Caterpillar Inc.

Glen Clifford Martin

Jonathan William Anders

Bobby John

Kenth I Svensson

Robert Michael Campion

Chad Palmer Koci

Christopher Ronald Gehrke

Timothy Bazyn

Yongli Qi

Jaswinder Singh

Anthony C Rodman

David Ginter

Eric Donald Wiebrecht

Samuel Shanti Kumar

Russell P Fitzgerald

Ramakrishna V Manda

Kelsey A Unser

A diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) nozzle includes a first conduit, an outlet of the first conduit defining an inlet of a first mixing chamber; and a second conduit disposed around the first conduit, an outer surface of the first conduit and an inner surface of the second conduit defining a second flow path therebetween. A flow area of the second flow path decreases from an inlet of the second flow path to a throat, and increases from the throat to an outlet of the second flow path. The inner surface of the second conduit defines a peripheral wall of the first mixing chamber, and a peripheral wall of a second mixing chamber, the first flow path and the second flow path being in fluid communication with the second mixing chamber via the first mixing chamber.

Exhaust fluid injector assembly

A fuel injector includes a nozzle assembly having a nozzle case, and a concentric check assembly within the nozzle case. Transfer passages are formed in an outer check of the check assembly, and spray orifices are formed in the nozzle case. A fuel volume is formed between the outer check and an inner check, and the inner check is movable to fluidly connect the transfer passages to the fuel volume. The outer check is rotatable between a first angular orientation and a second angular orientation to fluidly connect separate sets of the transfer passages to separate sets of the spray orifices. Spray ducts are in spray path alignment with at least one of the sets of spray orifices.

Fuel injector and nozzle assembly having dual concentric check assembly and ducted spray orifices

A fuel injector includes a nozzle body, and spray ducts coupled to the nozzle body and in spray path alignment with spray orifices therein. A nozzle check is movable within the nozzle body to open and close the spray orifices. Each of the spray ducts defines a duct center axis, and includes a center body forming, together with a duct inner surface, a spray jet passage circumferential of the duct center axis and reduced in area in a direction of spray jet advancement from the nozzle body.

Fuel injector and nozzle assembly having spray duct with center body for increased flame liftoff length

A fuel injector includes an injector housing having a nozzle assembly with a nozzle piece, and a nested check assembly of an outer check and an inner check. Spray orifices are formed in the nozzle piece in a first orifice set equipped with a first spray duct set and a second orifice set equipped with a second spray duct set. The inner check can be opened to spray fuel from the first orifice set and the outer check can be opened to spray fuel from both the first orifice set and the second orifice set. The outer check is non-rotating while the inner check can be permitted to rotate during service. Spray ducts associated with the first orifice set may have a different duct length and duct inside diameter than spray ducts associated with the second orifice set. The first orifice set may include lower-flow spray orifices and the second orifice set may include higher-flow spray orifices. Related methodology is also disclosed.

Ducted fuel injector having nested checks with non-rotating outer check and method of operating same

A fuel injector assembly for an engine. The engine includes a cylinder head defining a through-hole. The fuel injector assembly includes an insert, having a first end and a second end, configured to be received within the through-hole and coupled to the cylinder head. The insert defines a bore extending from the first end to the second end. The fuel injector assembly further includes a fuel injector including a plurality of orifices, received within the bore of the insert; and a duct structure including a plurality of ducts, coupled to the insert such that the plurality of ducts align with the plurality of orifices to at least partially receive one or more fuel jets from the plurality of orifices of the fuel injector.

Fuel injector assembly having duct structure

A fuel injector includes a nozzle having at least one first orifice provided therein. The at least one first orifice is adapted to selectively inject one of a fuel and an oxidant. An outer check is disposed movably within the nozzle. The outer check includes at least one second orifice provided therein. The at least one second orifice is adapted to selectively inject an other of the oxidant and the fuel. An inner check is disposed movably and concentrically within the outer chock. The at least one second orifice is adapted to align with respect to the at least one first orifice to selectively inject the fuel and the oxidant together through the at least one first orifice based on a position of each of the outer check and the inner check.

