FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[001] The present invention relates to a fuel heating system for application in fuel injection galleries. Such a system may be applied, for example, for cold starting, reducing emissions of pollutant gases, inter alia other applications in internal combustion engines and automotive vehicles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[002] The growing search for cleaner sources of energy, associated with the increasing demand for less polluting engines, has transformed the method of contending with internal combustion engines. Currently, such internal combustion engines utilize ethanol as fuel. However, as is known by those skilled in the art, the satisfactory combustion of ethanol is conditioned upon the temperature of the same. In this scenario of increasing utilization of ethanol, and in view of the combustion difficulties presented by this fuel at low temperatures, much has been done to develop auxiliary systems for engine starting.

[003] A very common example of a system of assisting the starting of internal combustion engines is the cold start systems, very widespread in the automotive market, particularly for vehicles utilizing fuels of lower volatility such as ethanol, methanol, or dual fuel technology. A popularly known cold start technology is the auxiliary starting tank, or simply ^x little petrol tank' . Such an auxiliary starting tank functions based on the utilization of petrol to increase the volatility of the air-fuel mixture such that starting occurs more easily. Following starting, the electronic controls of the vehicles cease the supply of petrol such that solely ethanol is mixed with the air to supply a new air-fuel mixture in the combustion chambers of the vehicles. Today, the majority of the flex automobiles in circulation in Brazil possess this auxiliary tank technology which has represented an important advance in the sense of improving starting on colder days. Nevertheless, the ^x little petrol tank' technology still possesses diverse disadvantages, such as high emission of pollutant gases by the petrol which, by virtue of the low temperature, is not completely burnt in the combustion chambers of the engine. This auxiliary tank system furthermore entails great risks of safety and leakages, in addition to the inconvenience that the user cannot neglect filling the ^x little tank' on cold days in order to provide the cold start of the vehicle.

[004] In consequence, heedful of this reality, companies and research workers have developed solutions of electric heaters in order to heat the fuel minimally above the flashpoint thereof and thus achieve the provision of the ignition of the engine even on cold days, eliminating the necessity of initial injection of petrol or of the popularly known ^x little petrol tank for cold starting' . An example of heating technology utilized is the heater known as a glow plug. Flowing from applications in diesel vehicles, this type of heater takes the form of a metal rod positioned in the fuel gallery, heating fuel passing therethrough prior to being injected into the engine or the inlet manifold of the engine.

[005] Notwithstanding the evolution beyond the ^x little petrol tank' , this heating technology employs a high temperature heater for rapid heating, producing risks of fuel boiling (should this occur, steam is injected instead of liquid fuel, leading to engine failures) , overheating, increase of internal pressures in the components, leakages and, in more extreme cases, even fire or melting of plastic parts. Other fuel heating technologies for cold starting have been created, having however geometric constructions and positionings differing from the glow plug, some, for example, incorporated into the fuel injector nozzle. By virtue of having a small area of heat exchange with the fuel, all until now operate at high temperatures and also present the overheating and safety risks of the glow plug type heater.

[006] In order to resolve the drawbacks and disadvantages brought about by this system of cold starting, new systems have been developed wherein the usual heaters are replaced by a heating element of the PTC thermistor type (thermistor having a positive temperature coefficient) in conjunction with a high efficiency heat exchanger. Such developments are divulged in the documents BR102015030039-5, BR102015024209-3 and BR102015028631-7. In this manner, by virtue of being disposed between the inlet and the outlet of the heating device, the fuel comes into contact with the heat exchanger, this emitting the heat received from the interior thereof by means of the thermistor. Through this system the fuel is heated rapidly, utilising the low surface temperature PTC thermistor autocontrolled by the very doping thereof with semiconductors, preventing the fuel exceeding a given temperature (determined in the doping and manufacturing process of the PTC thermistor) and eliminating the problems caused previously. It must be noted that, although other heaters of PTC type do exist, such technologies having PTCs alone, without the use of high efficiency heat exchangers, also demand PTCs having a high surface temperature, this still maintaining the requirement for electronic temperature control hardware.

