U.S. patent application number 15/942668 was filed with the patent office on 2019-10-03 for combustion system for an internal combustion engine.
This patent application is currently assigned to Caterpillar Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is Caterpillar Inc.. Invention is credited to Adam Dempsey, Kenth I. Svensson.
Application Number | 20190301408 15/942668 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 67910139 |
Filed Date | 2019-10-03 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190301408 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dempsey; Adam ; et
al. |
October 3, 2019 |
COMBUSTION SYSTEM FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE
Abstract
A combustion system for an internal combustion engine includes
combustion chamber that is defined between a cylinder head and a
top surface of a piston. The combustion system also includes a fuel
injector having an injector tip. The injector tip defines a nozzle
disposed in fluid communication with the combustion chamber for
dispensing a fuel jet into the combustion chamber. A bluff body is
positioned within the combustion chamber such that an axis of the
dispensed fuel jet is incident on an anterior portion of the bluff
body proximal to the injector tip. The anterior portion has a
contour that is adapted to split the dispensed fuel jet into at
least two turbulent fuel streams and facilitate mixing of each fuel
stream with an oxidant present in the combustion chamber.
Inventors: |
Dempsey; Adam; (Metamora,
IL) ; Svensson; Kenth I.; (Peoria, IL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Caterpillar Inc. |
Peoria |
IL |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Caterpillar Inc.
Peoria
IL
|
Family ID: |
67910139 |
Appl. No.: |
15/942668 |
Filed: |
April 2, 2018 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B05B 1/267 20130101;
F02M 29/04 20130101; B05B 1/265 20130101; F02B 23/0618 20130101;
F02B 23/00 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F02M 29/04 20060101
F02M029/04; B05B 1/26 20060101 B05B001/26 |
Claims
1. A combustion system for an internal combustion engine, the
combustion system comprising: a combustion chamber defined between
a cylinder head and a top surface of a piston; a fuel injector
having an injector tip defining a nozzle, the nozzle disposed in
fluid communication with the combustion chamber to dispense a fuel
jet into the combustion chamber; and a bluff body positioned within
the combustion chamber such that an axis of the dispensed fuel jet
is incident on an anterior portion of the bluff body proximal to
the injector tip, the anterior portion having a contour adapted to
split at least a portion of the dispensed fuel jet into at least
two turbulent fuel streams and facilitate mixing of each fuel
stream with an oxidant present in the combustion chamber.
2. The combustion system of claim 1, wherein the bluff body has a
posterior portion defining a first orifice transverse to the axis
of the dispensed fuel jet and a second orifice distal from the
injector tip and parallel to the axis of the dispensed fuel
jet.
3. The combustion system of claim 2, wherein the first orifice is
in fluid communication with the second orifice via a passageway
such that the first orifice is configured to entrain an oxidant
from a portion of the combustion chamber adjacent the first orifice
and communicate the entrained oxidant to a portion of the
combustion chamber adjacent the second orifice via the
passageway.
4. The combustion system of claim 3, wherein a contour of the
posterior portion is at least one of: convergent and divergent from
the axis of the dispensed fuel jet.
5. The combustion system of claim 1, wherein the contour of the
anterior portion is convex opposing a flow direction of the fuel
jet.
6. The combustion system of claim 5, wherein a maximum perimeter of
the anterior portion is one of: at least equal to and smaller than
a perimeter associated with a spray pattern of the dispensed fuel
jet that is incident on the anterior portion.
7. The combustion system of claim 1, wherein the contour of the
anterior portion includes an apex opposing a flow direction of the
fuel jet.
8. The combustion system of claim 1, wherein the bluff body is at
least one of: oblong, spherical, and polyhedral in shape.
9. The combustion system of claim 8, wherein the polyhedral shape
of the bluff body defines a plurality of concave and convex
portions in an alternating arrangement about the axis of the
dispensed fuel jet.
10. The combustion system of claim 9, wherein the first orifice is
located on at least one of: the concave and convex portions of the
bluff body.
11. The combustion system of claim 1, wherein the bluff body is
positioned at a pre-determined distance from the nozzle of the
injector tip to impart turbulence by generating a wake in the
incident fuel jet.
12. The combustion system of claim 1, wherein the bluff body is a
screen mesh having a plane angularly disposed to the axis of the
fuel jet.
