US 12,448,939 B1
Fuel admission tube for enhanced mixing in gaseous fuel engine and engine operating method
Bobby John, Peoria, IL (US); Jonathan W. Anders, Peoria, IL (US); Naga Krishna Chaitanya Kavuri, Melissa, TX (US); and William Barnes, Rapid City, SD (US)
Assigned to Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, IL (US)
Filed by Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, IL (US)
Filed on Apr. 18, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/639,186.
Int. Cl. F02M 55/02 (2006.01); F02M 35/10 (2006.01); F02M 61/18 (2006.01)
CPC F02M 35/10216 (2013.01) [F02M 61/1813 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An engine system comprising:
an engine housing forming a plurality of intake ports each fluidly connecting between an upstream intake air feed opening and a plurality of intake valve openings, such that a feed of air through each respective one of the plurality of intake ports enters a respective cylinder of the engine system through the respective plurality of intake valve openings, the engine housing further forming a common air cavity fluidly connecting the upstream intake air feed opening to the plurality of intake ports, and each of the plurality of fuel admission tubes extends through the common air cavity;
a plurality of fuel admission tubes each forming a fuel passage extending from a first tube end forming a fuel inlet, to a second tube end having a terminal end surface extending circumferentially around a fuel outlet; and
each of the plurality of fuel admission tubes further including at least one mixing air opening formed therein and fluidly connected to the fuel passage at a location that is between the first tube end and the terminal end surface, the at least one mixing air opening being configured to admit some of the intake air therethrough, and the at least one mixing air opening includes a plurality of mixing air openings having both an axial distribution and a circumferential distribution in the fuel admission tube.