[007] The solutions revealed by the documents

BR102015024209-3, BR102014023292 -3 and PI1005341-7 propose the utilization of a heating element associated with each of the injector nozzles of an internal combustion engine. These solutions demand a high expenditure of energy by virtue of the fact that they bring about the heating of a large mass of fuel.

[008] As has been seen hereinabove, the solutions revealed involve the utilization of a heating system for each injector nozzle, this also rendering the systems expensive and difficult to implement on a large scale. In this respect, companies have developed systems utilising the traditional glow plugs inserted into the principal fuel supply gallery.

[009] An example of glow plug utilization in the fuel gallery may be observed in patent application PI1100311-1, revealing a fuel gallery provided with a glow plug heating element in each of the extremities thereof. Such glow plug elements bring about the heating of the entire mass of fuel present in the principal supply gallery of the injector nozzles. The depositor of the patent application PI1100311-1 has utilized a common fuel gallery presenting small adaptations at the extremities to contain the glow plug elements. The document PI1100311-1 proposes heating the fuel prior to injection, however it brings about an unnecessary expenditure of energy by virtue of the fact that it heats a mass of fuel much greater than that which would be injected in the first moments of starting. Furthermore, the heating revealed by this document is provided along the supply gallery in an unequal manner by virtue of the fact that the heating elements are located at the extremities of the gallery. Finally, such system does not demonstrate any concern with the thermal insulation of the parts heated. In other words, the patent application PI1100311-1 is a matter of a mere juxtaposition of elements known in the state of the art.

[010] Consequently, it is clear that the necessity exists for a fuel heating system being utilizable and implementable without the aforedescribed disadvantages. That is to say, a fuel heating system capable of providing an efficient heater, easily installed and of low manufacturing cost, in addition to being dimensioned such as to prevent energy waste and heat losses to the environment.

OBJECTS AND DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[011] Consequently, an object of the present invention is to provide a fuel heating system comprising, preferentially, a heating element fluidically associated with a fuel injector nozzle.

[012] In an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the heating element is fluidically associated with two or more fuel injector nozzles. Furthermore, the association of the heating element with at least one injector nozzle, according to a preferential embodiment of the present invention, is provided in an optimized manner such that solely the minimum of fuel required for the first instants of starting the engine is heated.

[013] Another object of the present invention is to ensure the reduction in the expenditure of energy to heat the fuel to be injected in the first moments of the starting of the vehicle.

[014] An additional object of the present invention is to minimize the loss of heat from the heated fuel to the external environment.

[015] Moreover, a further two objects of the present invention are to provide a fuel heating system having a small number of heating elements.

[016] And it is also an object of the present invention to permit that the heating elements may be easily replaced when necessary.

[017] One or more aforementioned objects of the present invention, inter alia, are achieved by means of a fuel heating system 10 comprising at least a primary fuel gallery 20, at least a first fuel inlet region 21 fluidically connected to the primary fuel gallery 20, at least an upper heating region 25, at least a heating element 40 comprising a heating surface 41 and associated with the upper heating region 25, at least a region of passage of fuel 42 associated with the heating surface 41, at least a secondary fuel gallery 30 comprising at least a second fuel inlet region 32 and at least a second fuel outlet region 31, both fluidically connected to the secondary fuel gallery 30. Finally, the region of passage of fuel 42 fluidically connects the primary fuel gallery 20 to the second fuel inlet region 32 of the secondary fuel gallery 30.

[018] In particular, the second fuel outlet region

31 of the secondary fuel gallery 30 is fluidically connected to an automotive injector nozzle 50.

[019] In an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the secondary fuel gallery 30 comprises the second fuel inlet region 32 fluidically connected to a heating element 40 and at least two second fuel outlet regions 31 fluidically connected to at least two fuel injector nozzles 50.

[020] In a preferential manner of embodiment of the present invention a distancing element 70 is associated with at least a fuel outlet 31 of the secondary fuel gallery 30.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[021] These and other objectives, advantages and technical and functional improvements of the fuel heating system, object of the present invention, will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the schematic figures appended showing a preferred, however non-limitative, mode of embodiment of the present invention .

