Inductive Fuel Injector Vaporization for Cold Start
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fuel injectors fail to effectively add sufficient thermal energy to fuel prior to injection, especially in cold start conditions with ethanol and flex fuel systems, leading to inadequate vaporization and increased cold emissions.
Innovation Solution
A modular fuel injector system that uses inductive heating coils to vaporize fuel within the injector, allowing for efficient thermal energy addition before injection, with a cold start injector positioned in the air supply passage to enhance vaporization and reduce emissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If conventional resistive or PTC heating methods are used, then thermal energy can be added to fuel, but electrical connections must be made to the heater in the fuel stream within the injector, increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional resistive or PTC heating methods with inductive heating. Instead of using electrical resistors or thermistors that require direct electrical connections in the fuel stream, the invention employs an electromagnetic coil that generates an alternating magnetic field to induce eddy currents within the fuel, thereby heating it without requiring electrical contacts in the fuel pathway. This eliminates the complexity of electrical connections while maintaining thermal energy addition capability.
2Use of energy by moving object
If conventional inductive heaters are used, then thermal energy can be added to fuel, but the volume and location of heated fuel is not sufficient to create adequate vaporized fuel for low temperature starts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a cold start fuel injector positioned in the air supply passage that performs preliminary heating and vaporization of fuel before it enters the cylinders. This pre-treatment ensures that when fuel is injected into the cold engine, sufficient vaporized fuel is already present to enable reliable ignition and operation at low temperatures. The cold start injector operates independently to prepare the fuel stream in advance.
3Adaptability or versatility
If ethanol and flex fuel additives are introduced, then fuel flexibility is improved, but cold start performance and engine cold emissions become problematic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses the cold start issues with ethanol and flex fuel by dynamically adjusting heating parameters. The inductive heating coil and cold start fuel injector operate with controlled power levels and timing that can be adjusted based on engine temperature and fuel type. This allows the system to provide sufficient thermal energy to vaporize ethanol-based fuels during cold starts while maintaining normal operation during warm-up, thereby ensuring reliable cold start performance across different fuel types.
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
The system improves cold start performance and reduces engine cold emissions by ensuring a sufficient volume of vaporized fuel is supplied to the engine, enabling efficient starts in low temperatures and minimizing hydrocarbon emissions.
Implementation Method 1
a coil constructed and arranged to inductively heat the valve body and thus heat fuel in the fuel volume to vaporize the fuel prior to injection into the associated cylinder
Implementation Method 2
a coil constructed and arranged to inductively heat the valve body to vaporize the fuel prior to injection into the supply passage
Implementation Method 3
The cold start fuel injector is disposed in an air supply passage that supplies air to the cylinders
Data Source
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AI summary
A fuel injection system (60) is provided for an internal combustion engine (62). The engine has a plurality of cylinders (70). The system includes a plurality of fuel injectors (10') constructed and arranged to receive fuel. One fuel injector is associated with a cylinder for injecting fuel into the associated cylinder. Each fuel injector has a valve body (14), a fuel volume V, and a coil (50) to inductively heat the valve body and thus heat fuel in the fuel volume to vaporize the fuel prior to injection into the associated cylinder. A cold start fuel injector (10, 10') is disposed in an air supply passage (72) that supplies air to the cylinders. The cold start fuel injector has a valve body (14), a fuel volume (V) and a coil (50) to inductively heat the valve body to vaporize the fuel in the fuel volume prior to injection into the supply passage.