13. The combustion system of claim 12, wherein the screen mesh
comprises a plurality of wires, each wire from the plurality of
wires being disposed at a pre-specified distance from an adjacent
one of the wires to render the screen mesh with a pre-determined
porosity.
14. The combustion system of claim 13, wherein each wire has at
least one of an oblong, circular, and polygonal cross-section.
15. The combustion system of claim 13, wherein the screen mesh is
positioned at a pre-determined distance from the injector tip to
facilitate at least one wire from the plurality of wires in
imparting turbulence by generating a wake in the incident fuel
jet.
16. The combustion system of claim 12, wherein the screen mesh is
positioned adjacent to the nozzle on the injector tip of the fuel
injector.
17. The combustion system of claim 12, wherein a contour of the
screen mesh is adapted to correspond with a contour of the injector
tip.
18. The combustion system of claim 12, further comprising a duct
disposed within the combustion chamber, wherein the screen mesh is
attached to an end of the duet distal from the nozzle.
19. An internal combustion engine comprising: a piston slidably
disposed within a cylinder such that a top surface of the piston
and a cylinder head adjoining the cylinder are in reciprocally
opposing relation to one another for defining the combustion
chamber therebetween; and a combustion system associated with the
combustion chamber, the combustion system comprising: a fuel
injector having an injector tip defining a nozzle, the nozzle
disposed in fluid communication with the combustion chamber to
dispense a fuel jet into the combustion chamber; and a bluff body
positioned within the combustion chamber such that an axis of the
dispensed fuel jet is incident on an anterior portion of the bluff
body proximal to the injector tip, the anterior portion having a
contour adapted to split at least a portion of the dispensed fuel
jet into at least two turbulent fuel streams and facilitate mixing
of each fuel stream with an oxidant present in the combustion
chamber.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates to an internal combustion
engine, and more particularly, to a combustion system for an
internal combustion engine.
BACKGROUND
[0002] An internal combustion engine having a direct fuel injection
system typically injects a jet of fuel directly into a combustion
chamber of the engine. In some cases, these fuel jets may have a
core that is rich in fuel, and while the fuel rich core may have
insufficient access to an oxidant, for instance, air, the
combustion chamber may also provide a sufficiently high temperature
to the fuel rich core and hence, aid in the production of soot.
Although it maybe possible that most of the produced soot may
oxidize in the combustion chamber before exhaust is routed out of
the combustion chamber, some portion of this soot may continue to
exist in its unoxidized state within the combustion chamber.
[0003] If left unchecked, this unoxidized soot may, over time,
build up in the combustion chamber causing detrimental effects such
as sludging of lubricants or other fluids used in the internal
combustion engine. Besides, even if the unoxidized soot were
expelled from the combustion chamber, it would manifest itself
cumulatively as particulate matter that, in turn, is an undesired
constituent of engine emissions.
[0004] Although some designs of combustion systems are known to
help mitigate the formation of soot, fir instance, U.S. Pat. No.
6,176,087 that discloses incorporation of a bluff body in gas
turbine engines, it will be acknowledged that conditions associated
with operation of gas turbine engines are different than those
typically experienced during operation of reciprocating internal
combustion engines. To that end, manufacturers have been trying to
implement better designs of combustion systems in their
reciprocating internal combustion engines for minimizing the amount
of soot that may be produced during operation of the reciprocating
internal combustion engine.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0005] In an aspect of the present disclosure, a combustion system
for an internal combustion engine includes a combustion chamber
that is defined between a cylinder head and a top surface of a
piston. The combustion system also includes a fuel injector having
an injector tip. The injector tip defines a nozzle disposed in
fluid communication with the combustion chamber for dispensing a
fuel jet into the combustion chamber. A bluff body is positioned
within the combustion chamber such that an axis of the dispensed
fuel jet is incident on an anterior portion of the bluff body
proximal to the injector tip. The anterior portion has a contour
that is adapted to split at least a portion of the dispensed fuel
jet into at least two turbulent fuel streams and facilitate mixing
of each fuel stream with an oxidant present in the combustion
chamber.