[022] The images from 1 to 9 reveal a first exemplificative preferential embodiment of the fuel heating system 10 of the present invention.

[023] Figure 1 shows an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of the fuel heating system 10 as revealed by the present invention.

[024] Figure 2 shows a cross section through the upper 25 and lower 25A heating regions with the heating element 40 associated with the heating system of the present invention.

[025] Figure 3 shows an assembly in perspective view of the heating system according to the present invention .

[026] Figure 4 shows a cross section through the central region of the fuel injector nozzle 50 of the heating system of the present invention.

[027] Figure 5 shows a view of the parts constituting the primary 20 and secondary 30 fuel galleries according to the first exemplificative mode of embodiment of the present invention.

[028] Figure 6 shows a cross section through the central region of the fuel injector nozzle 50. The cross section of figure 6 is similar to the cross section shown in figure 4, presenting the difference that in this image the fuel injector nozzle 50 has been omitted for the better visualization of the details.

[029] Figure 7 shows a cross section through the upper 25 and lower 25A regions with the heating element 40 omitted for the better visualization of the internal details according to the first mode of embodiment of the heating system of the present invention.

[030] Figure 8 shows an upper view according to the first exemplificative embodiment of the present invention wherein it is possible to observe the association of the second fuel inlet region 32 with two fuel injector nozzles 50.

[031] Figure 9 shows, in an enlarged manner, the upper view shown in figure 8 in order to better demonstrate association of a heating element 40 with two fuel injector nozzles 50.

[032] The images from 10 to 17 reveal a second exemplificative mode of embodiment for the fuel heating system 10 according to the present disclosure.

[033] Figure 10 shows a cross section through the upper 25 and lower 25A heating regions with the heating element 40 associated with the heating system as revealed by the second exemplificative embodiment of the present invention.

[034] Figure 11 shows an exploded perspective view of the second preferential mode of embodiment of the fuel heating system as revealed by the present invention .

[035] Figure 12 shows a cross section through the central region of the fuel injector nozzle 50 of the heating system according to the second preferential embodiment revealed by the present invention.

[036] Figure 13 shows a perspective view of the galleries of the fuel heating system according to the second mode of embodiment of the present invention.

[037] Figure 14 shows a cross section through the central region of the fuel injector nozzle 50. Said cross section is similar to the cross section shown in figure 12, presenting the difference that in this image the fuel injector nozzle 50 has been omitted for the better visualization of the details.

[038] Figure 15 shows a cross section through the upper 25 and lower 25A regions with the heating element 40 omitted for the better visualization of the internal components according to the second preferential mode of embodiment of the heating system of the present invention.

[039] Figure 16 shows a plan view consonant with the second preferential embodiment of the present invention wherein it is possible to observe the association of a heating element 40 with fuel injector nozzles 50.

[040] Figure 17 shows, in an enlarged manner, the upper view shown in figure 8 in order to better demonstrate association of a heating element 40 with fuel injector nozzles 50.

[041] The images from 18 to 28 reveal a third alternative variant embodiment for the fuel heating system 10 according to the teachings of the present invention .

[042] Figure 18 shows a cross section through the upper 25 and lower 25A heating regions with the heating element 40 associated with the heating system according to the third embodiment for the present invention.

[043] Figure 19 shows an exploded perspective view according to the third preferential mode of embodiment of the heating system as divulged by the present invention .

[044] Figure 20 shows a cross section through the central region of the fuel injector nozzle 50 of the heating system according to the third exemplificative embodiment of the present invention.

[045] Figure 21 shows a cross section of the fuel outlet 31 comprising a distancing element 70 associated with said fuel outlet 31 of the secondary fuel gallery 30.

[046] Figure 22 shows an exploded perspective view of the installation provided for the galleries according to the third mode of preferential embodiment of the present invention.

