INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE WITH INJECTION OF TWO FUEL JETS AT DIFFERENT FLOW RATES AND FUEL-INJECTION METHOD FOR SUCH AN ENGINE

Abstract

The present invention is a compression-ignition direct-injection internal-combustion engine comprising at least a cylinder, a cylinder head carrying fuel injection, a piston sliding in the cylinder, a combustion chamber limited on one side by upper face of the piston comprising a projection extending in the direction of the cylinder head and in the center of a concave bowl (46) with at least two mixing zones. The fuel injection projects fuel in at least two fuel jet sheets with different sheet angles, with a lower sheet having a jet axis C1 for one zone and an upper sheet having a jet axis for the other zone.

The injection feeds fuel into the combustion chamber with a different flow rate for each sheet for dedicated targeting in the mixing zones of the combustion chamber.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A compression-ignition direct-injection internal-combustion engine comprising a cylinder, a cylinder head including fuel injection, a piston sliding in the cylinder, a combustion chamber limited on one side by an upper face of the piston comprising a projection extending toward the cylinder head and located in a center of a concave bowl with at least two mixing zones, the fuel injection projecting fuel in at least two fuel jet sheets with respectively different conical sheet angles, a lower sheet having a jet axis for one of the zones and an upper sheet having an axis for another of the zone, wherein the engine comprises fuel injection feeding fuel into the combustion chamber with a different flow rate for each sheet for targeting different mixing zones of the combustion chamber.

12. An internal-combustion engine as claimed in claim 11, wherein the flow rate of the upper jet sheet is lower than the flow rate of the lower jet sheet.

13. An internal-combustion engine as claimed in claim 11, wherein the flow rate of the upper sheet is at least 10% lower than the flow rate of the lower sheet.

14. An internal-combustion engine as claimed in claim 12, wherein the flow rate of the upper sheet is at least 10% lower than the flow rate of the lower sheet.

15. An internal-combustion engine as claimed in claim 13, wherein the flow rate of the upper sheet is 20% to 40% lower than the flow rate of the lower sheet.

16. An internal-combustion engine as claimed in claim 14, wherein the flow rate of the upper sheet is 20% to 40% lower than the flow rate of the lower sheet.

17. An internal-combustion engine as claimed in claim 11, wherein the injection comprises an injector projecting fuel in at least two fuel jet sheets positioned axially one above the other, with each sheet having a different conical angle.

18. An internal-combustion engine as claimed in claim 12, wherein the injection comprises an injector projecting fuel in at least two fuel jet sheets positioned axially one above the other, with each sheet having a different conical angle.

19. An internal-combustion engine as claimed in claim 13, wherein the injection comprises an injector projecting fuel in at least two fuel jet sheets positioned axially one above the other, with each sheet having a different conical angle.

20. An internal-combustion engine as claimed in claim 14, wherein the injection comprises an injector projecting fuel in at least two fuel jet sheets positioned axially one above the other, with each sheet having a different conical angle.

21. An internal-combustion engine as claimed in claim 15, wherein the injection comprises an injector projecting fuel in at least two fuel jet sheets positioned axially one above the other, with each sheet having a different conical angle.

22. An internal-combustion engine as claimed in claim 16, wherein the injection comprises an injector projecting fuel in at least two fuel jet sheets positioned axially one above the other, with each sheet having a different conical angle.

23. An internal-combustion engine as claimed in claim 11, wherein the fuel injection comprises at least two injectors projecting fuel in fuel jet sheets having a different conical angle for each sheet.

24. An internal-combustion engine as claimed in claim 23, wherein the injectors each have a different permeability.

25. An internal-combustion engine as claimed in claim 11, wherein a sheet angle of one of the sheets is at most 130 while sheet angle of another of the sheets is at least 130.

26. An internal-combustion engine as claimed in claim 12, wherein a sheet angle of one of the sheets is at most 130 while sheet angle of another of the sheets is at least 130.

27. An internal-combustion engine as claimed in claim 13, wherein a sheet angle of one of the sheets is at most 130 while sheet angle of another of the sheets is at least 130.

28. An internal-combustion engine as claimed in claim 15, wherein a sheet angle of one of the sheets is at most 130 while sheet angle of another of the sheets is at least 130.

29. An internal-combustion engine as claimed in claim 17, wherein a sheet angle of one of the sheets is at most 130 while sheet angle of another of the sheets is at least 130.

