FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM – TD6
DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION 19-1-13
The injector can be divided into four main sections:
l Hole nozzle with injector needle
l Hydraulic servo system
l Solenoid valve
l Connections and fuel channels.
The high pressure connection (4) guides the fuel through channel (10) to the nozzle and also through the supply
throttle (7) in the control chamber (5).
The control chamber is connected to the fuel return line (1) by the outlet throttle (8), which is opened by a solenoid
valve. When the outlet throttle is closed, hydraulic force on the valve piston (9) exceeds that on the pressure stage of
the injector needle (11). Consequently, the injector needle is pressed into seat and seals the high pressure channel
off from the engine compartment. Fuel cannot enter the combustion chamber, although it is constantly pressurized at
the high pressure connection.
When the injector activation unit is actuated (2/2 solenoid valve), the outlet throttle is opened. This reduces the
pressure in the control chamber, and therefore the hydraulic force on the valve piston.
As soon as the hydraulic force drops below that on the pressure stage of the injector needle, the injector needle opens,
which allows the fuel to enter the combustion chamber through the spray apertures.
This indirect activation of the injector needle via a hydraulic force increasing system is used because the force
required to open the injector needle using the solenoid valve cannot be produced directly. The control quantity
required in addition to the fuel quantity injected enters the fuel return line via the control chamber throttle.
In addition to the pilot control volume, fuel is also lost (leakage quantity) at the nozzle needle and valve piston guides.
The control and leakage quantities can be up to 50 mm
3
per stroke. They are guided back to the fuel tank via the fuel
return line with a manifold, to which the overflow valve, high pressure pump and pressure control valve are connected.
The function of the injector can be subdivided into four operating statuses when the engine is running and the high
pressure pump is delivering fuel:
l Injector closed (under high pressure)
l Injector opens (start of injection)
l Injector fully open
l Injector closes (end of injection).
These operating statuses are applied according to the distribution of force amongst the components of the injectors.
If the engine is not running and there is an absence of pressure in the rail, the nozzle spring closes the injector.
When at rest, the 2/2-solenoid valve is not activated and is therefore closed. Because the outlet throttle is closed, the
armature ball is pressed into the lodgment at the drain throttle by the valve spring. The rail high pressure accumulates
in the valve control chamber. The same pressure is also exerted in the chamber volume of the nozzle. The forces
applied by the pressure to the surfaces of the control piston and the force of the nozzle spring keeps the injector
needle closed against the opening force attacking its pressure stage.
Wen the injector starts to open the 2/2-solenoid valve is activated by the starting current (I = 20 amps), which enables
the 2/2 solenoid valve to be opened quickly. The force of the activated electromagnet exceeds that of the valve spring
and the armature opens the final throttle. After a maximum of 450 ms, the increased starting current (I = 20 amps) is
reduced to a lower retaining current of the electromagnet (I= 12 amps). This is possible because the air gap of the
magnetic circuit is now smaller.
Opening the drain throttle allows fuel to flow out of the valve control chamber into the cavity above, and then to the
fuel tank via the fuel return line. The inlet throttle prevents complete compensation from taking place and the pressure
in the valve control chamber drops. As a consequence, the pressure in the valve control chamber is lower than the
pressure in the chamber volume of the nozzle which still has the same level of pressure as the rail. The reduced
pressure in the valve control chamber leads to less pressure being exerted on the control piston and to the injector
needle being opened. Injection commences.
The speed at which the injector needle opens is determined by the difference in throughput in the inlet and outlet
throttle. After a stroke of approx. 200 mm, the control piston reaches its upper limit point and stays there, supported
by a cushion of fuel. The cushion is created by the flow of fuel between the inlet and outlet throttle. The injector nozzle
is now completely open and the fuel is injected into the combustion chamber at a pressure approaching that of the
pressure in the rail.