[047] Figure 23 shows a cross section through the central region of the fuel injector nozzle 50 according to the third exemplificative embodiment of the present invention. Such cross section of figure 23 is similar to the cross section shown in figure 20, presenting the difference that in this image the fuel injector nozzle 50 has been omitted for the better visualization of the details .

[048] Figure 24 shows a cross section through the upper 25 and lower 25A heating regions with the heating element 40 omitted for the better visualization of the internal details, according to the third preferential mode of embodiment of the heating system of the present invention .

[049] Figure 25 shows a perspective view detailing the distancing element 70 associated with the fuel outlet 31 of the secondary fuel gallery 30.

[050] Figure 26 shows an upper view of the third preferential embodiment of the present invention wherein it is possible to observe the association of a heating element 40 with two fuel injector nozzles 50.

[051] Figure 27 shows, in an enlarged manner, the upper view shown in figure 26 in order to better demonstrate association of a heating element 40 with two fuel injector nozzles 50.

[052] Figure 28 shows a perspective view of the gallery plate 80 comprising the secondary fuel gallery 30 and associated with the upper gallery housing 26.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[053] The invention shall now be described in relation to the figures appended. In the figures and in the description hereinbelow similar parts are indicated using identical reference numbers. The figures are not necessarily to scale, that is say given characteristics of the invention may be shown at an exaggerated scale or in a schematic manner and details of conventional elements may not be shown, having the objective of illustrating this description with greater clarity and concision .

[054] Consequently, for the purposes of the present invention, the heating element 40 comprises at least a heating surface 41 wherein a source of heat is capable of controlledly heating the fuel in contact with the said heating surface 41. The means of bringing about such heating are diverse and, in a non-limitative manner, the use of an assembly with plates of a thermistor element (PTC) or an electrical resistance is highlighted.

[055] As aforementioned, the images from 1 to 9 reveal a first exemplificative preferential embodiment of the fuel heating system 10 of the present invention.

[056] As may be observed in figures 1 and 2, the fuel heating system 10 of the present invention comprises at least a primary fuel gallery 20 fluidically connected to at least a first fuel inlet region 21, at least an upper heating region 25, at least a heating element 40 comprising a heating surface 41 and associated with the upper heating region 25, at least a region of passage of fuel 42 associated with the heating surface 41, at least a secondary fuel gallery 30 comprising at least a second fuel inlet region 32 and at least a second fuel outlet region 31. In this first preferential embodiment of the present invention the secondary fuel gallery 30 and the primary fuel gallery 20 are disposed internally within an external gallery housing 28, such that the region of passage of fuel 42 fluidically connects the primary fuel gallery 20 to the second fuel inlet region 32 of the secondary fuel gallery 30.

[057] Furthermore in figure 1 it is possible to observe that the association between the heating element 40 and the upper heating region 25 is provided by means of a securing element 60. Said securing element, as revealed in this first embodiment of the present invention, is of the elastic type and the utilization thereof permits a simple association between the heating element 40 and the upper heating region 25 such that the said heating elements 40 may be easily replaced when required. It is highlighted that the association between the heating element 40 and the upper heating region 25 may be realized in diverse ways. In a non-limitative manner the utilization may be highlighted of a system of flange and bolts, or alternatively the utilization of a threaded system of male type upon the heating element and corresponding system of female threads within the upper heating region 25. Finally, the presence may be observed of installation members 29 associated with the external gallery housing 28 such as to promote the association of the system of the present invention, for example, with an internal combustion engine. Said installation members 29 may contain an orifice in order that a bolt may be utilized in the installation of the same.

[058] Figure 2 portrays more clearly the association between the heating element 40 and the upper heating region 25, wherein it is possible to observe the utilization of an upper sealing ring 61 not permitting leakage of fuel from the heating system of the present invention.

[059] When the heating element 40 is inserted into the upper heating region 25 the heating surface 41 of the said heating element is disposed in a lower heating region 25A wherethrough the flow of fuel occurs.

