PROJECT

FUEL INJECTORS

DONE BY: Engine Cadet Nikita Semjonovs

SHIP’S NAME: Ipanema Street
SHIPS TYPE: Oil Product Tanker
PROJECT NO.: E5

DATE APPROVED BY DTO:

NAME OF DTO:
SIGNATURE OF DTO:

DATE APPROVED BY CHIEF ENGINEER:

NAME OF CHIEF ENGINEER:
SIGNATURE OF CHIEF ENGINEER:

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 Working principle

The fuel is delivered by the fuel pumps to the fuel injectors or fuel valves. For the
fuel to burn completely at the correct time it must be atomised (broken up into
tiny droplets). Tiny droplets of fuel should penetrate far enough into the
combustion space so that they mix with the oxygen. The temperature of the
droplets rise rapidly as they absorb the heat energy from the hot air in the
cylinder, and they ignite and burn before they can hit the relatively cold surface of
the liner and piston.

Fuel injectors achieve this by making use of a spring loaded needle valve. The fuel
under pressure from the fuel pump is fed down the injector body to a chamber in
the nozzle just above where the needle valve is held hard against its seat by a
strong spring. As the fuel pump plunger rises in the barrel, pressure builds up in
the chamber, acting on the underside of the needle as shown. When this force
overcomes the downward force exerted by the spring, the needle valve starts to
open. The fuel now acts on the seating area of the valve, and increases the lift.

As this happens fuel flows into the space under the needle and is forced through
the small holes in the nozzle, at this moment fuel is atomised to the cilinder. At
the end of delivery, the pressure drops sharply and the spring closes the needle
valve.

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 Cooling of injector

Some injectors have internal cooling passages in them extending into the nozzle
through which cooling water is circulated. This is to prevent overheating and
burning of the nozzle.
Injectors on modern 2 stroke crosshead engines do not have internal water
cooling passages. They are cooled by a combination of the intensive bore cooling
in the cylinder head being close to the valve pockets and by the fuel which is
recirculated through the injector when the follower is on the base of the cam or
when the engine is stopped.
As well as cooling the injector, recirculating the fuel when the engine is stopped
keeps the fuel at the correct viscosity for injection by preventing it from cooling
down.

Needle valve opening pressure setting

The pressure at which the injector operates can be adjusted by adjusting the load
on the spring. It can be done in different ways, deppends on construction of
injector. By tightening or loosing adjusting nut, by adding special disc on spindle,
by replacing spring.
Needle valve opening pressure must be checked on special test pump unit and
adjusted as per manual. The pressure at which the injectors operate vary
depending on the engine. For example on Ipanema Street A/E’s injection pressure
is 35 bar.

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 Common problems with fuel injectors

Most common problem is wrong needle valve opening pressure. This problem is
caused because of weaken spring and can be solved by adding more pressure on
it.
Needle valve & it’s seat can become weared with time and can cause dribbling of
valve. This parts must be raplaced in accordance with manual.
Nozzle holes can also become weared and cause incorrect atomatization. Nozzle
can be burned, because of pour cooling, wrong fuel viscosity. Nozzle can by
raplaced.
Fuel injectors must be kept in good condition to maintain optimum efficiency, and
to prevent conditions arising which could lead to damage within the cylinder.
Injectors should be changed in line with manufacturers recommendations,
overhauled and tested.

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