In a dual-fuel fuel injector comprising a first injector unit for a first injector operating mode using a first main fuel and a second injector unit for a second injector operating mode using a second main fuel and an injector-reservoir, the reservoir is connected at one end to a first main fuel supply and at the opposite end to a second main fuel supply with a separating element disposed in the injector reservoir so as to be movable between the opposite ends so that, in each operating mode, the full volume of the reservoir can be used for accommodating the respective main fuel.

In a multi-fuel injector for an internal combustion engine, including a housing with a nozzle needle movably disposed therein between a closed position in which the nozzle needle blocks a discharge of fuel from a collection chamber, to which a first fuel is supplied, above the nozzle needle, a control chamber is arranged to which a high pressure second fuel is supplied which acts on the nozzle needle to bias it into a closed position, and a control valve is provided in a pressure release line extending from the control chamber for a controlled release of the second fuel from the control chamber by opening the control valve so as to relief the closing pressure on the nozzle needle in order to permit lifting of the nozzle needle from the closed position for discharging the fuel from the collection chamber.

The invention involves a system and method for providing a liquid fuel or a liquid and gaseous fuel to a diesel or Otto cycle engine for operation of the engine. The system includes a primary electronic control module (ECM), which monitors engine sensors and contains a first three-dimensional fuel map for the liquid fuel. A second ECM is connected for bi-directional transfer of information to the first ECM, the second ECM contains a second three-dimensional fuel map for delivery of the gaseous fuel through a secondary gaseous fuel injection assembly. The bi-directional communication between the two ECMs while monitoring the engine sensors allows both ECMs to “learn” an efficient fuel map for delivery of both fuels in the same cycle for improved efficiency, reduction in slip and lower emissions.

A fuel injector feeds fuel to a combustion chamber of a cylinder of a dual-fuel engine and includes: a main body having a needle guide; a nozzle needle guidable in the needle guide; a needle fuel chamber defined by the main body, coupleable to the combustion chamber, wherein the orifices are open in a first position of the nozzle needle and closed in a second position of the nozzle needle; a first line arranged in the main body, and being coupled to the needle fuel chamber, via the first line a fuel being introduceable into the needle fuel chamber. In the main body a second line is coupleable to the needle guide and to a control chamber of a control valve of the fuel injector, wherein via the second line a fuel is feedable to the needle guide as barrier fluid and to the control chamber as working fluid.

A dual-fuel internal combustion engine includes: cylinders for combusting a first liquid fuel having a first ignitability in a first operating mode, and a second liquid fuel having a second lesser ignitability, in a second operating mode; a main injection system including a main injector for each cylinder, for feeding the first liquid fuel to the respective cylinders in the first operating mode and for feeding the second liquid fuel to the respective cylinders in the second operating mode; and a pilot injection system including a pilot injector for each cylinder, via which the first liquid fuel can is feedable to the respective cylinders in the second operating mode for igniting the second liquid fuel. The main and pilot injection systems are coupled such that in the second operating mode the first liquid fuel, is feedable to the respective main injector as a working fluid and/or a barrier fluid.

A dual-fuel supply system (100) for direct injection for engines of heavy vehicles, comprising: a supply line of a combustible liquid (160); a supply line of a combustible gas (170); a plurality of injectors (150) in fluid communication with the supply line of the combustible liquid (160) and with the supply line of the combustible gas (170); a pressure regulator device (1) for regulating the combustible gas; an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to control the supply of combustible liquid and of the combustible gas to the injectors (150), the electronic control unit (ECU) being configured to control the pressure regulator device (1) to track a reference pressure (p.sub.target) according to a feedback logic.

The invention relates to a fuel injector (1) for operating with combustible gas. The fuel injector has a plurality of combustible-gas nozzle valve elements (9), and the stroke of each of the combustible-gas nozzle valve elements can be controlled by means of a paired hydraulic piston control assembly (55) of the fuel injector, wherein each piston control assembly is formed by two control chambers (59, 61) and a piston section (63) on the combustible-gas nozzle valve element paired with the piston control assembly, said piston section separating the control chambers in such a way that their volumes can be varied, and the fuel injector is designed to control the stroke of the combustible-gas nozzle valve elements in tandem using a 3/2-way valve (67), by means of which the hydraulic pressure in one of the two control chambers of the piston control assemblies is controlled.

The invention relates to a fuel injector (1) for operating with combustible gas. The fuel injector has a plurality of combustible-gas nozzle valve elements (9), and the stroke of each of the combustible-gas nozzle valve elements can be controlled by means of a paired hydraulic piston control assembly (55) of the fuel injector, wherein each piston control assembly is formed by two control chambers (59, 61) and a piston section (63) on the combustible-gas nozzle valve element paired with the piston control assembly, said piston section separating the control chambers in such a way that their volumes can be varied, and the fuel injector is designed to control the stroke of the combustible-gas nozzle valve elements in tandem using a 3/2-way valve (67), by means of which the hydraulic pressure in one of the two control chambers of the piston control assemblies is controlled.

A method for operating an internal combustion engine including a step of concurrently introducing at least two combustible fuel jets into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. A first combustible fuel jet of the at least two combustible fuel jets is ignited at an ignition time point. In a first operating mode of the internal combustion engine a second combustible fuel jet which is different from the first combustible fuel jet of the at least two combustible fuel jets is ignited after the ignition time point.

A multi-fuel injector assembly in one embodiment includes a first fuel injector assembly to deliver a first type of fuel and a second fuel delivery system to deliver a second type of fuel. The first fuel injector includes a first nozzle, at least one first needle, and at least one first actuator configured to move the at least one first needle. The at least one first actuator moves the at least one first needle to a first fuel delivery configuration that corresponds to a first fuel mixture composition, and a second fuel delivery configuration that corresponds to a second fuel mixture composition.