Systems for reacting fuel and air to a reformate

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for reacting fuel and air to a reformate. Said system comprises a reformer including a reaction chamber, a nozzle for supply a fuel/air mixture to the reaction chamber, at least one supply line for supplying fuel to the nozzle and at least one entrance channel for supplying air to the nozzle. According to the invention, the nozzle comprises a swirl chamber into which the at least one supply line for supplying fuel runs in a substantially axial/central manner and the at least one entrance channel runs in a substantially tangential manner and from which a nozzle outlet exits. The swirl chamber comprises a narrowing spiral channel into which the entrance channel for the gaseous medium runs, and a space axially contiguous thereto in the direction toward the nozzle outlet, into which the supply line for supplying fuel runs and from which the nozzle outlet exits.

1 . A system for reacting fuel and air to a reformate, comprising 
 a reformer which has a reaction space,    a nozzle for supplying a fuel/air mixture to the reaction space,    at least one supply conduit for supplying fuel to the nozzle, and    at least one entrance channel for supplying air to the nozzle wherein, the nozzle comprises a swirl chamber into which the at least one supply conduit for supplying a liquid medium opens substantially axially centrally and the at least one entrance channel for supplying a gaseous medium opens substantially tangentially, and from which exits a nozzle outlet, and    wherein the swirl chamber comprises a narrowing spiral channel, into which opens the entrance channel for the gaseous medium, and a gap space axially contiguous thereto in the direction toward the nozzle outlet, into which opens the supply conduit for supplying fuel, and from which exits the nozzle outlet.    
   
   
       2 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein one end wall of the spiral channel has a circular cylindrical shape and the other one has a spiral shape.  
   
   
       3 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the entrance channel for the liquid medium is arranged coaxially with respect to the nozzle outlet.  
   
   
       4 . The system as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the liquid medium is centrally fed into the gap space via a bore aligned with the central longitudinal axis of the swirl chamber and is discharged on the side of the gap space directly opposite said bore via another larger bore which forms the nozzle outlet.  
   
   
       5 . The system as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the nozzle outlet is defined by a nozzle bore in an end plate of the gap space of the swirl chamber.  
   
   
       6 . The system as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the edge of the nozzle outlet on the side of the gap space of the swirl chamber is rounded, bevelled or sharp-edged.  
   
   
       7 . The system as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the axial length of the nozzle outlet is 0.050 mm to 1 mm.  
   
   
       8 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising at least one secondary air bore.  
   
   
       9 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a glow plug.  
   
   
       10 . The system as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the glow plug is held at an angle with respect to the nozzle axis.  
   
   
       11 . The system as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the axial length of the nozzle outlet is 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm.