UNIT 4 Dr.

Roop Lal
I. C. Engines [AE 304]

LECTURE 4: TOPIC: Fuel system: CI Engine: fuel injection: common rail direct injection

Compression Ignition Engine Fuel Supply System

FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS OF AN INJECTION SYSTEM

1. Introduction of the fuel into the combustion chamber should take place within a
precise defined period of the cycle.
2. The metering of the amount of fuel injected per cycle should done very accurately.
3. The quantities of fuel metered should vary to meet the changing load and speed
requirements.
4. The injection rate should be such that it results in the desired heat release pattern.
5. The injected fuel must be broken into very fine droplets.
6. The pattern of spray should be such as to ensure rapid mixing of fuel and air.
7. The beginning and end of the injection should be sharp.
8. The timing of injection, if desired, should change as per the requirements of load
and speed.
9. The distribution of the metered fuel, in the case of multi-cylinder engines, should
be uniform among various cylinders.
10. Besides above requirements, the weight and the size of the fuel injection system
must be minimum. It should be cheaper to manufacture and least expensive to attend
to; adjust or repair.

For accomplishing these requirements the following functional elements are required in a
fuel injection system:

1. Pumping elements: To move the fuel from the fuel tank to cylinder and piping etc.
2. Metering elements. To measure and supply the fuel at the rate demanded by the
load and
3. Metering Control: To adjust the rate of metering elements for changes in load and
speed of the engine.
4. Distributing Elements: To divide the metered fuel equally among the cylinders.
5. Timing Controls: To adjust the start and the stop of injection.
6. Mixing elements: To atomize and distribute the fuel within the combustion
chamber.

FUNCTIONS OF A FUEL IN.SECTION SYSTEM

1. Filter the fuel.

2. Meter or measure the correct quantity of fuel to be injected.

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UNIT 4 Dr. Roop Lal
I. C. Engines [AE 304]

3. Time the fuel injection.

4. Control the rate of fuel injection.
5. Atomize or break up the fuel to fine particles.
6. Properly distribute the fuel in the combustion chamber.

 The injection systems are manufactured with great accuracy, especially the parts that
actually meter and inject the fuel. Some of the tolerances between the moving parts
are very small of the order of micron. Such closely fitting parts require special
attention during manufacture and hence the injection systems are costly.

FUEL INJECTION SYSTEMS

In compression ignition engines (diesel and semi-diesel) the following two methods of fuel
injection are used
1. Air injection 2. Solid or airless injection.

1. Air Injection
In this method of fuel injection air is compressed in the compressor to a very high pressure
much higher than developed in the engine cylinder at the end of the compression stroke and
then injected through the fuel nozzle into the engine cylinder. The rate of fuel admission can
be controlled
by varying the pressure of injection air. Storage air bottles which are kept charged by an air
compressor (driven by the engine) supply the high pressure air
Advantages
(i) It provides better atomization and distribution of fuel.
(ii) As the combustion is more complete, the b. m. e. p. is higher than with other types
of injection systems.
(iii) Inferior fuels can be used.
Disadvantages
This method is not-used now-a-days due to the following reasons/disadvantages
(i) It requires a high pressure multi-stage compression. The large number of parts, the
intercooler etc. make the system complicated and expensive.
(ii) A separate mechanical linkage is required to time the operation of fuel valve.
(iii) Due to the compression and the linkage the bulk of the engine increases. This also
results in reduced B.P. due to power loss in operating the compression and linkage.
(iv) The fuel in the combustion chamber burns veil near to injection nozzle which
many times leads to overheating and burning of valve and its seat.
(v) The fuel valve sealing requires considerable skill.
(vi) in case of sticking of fuel valve the system becomes quite dangerous due to the
presence of high pressure air.

2. Solid or Airless Injection

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UNIT 4 Dr. Roop Lal
I. C. Engines [AE 304]

Injection of fuel directly into the combustion chamber without primary atomization is termed
as solid injection. It is also termed as mechanical Injection.
Main Components
The main components of a fuel injection system are
(i) Fuel Tank
(ii) Fuel feed pump to supply the fuel from the main fuel tank to the injection pump.
(iii) Fuel Filters to prevent dust and abrasive particles from entering the pump and
injectors.
(iv) Injection pump to meter and pressurize the fuel for injection.
v) Governor to ensure that the amount of fuel is in accordance with variation in load.
(vi) Fuel pipings and injectors to take the fuel from the pump and distribute it in the
combustion chamber by atomizing it in fine droplets.
Main types of modern fuel injection systems:
1. Common-rail injection system. 2. Individual pump injection system.
3. Distributor system.
Atomization of fuel oil has been secured by (i) air blast and (ii) pressure spray. Early diesel
engines used air fuel injection at about 70 bar. This is sufficient not only to inject the oil, but
also to atomize it for a rapid and thorough combustion. The expense of providing an air
compressor and tank lead to the development of "solid" injection, using a liquid pressure of
between 100 and 200 bar which is sufficiently high to atomize the oil it forces through spray
nozzles. Great advances have been made in the field of solid injection of the fuel through
research and progress in fuel pump, spur nozzles, and combustion chamber design

1. Common-rail injection system

Two types of common-rail injection systems are:
 Refer Fig. 29. A single pump supplies high-pressure fuel to header, a relief valve
holds pressure constant. The control wedge adjusts the lift of mechanical operated
valve to set amount and time of injection.
 Refer Fig. 30. Controlled-pressure system has pump which maintains set head
pressure. Pressure relief and timing valves regulate injection time and amount.
Spring loaded spray valve acts merely as a check.
Advantages:
(i) The system arrangement is simple and less maintenance cost
(ii) Only one pump is sufficient for multi-cylinder engine.
(iii) It fulfills the requirements of either the constant load with variable speed or
constant speed with variable load.
(iv) Variation in pump supply pressure will affect the cylinders uniformly.
Disadvantages
(1) There is a tendency to develop leaks in the injection valve.
(ii) Very accurate design and workmanship are required.

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UNIT 4 Dr. Roop Lal
I. C. Engines [AE 304]

Figure 29: Single Pump Common Rail Fuel Injection System

Figure 30: Common Rail Fuel Injection System

2. Individual pump Injection system

 Refer Fig. 31. In this system an individual pump or pump cylinder connects directly to
each fuel nozzle. Pump meters charge and control injection timing, Nozzles contain a
delivery valve actuated by the fuel oil pressure.
 The design of this type of pump must be very accurate and precise as the volume of
fuel injected per cycle is 1/20,000 of the engine displacement at full load and

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