[060] Figure 2 illustrates the trajectory followed by the fuel to be heated, wherein said fuel flows through the primary fuel gallery 20 and enters into the region of passage of fuel 42 by means of the first fuel outlet region 22 from the said primary fuel gallery 20, the said region of passage of fuel 42 being associated with the heating surface 41. Subsequently, the fuel flowing past the heating surface 41, through the region of passage of fuel 42, is heated and egresses from said region of passage of fuel 42 by means of the second fuel inlet region 32, leading the now heated fuel to the secondary fuel gallery 30. It must be noted that the paths travelled by the heated fuel are dimensioned to contain the minimum fuel necessary for the first instants of the starting of the engine, such as to prevent energy waste and minimize the heating time. The secondary fuel gallery 30 permits the egress of the fuel to the fuel injector nozzles 50 by means of the second fuel outlet region 31. Said fuel injector nozzles 50 are associated with the external gallery housing 28 by means of nozzle securing members 55. In a non-limitative manner it is highlighted that such nozzle securing members 55 are produced, preferentially, in metal material.

[061] In the assembly shown by figure 3 it may be observed that two heating elements 40 and four fuel injector nozzles 50 have been utilized. This assembly revealed by figure 3 is an embodiment of the fuel heating system 10 in the form wherein the said system may be associated with an internal combustion engine comprising 4 cylinders.

[062] Figure 4 shows a cross section through the central region of the fuel injector nozzle 50 wherein it is possible to clearly observe that the secondary fuel gallery 30, by means of the second fuel outlet region 31, supplies heated fuel to the fuel injector nozzle 50. In this image it also possible to observe the utilization of a lower sealing ring 62 sealing the fluidic communication between the second fuel outlet region 31 and the fuel injector nozzle 50.

[063] Figure 5 shows an exploded view of the parts constituting the primary 20 and secondary 30 fuel galleries of the first exemplificative embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, in figure 5 it is possible to observe the utilization of inlet sealing rings 23 fluidically sealing the association of the first fuel inlet region 21 with the primary fuel gallery 20. The utilization may furthermore be observed of a crimped washer 24 utilized to secure the installation for associating the first fuel inlet region 21 with the primary fuel gallery 20 within an external gallery housing 28.

[064] Additionally, in figure 5 it is possible to observe the use of compartment element 27 in the installation of the primary fuel gallery 20 within the external gallery housing 28. Such compartment elements 27 have as objective thereof to prevent fuel being retained within the interior of the external gallery housing 28 should the primary gallery 20 present leakage of fuel.

[065] Figure 6 shows the primary fuel gallery 20 in cross section. In this figure it is possible to observe the lower heating region 25A and the secondary fuel gallery 30 leading the now heated fuel to the second fuel outlet region 31. In this image is also possible to observe the compartment element 27.

[066] Figure 7 shows a cross section through the upper 25 and lower 25A heating regions with the heating element 40 omitted for the better visualization of the internal components. It is possible to observe the first fuel outlet region 22 associated with the region of passage of fuel 42 and the second fuel inlet region 32 fluidically connected to said region of passage of fuel 42.

[067] Figures 8 and 9 show an upper view according to the first preferential embodiment of the present invention wherein it is possible to observe the association of the second fuel inlet region 32 with two fuel injector nozzles 50. By means of these figures the manner is clear wherein the present invention associates a single heating element 40 with more than one fuel injector nozzle 50.

[068] Additionally in figures 8 and 9, it is possible to observe that the secondary fuel gallery 30 possesses a smaller size in order to minimize the energy expenditure in regard to the heating of fuel, in addition to minimising the fuel heating time.

[069] In a preferential manner, each secondary fuel gallery 30, according to the present disclosure, possesses a volume comprised between 0.02 ml and 0.12 ml .

[070] Preferentially, each secondary fuel gallery

30, according to the present invention, possesses a volume comprised between 0.02 ml and 0.6 ml.

[071] Furthermore, in a preferential manner, each secondary fuel gallery 30, according to the present disclosure, possesses a volume comprised between 0.02 ml and 0.2 ml .

[072] The images from 10 to 17 reveal a second mode of embodiment of the fuel heating system 10 according to the present disclosure.

