Method and device for integrative control of gas engine

• US 20090071439A1
• Filed: 08/28/2008
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engine & Turbocharger, Ltd. (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Inventors: Sakai, Kei, Shiraishi, Masataka, Kakuhama, Yoshitaka, Kitamura, Yosuke
• Granted Patent: US 7,747,378 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/403
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2275/14 Direct injection into combustion chamber
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 37/00 Engines characterised by provision of pumps driven at least for part of the time by exhaust
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/024 by controlling fuel injectors
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/027 Determining the fuel pressure, temperature or volume flow, the fuel tank fill level or a valve position
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0406 Intake manifold pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 31/002 controlling air supply
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0007 for control of turbo-charged or super-charged engines control of the pumps per se F02B37/12
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0027 the fuel being gaseous non-electrical control F02D19/02
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/187 using a hot wire flow sensor
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0236 Multi-way valves; Multiple valves forming a multi-way valve system
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0284 Arrangement of multiple injectors or fuel-air mixers per combustion chamber
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/047 Venturi mixer
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels

Abstract

An integrative control method and device for controlling gas engines is proposed which is improved load responsivity of the engine while maintaining air fuel ratio control. The control method comprises a speed control process for controlling engine rotation speed by calculating a command value of fuel gas flow rate based on deviation of a detected engine rotation speed from a target command value of engine rotation speed and controlling fuel gas flow rate flowing through the fuel gas flow control valve to coincide with the calculated command value of fuel gas flow rate, and an air fuel ratio control process for controlling air fuel ratio of fuel-air mixture supplied to the combustion chamber of the engine through performing feedback control in which such a command value of fuel-air mixture flow rate is calculated that air fuel ratio of the mixture is appropriate with the fuel gas flow flowing at the commanded fuel gas flow rate and a target opening of the throttle valve is determined based on deviation of the actual mixture flow rate calculated based on detected values of operating conditions of the gas engine from the calculated command value of fuel-air mixture flow rate.

Claims

1. An integrative control method of a gas engine in which fuel

gas is introduced via a fuel gas flow control valve to a charging air supply pipe to be mixed with the air and the mixture is controlled in its flow rate by a throttle valve and supplied to combustion chambers of the engine, comprising:

a speed control process for controlling engine rotation speed by calculating a command value of fuel gas flow rate based on deviation of a detected engine rotation speed from a target command value of engine rotation speed and controlling fuel gas flow rate flowing through the fuel gas flow control valve to coincide with the calculated command value of fuel gas flow rate, and

an air fuel ratio control process for controlling air fuel ratio of fuel-air mixture supplied to the combustion chamber of the engine through performing feedback control in which such a command value of fuel-air mixture flow rate is calculated that air fuel ratio of the mixture coincides with an adequate value prescribed for each of detected values of operating conditions of the gas engine with the fuel gas flow flowing at the commanded fuel gas flow rate and a target opening of the throttle valve is determined based on deviation of the actual mixture flow rate calculated based on detected values of operating conditions of the gas engine from the calculated command value of fuel-air mixture flow rate.

2. An integrative control method of a gas engine according to claim 1, wherein an adequate excess air ratio map in which adequate excess air ratios are prescribed for various engine rotation speeds and engine load factors is provided and an adequate excess air ratio is obtained from the adequate excess air ratio map using the detected engine speed and the calculated engine load factor, and a command value of mixture flow rate is calculated in the air fuel ratio control process so that excess air ratio of the mixture coincides with the obtained excess air ratio with fuel gas flowing at the commanded rate of fuel gas flow rate calculated in the speed control section.

3. An integrative control method of a gas engine according to claim 1, wherein the fuel-air mixture is supplied to the combustion chamber via a compressor of a turbocharger and exhaust gas from the combustion chambers drives a turbine connected to the compressor, and flow rate of fuel-air mixture is controlled by the throttle valve located downstream from the compressor.

4. An integrative control method of a gas engine according to

claim 1, wherein limit ranges of fuel gas flow rates including at least upper limit of fuel gas flow rates are prescribed based on permissible endurance of the gas engine or limit ranges of excess air ratios including at least lower limit of excess air ratios are prescribed based on permissible air fuel ratio for preventing abnormal combustion for various engine speed and load, and limit control is performed so that the command value of fuel gas flow rate does not exceed the limit range for concerned engine speed and load in the speed control section.

5. An integrative control device of a gas engine in which fuel gas is introduced via a fuel gas flow control valve to a charging air supply pipe to be mixed with the air and the mixture is controlled in its flow rate by a throttle valve and supplied to combustion chambers of the engine, the engine being equipped with a rotation speed sensor for detecting engine rotation speed, a inlet pressure sensor for detecting inlet mixture pressure, an inlet temperature sensor for detecting inlet mixture temperature, and a control device which performs engine control based on input signals from the sensors, wherein the control device comprises

a speed control section for controlling engine rotation speed by calculating a command value of fuel gas flow rate based on deviation of a detected engine rotation speed from a target command value of engine rotation speed and controlling fuel gas flow rate flowing through the fuel gas flow control valve to coincide with the calculated command value of fuel gas flow rate, and

an air fuel ratio control section for controlling air fuel ratio of fuel-air mixture supplied to the combustion chamber of the engine through performing feedback control in which such a command value of fuel-air mixture flow rate is calculated that air fuel ratio of the mixture coincides with an adequate value prescribed for each of detected values of operating conditions of the gas engine with the fuel gas flow flowing at the commanded fuel gas flow rate and a target opening of the throttle valve is determined based on deviation of the actual mixture flow rate calculated based on detected engine rotation speed, inlet manifold pressure, and inlet manifold temperature from the calculated command value of fuel-air mixture flow rate.

6. An integrative control device of a gas engine according to claim 5, wherein an adequate excess air ratio map in which adequate excess air ratios are prescribed for various engine rotation speeds and engine load factors is provided and an adequate excess air ratio is obtained from the adequate excess air ratio map using the detected engine speed and the calculated engine load factor, and a command value of mixture flow rate is calculated in the air fuel ratio control section so that excess air ratio of the mixture coincides with the obtained excess air ratio with fuel gas flowing at the commanded rate of fuel flow rate calculated in the speed control section.

7. An integrative control device of a gas engine according to claim 5, wherein the fuel-air mixture is supplied to the combustion chamber via a compressor of a turbocharger and exhaust gas from the combustion chambers drives a turbine connected to the compressor, and the throttle valve for controlling flow rate of fuel-air mixture is located downstream from the compressor.

8. An integrative control device of a gas engine according to claim 5, wherein limit ranges of fuel gas flow rates including at least upper limit of fuel gas flow rates are prescribed based on permissible endurance of the gas engine or limit ranges of excess air ratios including at least lower limit of excess air ratios are prescribed based on permissible air fuel ratio for preventing abnormal combustion for various engine speed and load, and limit control is performed so that the command value of fuel gas flow rate does not exceed the limit range for concerned engine speed and load in the speed control section.

9. An integrative control device of a gas engine according to claim 5, wherein a subsidiary chamber for igniting mixture introduced into the combustion chamber is provided above the combustion chamber, and the engine is further provided with a pressure sensor for detecting fuel gas pressure supplied to the subsidiary chamber and a pressure difference sensor for detecting pressure difference between the pressure of the fuel gas supplied to the subsidiary chamber and inlet mixture pressure in addition to the inlet mixture pressure sensor, wherein the control device has a calculation means for calculating one of pressures or pressure difference among the inlet mixture pressure, the fuel gas pressure, and the pressure difference from two of the pressures or pressure difference using a relation between them.