초록 ▼

Conventional direct-injection internal combustion engines having a fuel injector with multiple fuel spray orifices will not completely ignite and burn relatively lower-cetane-number alternative fuels such as 100 percent methanol or ethanol. That is because the fuel spray injection pattern, per se, u

Conventional direct-injection internal combustion engines having a fuel injector with multiple fuel spray orifices will not completely ignite and burn relatively lower-cetane-number alternative fuels such as 100 percent methanol or ethanol. That is because the fuel spray injection pattern, per se, usually cannot carry or propagate a flame to all the injected fuel which is typically made up of individual fuel streams which are separated by sectors of fuel-deficient intake air. The present fuel combustion system (10) includes a multiple-orifice fuel injector (22), a baffle (138) having a concave surface (146), and a fuel ignition-initiating device (22) such as glow plug positioned generally in spaced relation between the fuel injector (22) and the concave surface (146). The baffle (138) intercepts and temporarily maintains a stoichiometric preselected portion (34,38) of at least one, and preferably two, fuel streams (102,106) in ignitable proximity to the fuel ignition-initiating device (26) to positively start a localized flame (42) of burning fuel. The baffle (138) controlledly reflects and rapidly directs the resultant expanding flame (42) of burning fuel to all of the remaining fuel streams (110) so that they are interconnectedly bridged with the flame (42) and thereby positively ignited.

대표청구항 ▼

A fuel combustion system for a direct-injection internal combustion engine including an open combustion chamber, a plurality of fuel spray orifices each having a centerline axis directed outwardly into the open combustion chamber, comprising: a fuel ignition-initiating means projecting directly into

A fuel combustion system for a direct-injection internal combustion engine including an open combustion chamber, a plurality of fuel spray orifices each having a centerline axis directed outwardly into the open combustion chamber, comprising: a fuel ignition-initiating means projecting directly into the open combustion chamber and spaced a preselected distance from a selected fuel spray orifice and also spaced from the centerline axis of the selected fuel spray orifice; and baffle means for intercepting a preselected portion of a respective fuel stream spray from the selected fuel spray orifice during engine operation, for temporarily confining and maintaining that intercepted portion of fuel within ignitable proximity to the fuel ignition-initiating means until an initially-localized flame of burning fuel is started, and for controlledly directing the resultant expanding flame of burning fuel to all of the other fuel streams sprayed from the other fuel spray orifices, said baffle means being positioned in spaced relation partially around said fuel ignition-initiating means.