Engine modification to adapt DME as fuel.

Base engine identical to normal diesel engine. New injection system is needed. Two times
the fuel flow. DME is injected as a liquid. Lower pressure injection. Higher compression ratio.
1. The DME &el would be delivered by a common rail system under a high pressure of
about 20 MPa, acting steadily on one side of the nozzle seat, with the presence of hot
burning gases on the other side. The injector's behaviour is unpredictable in such an
environment. Given the low viscosity of DME, this environment presents significant
threats with respect to leakage of the fuel to the combustion chamber between
consecutive injections. To address this issue, and minimize the leakage, a steel to steel
sealing contact semis to be inevitable, so as to assure improved scat geometry &
needle concentricity
2.

The low viscosity of DME presents a second hurdle insofar as the durability of the
needle seat is concerned. The seat sealing surface would be subject to hi&
temperature and to high frequency impacts from the needle hitting the dace. Since
the DME liquid layer cannot create an appropriate cushion, there is no dampening of
the needle movement and dissipating its kinetic energy, and these impacts un
adversely affect the durability of the needle seat.

3.

Given the lack of dense liquid &el between the injector needle and the nozzle body.
combined with a loosened fit surface in an injector with a pressure balanced needle,
there is increased potential of high bouncing of the needle at both sides of its stroke;
the upper stop and the bottom seat. The increased spring-back of the needle when
fully open might reduce the fuel flow through the nozzle orifices, thus affecting the
discharge rate characteristic, and the engine combustion process. The increased
spring-back of the needle when hitting the seat would further create the unwanted
post-injection of the fuel into the combustion chamber, which is detrimental to the
engine combustion process. Post-injection is the delivery of fuel into the combustion
system at an inappropriate time, resulting in the direct discharge of the fie1 into the
exhaust in the form of particles, hydrocarbons, and other emissions. The
increased spring-back of the needle also increases the impact force on the node seat,
which contributes to the wear of the seat, as previously described.

4.

The speed and repeatability of the solenoid dynamic response. combined with the
high temperatures existing in the combustion chamber, cause an increase in the
temperature of the solenoid coi1 its& This heating of the solenoid d cause a
reduction in the total pulling force provided by the solenoid actuator. There can k
several consequences; the extreme king a complete malfunction of the injector,
where the needle does not have enough force to open. More moderate consequences
include the non-uniformity in injected fuel dose and injection timing across all
cylinders-

5.

At any given moment, the injector nozzle stores more fuel than is needed for each
individual discharge. When the needed fie1 is injected, the excess remains in the
nozzle, and is subject to the extremely high temperatures of the combustion chamber.
Given the low boiling temperature of DME, this exposes fuel to vaporization. If this
occurs, the fuel discharge rate might be adversely affected.
6. The control of the nozzle's fat opening was previously accomplished by a switching
circuit which was able to withstand up to 10 MPa pressure. However, it is known that
DME must be pressured at 20 MPa in order to maintain its liquid form in the hot
temperature surroundings of the combustion chamber. It is clear that the driving
circuit previously used would not be applicable to an injection system operating with
DME.