Cold start fuel preheat system for internal combustion engine

Details Cold start fuel preheat system for internal combustion engine Cold start fuel preheat system for internal combustion engine

2000-01-19

2001-04-03

McMahon, Marguerite (Department: 3747)

Internal-combustion engines

Starting device

With charge or cylinder heating

C123S553000, C123S557000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06209500

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field Of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to internal combustion engines and, more specifically, to a cold start fuel preheat system for improved atomization of fuel in an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known to provide a fuel-air mixture for an internal combustion engine, which needs good preparation of liquid fuel such as gasoline and air to burn efficiently. This is accomplished by a fuel injection system comprising a carburetor or fuel injector. The ideal fuel-air mixture delivered to the intake manifold should be a homogeneous mixture of minute fuel particles in air to facilitate subsequent vaporization of the liquid fuel. The mixture should have composition or strength to develop maximum economy for each condition of engine operation. When an engine is burning such an ideal fuel-air mixture, maximum combustion of the fuel is achieved while smoke and unburned fuel in the exhaust are held to a minimum.
Cold fuel temperatures are known to result in severe degradation of atomization quality and fuel vaporization rate. These effects result in the need to utilize enrichment strategies to guarantee stable operation of the cold engine. Enrichment strategies require that fuel in excess of that required for normal engine operation be injected to ensure that enough fuel vapor is available in the combustion chamber.
The need for improving the fuel-air mixture in the combustion chamber has been recognized for many years. One attempted solution to this need has been to install electrically heated fuel injectors in the internal combustion engine to preheat and improve atomization of the fuel. However, there is still a need in the art, during cold start, to improve fuel atomization and vaporization, reduce hydrocarbon (HC) emissions, and reduce fuel consumption.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention is cold start fuel preheat system for an internal combustion engine including a housing and a fuel rail extending through the housing to deliver fuel to the internal combustion engine. The cold start fuel preheat system also includes a phase transform material disposed in the housing and about the fuel rail. The cold start fuel preheat system further includes a mechanism for heating the phase transform material such that the phase transform material stores the heat and transfers the stored heat to the fuel during cold start of the internal combustion engine.
One feature of the present invention is that a cold start fuel preheat system is provided for improved atomization of fuel in an internal combustion engine. Another feature of the present invention is that the cold start fuel preheat system improves vaporization of incoming fuel spray and enhances mixing of the charge. Yet another feature of the present invention is that the cold start fuel preheat system reduces, during “cold start”, enrichment requirements by preheating the fuel to a temperature that ensures good atomization quality and promotes fuel vaporization. A further feature of the present invention is that the cold start fuel preheat system heats fuel sufficiently to overcome cold start fuel atomization issues without excessive heating and an energy storage solution is utilized to recover energy from the engine coolant to heat the fuel during subsequent cold start operations.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood, after reading the subsequent description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4414932 (1983-11-01), Lindberg
patent: 4461249 (1984-07-01), Majkrzak
patent: 4612896 (1986-09-01), Leibrand
patent: 4972901 (1990-11-01), Hormansdorfer
patent: 4991644 (1991-02-01), Miaoulis et al.
patent: 5540198 (1996-07-01), Hurner
patent: 5611392 (1997-03-01), Malecek et al.
patent: 5662090 (1997-09-01), Ward

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