Fuel injector

A fuel injector includes a nozzle having at least one first orifice. The at least one first orifice selectively injects a first fuel. An outer check is located movably within the nozzle. The outer check includes at least one second orifice. The at least one second orifice selectively injects a second fuel. An inner check is located movably and concentrically within the outer check. The at least one first orifice is adapted to selectively inject at least one of the first fuel and the second fuel therethrough based on a position of each of the outer check and the inner check.

A fuel injector includes a nozzle including at least one outer orifice. The at least one outer orifice selectively injects a first fuel. An outer check is disposed movably within the nozzle. The outer check includes at least one first orifice and at least one second orifice. The at least one first orifice and the at least one second orifice are disposed circumferentially spaced apart with respect to one another. Each of the at least one first orifice and the at least one second orifice selectively injects a second fuel. An inner check is disposed movably and concentrically within the outer check. The at least one outer orifice is adapted to selectively injects at least one of the first fuel and the second fuel therethrough based on a position of each of the outer check and the inner check.

An injector tip for a fuel injector includes an exterior surface, and an interior surface defining a sac region therein. The injector tip is also configured to define at least one orifice radially extending from the interior surface to the exterior surface. The orifice is disposed in communication with the sac region located adjacent to the interior surface. Further, the injector tip also includes a mound that is defined on the interior surface such that the mound is integrally formed with the interior surface adjacent to the sac region. The mound is configured to extend along an axis of the sac region and terminate prior to a perimeter of the at least one orifice.

Injector tip for a fuel injector

A fuel system includes a fuel injector having a fuel passage and a purging fluid passage formed therein. A nozzle tip inner surface defines a sac forming a blind end of the fuel passage in the fuel injector. A coaxial concentric check assembly includes a purging check movable to admit a purging fluid such as pressurized air into the fuel passage to purge the sac of fuel. Reduced injector dribble is observed from the purging of fuel.

Fuel system having purging capability for reduced fuel dribble

Operating a gaseous fuel engine includes injecting a pilot charge directly into a combustion chamber in an engine, and igniting one spray plume of the pilot charge. A flame front is propagated to other pilot spray plumes to produce an ignition flame for igniting later injected main charge spray plumes. Injection of the pilot and main charges is by way of the same fuel injection orifices.

Gaseous fuel internal combustion engine and operating method therefor

A duct structure for a fuel injector assembly of an engine includes a first ring structure, a plurality of ducts, a plurality of posts, and an engagement structure. The fuel injector assembly includes a fuel injector having a plurality of orifices to discharge fuel. The first ring structure is configured to be coupled to a cylinder head of the engine, and defines a central axis. The ducts are circularly arrayed around the central axis, and are configured to provide passages to the fuel discharged from the fuel injector. The posts connect the ducts to the first ring structure. Further, the engagement structure is configured to engage with the fuel injector to align the ducts with the orifices such that each of the plurality of ducts is configured to receive fuel discharged from a corresponding one of the plurality of orifices.

Duct structure for fuel injector assembly

A ducted combustion system is disclosed. The ducted combustion system includes a combustion chamber bound by a flame deck surface of a cylinder head of an internal combustion engine and by a piston top surface of a piston disposed within the internal combustion engine. The system includes a fuel injector including a plurality of orifices, the plurality of orifices injecting fuel into the combustion chamber as a plurality of fuel jets. The system includes a duct structure defining a plurality of ducts and disposed within the combustion chamber between the flame deck surface and the piston top surface, the plurality of ducts being disposed such that each of the plurality of fuel jets at least partially enters one of the plurality of ducts upon being injected into the combustion chamber.

Ducted combustion systems utilizing duct structures

A ducted combustion system is disclosed. The ducted combustion system includes a combustion chamber bound by a flame deck surface of a cylinder head of an internal combustion engine and by a piston top surface of a piston disposed within the internal combustion engine. The system includes a fuel injector including one or more orifices, the one or more orifices injecting fuel into the combustion chamber as one or more fuel jets. The system includes one or more ducts disposed within the combustion chamber between the flame deck surface and the piston top surface, the one or more ducts being generally tubular shaped structures and being disposed such that each of the one or more fuel jets at least partially enters one of the one or more ducts upon being injected into the combustion chamber.

Growing community of inventors

Peoria, IL, United States of America

Glen Clifford Martin