30. An internal-combustion engine as claimed in claim 23, wherein a sheet angle of one of the sheets is at most 130 while sheet angle of another of the sheets is at least 130.

31. An internal-combustion engine as claimed in claim 24, wherein a sheet angle of one of the sheets is at most 130 while sheet angle of another of the sheets is at least 130.

32. An injection method for a compression-ignition direct-injection internal-combustion engine comprising a cylinder, a cylinder head including fuel injection, a piston sliding in the cylinder, a combustion chamber limited on one side by an upper face of the piston comprising a projection extending toward the cylinder head and located in a center of a concave bowl, comprising: injecting the fuel in at least two fuel jet sheets having different sheet angles with a jet axis of a lower sheet and a jet axis of an upper sheet, in which a different amount of fuel injection to different for each combustion zones by the jet sheets.

33. An injection method as claimed in claim 33, comprising injecting the fuel in different amounts of at least 10% respectively between the two sheets.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Other features and advantages of the invention will be clear from reading the description hereafter, given by way of non limitative example, with reference to the accompanying figures wherein:

[0031] FIG. 1 shows an internal-combustion engine according to the invention;

[0032] FIG. 2 is a large-scale partial view of a half section of the piston bowl profile of the engine of FIG. 1; and

[0033] FIG. 3 illustrates on a larger scale the fuel injection for the engine of FIGS. 1 and 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0034] With reference to FIG. 1, a compression-ignition direct-injection internal-combustion engine comprises at least a cylinder 10, a cylinder head 12 closing the cylinder in the upper part, fuel injection 14 carried by the cylinder head and a piston 16 having axis XX which slides in the cylinder with a reciprocating rectilinear motion.

[0035] Fuel is understood to be a liquid fuel such as diesel fuel, kerosene or any other fuel with the physicochemical characteristics allowing operation of an engine of compression ignition type including a direct injection system for this fuel.

[0036] This engine also comprises a burnt gas exhaust 18 with at least one exhaust pipe 20 whose opening can be controlled such as by any means such as an exhaust valve 22 and an intake means 24 for an oxidizer with at least one intake pipe 26 whose opening can be controlled by any means such as an intake valve 28.

[0037] An oxidizer is understood to be air at ambient pressure, supercharged air or a mixture of air (supercharged or not) and burnt gas.

[0038] The injection means comprises at least one fuel injector 30, preferably arranged along axis XX of the piston, whose nozzle 32 comprises a multiplicity of orifices through which the fuel is sprayed and projected in the direction of combustion chamber 34 of the engine.

[0039] It is from the injection that the projected fuel forms at least two fuel jet sheets, which are two conical sheets 36 and 38 of fuel jets 40 and 42, which, in the example shown, have a general axis aligned with piston 16 while being positioned axially one above the other.

[0040] More precisely, conical sheet 36 that is the closer to piston 16 is referred to as lower sheet in the description below, while conical sheet 38 that is further away from the piston is referred to as upper sheet.

[0041] As can be seen in FIG. 1, the two sheets form sheet angles A1 and A2 which cones which are different from one another. A sheet angle is understood to be the top angle formed by the cone originating from the injector, whose imaginary peripheral wall passes through all the axes C1 or C2 of fuel jets 40 or 42.

[0042] Advantageously, sheet angle A1 of the lower sheet is at most equal to 130, preferably ranging between 40 and 130, while sheet angle A2 of the upper sheet is at most equal to 180 and preferably ranges between 150 and 180.

[0043] For simplification reasons, in the rest of the description, angle a1 corresponds to A1/2 and angle a2 corresponds to A2/2 (See FIG. 2).

[0044] The difference between the two sheet angles is thus at least 50. This limits fuel jet overlap between the two sheets and therefore formation of pollutants such as soot.

[0045] Of course, it is possible for the injection to not be positioned along axis XX. In this case, the general axis of the fuel jet sheets from the fuel injector is at least substantially parallel to axis XX.

[0046] Similarly, it is possible for each sheet to be provided by a distinct fuel injector (single-sheet injector) with dedicated targeting of the distinct zones of the combustion chamber.

[0047] Combustion chamber 34 is limited by the inner face of cylinder head 12 opposite the piston, the circular inner wall of cylinder 10 and upper face 44 of piston 16.