[073] In a manner analogous to the first embodiment, figure 10 shows the heating element 40 associated with the upper heating region 25 having heating surface 41 disposed within the region of passage of fuel 42 of the lower heating region 25A. In this manner, the fuel flows through the primary fuel gallery 20 and enters into the region of passage of fuel 42 by means of the first fuel outlet region 22 from the said primary fuel gallery 20. Subsequently, the fuel flowing past the heating surface 41, by means of the region of passage of fuel 42, is heated and egresses from said region of passage of fuel 42 by means of the second fuel inlet region 32, leading the now heated fuel to the secondary fuel gallery 30. It must be noted that in this second embodiment the paths travelled by the heated fuel are also dimensioned to contain the minimum fuel necessary for the first instants of the starting of the engine such as to prevent waste of energy and minimize the heating time. The secondary fuel gallery 30 permits egress of the fuel to the fuel injector nozzles 50 by means of the second fuel outlet region 31.

[074] Figure 11 is analogous to figure 1 of the first embodiment of the present invention, presenting the difference that this embodiment is based upon the utilization of an upper gallery housing 26 and a lower gallery housing 26A for installation of the components of the system. The installation members 29 of this embodiment are associated with the lower gallery housing 26A and have the same purpose of facilitating the installation of the system of the present invention .

[075] Figure 12 shows a cross section through the central region of the fuel injector nozzle 50 wherein it is possible to clearly observe the secondary fuel gallery 30 which, by means of the second fuel outlet region 31, supplies heated fuel to the fuel injector nozzle 50. In this image it is also possible to observe the utilization of a lower sealing ring 62 sealing the fluidic communication between the second fuel outlet region 31 and the fuel injector nozzle 50. The fuel injector nozzles 50 are associated with the lower gallery housing 26A by means of nozzle securing members 55.

[076] Figure 13 shows the installation of the fuel heating system 10 according to the second preferential embodiment. Differing from the first embodiment, in image 13 it is possible to observe that the upper gallery housing 26 is associated with a lower gallery housing 26A by means of a ^x sandwich' installation. For such installation, the secondary fuel galleries 30 are disposed upon the lower gallery housing 26A and, subsequently, the upper gallery housing 26 is installed upon this assembly by means of a process of polymer welding. In this second embodiment the primary fuel gallery 20 is disposed internally within the upper gallery housing 26. In a non-limitative manner, the welding processes may be typified as being the process of welding by laser, ultrasound, vibration, hot gas or any other known to those skilled in the art.

[077] In a manner similar to figure 6, figure 14 shows a cross section through the centre of the region of association of the fuel injector nozzle 50.

[078] Figure 15 shows a cross section through the upper 25 and lower 25A heating regions with the heating element 40 omitted for the better visualization of the internal components. The association and operation of the mechanisms is similar to that described for figure 7.

[079] Figures 16 and 17 show an upper view according to the second exemplificative embodiment of the present invention wherein it is possible to observe the association of the second fuel inlet region 32 with two fuel injector nozzles 50.

[080] By means of these figures the manner is clear wherein the present invention associates a single heating element 40 with more than one fuel injector nozzle 50.

[081] The images from 18 to 28 reveal a third exemplificative preferential embodiment for the fuel heating system 10 of the present invention.

[082] The third mode of embodiment of the present invention is appreciably similar to the second mode of preferential embodiment, presenting the difference that this embodiment provides for double welding at the junction of the lower gallery housing 26A and the upper gallery housing 26, and also through the utilization of the gallery plate 80 containing the secondary fuel galleries 30, such as to facilitate the installation of the said secondary galleries. Additionally, the third mode of exemplificative embodiment of the present invention provides for the utilization of a distancing element 70 in the second fuel outlet region 31.

[083] Figure 18 is analogous to figures 2 and 10 of the foregoing embodiments, presenting the difference that in this third alternative embodiment a gallery plate 80 has been utilized. In this embodiment, the nozzle securing members 55 associate the fuel injector nozzles 50 with the lower gallery housing 26A.

