Fuel Atomizer with Compressed Air Injection for Engine Startup
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fuel delivery systems in internal combustion engines face inefficiencies due to incomplete fuel vaporization, leading to reduced combustion efficiency and increased engine-out pollution, which necessitates additional fuel addition and emission treatment costs.
Innovation Solution
A system that includes a fuel atomizer, a mechanically driven air compressor, and an air valve to provide a controlled air/fuel mixture for engine startup and operation, using a combination of electric and mechanical compressors, and an accumulator to manage air pressure, ensuring optimal fuel vaporization and combustion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional fuel injection systems are used, then fuel delivery is simplified, but fuel vaporization is incomplete leading to reduced combustion efficiency and increased pollution
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel delivery system is segmented into multiple independent components: fuel injector, mechanically driven air compressor, electric air compressor, accumulator, and control unit. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally, with the air compressors providing controlled air injection to enhance fuel atomization and vaporization, thereby improving combustion efficiency and reducing harmful emissions
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical parameters of the air supply by using mechanically driven and electric air compressors to deliver pressurized air to the fuel injector. This parameter change (increased air pressure and controlled flow) enhances fuel atomization quality and vaporization rate, leading to more complete combustion and reduced engine-out pollution
2Reliability
If extra fuel is added to ensure stoichiometry, then complete combustion is achieved, but fuel efficiency decreases due to wasted fuel energy
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by injecting pressurized air before or during fuel injection to pre-condition the combustion environment. This preliminary air injection enhances fuel atomization and vaporization before combustion occurs, ensuring that the fuel is properly prepared for complete combustion without requiring extra fuel additions, thus maintaining fuel efficiency while achieving stoichiometric combustion
3Object-generated harmful factors
If catalytic converter or scrubber is used for emission treatment, then engine-out pollution is reduced, but operational costs and component complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system converts the potential harm of incomplete combustion into benefit by using mechanically driven and electric air compressors to provide controlled air injection. This transforms the combustion process to achieve more complete fuel vaporization and combustion, converting what would be harmful unburned hydrocarbons into beneficial combustion products, thereby reducing engine-out pollution at the source rather than requiring additional emission treatment systems
4Speed
If fuel injectors spray fuel directly into cylinder, then charge transport time is reduced, but fuel droplet size is not optimal and mixing time with air is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces pressurized air as an intermediary substance between the fuel injector and the combustion chamber. This intermediary air flow enhances fuel atomization and creates turbulent mixing, improving fuel-air mixing quality during the brief charge transport time. The mechanically driven and electric air compressors provide this intermediary air that facilitates better mixing without requiring longer transport time
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enhances fuel efficiency by ensuring complete vaporization of fuel, reducing engine-out pollution, and minimizing the need for additional fuel addition, thereby lowering operational costs and environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
a mechanically driven air compressor
Implementation Method 2
the fuel must be vaporized, homogenized with air
Implementation Method 3
fuel atomizer
Data Source
AI summary
A method of controlling fuel delivery to an engine includes providing a fluid atomizer, a mechanically driven air compressor, a start up air source, and an air valve coupled between the mechanically driven air compressor and the start up air source, charging the start up air source, delivering compressed air from the start up air source to the fluid atomizer, providing an initial air/fluid mixture with the fluid atomizer, and operating the air valve to direct compressed air from the mechanically driven air compressor to the fluid atomizer.