[0006] In a further aspect of the present disclosure, the bluff
body may have a posterior portion that defines a first orifice
transverse to the axis of the dispensed fuel jet, and a second
orifice that is located distal from the injector tip and disposed
parallel to the axis of the dispensed fuel jet. The first orifice
could be disposed in fluid communication with the second orifice
via a passageway such that the first orifice can entrain an
oxidant, for instance, air from a portion of the combustion chamber
adjacent the first orifice and communicate the entrained oxidant to
a portion of the combustion chamber adjacent the second orifice via
the passageway. In a further aspect of the present disclosure, a
contour of the posterior portion could be convergent or divergent
from the axis of the dispensed fuel jet.
[0007] In a further aspect of the present disclosure, the contour
of the anterior portion could include an apex opposing the flow
direction of the fuel jet. Alternatively, the contour of the
anterior portion could be convex in a direction opposing a flow
direction of the fuel jet. In the foregoing scenario, the contour
of the anterior portion would be merely convex, and it should be
noted that in such a scenario, the convex contour of the anterior
portion does not form an apex. Moreover, in an additional aspect of
the present disclosure, where the contour of the anterior portion
is merely convex, a maximum perimeter of the anterior portion would
be kept at least equal to, or preferably, smaller than a perimeter
that is associated with a spray pattern of the dispensed fuel jet
incident on the anterior portion.
[0008] In a further aspect of the present disclosure, the bluff
body could be oblong, spherical, or polyhedral in shape. In
addition, where the bluff body is of a polyhedral shape, the bluff
body could be configured to define a plurality of concave and
convex portions in an alternating arrangement about the axis of the
dispensed fuel jet. Moreover, the first orifice may be located on
either or both the concave and convex portions of the bluff
body.
[0009] In another aspect of the present disclosure, the bluff body
is also positioned at a pre-determined distance from the nozzle of
the injector tip to impart turbulence by generating a wake in the
incident fuel jet.
[0010] In yet another aspect of the present disclosure, the bluff
body may be a screen mesh positioned such that a plane of the
screen mesh is angularly disposed to the axis of the dispensed fuel
jet. The screen mesh may include wires. Each wire may be disposed
at a pre-specified distance from an adjacent one of the wires to
render the screen mesh with a pre-determined amount of porosity.
Further, each wire may have an oblong, a circular, or a polyhedral
cross-section. Furthermore, the screen mesh may be positioned at a
pre-determined distance from the nozzle of the injector tip to
facilitate at least one wire to impart turbulence by generating a
wake in the incident fuel jet.
[0011] Alternatively, the screen mesh could be positioned adjacent
to the nozzle on the injector tip of the fuel injector. In this
configuration, a contour of the screen mesh may be adapted to
correspond with a contour of the injector tip. In a further aspect
of the present disclosure, a duct may be disposed within the
combustion chamber and the screen mesh may be attached to an end of
the duct that is distal from the nozzle.
[0012] Other features and aspects of this disclosure will be
apparent from the following description and the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic front sectional view of an
exemplary internal combustion engine having a combustion chamber
and a combustion system having an exemplary bluff body that is
associated with the combustion chamber, in accordance with an
embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0014] FIGS. 2A-2C illustrate positioning of the exemplary bluff
body in relation to a flame lift-off length associated with fuel,
according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0015] FIGS. 3-8 illustrate a perspective view of exemplary bluff
bodies that can be employed for use in the combustion system of
FIG. 1, in accordance with embodiments of the present
disclosure;
[0016] FIG. 9 illustrates a perspective view of another exemplary
bluff body having first and second orifices in communication with
each other with the help of a passageway, in accordance with an
embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0017] FIGS. 10-12 show states of fuel and oxidant interaction with
use of the bluff body from FIG. 9 in the combustion system;
[0018] FIG. 13 is a diagrammatic front view of a bluff body that is
embodied in the form of a screen mesh having wires, in accordance
with another embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0019] FIG. 14 is a diagrammatic front sectional view of the
internal combustion engine showing the combustion system employing
the screen mesh of FIG. 13, in accordance with an embodiment of the
present disclosure;
[0020] FIG. 15 is a diagrammatic front view of a fuel injector
showing a screen mesh adapted to conform with a contour of the
injector tip, in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the
present disclosure;
[0021] FIG. 16 is a diagrammatic top view of a combustion system
showing screen meshes being used in conjunction with ducts, in
accordance with yet another alternative embodiment of the present
disclosure; and
[0022] FIGS. 17-19 illustrate different exemplary cross-sections of
a wire that can be used either by itself as a bluff body, or to
form the screen mesh of FIG. 13, in accordance with embodiments of
the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0023] Reference numerals appearing in more than one figure
indicate the same or corresponding parts in each of them.
