A system and a method of controlling the temperature of fuel injected into combustion engines, which provides a reduced amount of fuel injected into engines propelled with either pure gasoline or ethanol or any bi-fuel mixture by precisely controlling the amount of heat supplied to the fuel.

A system and a method of controlling the temperature of fuel injected into combustion engines, which provides a reduced amount of fuel injected into engines propelled with either pure gasoline or ethanol or any bi-fuel mixture by precisely controlling the amount of heat supplied to the fuel.

An injection control device controls the opening and closing of a fuel injection valve by performing peak current drive and constant current drive and controls injection of fuel from the fuel injection valve to an internal combustion engine. The injection control device includes a preheat current energization control unit configured to, when a temperature of a solenoid coil of the fuel injection valve prior to starting the internal combustion engine is lower than a predetermined temperature, energize the fuel injection valve with a preheat current having an output density that causes the temperature of the solenoid coil to increase, the preheat current being within a range that maintains the fuel injection valve in a valve closed state, and when the temperature of the solenoid valve increases to or above the predetermined temperature, stop the energization of the fuel injection valve with the preheat current.

A method to control the combustion of a compression ignition engine having the steps of: establishing, for each combustion cycle, a fuel quantity to be injected into the cylinder; injecting a first fraction of the fuel quantity; heating a second fraction of the fuel quantity, which is equal to the remaining fraction of the fuel quantity, to an injection temperature higher than 100° C.; injecting the second fraction of the fuel quantity heated to the injection temperature into the cylinder at the end of the compression stroke and at no more than 60° from the top dead centre; and decreasing the injection temperature and the ratio between the second fraction and the first fraction as the internal combustion engine increases and as the rotation speed of the internal combustion engine increases.

A method to control the combustion of a compression ignition engine having the steps of: establishing, for each combustion cycle, a fuel quantity to be injected into the cylinder; injecting a first fraction of the fuel quantity; heating a second fraction of the fuel quantity, which is equal to the remaining fraction of the fuel quantity, to an injection temperature higher than 100° C.; injecting the second fraction of the fuel quantity heated to the injection temperature into the cylinder at the end of the compression stroke and at no more than 60° from the top dead centre; and decreasing the injection temperature and the ratio between the second fraction and the first fraction as the internal combustion engine increases and as the rotation speed of the internal combustion engine increases.

A compression ignition engine system allows use of hydrous fuels, in particular hydrous biofuels, with high water content (e.g., 20-85% water). The hydrous fuel is pressurized, and also preferably heated via the engine's exhaust gas, to increase its enthalpy, and is then directly injected into the engine cylinder(s) near top dead center. The system provides brake thermal efficiency increases of 20% or more versus a comparable system using conventional diesel fuel, while allowing the use of inexpensive undistilled or lightly distilled biofuels.

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.

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.

Methods and systems are provided for a fuel injector. In one example, a system may include an injector comprising two or more passages shaped to flow a mixture in opposite directions before injecting the mixture.

Methods and systems are provided for a fuel injector. In one example, a system may include an injector comprising two or more passages shaped to flow a mixture in opposite directions before injecting the mixture.