[0048] The upper face of the piston comprises a concave bowl 46, whose axis is aligned with the cylinder, having concavity directed towards the cylinder head and which houses a projection 48 substantially in the center of the bowl, which rises towards cylinder head 12, while being preferably coaxial with the axis of the fuel sheets from injector 30.

[0049] Of course, it is possible for the axis of the bowl to not be coaxial with that of the cylinder. The main concept is to have a layout according to which the axis of the fuel jet sheet, the axis of the projection and the axis of the bowl are preferably aligned.

[0050] Furthermore, with reference to FIG. 2, projection 48, is generally of truncated shape and comprises a preferably rounded top 50 which is extended, while moving symmetrically away from axis XX towards the outside of piston 16, by a substantially rectilinear inclined surface 52 extended by an inclined flank 54 down to a bottom 56 of the bowl.

[0051] Of course, without departing from the scope of the invention, inclined surface 52 can be eliminated and then inclined flank 54 connects the top of the projection to the bottom of the bowl.

[0052] In the example of FIG. 2, the bottom of the bowl is rounded to have a concave rounded surface 58 in the form of an arc of a circle with radius R1, which is referred to as inner rounded surface, and which is connected to the bottom of inclined flank 54, and another concave rounded surface 60 in form of an arc of a circle with radius R2, which is referred to as outer rounded surface, and which is connected by one of its ends to the lower end of the inner rounded surface at a point M and by the other end thereof to a lateral wall 62, substantially vertical here, at a point N.

[0053] The two rounded surfaces 58 and 60 thus limit the lower part of a toroidal volume, which here is a torus of substantially cylindrical section 64 and of center B whose purpose is explained in the rest of the description below.

[0054] Lateral wall 62 extends, while moving away from axis XX, by a convex rounded surface 66 in form of an arc of a circle with radius R3, which is referred to as re-entrant, leading to an inclined plane 68 linked to a concave inflection surface 69 connected to a substantially plane surface 70. This plane surface is continued by an outer convex surface 72 in the form of an arc of a circle with radius R5 that leads to a plane surface 74 extending up to the vicinity of the cylinder wall.

[0055] The combustion chamber thus comprises two distinct zones Z1 and Z2 at which mixing of the oxidizer (air, supercharged or not, or a mixture of air and recirculated burnt gas) with the fuel projected from the injector, as well as combustion of the fuel mixture, occurs.

[0056] Zone Z1, limited by projection 48, torus 64 at the bowl bottom, wall 62 and convex rounded surface 66, forms the lower zone of the combustion chamber associated with lower sheet 36 having fuel jets of axis C1. Zone Z2, limited by inclined plane 68, concave surface 69, substantially plane surface 70, convex surface 72, plane surface 74, the peripheral inner wall of the cylinder and cylinder head 12, forms the upper zone of the chamber associated with upper sheet 38 of fuel jets having axis C2.

[0057] In this configuration, the bowl comprises, for a piston position close to the top dead center: [0058] a bowl bottom having outside diameter FD with a radius between axis XX and the lowest point M of the bowl, that is at the intersection between the surfaces of radius R1 and R2; [0059] a bowl opening of diameter BD having a radius in the vicinity of the bowl bottom and corresponding to a distance taken between axis XX and the furthest point of outer concave surface 60; [0060] a neck of diameter GD with a radius corresponding to the distance between axis XX and vertical wall 62 limiting the outlet section of this bowl, [0061] an upper injection diameter ID1 having a radius corresponding to the distance between axis XX and the start of inflection surface 69 at point P between inclined plane 68 and concave surface 66 by limiting a length L6 of jets 38 between the origin T2 of axis C2 of the jets on the axis of the injector nozzle and point P, which satisfies the formula ID1/sin(a2), [0062] a developed length of the diametral half section Cb of the bowl, having the length extending from the intersection of the projection top with axis XX to the cylinder wall; [0063] a projection height H between the bowl bottom at point M and the top of the projection, [0064] a bowl height L extending between the bowl bottom at point M and plane surface 74, [0065] a junction height L3 corresponding to the extension of lateral wall 62 between the end of outer rounded surface 60 at point N and the start of outer rounded surface 66, [0066] a height L4 between point P and point M, [0067] an angle of inclination a3 with respect to a vertical for inclined flank 54, [0068] an angle of inclination a4 formed by principal axis C1 of the fuel jets of lower sheet 36 impacting the torus with a tangential at impact point F by limiting a length L5 of jets 40 between origin T1 of axis C1 of the jets on the axis of the injector nozzle and point F. The length L5 satisfies the formula ID2/sin(a1), with ID2 corresponding to a lower injection diameter with a radius corresponding to the distance between axis XX and point F, [0069] an angle of inclination a5 considered at the tangency of outer rounded surface 60 with lateral wall 62 at point N, [0070] an angle of inclination a6 with respect to the horizontal and the tangent to substantially plane wall 70, and [0071] an angle of inclination a7 with respect to the horizontal and inclined plane 68 at intersection point P.