References to elements in the singular may also be construed to
relate to the plural and vice-versa without limiting the scope of
the disclosure to the exact number or type of such elements unless
set forth explicitly in the appended claims. In the accompanying
drawings,
[0024] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary internal combustion engine
10 (hereinafter referred to as `the engine` and denoted by
identical numeral `10`) having a combustion chamber 12 and a
combustion system 14 associated with the combustion chamber 12, in
accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown,
the engine 10 is embodied as a compression ignition engine, for
example, a diesel engine. However, in other embodiments, the engine
10 could be embodied as a spark-ignited engine, for example, a
direct-injection gasoline fueled engine, a gas fueled engine with
direct-injection of gas, or a dual fuel engine system in which at
least one of a pilot fuel and a main fuel are directly injected
into a combustion chamber thereof.
[0025] Referring to FIG. 1, the engine 1.0 includes a piston 16
that is slidably disposed within a cylinder 18 such that a top
surface 20 of the piston 16 and a cylinder head 22 adjoining the
cylinder 18 are in a reciprocally opposing relation to one another
for defining the combustion chamber 12 therebetween. Further, the
piston 16 is shown connected to a crankshaft 24 of the engine 10
via a connecting rod 26 for converting its linear reciprocal motion
within the cylinder 18 into a rotary motion of the crankshaft
24.
[0026] Although a single-cylinder engine is used to depict the
engine 10, in other embodiments, the engine 10 could include two or
more combustion chambers so that the engine 10 be embodied as a
multi-cylinder engine. It will be acknowledged that aspects of the
present disclosure can be applied similarly in a multi-cylinder
engine without deviating from the spirit of the present
disclosure.
[0027] As shown in FIG. 1, the combustion system 14 also includes a
fuel injector 28 having an injector tip 30. The injector tip 30
defines a nozzle 32 that is disposed in fluid communication with
the combustion chamber 12 for dispensing a fuel jet 34 into the
combustion chamber 12. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a bluff body 36
is positioned within the combustion chamber 12 such that an axis
AA' of the dispensed fuel jet 34 is incident on an anterior portion
38 of the bluff body 36 proximal to the injector tip 30. In
embodiments of this disclosure, the bluff body 36 also includes a
posterior portion 40 that extends from the anterior portion 38 and
is distally located from the injector tip 30.
[0028] The anterior portion 38 has a contour that is adapted to
split at least a portion of the dispensed fuel jet 34 into at least
two turbulent fuel streams and facilitate mixing of each fuel
stream with an oxidant (as represented by empty circles in the
views of FIGS. 10-12 and 14-15), in the combustion chamber 12. The
oxidant may be, for example, air, or particularly, oxygen from the
air that may be present in the combustion chamber 12.
[0029] In the present disclosure, although the terms `fuel jet` or
`dispensed fuel jet` has been used, it should be noted that a
positioning of the bluff body 36 is not necessarily limited to
locations in the combustion chamber 12 where the fuel is merely in
a fuel-only phase. Rather, as exemplarily illustrated in the views
of FIGS. 2A-2C, the bluff body 36 may be located within the
combustion chamber 12 at any position in relation to a flame
lift-off length L that is associated with the fuel being dispensed
at a pre-specified velocity and pressure. In the exemplary
diagrammatic views of FIGS. 2A-2C, the lift-off length L associated
with the fuel jet 34 is a length along the fuel jot 34 before which
the fuel jet 34 can be regarded as being in its fuel-only phase 27
and after which the fuel jet 34 would ignite into a flame 29.
[0030] In the exemplary drawing of FIG. 2A, the bluff body 36 is
positioned in the path of the fuel jet 34 where the fuel jet 34 is
in its fuel-only phase 27, in the exemplary drawing of FIG. 2B, the
bluff body 36 is positioned such that at least some portion of the
bluff body 36 is disposed along the flame lift-off length L i.e.,
the bluff body 36 is located partway between the fuel-only zone 27
and the flame zone 29. In the exemplary drawing of FIG. 2C, the
bluff body 36 is shown positioned fully in the flame zone 29.
