) through which fuel flows; In an internal combustion engine (E), comprising: When the injection valve (7) is in the open position, the injection duct (11) created between the shutter (9) and the valve seat (10) has an area that is equal to or greater than a first maximum value (A MAX1 ) to the minimum value (A min ) and a convergent initial segment where the area of the injection duct (11) is gradually reduced to the minimum value (A min ) to a second maximum value (A MAX2 a diffusion termination segment that gradually increases to the control unit is configured to use the fuel injector (1) to inject hydrogen into the cylinder, if necessary, until the pressure inside the cylinder is between 85% and 90% of the hydrogen supply pressure, i.e. to terminate hydrogen injection into the cylinder when the pressure inside the cylinder is between 85% and 90% of the hydrogen supply pressure; A hydrogen-driven internal combustion engine (E).
2. 2. The internal combustion engine (E) of claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to keep the fuel injector (1) open, if necessary, until the pressure inside the cylinder is in the range of 85% to 90% of the hydrogen supply pressure.
3. 3. An internal combustion engine (E) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit is configured to determine a maximum pressure inside the cylinder for each combustion cycle and to set an injection schedule of hydrogen into the cylinder in each combustion cycle depending on the maximum pressure inside the cylinder in that combustion cycle.
4. 4. An internal combustion engine (E) according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the control unit is configured to determine a maximum pressure inside the cylinder for each combustion cycle and to determine a maximum amount of hydrogen that can be injected in one combustion cycle depending on the maximum pressure inside the cylinder in that combustion cycle.
5. 5. An internal combustion engine according to claim 4, wherein the control unit is configured to determine a maximum amount of hydrogen that can be injected in one combustion cycle, assuming that the fuel injector (1) remains open until the pressure inside the cylinder is in the range of 85% to 90% of the hydrogen supply pressure.
6. The second maximum value (A MAX2 ) is the first maximum value (A MAX1 ), and preferably greater than said second maximum value (A MAX2 ) is the first maximum value (A MAX1 ) is 1.5 to 1.8 times The minimum value (A min ) is the first maximum value (A MAX1 ), and preferably in the range of 0.7 to 0.9 times the minimum value (A min ) is the second maximum value (A MAX2 6. An internal combustion engine (E) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the RH is in the range of 0.4 to 0.6 times the RH.
7. 7. An internal combustion engine (E) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the diverging terminal segment is longer than the converging initial segment, preferably the length of the diverging terminal segment being in the range of 2.0 to 3.5 times the length of the converging initial segment.
8. The shutter (9) has a truncated cone shape, and the valve seat (10) also has a truncated cone shape; The frustoconical shape of the valve seat (10) has a constant slope along its entire length; 8. An internal combustion engine (E) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the frustoconical shape of the shutter (9) has a variable slope along its entire length.
9. the frustoconical shape of the shutter (9) has a first slope that defines the convergent initial segment in the region of the injection duct (11) and a second slope that is different from the first slope and that defines the divergent terminal segment in the region of the injection duct (11), In the closed position of the injection valve (7), the shutter (9) contacts the valve seat (10) in a slope change zone; 9. An internal combustion engine (E) according to claim 8, wherein the support (4) terminates in a through opening in which the valve seat (10) is defined and which is engaged by the shutter (9).
10. A method for controlling a hydrogen-powered internal combustion engine (E) comprising at least one cylinder and an injection system for injecting hydrogen directly into said cylinder using a gaseous fuel injector (1), said gaseous fuel injector (1) comprising: an injection nozzle (3); a support (4) having a tubular shape and having a supply channel (5) inside leading to the injection nozzle (3); an injection valve (7) configured to regulate the fuel flow rate through the injection nozzle (3), the injection valve having a movable shutter (9) arranged outside the support (4) and a valve seat (10) obtained within the support (4); an actuator (6) configured to move the shutter (9) between a closed position of the injector (7), in which the shutter (9) is pressed against the valve seat (10), and an open position of the injector (7), in which the shutter (9) is separated from the valve seat (10) to create an injection duct (11) through which fuel flows; In a control method comprising: When the injection valve (7) is in the open position, the injection duct (11) created between the shutter (9) and the valve seat (10) has an area that is equal to or greater than a first maximum value (A MAX1 ) to the minimum value (A min ) and a convergent initial segment where the area of the injection duct (11) is gradually reduced to the minimum value (A min ) to a second maximum value (A MAX2 a diffusion termination segment that gradually increases to and, if necessary, using the fuel injector (1) to inject hydrogen into the cylinder until the pressure inside the cylinder is between 85% and 90% of the hydrogen supply pressure, i.e., terminating hydrogen injection into the cylinder when the pressure inside the cylinder is between 85% and 90% of the hydrogen supply pressure. A control method comprising:
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Direct fuel injector assembly for a compressible natural gas engine
US20050082393A1
A gaseous fuel injection system
WO2007087685A1