[0072] All these parameters are expressed for a position of piston 16 in the vicinity of the top dead center corresponding to a distance D between point M and the origin T2 of axis C2 of jets 42.

[0073] More precisely, this distance D is equal to the sum of height L4 and height C. Height C corresponds to the axial height between origin T2 and point P. This height satisfies to formula ID1/tan(a2).

[0074] Thus, the dimension and angle parameters of the bowl meet at least one of the following conditions: [0075] angle a4 is greater than 80, which amounts to passing more than half the fuel jet between center B of torus 64 and the projection, more precisely the lower part at the level of point M, and thus generates an aerodynamic upward motion in the torus towards the top of the cylinder, [0076] angle a5 must be positive and less than 90. Preferably, it has to be of the order of 30 to 40 so as to direct fuel jets 40 of lower sheet 36 towards oxidizer volume S1 in order to use the oxidizer of this zone while limiting upflow of the fuel towards upper sheet 38, [0077] oxidizer volume S1 positioned between fuel jets 40 of the lower sheet is minimized, still with a view to optimizing the use of oxidizer in the chamber, [0078] the position of the top of projection 48 is as close as possible to nozzle 32 of injector 30 to limit the volume of oxidizer under the injector that will not be impacted by the fuel jets, which again minimizes volume S1. Thus, ratio H/L is greater than 40% and preferably greater than 60%, [0079] angle a3 is substantially equal to or greater than angle a1 of the lower sheet (10<a3a1<10). Thus, the general axis of the lower sheet jets is tangential to flank 54 of the projection. Fuel jets 40 of lower sheet 36 can thus interact with rounded surface 58 by vaporizing totally prior to impacting the piston, [0080] oxidizer volume S2 between the two sheets is not zero since the interaction between the sheets is detrimental to the pollutants. Volume S2 however needs to be minimized. Therefore, junction length L3 between the torus and re-entrant 66 (convex rounded surface of radius R3) has to be such that L3/(2*length of R2)<1 or (L3/length of R2<2) in order to ensure that oxidizer volume S2 available between the upper 38 and lower 36 sheets is low in relation to the fuel volume generated by the jets of the lower sheet, [0081] second combustion zone Z2 arranged in the upper part of the piston that starts from re-entrant 66 of fuel jets 42 of upper sheet 38, [0082] the combustion volume of zone Z2 is at least equal to one tenth of the total volume of the bowl, [0083] the area referred to as the compression zone is formed by inclined plane 68, concave surface 69, plane surface 70, convex surface 72 and plane surface 74. Angle a6 ranges between 10 and 75, which allows to fuel jets 42 which create an aerodynamic motion above the piston and additionally to use the oxidizer in the compression zone. These aerodynamics allow better fuel/oxidizer mixing above the piston, notably upon expansion, thus promoting oxidation of the burnt gas, [0084] in order to promote the distribution of the fuel from jets 42 in the compression zone, a guiding surface 68 is provided between re-entrant 66 and surface 70. The guiding surface 68 can be rounded in the continuation of the re-entrant or substantially plane. The purpose of this guiding surface is to concentrate fuel jets 42 and to guide them towards convex surface 72. Thus, the guiding surface has an angle a7 at intersection point P whose difference with respect to sheet angle a2 is less than 45, [0085] the position of inflection surface 69 is such that distances L5 and L6 are approximately of the same order (0.5<L5/L6<2). Thus, advantageously, the fuel jets will impact substantially at the same time the piston in the torus and the inflection zone respectively, [0086] diameter ID1 must be such that ID1/GD>1 and ID1<(GD+(CbGD)*2/3). This allows fuel jets 42 to optimize the aerodynamics above the piston.