[084] Figure 19 is similar to figures 1 and 11 of the aforedescribed embodiments of the present invention. In this embodiment the installation members 29 are associated with the lower gallery housing 26A and have the same purpose of facilitating the installation of the system of the present invention.

[085] Figure 20 shows the third exemplificative embodiment of the present invention, wherein it is possible to observe the utilization of the distancing element 70 between the second fuel outlet region 31 and the fuel injector nozzle 50. Said distancing element 70 prevents the accumulation of fuel in the secondary fuel gallery 30 and also functions to reduce the dead volume in the injector. Additionally, such element 70 is associated with the gallery plate 80 and with the upper gallery housing 26 by means of a process of polymer welding .

[086] Figure 21 shows the distancing element 70 in detail. It is possible to observe that the space filled by the said distancing element 70 reduces the volume of fuel retained downstream of the fuel injector nozzle 50. This characteristic is fundamental for the heating system, by virtue of the fact that the fuel retained in the space may be cold at the moment of the starting of the vehicle and will be rapidly consumed during the first injections of fuel. Such characteristic, associated with the dimensioning of the secondary fuel gallery 30, ensures that duly heated fuel reaches as far as the injector nozzles, promoting a more rapid start of the combustion engine. Additionally, in this image it is possible to observe welding points 90 which, in this example, total four points of association between the distancing element 70 and the lower gallery housing 26A and the gallery plate 80.

[087] Figure 22 clearly shows the gallery plate 80 associated with at least a secondary fuel gallery 30. In this image it is also possible to observe the manner wherein the installation of the fuel heating system 10 is realized according to the third exemplificative embodiment of the present invention. The upper gallery housing 26 and the lower gallery housing 26A are associated in the form of a ^x sandwich' installation such as to dispose, internally to the same, the distancing elements 70 and the gallery plate 80. A process of polymer welding is utilized for due association and hermeticity of the system. It must also be observed that this third mode of preferential embodiment of the present invention provides for double polymeric welding.

[088] It is also stressed that this third exemplificative mode of embodiment of the present invention provides for the gallery plate 80 to contain the secondary fuel gallery 30 disposed thereupon or, alternatively, the secondary fuel gallery 30 may be fabricated within the gallery plate 80 itself.

[089] Figure 23 shows a cross section through the central region of the fuel injector nozzle 50 according to the third exemplificative embodiment of the present invention, and the description of this image is analogous to that revealed for the images 6 and 14.

[090] Figure 24 shows a cross section through the upper 25 and lower 25A heating regions with the heating element 40 omitted for the better visualization of the internal components, in conformity with the description of images 7 and 15.

[091] Figure 25 shows the distancing element 70 associated with the fuel outlet 31 of the secondary fuel gallery 30, wherein it is possible to observe that the space filled by the said distancing element 70 reduces the volume of fuel retained downstream of the fuel injector nozzle 50.

[092] Figure 26 shows an upper view of the third preferential embodiment of the present invention and the detailing thereof is analogous to that presented for figures 8 and 16.

[093] Figure 27 shows the upper view shown in figure 26 and the functions thereof are similar to that described for images 9 and 17.

[094] Finally, it is possible to observe in figure 28 that the gallery plate 80 possesses centring orifices 85 facilitating the installation thereof in the upper gallery housing 26. [095] It is clear that the present invention offers innumerable advantages in relation to the state of the art and presents a robust, compact and more economical solution to promote the superior vaporization of the fuel during the first instants of the starting of an internal combustion engine. Said superior vaporization is advantageous, independent of the fuel utilized. If the engine operates with a high volatility fuel the present invention improves the starting of the vehicle, preventing such high volatility fuel from emitting large quantities of pollutant gases. Alternatively, should the present invention be applied for heating a low volatility fuel, in addition to reducing the emission of harmful gases, the present embodiment improves in a significant manner the ease of starting the engine.

[096] Consequent upon the foregoing, as those skilled in the art well understand, numerous modifications and variations in the invention are possible in the light of the aforestated teachings without departing from the scope of protection thereof, as delimited by the appended claims.