Fuel Injector Mounting Assembly Angular Position Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional aircraft engines suffer from fuel distribution issues, including vapor lock due to residual fuel vaporization, and rigid fuel-delivery rail designs cause alignment problems, fretting wear, and inefficient fuel atomization, which reduce engine performance and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A fuel injector mounting assembly that secures both ends of the fuel injector to the cylinder assembly, using a base and a fuel conduit to control angular position and minimize relative motion, ensuring proper alignment and seal between the injector and the fuel manifold, thus preventing fuel leakage and enhancing fuel dispersion and atomization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a rigid fuel-delivery rail design is used to secure the fuel injector, then the fuel injector is firmly supported, but alignment problems and fretting wear occur due to cylinder assembly movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible fuel conduit instead of a rigid fuel rail to connect the fuel injector to the fuel source. This flexible conduit accommodates the movement and flexing of the cylinder assembly during engine operation, preventing alignment problems and fretting wear while maintaining secure fuel delivery support
2Reliability
If the fuel injector is loosely mounted to allow cylinder assembly movement, then fretting wear is reduced, but fuel leakage occurs due to improper sealing
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible fuel conduit maintains a consistent seal with the fuel injector while accommodating movement, preventing fuel leakage without causing fretting wear. The flexibility allows the conduit to move with the cylinder assembly while maintaining proper sealing contact
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting system transitions from a static rigid connection to a dynamic flexible connection that adapts to the moving cylinder assembly, maintaining both seal integrity and wear resistance through controlled flexibility
3Ease of manufacture
If the fuel injector angular position is not controlled, then the mounting is simpler, but fuel atomization is poor leading to reduced engine efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible fuel conduit is designed with specific local characteristics including appropriate stiffness, bend radius, and routing geometry that naturally guide and maintain the fuel injector at the correct angular position for optimal atomization, while the overall mounting remains simple
Data Source
AI summary
A fuel injector mounting assembly is configured to limit or constrain movement of a fuel injector relative to a corresponding cylinder assembly. For example, the fuel injector mounting assembly includes a base that is secured to a cylinder assembly's housing and a fuel conduit. The fuel conduit includes a first fuel conduit portion which operates in conjunction with a cylinder assembly's fuel manifold to capture a fuel injector between the fuel injector mounting assembly and the cylinder assembly's fuel manifold. The fuel conduit also includes a second fuel conduit portion which is secured to a compliant fuel line. With such a configuration of the fuel injector mounting assembly, both ends of the fuel injector are secured to the cylinder assembly to minimize any relative motion in the fuel injector's seals relative to either the cylinder assembly's fuel manifold or to the compliant fuel line.