[0087] Furthermore, [0088] ratio BD/L is less than 6 and preferably is less than 4, [0089] ratio R2/R1 is less than 1 and preferably is less than 0.6, [0090] ratio FD/BD is less than 1, [0091] ratio Cb/BD is less than 2 to maintain complete vaporization of the fuel and to prevent wetting of the cylinder wall, [0092] ratio GD/BD ranges between 0.7 and 1 for the torus aerodynamics and upflow of the fuel jets, [0093] ratio H/L is greater than 40%, preferably is greater than 60% to minimize the oxidizer volume between the injector nozzle and the projection, [0094] ratio L5/L6 ranges between 0.5 and 2 for the impact of the two sheets at the same time, [0095] A1 ranges between 40 and 1300 with a1=A1/2, [0096] A2 ranges between 130 and 180 with a2=A2/2, [0097] a3 is substantially equal to a1, [0098] a4 is greater than 80, [0099] a5 ranges between 0 and 90 and preferably is substantially between 30 and 40, [0100] a6 ranges between 15 and 75, [0101] a7a2 is less than 45, [0102] ratio ID1/GD is greater than 1, [0103] ID1 is less than (GD+(CbGD)*2/3).

[0104] Thus, by means of this bowl parametrization, the fuel jets of lower sheet 36 directly target torus 64 and do not directly impact re-entrant 66.

[0105] Therefore, combustion of the lower fuel/oxidizer mixture occurs essentially in the torus volume while combustion of the upper fuel/oxidizer mixture occurs essentially in the compression zone and above the piston.

[0106] Furthermore, the interaction of the upper sheet jets with the lower sheet jets is limited, which allows the fuel/oxidizer mixture to be homogenized while meeting the mechanical strength constraints at high load.

[0107] FIG. 3 illustrates an example of the means for injecting fuel into the combustion chamber with a different flow rate for each sheet 36 and 38.

[0108] These means are a fuel injector 30 carrying, in the region of nozzle 32, at least two series 80, 82 of radial fuel injection orifices 84, 86 arranged substantially parallel to one another. The orifices are positioned circumferentially on the nozzle and the series are arranged one above the other. One of the series 80 comprises orifices 84 of diameter d1 through which the fuel is injected by forming lower jet sheet 36 of axis C1 for mixing zone Z1. The other series 82 comprises orifices 86 of diameter d2 for injection of the fuel forming upper jet sheet 38 of axis C2 for mixing zone Z2.

[0109] Advantageously, diameter d2 of orifices 86 is smaller than diameter d1 of orifices 84. As the injection pressure is identical in the region of the injector nozzle, this results in two fuel jet sheets with different flow rates. More precisely, upper sheet 38 has a lower flow rate than lower sheet 36.

[0110] Preferably, the flow rate of the upper sheet is at least 10% lower than the flow rate of the lower sheet, and ideally 20% to 40% lower.

[0111] The advantage of such a layout is that the theoretical injection velocity is identical for each row of orifices, which allows the fuel jets of both sheets to impact substantially at the same time the surface of the piston.

[0112] Thus, using a fuel injection with a different flow rate for each sheet allows adjustment of the amount of fuel to the volume of the associated combustion zone, and thus to improve the combustion quality.

[0113] Furthermore, a minimum 10% permeability difference between the sheets allows obtaining combustion providing maximum power to the engine while improving the combustion quality, which reduces at the source the unburnt hydrocarbon and soot particle emissions.

[0114] It can be noted that the ratio between the injected flows depends on the total flow of fuel to be injected and on the desired number of ports for the injector, as well as the volume ratio between the two mixing zones.

[0115] By way of example only, for a diameter d1 of orifices 84 of 150 microns for forming lower sheet 36 and a diameter d2 of orifices 86 of 130 microns for upper sheet 38, the difference in flow rate and therefore in mass (or amount) of fuel injected is approximately 25%.

[0116] Of course, without departing from the scope of the invention, each sheet may be carried by a distinct injector ((single-sheet injector) with dedicated targeting in distinct zones Z1 and Z2 of the combustion chamber.

[0117] In this configuration, one of the injectors has a sheet angle and a permeability (static flow under a given pressure) different from the other injector, or the two injectors have different sheet angles and same permeability, but with a different injection pressure for each injector.