HEATED FUEL INJECTOR

摘要

A heated fuel injector for supplying fuel to a fuel consuming device includes a fuel inlet for receiving fuel, a fuel outlet for dispensing fuel from the fuel injector, and a fuel injector body extending along an axis and fluidly connecting the fuel inlet to the fuel outlet such that fuel flows within the injector body. A cylindrical heating element radially surrounds the fuel injector body and operates to heat fuel flowing through the fuel injector body. An annular space is defined between the heating element and the fuel injector body sufficiently large to accommodate thermally caused radial differential expansion between the fuel injector body and the heating element. A conductive material fills the annular space and has a melting point sufficiently low to be a liquid as the heating element operates to thereby substantially prevent transfer of mechanical stress to the heating element due to the radial differential expansion.

主权项

1. A heated fuel injector for supplying fuel to a fuel consuming device, said fuel injector comprising:
a fuel inlet for receiving fuel; a fuel outlet for dispensing fuel from said fuel injector; a fuel injector body extending along an axis and fluidly connecting said fuel inlet to said fuel outlet, such that fuel flows within said fuel injector body; a cylindrical heating element radially surrounding said fuel injector body which operates to heat fuel flowing through said fuel injector body over a range spanning a colder temperature to a hotter temperature, with an annular space defined between said heating element and said fuel injector body sufficiently large to accommodate thermally caused radial differential expansion between said fuel injector body and heating element, and; a conductive material substantially filling said annular space and having a sufficiently low melting point to be a liquid as said heating element operates to thereby substantially prevent transfer of mechanical stress to said heating element due to said radial differential expansion.