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.

The present invention directly affects two primary limitations of diesel fuel: poor vaporization and ease of auto-ignition. Superheated fuel is injected within a cone of steam. As a result, fuel is fully vaporized and steam controls ignition by momentarily isolating fuel from air. In order to achieve high vapor velocities, the present invention uses momentum of circulating fuel and water to propel them through the injector. Momentum is preserved by transfer valves that transfer moving liquids between through paths and injection paths. Momentum is further preserved by an injector design that minimizes turbulence that would absorb energy and reduce injected velocity. The fuel and water may be superheated before injection to convert to steam and vapor upon the release of pressure when injected into the combustion chamber. The injector may also be used to achieve high injection velocity for liquid fuel injection without heating.

The present invention directly affects two primary limitations of diesel fuel: poor vaporization and ease of auto-ignition. Superheated fuel is injected within a cone of steam. As a result, fuel is fully vaporized and steam controls ignition by momentarily isolating fuel from air. In order to achieve high vapor velocities, the present invention uses momentum of circulating fuel and water to propel them through the injector. Momentum is preserved by transfer valves that transfer moving liquids between through paths and injection paths. Momentum is further preserved by an injector design that minimizes turbulence that would absorb energy and reduce injected velocity. The fuel and water may be superheated before injection to convert to steam and vapor upon the release of pressure when injected into the combustion chamber. The injector may also be used to achieve high injection velocity for liquid fuel injection without heating.

A rotary engine including an insert in one of the walls of the outer body. The insert has a pilot subchamber defined therein communicating with the internal cavity and includes a subchamber wall surrounding the pilot subchamber. A main fuel injector is in communication with the internal cavity at a location spaced apart from the insert. A pilot fuel injector is in communication with the pilot subchamber. A heating element extends within the subchamber wall completely outside of the pilot subchamber, in heat transfer communication with the subchamber wall. An outer body for a rotary engine and a method of combusting fuel in a rotary engine are also provided.

A rotary engine including an insert in one of the walls of the outer body. The insert has a pilot subchamber defined therein communicating with the internal cavity and includes a subchamber wall surrounding the pilot subchamber. A main fuel injector is in communication with the internal cavity at a location spaced apart from the insert. A pilot fuel injector is in communication with the pilot subchamber. A heating element extends within the subchamber wall completely outside of the pilot subchamber, in heat transfer communication with the subchamber wall. An outer body for a rotary engine and a method of combusting fuel in a rotary engine are also provided.

A fuel supply device supplying a fuel stored in a fuel tank to an engine includes a low-pressure pump configured to feed the fuel, a high-pressure pump configured to compress the fuel discharged from the low-pressure pump and to feed to the engine, a first low-pressure passage member configured to define a first fuel passage from the low-pressure pump to the high-pressure pump, and a second low-pressure passage member configured to define a second fuel passage branched from the first fuel passage at a low-pressure junction portion and joining the first fuel passage at a low-pressure confluence portion, wherein the first fuel passage and the second fuel passage are different in at least one of (i) temperatures of the fuels that flow through the fuel passages and (ii) passage lengths of the fuel passages from the low-pressure junction portion to the low-pressure confluence portion.

A preheating device for an internal combustion engine may include an inlet connection for connecting a distributor rail of a fuel injection system and an outlet connection for connecting a fuel injector of the fuel injection system. A preheating chamber may be fluidically connected with the inlet connection and the outlet connection and be flowable through by a fuel flow. At least one electrical heating element may be included for heating the fuel flow in the preheating chamber. At least one metallic heating body, which may be exposed to the fuel flow in the preheating chamber, may receive the at least one heating element.

A preheating device for an internal combustion engine may include an inlet connection for connecting a distributor rail of a fuel injection system and an outlet connection for connecting a fuel injector of the fuel injection system. A preheating chamber may be fluidically connected with the inlet connection and the outlet connection and be flowable through by a fuel flow. At least one electrical heating element may be included for heating the fuel flow in the preheating chamber. At least one metallic heating body, which may be exposed to the fuel flow in the preheating chamber, may receive the at least one heating element.

A fuel heating device for a vehicle may include a start sensor detecting a starting of a vehicle; a controller area network (CAN) communication device transmitting and receiving various signals to and from an engine control device; a resistance sensor measuring a resistance of a heater provided inside an injector; and a controller controlling the resistance sensor to measure the resistance of the heater when the starting of the vehicle is detected in a state in which a failure occurs in the CAN communication device, converting the measured resistance of the heater into a temperature of a fuel, and operating the heater to heat the fuel to a reference temperature when the converted temperature is lower than or equal to a threshold.

A fuel heating device for a vehicle may include a start sensor detecting a starting of a vehicle; a controller area network (CAN) communication device transmitting and receiving various signals to and from an engine control device; a resistance sensor measuring a resistance of a heater provided inside an injector; and a controller controlling the resistance sensor to measure the resistance of the heater when the starting of the vehicle is detected in a state in which a failure occurs in the CAN communication device, converting the measured resistance of the heater into a temperature of a fuel, and operating the heater to heat the fuel to a reference temperature when the converted temperature is lower than or equal to a threshold.