Fast Burn and High Compression Ratio Fuel Management System for Minimization of Ethanol Consumption in Ethanol Boosted Gasoline Engines

• US 20090024306A1
• Filed: 07/03/2008
• Published: 01/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ethanol Boosting Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Ethanol Boosting Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Bromberg, Leslie, Cohn, Daniel R., Blumberg, Paul
• Application Number:
  US12/167,534
• Publication Number:
  US 20090024306A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/103
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2075/125 Direct injection in the combustion chamber for spark ignition engines, i.e. not in pre-combustion chamber
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0655 at least one fuel being an alcohol, e.g. ethanol F02D19/084 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0689 for in-cylinder direct injection
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0692 Arrangement of multiple injectors per combustion chamber
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/081 Adjusting the fuel composition or mixing ratio; Transitioning from one fuel to the other
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/12 peculiar to engines working with non-fuel substances or with anti-knock agents, e.g. with anti-knock fuel
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 37/02 one of the functions being ignition
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0025 Controlling engines characterised by use of non-liquid fuels, pluralities of fuels, or non-fuel substances added to the combustible mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/401 Controlling injection timing F02D41/402 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 15/08 having multiple-spark ignition, i.e. ignition occurring simultaneously at different places in one engine cylinder or in two or more separate engine cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

Fuel management system for a spark ignition gasoline engine. The system includes a gasoline engine, a source of gasoline, a source of a second liquid fuel and a means for introducing gasoline into the cylinders of the engine. Injectors directly inject the second liquid fuel into the cylinders of the engine and a fuel management control system controls injection of the second fuel into the cylinder so that it is provided in an amount needed to prevent knock as torque increases or other conditions require. A means for providing fast burn is provided.

Claims

1. Fuel management system for a spark ignition gasoline engine comprising:

a gasoline engine;

a source of gasoline;

a source of a second liquid fuel;

a means for introducing gasoline into the cylinders of the engine;

injectors for direct injection of the second liquid fuel into the cylinders of the engine;

a fuel management control system for controlling injection of the second fuel into the cylinder so that it is provided in an amount needed to prevent knock as torque increases or other conditions require;

and a means for providing fast burn.

2. The fuel management system of claim 1 where the 10%-90% burn occurs in 15-20 crank angle degrees.

3. The fuel management system of claim 1 where the fast burn in the engine is provided by charge motion.

4. The fuel management system of claim 1 where the fast burn in the engine is provided by increased temperature in the unburned zone of air/fuel mixture zone that burns early in the cycle after the firing of the spark.

5. The fuel management system of claim 1 where there are dual ignition sites on either side of the cylinder.

6. The fuel management system of claim 1 where the direct injector is located in the center of the cylinder.

7. The fuel management system of claim 1 where the spray of the second fuel is aimed toward the end gas on the exhaust valve side of the cylinder and the injector is located near the periphery.

8. The fuel management system of claim 1 where the time of the direct injection of the second fuel is adjusted to minimize the ethanol consumption.

9. The fuel management system of claim 1 where turbulence is created at or near the intake port.

10. The fuel management system of claim 1 where combustion is retarded by means of spark retard relative to what it would be if fast burn were not employed.

11. The fuel management system of claim 9 where combustion, as measured by the 50% burn crank angle, is retarded using appropriate spark retard by an amount between 5 and 10 degrees.

12. The fuel management system of claims 1, 2, 8 or 9 where the amount of second fuel that is used is reduced when the fast burn is provided.

13. The fuel management system of claim 1 where the amount of combustion retard is varied as a function of load and speed by means of appropriate spark retard.

14. The fuel management system of claim 1 where the degree of combustion retard is chosen so as to optimize the combination of efficiency gain and minimization of the required amount of the second fluid fuel.

15. The fuel management system of claims 1-14 where the second fuel is ethanol or its blends.

16. The fuel management system of claims 1-14 where the second fuel is E85.

17. The fuel management system of claims 1-14 where the second fuel is methanol or its blends.

18. Fuel management system for a spark ignition gasoline engine comprising:

a gasoline engine of compression ratio between 13 and 14;

a source of a second liquid fuel;

a means for introducing gasoline into the cylinders of the engine;

injectors for direct injection of the second liquid fuel into the cylinder of the engine;

a fuel management control system for controlling injection of the second fuel into the cylinder so that it is provided in an amount needed to prevent knock as torque increases or other conditions require; and

a means for providing fast burn.

19. The fuel management system of claim 18 where the 10%-90% burn occurs in 15-20 crank angle degrees.

20. The fuel management system of claim 18 where the fast burn in the engine is provided by charge motion.

21. The fuel management system of claim 18 where the fast burn in the engine is provided by increased temperature in the unburned zone of air/fuel mixture zone that burns early in the cycle after the firing of the spark.

22. The fuel management system of claim 18 where there are dual ignition sites on either side of the cylinder.

23. The fuel management system of claim 18 where the direct injector is located in the center of the cylinder.

24. The fuel management system of claim 18 where the spray of the second fuel is aimed toward the end gas on the exhaust valve side of the cylinder.

25. The fuel management system of claim 18 where turbulence is created at or near the intake port.

26. The fuel management system of claim 18 where combustion is retarded by means of spark retard relative to what it would be if fast burn were not employed.

27. The fuel management system of claim 25 where combustion, as measured by the 50% burn crank angle, is retarded using appropriate spark retard by an amount between 5 and 15 degrees.

28. The fuel management system of claims 18, 19 or 25 where the amount of second fuel that is used is reduced when the fast burn is provided.

29. The fuel management system of claim 18 where the amount of combustion retard is varied as a function of load and speed by means of appropriate spark retard.

30. The fuel management system of claim 18 where the degree of combustion retard is chosen so as to optimize the combination of efficiency gain and minimization of the required amount of the second fluid fuel.

31. The fuel management system of claims 18-30 where the second fuel is ethanol or ethanol blends.

32. The fuel management system of claims 18-30 where the second fuel is E85.

33. The fuel management system of claims 18-30 where the second fuel is methanol or methanol blends.

34. A spark ignition gasoline engine where alcohol and gasoline are both directly injected and where the alcohol/gasoline ratio needed to prevent knock is reduced by using fast burn.

35. The spark ignition engine of claim 34 where a high energy spark plug is used to provide fast burn.