On-board fuel additive injection systems

• US 20070101969A1
• Filed: 08/22/2006
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Envirofuels LLC
• Original Assignee: Envirofuels LLC
• Inventors: Schembri, Chris, Baxter, C., Lay, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 7,428,890 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/304
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/00 Engine-pertinent apparatus for adding non-fuel substances or small quantities of secondary fuel to combustion-air, main fuel or fuel-air mixture adding secondary air to fuel-air mixture F02M23/00; adding exhaust gases F02M26/00; fuel-injection apparatus operating simultaneously on two or more fuels or on a liquid fuel and another liquid F02M43/00
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 37/0047 Layout or arrangement of systems for feeding fuel fuel injection apparatus characterised by their conduits and venting means F02M55/00; fuel injection apparatus having a common rail F02M63/0225; arrangement of fuel conduits of low pressure fuel injection apparatus F02M69/462

Abstract

Disclosed is a fuel additive system for internal combustion engines in which the fuel additive system is disposed on-board a vessel such as marine vessel or locomotive. The fuel additive system includes a fuel additive reservoir containing a fuel additive in fluid communication with an internal combustion engine. An electronically controlled injector, such as an eductor, is in fluid communication with the internal combustion engine and a fuel level meter or sensor, fuel efficiency meter or sensor, or other meter or sensor which, upon sensing certain pre-set conditions, e.g., increase of fuel level in a fuel storage tank or decrease in fuel efficiency, the injector injects an appropriate amount of fuel additive from the fuel additive reservoir and into the fuel stream that ultimately enters the internal combustion engine.

Claims

1. A fuel additive system for an internal combustion engine on-board a vessel, the system comprising:

an internal combustion engine in fluid communication with a fuel storage tank through a fuel supply line and a fuel return line, the fuel supply line transporting fuel from the fuel storage tank to the internal combustion engine and the fuel return line transporting unspent fuel from the internal combustion engine to the fuel storage tank;

a reservoir for storing a fuel additive, the reservoir being in fluid communication with the internal combustion engine; and

an injector for injecting the fuel additive into the internal combustion engine, the injector being in fluid communication with the reservoir and the internal combustion engine,

wherein the internal combustion engine, the reservoir, and the injector are disposed on-board the vessel.

2. The fuel additive system of claim 1, wherein the vessel is a marine vessel.

3. The fuel additive system of claim 1, wherein the vessel is a locomotive.

4. The fuel additive system of claim 1, wherein the injector is a venturi siphon pump.

5. The fuel additive system of claim 1, wherein the reservoir containing the fuel additive is in fluid communication with the fuel supply line disposed between the internal combustion engine and the fuel storage tank.

6. The fuel additive system of claim 1, wherein the internal combustion engine is in fluid communication with a fuel return line, the fuel return line transporting unspent fuel from the internal combustion engine to the fuel storage tank.

7. The fuel additive system of claim 6, wherein the reservoir containing the fuel additive is in fluid communication with the fuel return line disposed between the internal combustion engine and the fuel storage tank.

8. The fuel additive system of claim 1, wherein the reservoir containing the fuel additive is in fluid communication with the fuel storage tank.

9. The fuel additive system of claim 1, the fuel storage tank includes a flow meter for measuring the flow of fuel from an outside source into the fuel storage tank.

10. The fuel additive system of claim 9, wherein the injector is coupled to the flow meter such that an appropriate amount of the fuel additive is automatically injected into the internal combustion engine upon the flow meter sensing an increase in the level of fuel in the fuel storage tank.

11. The fuel additive system of claim 10, wherein the reservoir containing the fuel additive is in fluid communication with the fuel supply line disposed between the internal combustion engine and the fuel storage tank.

12. The fuel additive system of claim 10, wherein the internal combustion engine is in fluid communication with a fuel return line, the fuel return line transporting unspent fuel from the internal combustion engine to the fuel storage tank.

13. The fuel additive system of claim 12, wherein the reservoir containing the fuel additive is in fluid communication with the fuel return line disposed between the internal combustion engine and the fuel storage tank.

14. The fuel additive system of claim 10, wherein the reservoir containing the fuel additive is in fluid communication with the fuel storage tank.

16. The fuel additive system of claim 1, further comprising a fuel efficiency meter coupled to the injector such that an appropriate amount of the fuel additive is automatically injected into the internal combustion engine upon the fuel efficiency meter sensing a decrease in the fuel efficiency of the internal combustion engine.

17. A method of injecting a fuel additive into an internal combustion engine of a vessel, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a vessel having disposed thereon

an internal combustion engine in fluid communication with a fuel storage tank through a fuel supply line, the fuel supply line transporting fuel from the fuel storage tank to the internal combustion engine,

a reservoir for storing a fuel additive, the reservoir being in fluid communication with the internal combustion engine, and

an injector for injecting the fuel additive into the internal combustion engine;

(b) monitoring the level of fuel in the fuel storage tank;

(c) sensing an increase in the level of fuel in the fuel storage tank; and

(d) injecting an appropriate amount of a fuel additive based upon the increase in the level of fuel in the fuel storage tank.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the internal combustion engine is in fluid communication with a fuel return line, the fuel return line transporting unspent fuel from the internal combustion engine to the fuel storage tank, and

the fuel additive is injected into the fuel return line.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the fuel additive is injected into the fuel supply line.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the fuel additive is injected into the fuel storage tank.