LOCOMOTIVE ENGINE MULTI-FUEL CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20090299609A1
• Filed: 05/28/2008
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Gokhale, Manoj Prakash
• Granted Patent: US 7,996,147 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/105
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0414 Air temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0602 Fuel pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0606 Fuel temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0625 Fuel consumption, e.g. measured in fuel liters per 100 kms or miles per gallon
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 35/023 by determining the cylinder pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 35/025 by determining temperatures inside the cylinder, e.g. combustion temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 35/028 by determining the combustion timing or phasing
• 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 41/0025 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: 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

A method, in certain embodiments, includes controlling a first parameter set (e.g., fuel injection timing, engine speed, etc.) of an engine to reduce specific fuel consumption to account for a plurality of different fuels alone or in combination with one another. The method also may include controlling a second parameter set (e.g., engine duration, engine speed, manifold air pressure, fuel supply temperature, fuel supply pressure, etc.) of the engine to reduce the possibility of exceeding design limits associated with the engine to account for the plurality of different fuels alone or in combination with one another.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

controlling a first parameter set of an engine to reduce specific fuel consumption to account for a plurality of different fuels alone or in combination with one another; and

controlling a second parameter set of the engine to reduce the possibility of exceeding design limits associated with the engine to account for the plurality of different fuels alone or in combination with one another.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the first parameter set comprises controlling at least one of fuel injection timing, fuel supply pressure, or fuel supply temperature.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the first parameter set comprises controlling manifold air pressure.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the first parameter set comprises controlling engine speed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the first parameter set comprises reducing specific fuel consumption and reducing at least one exhaust emissions parameter comprising at least one of nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, hydrocarbons, or carbon monoxide.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the second parameter set comprises maintaining a peak firing pressure below a design limit.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the second parameter set comprises maintaining a pre-turbine temperature below a design limit.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the second parameter set comprises maintaining a turbospeed below a design limit.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the second parameter set comprises maintaining a maximum fuel injection pressure below a design limit.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the first parameter set and controlling the second parameter set comprises selectively varying fuel injection timing, fuel supply pressure, fuel supply temperature, manifold air pressure, and engine speed to reduce the specific fuel consumption and maintain a peak firing pressure, a pre-turbine temperature, a turbospeed, and a maximum fuel injection pressure within design limits.

11. A method, comprising:

controlling engine parameters for minimizing a specific fuel consumption while maintaining a peak firing pressure, a pre-turbine temperature, a turbospeed, and a maximum fuel injection pressure within design limits for a plurality of different fuels used in an engine.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein controlling comprises selectively varying fuel injection timing, fuel supply pressure, fuel supply temperature, manifold air pressure, and engine speed.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein controlling comprises:

advancing fuel injection timing or reducing engine speed to reduce the specific fuel consumption, if the peak firing pressure is not greater than a design limit; and

retarding fuel injection timing, if the peak firing pressure is greater than the design limit.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein controlling comprises:

derating the engine, increasing engine speed, or decreasing a manifold air pressure, if the turbospeed is greater than a turbospeed design limit and/or if the pre-turbine temperature is greater than a temperature design limit.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein controlling comprises:

increasing a fuel supply temperature or decreasing a fuel supply pressure, if the maximum fuel injection pressure is greater than a pressure design limit; and

decreasing the fuel supply temperature or increasing the fuel supply pressure, if the maximum fuel injection pressure is not greater than the pressure design limit.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein controlling comprises adjusting one or more parameters to account for fuel characteristics.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the fuel characteristics comprise lower heating value, density, and compressibility of the fuel.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein controlling comprises changing from a first fuel to a second fuel, and the first and second fuels are different from one another.

19. A system, comprising:

a computer readable medium; and

code disposed on the computer readable medium, wherein the code comprises instructions to adjust at least one parameter affecting operation of an engine to account for different fuel characteristics of a plurality of different fuels.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the code comprises instructions to control a specific fuel consumption, and instructions to control at least one of a peak firing pressure, a pre-turbine temperature, a turbospeed, or a maximum fuel injection pressure.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the code comprises instructions to reduce a specific fuel consumption, and instructions to maintain a peak firing pressure, a pre-turbine temperature, a turbospeed, and a maximum fuel injection pressure within design limits.

22. The system of claim 19, comprising at least one of an engine control unit having the computer readable medium, an engine having the computer readable medium, or an engine powered vehicle having the computer readable medium.

23. A system, comprising:

an engine controller configured to enable use of a plurality of different fuels with an engine, wherein the engine controller comprises;

a first control configured to adjust at least one of a fuel injection timing or an engine speed to control a specific fuel consumption and a peak firing pressure of the engine;

a second control configured to adjust at least one of a power output, the engine speed, or a manifold air pressure to control a turbocharger coupled to the engine; and

a third control configured to adjust at least one of a fuel supply temperature or a fuel supply pressure to control a maximum fuel injection pressure.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein:

the first control is configured to;

advance the fuel injection timing or reduce the engine speed to reduce the specific fuel consumption, if the peak firing pressure is not greater than a design limit; and

retard the fuel injection timing, if the peak firing pressure is greater than the design limit;

the second control is configured to derate the power output of the engine, increase the engine speed, or decrease the manifold air pressure, if a turbospeed is greater than a turbospeed design limit of the turbocharger and/or if a pre-turbine temperature is greater than a temperature design limit of the turbocharger; and

the third control is configured to;

increase the fuel supply temperature or decrease the fuel supply pressure, if the maximum fuel injection pressure is greater than a pressure design limit; and

decrease the fuel supply temperature or increase the fuel supply pressure, if the maximum fuel injection pressure is not greater than the pressure design limit.

25. The system of claim 23, comprising the engine coupled to the controller.

26. The system of claim 25, comprising the turbocharger coupled to the engine, a wastegate valve coupled to the turbocharger, and an electrical generator coupled to the turbocharger, wherein the second control is configured to adjust the wastegate valve and/or the electrical generator.

27. The system of claim 25, comprising a heat exchanger and a fuel pump coupled to a fuel supply leading to the engine, wherein the third control is configured to adjust the fuel pump and the heat exchanger to adjust the fuel supply pressure and the fuel supply temperature, respectively.