Hence, the terms `fuel jet` or `dispensed fuel jet` used herein are
not only being inclusive of the fuel when the fuel is in its
fuel-only phase, rather, it should be understood that such terms
are to be construed broadly as they refer to scenarios where the
fuel is at least partly, or fully, ignited with a flame along or
after the flame lift-off length L.
[0031] In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 3, the bluff body 36
is configured to exhibit a pyramidal shape having a square base 42
and an apex 44, or a prismatic shape having a rectangular base 46
and an opposing wedge-shaped end 48 as shown in the illustrated
embodiment of FIG. 4.
[0032] Although the pyramidal shape of the bluff body 36 is
depicted in FIG. 3, it may be noted that the square base 42 of the
bluff body 36 is merely exemplary in nature, and hence,
non-limiting of this disclosure. Rather, other polygonal shapes can
be contemplated in lieu of the square base 42 of the bluff body 36
disclosed in FIG. 3. For example, the bluff body 36 may be
configured to exhibit a pentagonal pyramid shape, a hexagonal
pyramid shape, or other polyhedral shapes that are known to persons
skilled in the art for having either an apex 44 or a wedge-shaped
end 48 as shown in the views of FIGS. 3 and 4 respectively.
[0033] In other embodiments of this disclosure, other shapes such
as a conical shape as shown in the view of FIG. 5, an oblong shape
as shown in the view of FIG. 6, an oblong shape with a rear apex 57
as shown in the view of FIG. 7, or a spherical shape as shown in
the view of FIG. 8 could be used for forming the bluff body 36
disclosed herein. In embodiments of this disclosure, it is hereby
contemplated that a shape and material of the bluff body 36 would
be selected such that the anterior portion 38 or the posterior
portion 40 of the bluff body 36 impede an axial momentum of the
dispensed fuel jet 34 as minimally as possible after the fuel jet
34 is incident on the anterior portion 38 of the bluff body 36.
Also, as disclosed earlier herein, the contour that would be
associated with the anterior portion 38 of the bluff body 36 would
he so selected that the anterior portion 38 can split the dispensed
fuel jet 34 into two or more turbulent fuel streams.
[0034] It is hereby further contemplated that the shape and
material of the bluff body 36 are also selected such that the
anterior portion 38 or the posterior portion 40 of the bluff body
36 minimally impedes the momentum of the fuel streams that are
firmed upon splitting the dispensed fuel jet 34. To that effect, in
certain embodiments of this disclosure, it is further contemplated
that a contour of the posterior portion 40 could also be made
convergent towards the axis AA' of the dispensed fuel jet 34 as
shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 instead of being divergent from the axis
AA' of the dispensed fuel jet 34 as shown in FIGS. 3-5. Due to
these aspects, it is envisioned that as the split fuel streams are
facilitated to travel with minimal impediment to their momentum,
the split fuel streams can now access an increased amount of
oxidant within the combustion chamber 12.
[0035] In another embodiment as shown in FIGS. 6-8, the contour of
the anterior portion 38 could be merely convex in a direction
opposing a flow of the fuel jet 34. In such embodiments, it may be
noted that although the contour of the anterior portion 38 could be
merely convex in a direction opposing a flow of the fuel jet 34, a
maximum perimeter M.sub.p of the anterior portion 38 would be kept
at least equal to, or preferably, smaller than a perimeter that is
associated with a spray pattern of the dispensed fuel jet 34 that
would be incident on the anterior portion 38. This way, the
anterior portion 38 would not only be configured to offer a
separation plane to the dispensed fuel jet 34 for splitting the
dispensed fuel jet 34 but would also be configured to reduce the
amount of impediment to the axial momentum of the dispensed fuel
jet 34 and the split fuel streams that are obtained upon splitting
of the dispensed fuel jet 34.
