A fuel heating device may include a fuel inlet, at least one fuel outlet, at least one inner chamber, and at least one heat exchanger. The at least one heat exchanger may include at least one first heating element and at least one second heating element arranged within an opening arranged within an interior of the at least one heat exchanger. The heat exchanger may include a first electrical conductor arranged in the interior and electrically contacting the at least one first heating element. The heat exchanger may further include a second electrical conductor electrically contacting an outer surface of the at least one heat exchanger. The at least one heat exchanger may include a ribbed portion including a plurality of ribs. The plurality of ribs may be arranged on the outer surface of the at least one heat exchanger and configured to contact the fuel.

A method for accelerating the warming-up of a power unit of a vehicle including an internal combustion engine, the unit needing to undergo a test and/or maintenance operation during which the vehicle remains stationary with its engine running, the unit needing to have achieved a minimum operating temperature prior to the test and/or the operation, the unit including a fuel injection system with a high-pressure pump supplying pressurized fuel to one or more injectors, the pressurizing of the fuel by the pump being controlled according to a combustion configuration that requires a nominal pressure value dependent on operating parameters including an engine speed and engine torque, the method including a step of warming up the unit by maintaining a greatly accelerated idling speed, which is effected at a modified pressure value higher than the nominal pressure value.

A method for accelerating the warming-up of a power unit of a vehicle including an internal combustion engine, the unit needing to undergo a test and/or maintenance operation during which the vehicle remains stationary with its engine running, the unit needing to have achieved a minimum operating temperature prior to the test and/or the operation, the unit including a fuel injection system with a high-pressure pump supplying pressurized fuel to one or more injectors, the pressurizing of the fuel by the pump being controlled according to a combustion configuration that requires a nominal pressure value dependent on operating parameters including an engine speed and engine torque, the method including a step of warming up the unit by maintaining a greatly accelerated idling speed, which is effected at a modified pressure value higher than the nominal pressure value.

Method to control the combustion of a compression ignition engine with reactivity control through the injection temperature; the control method provides for the steps of: establishing a quantity of fuel to be injected into a cylinder; injecting a first fraction of the quantity of fuel fed by a first feed system without active heating devices, preferably equal to at least 70% of the quantity of fuel, at least partially during the intake and/or compression stroke; injecting a second fraction of the quantity of fuel fed by a second feed system provided with at least one active heating device, and equal to the remaining fraction of the quantity of fuel, into the cylinder at the end of the compression stroke and preferably at no more than 60 from the top dead centre; and heating the second fraction of the quantity of fuel to an injection temperature of over 100 C., before injecting the second fraction of the quantity of fuel.

Method to control the combustion of a compression ignition engine with reactivity control through the injection temperature; the control method provides for the steps of: establishing a quantity of fuel to be injected into a cylinder; injecting a first fraction of the quantity of fuel fed by a first feed system without active heating devices, preferably equal to at least 70% of the quantity of fuel, at least partially during the intake and/or compression stroke; injecting a second fraction of the quantity of fuel fed by a second feed system provided with at least one active heating device, and equal to the remaining fraction of the quantity of fuel, into the cylinder at the end of the compression stroke and preferably at no more than 60 from the top dead centre; and heating the second fraction of the quantity of fuel to an injection temperature of over 100 C., before injecting the second fraction of the quantity of fuel.

It is widely appreciated that renewable sources of energy are desirable. In particular, in recent years the development of biodiesel has been encouraged in order to find a replacement for fossil fuels in internal combustion engines. Typically, such biodiesel is based on triacylglycerols of vegetable origin. Animal fat, due to its different chemical composition and production process presents additional challenges when attempted to be used as a source of fuel. Most known methods require extensive processing of naturally occurring fats in order for them to be usable in conventional engines. According to the present invention, there is provided a method of oxidizing organic fats within an internal combustion engine to generate power by applying a first electrical charge to an oxidizer (e.g. air) and applying a second electrical charge to the organic fat opposite in polarity to the first electrical charge. In this way, constituents of the organic fat to be oxidized are attracted to the oxidizer, in preference to an interior surface of the combustion chamber. Thus, carbonization of the interior surface of the combustion chamber is reduced, as material contributing to carbonization is retained within exhaust gas.

It is widely appreciated that renewable sources of energy are desirable. In particular, in recent years the development of biodiesel has been encouraged in order to find a replacement for fossil fuels in internal combustion engines. Typically, such biodiesel is based on triacylglycerols of vegetable origin. Animal fat, due to its different chemical composition and production process presents additional challenges when attempted to be used as a source of fuel. Most known methods require extensive processing of naturally occurring fats in order for them to be usable in conventional engines. According to the present invention, there is provided a method of oxidizing organic fats within an internal combustion engine to generate power by applying a first electrical charge to an oxidizer (e.g. air) and applying a second electrical charge to the organic fat opposite in polarity to the first electrical charge. In this way, constituents of the organic fat to be oxidized are attracted to the oxidizer, in preference to an interior surface of the combustion chamber. Thus, carbonization of the interior surface of the combustion chamber is reduced, as material contributing to carbonization is retained within exhaust gas.

Method for the manufacture of a circuit board containing a component and circuit board containing a component. The invention is based on first manufacturing (101-102 or 101-103) an intermediate product, which contains the insulator layer of the circuit board and the components, which are set in place inside the insulator layer, in such a way that the contact elements of the components face the surface of the intermediate product. After this, the intermediate product is transferred to the circuit-board manufacturing line, on which a suitable number of conducting-pattern layers and, if necessary, insulator layers are manufactured (104) on one or both sides of the intermediate product, in such a way that, when manufacturing the first conducting-pattern layer, the conductor material forms an electrical contact with the contact elements of the components. Alternatively, stages (101-105) can also be performed on a single manufacturing line.

Method for the manufacture of a circuit board containing a component and circuit board containing a component. The invention is based on first manufacturing (101-102 or 101-103) an intermediate product, which contains the insulator layer of the circuit board and the components, which are set in place inside the insulator layer, in such a way that the contact elements of the components face the surface of the intermediate product. After this, the intermediate product is transferred to the circuit-board manufacturing line, on which a suitable number of conducting-pattern layers and, if necessary, insulator layers are manufactured (104) on one or both sides of the intermediate product, in such a way that, when manufacturing the first conducting-pattern layer, the conductor material forms an electrical contact with the contact elements of the components. Alternatively, stages (101-105) can also be performed on a single manufacturing line.

A rotary engine includes an insert having a pilot subchamber defined therein and communicating with the internal cavity of the engine. A pilot fuel injector has a tip in communication with the pilot subchamber. An ignition element extends into an element cavity defined through the insert adjacent the pilot subchamber. The element cavity is in communication with the pilot subchamber through a communication opening defined in the insert between the element cavity and the pilot subchamber. The communication opening is smaller than a portion of the ignition element adjacent the communication opening such as to prevent the portion of the ignition element from completely passing through the communication opening upon breaking off of the portion of the ignition element from a remainder of the ignition element. An outer body for a rotary engine and a method of combusting fuel in a rotary engine are also provided.