A fuel heating apparatus and method are disclosed where a conductive coil is wrapped around an outer surface of at least a portion of a nozzle of a fuel injector. The coil and the nozzle are inductively cooperative with each other such that the coil, in response to a variable current through the coil, induces a heating of the nozzle. The inductively heated nozzle can heat fuel passing into an engine so as to cause the fuel to combust as it exits the heated nozzle. This arrangement allows for sparkless combustion of fuel in an internal combustion engine.

The present invention pertains to a spark plug for an internal combustion engine, comprising a metal outer shell extending in a longitudinal direction from a proximal end to a distal tip end configured to be oriented towards a combustion chamber, said outer shell comprising a fixation portion for attachment of the spark plug to a metal sleeve of the internal combustion engine and arranged at a region proximal of the tip end, wherein the outer shell furthermore comprises a first contact surface arranged at a region distal of the fixation portion and configured to contact a distal end of the sleeve, when the spark plug is attached to the sleeve.

In order to provide a gas fueling method capable of suppressing overheating of a tank immediately after a start of fueling, in the gas fueling method, an accumulator and a hydrogen tank are coupled to each other with a gas flow passage. In a main fueling control at and after the timing t2, a sensor-based value MAT of a temperature parameter of a measurement position Q1 is calculated on the basis of a detection value of a first station temperature sensor, and the fueling control is performed on the basis of the sensor-based value MAT. In an initial fueling control at the timing t0 to t2, a prediction value MAT_pred of the temperature parameter is calculated at the timing t2 on the basis of an ambient temperature value, a mass flow rate value, and a heat capacity. The fueling control is performed on the basis of the prediction value MAT_pred.

In order to provide a gas fueling method capable of suppressing overheating of a tank immediately after a start of fueling, in the gas fueling method, an accumulator and a hydrogen tank are coupled to each other with a gas flow passage. In a main fueling control at and after the timing t2, a sensor-based value MAT of a temperature parameter of a measurement position Q1 is calculated on the basis of a detection value of a first station temperature sensor, and the fueling control is performed on the basis of the sensor-based value MAT. In an initial fueling control at the timing t0 to t2, a prediction value MAT_pred of the temperature parameter is calculated at the timing t2 on the basis of an ambient temperature value, a mass flow rate value, and a heat capacity. The fueling control is performed on the basis of the prediction value MAT_pred.

A fuel injector assembly for a fuel-actuated fuel injector includes an injector body, and an injection control valve assembly. The injector body includes therein a low-pressure fuel passage extending from a clamping face to an armature cavity to convey spent actuating fuel to the armature cavity. The fuel injector assembly also includes a flushing drain formed by the injector body and fluidly connected to at least one of a valve pin bore in the injector body or the armature cavity. The flushing drain forms, together with the low-pressure fuel passage and the armature cavity, a cooling circuit for the spent actuating fuel. The flushing drain extends to a drain opening formed in an outer body surface of the injector body. Related methodology is also disclosed.

Disclosed are example embodiments of an electronic fuel injection device. In one example embodiment, the electronic fuel injection device includes: a yoke having an inner chamber; an armature and a plunger slidably disposed inside the inner chamber of the yoke; a cylindrical bobbin configured to receive the yoke; an electromagnetic coil disposed around an outside surface of the cylindrical bobbin; and a fuel return path formed between an outer surface of the yoke and an inner surface of the cylindrical bobbin. The inner surface of the cylindrical bobbin comprises surface cooling features, including channels or protrusions, configured to remove heat from the cylindrical bobbin.

Methods and systems are provided for cooling fuel in an engine. In one example, a fuel temperature is reduced by transferring heat from the fuel to a cooling fluid. The heat exchange may occur in an unpressurized region of a fuel system.

An engine head assembly includes a plurality of fuel injectors each positioned within a fuel injector bore in the engine head, and each being fluidly coupled with a fluid conduit. Each fuel injector includes a valve assembly positioned within a fuel injector case that includes an elongate body having an opening. A filter sleeve having a particle-blocking perforation array structured to block particles is press fit on the fuel injector case to form a fluid flow path from the fluid conduit into the fuel injector case.

An injector includes a nozzle portion to inject fluid, a coil to generate a driving force to open and close the nozzle portion, and a molded resin that seals the coil. A cooling jacket has a flow path to cause cooling fluid to flow therethrough. The cooling jacket houses the injector and has an opening in an end opposite to the nozzle portion. A sealing material is filled in a space between the cooling jacket and the molded resin.

A method for deposit mitigation in a gaseous fuel injector that introduces a gaseous fuel through a gaseous fuel orifice directly into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine includes at least one of a) reducing the ago length of the gaseous fuel orifice by substantially between 10% to 50% of a previous length of a previous gaseous fuel orifice showing deposit accumulation above a predetermined threshold; b) providing the gaseous fuel orifice with an inwardly and substantially linearly tapering profile; c) determining deposit mitigation is needed; and performing at least one of the following deposit mitigation techniques i) increasing gaseous fuel injection pressure wherein deposit accumulation is reduced during fuel injection; and ii) decreasing gaseous fuel temperature wherein a rate of deposit accumulation is reduced; and d) injecting compressed air through the gaseous fuel orifice during shutdown of the internal combustion engine; whereby torque loss in the internal combustion engine due to deposit accumulation in the gaseous fuel orifice is reduced below a predetermined value.