[0036] In a further embodiment as shown in FIG. 9, the posterior
portion 40 of the bluff body 36 may be configured to define a first
orifice 50 that is transverse to the axis AA' of the dispensed fuel
jet 34. In this embodiment, the posterior portion 40 may be further
configured to define a second orifice 52 that is disposed parallel
to the axis AA' of the dispensed fuel jet 34 and located distally
away from the injector tip 30. The first orifice 50 would be
disposed in fluid communication with the second orifice 52 via a
passageway 54 such that the first orifice 50 can entrain an
oxidant, for instance, air from a portion of the combustion chamber
12 adjacent the first orifice 50 and communicate the entrained
oxidant to a portion of the combustion chamber 12 adjacent the
second orifice 52 via the passageway 54.
[0037] It is contemplated that during operation of the engine 10,
due to the presence of the bluff body 36, a low-pressure region may
exist in the portion of the combustion chamber 12 underlying the
posterior portion 40 of the bluff body 36. Moreover, as the fuel
jet 34 would be dispensed from the nozzles 32 of the injector tip
30 at a relatively high velocity, this high-velocity fuel would,
upon being split at the anterior portion 38 of the bluff body 36,
result in two or more fuel streams that would continue as
high-velocity fuel streams with a minimal momentum loss.
[0038] In embodiments of the present disclosure, it is contemplated
that the bluff body 36 is positioned at a pre-determined distance
D.sub.1 from the nozzle 32 of the injector tip 30 to impart
turbulence in the split fuel streams by generating a wake in the
dispensed fuel jet 34 when the dispensed fuel jet 34 is incident
upon the anterior portion 38 of the bluff body 36. As each split
fuel stream passes over the bluff body 36, the split fuel streams
can tend to push some of the oxidant present in the combustion
thanker 12 into the first orifice 50 as shown in FIG. 10. This
oxidant may be communicated to the second orifice 52 via the
passageway 54 as shown in FIG. 11. As shown in FIG, 12, upon
exiting the second orifice 52, the oxidant can now mix with the
fuel streams that are in a state of high turbulent mixing at the
portion of the combustion chamber 12 adjacent to the second orifice
52.
[0039] In this manner, it is envisioned that if a core of the
dispensed fuel jet 34 is rich in fuel, such a core would first be
split by the anterior region of the bluff body 36 to help the fuel
from the core gain access to the oxidant in the combustion chamber
12. Besides, due to the presence of the first and the second
orifices 50, 52 being connected by the passageway 54, oxidant from
the portion of the combustion chamber 12 adjacent the first orifice
50 could now be pulled by the high velocity split fuel streams
adjacent to the bluff body 36 to enter the first orifice 50, and
exit the second orifice 52 to efficiently mix with the fuel (that
was split from the fuel rich core) at the portion of the combustion
chamber 12 adjacent to the second orifice 52.
[0040] In an alternative embodiment as shown in FIG. 13, the bluff
body 36 may be a screen mesh 62. As shown in FIG. 13, the screen
mesh 62 may include wires 64, and each wire 64 may be disposed at a
pre-specified distance `d` from an adjacent one of the wires 64 to
render the screen mesh 62 with a pre-determined amount of
porosity.
[0041] The screen mesh 62 could be positioned within the combustion
chamber 12 such that a plane of the screen mesh 62 is angularly
disposed, for example, at 45 degrees, exactly transverse i.e., at
90 degrees, or 60 degrees to the axis AA' of the dispensed fuel jet
34 as shown in the view of FIG. 14. Further, as shown in the
illustrated embodiment of FIG. 14, the screen mesh 62 may be
positioned at a pre-determined distance D from the nozzle 32 of the
injector tip 30 to facilitate at least one wire 64 from the set of
wires 64 to impart turbulence by generating a wake in the incident
fuel jet 34.
[0042] Alternatively, in another embodiment as shown in the view of
FIG. 15, the screen mesh 62 could be positioned adjacent to the
nozzle 32 on the injector tip 30 of the fuel injector 28. In this
configuration, a contour of the screen mesh 62 may be adapted to
correspond with a contour of the injector tip 30.
[0043] In another embodiment as shown in FIG. 16, a duct 66 may be
disposed within the combustion chamber 12 and the screen mesh 62
may be attached to an outlet end 68 of the duct 66 that is distal
from the nozzle 32. In this embodiment, when high-velocity fuel is
injected through an inlet 70 of the duct 66, it is envisioned that
subsequent to a flow of the high-velocity fuel through the duct 66,
the duct 66 would entrain air from the combustion chamber 12 and
urge the entrained air to follow the high-velocity fuel. The fuel
and the entrained air can now be forced into a wake from turbulence
created by the wires 64 of the screen mesh 62 at the outlet end 68
of the duct 66, thereby facilitating a more uniform mixing of the
fuel and air with one another.
[0044] Although one possible configuration of the bluff body 36 has
been disclosed in the embodiment in which the bluff body 36 has
been explained as being embodied as a screen mesh 62, it will be
acknowledged that references made to the screen mesh 62 in totality
is non-limiting of this disclosure. Rather, it will be appreciated
by persons skilled in the art that each wire 64 that is present on
the screen mesh 62 could also be regarded as an individual bluff
body 36 by itself as each wire 64 from the screen mesh 62 can be
used to perform functions that are consistent with the present
disclosure. Therefore, for purposes of the present disclosure, it
has been contemplated that in embodiments herein, a wire 64 having
an oblong cross-section as shown in the view of FIG, 17, a circular
cross-section as shown in the view of FIG. 18, or a polygonal
cross-section, for example, a hexagonal cross-section as shown in
the view of FIG. 19 can be regarded as the bluff body 36, or
multiple wires 64 of an oblong, circular, or polygonal
cross-section may be grouped or meshed to define interstitial
spaces between adjacently located wires 64 to define the bluff body
36 of the present disclosure.
[0045] Various embodiments disclosed herein are to be taken in the
illustrative and explanatory sense and should in no way be
construed as limiting of the present disclosure. All joinder
references (e.g., associated, provided, disposed, in communication
and the like are only used to aid the reader's understanding of the
present disclosure, and may not create limitations, particularly as
to the position, orientation, or use of the systems and/or methods
disclosed herein. Therefore, joinder references, if any, are to be
construed broadly. Moreover, such joinder references do not
necessarily infer that two elements are directly connected to each
other.
[0046] Additionally, all numerical terms, such as, but not limited
to, "first", "second", or any other ordinary and/or numerical
terms, should also be taken only as identifiers, to assist the
reader's understanding of the various elements, embodiments,
variations and; or modifications of the present disclosure, and may
not create any limitations, particularly as to the order, or
preference, of any element, embodiment, variation and/or
modification relative to or over another element, embodiment,
variation and/or modification.
[0047] It is to be understood that individual features shown or
described for one embodiment may be combined with individual
features shown or described for another embodiment. The above
described implementation does not in any way limit the scope of the
present disclosure. Therefore, it is to be understood although some
features are shown or described to illustrate the use of the
present disclosure in the context of functional segments, such
features may be omitted from the scope of the present disclosure
without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure as
defined in the appended claims.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0048] The present disclosure has applicability for use and
implementation in reducing soot emissions with combustion of fuel
in an engine. The present disclosure is directed to an internal
combustion engine 10 and more particularly, to a combustion system
14 for an internal combustion engine that is configured to help
reduce an amount of soot that would otherwise typically be produced
without the use of embodiments disclosed herein.
[0049] With use of the embodiments herein, fuel jets having a rich
fuel core are oxidized by helping the rich fuel core to gain access
to oxidants from within the combustion chamber of the engine. As
these fuel jets and their fuel rich cores are split with use of the
bluff body 36, the split fuel jets can be oxidized for
accomplishing combustion with reduced soot emissions.
[0050] Moreover, by providing the first and second orifices 50, 52
together with the passageway 54, a pressure within the combustion
chamber 12 may be normalized to help entrain the oxidant within the
first orifice 50 and direct the entrained oxidant towards the
second orifice 52 to mix with the split fuel streams, thereby
facilitating a greater amount of oxidation and assisting in the
reduction of the amount of soot from combustion. Due to this,
detrimental effects caused by soot such as sludging of lubricants,
or other fluids in an internal combustion engine can be
reduced.
[0051] While aspects of the present disclosure have been
particularly shown and described with reference to the embodiments
above, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that
various additional embodiments may be contemplated by the
modification of the disclosed machines, systems, methods and
processes without departing from the spirit and scope of what is
disclosed. Such embodiments should be understood to fall within the
scope of the present disclosure as determined based upon the claims
and any equivalents thereof.
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