Fuel Feeding Control Device of Compressed Natural Gas Engine

• US 20100108038A1
• Filed: 08/31/2009
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Inventors: KANG, Kyung Wan
• Application Number:
  US12/551,317
• Publication Number:
  US 20100108038A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/529
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/022 to adjust the fuel pressure, temperature or composition
• 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 41/0027 the fuel being gaseous non-electrical control F02D19/02
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/22 Safety or indicating devices for abnormal conditions in air/fuel ratio feedback systems F02D41/1495, in electric control linkage F02D11/107, in purge control systems F02M25/0809
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0209 Hydrocarbon fuels, e.g. methane or acetylene
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0224 Secondary gaseous fuel storages
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0227 Means to treat or clean gaseous fuels or fuel systems, e.g. removal of tar, cracking, reforming or enriching
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0242 Shut-off valves; Check valves; Safety valves; Pressure relief valves
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels

Abstract

A fuel feeding control device of a compressed natural gas engine, may include a plurality of storage containers storing compressed natural gas (CNG) and respectively having a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet, a plurality of safety valves respectively connected to the fuel outlet of each storage container, a first line connecting each safety valve to the engine and guiding a flow of the CNG supplied from the respective storage container to the engine, a first valve located adjacent to the storage containers in the first line and controlling a supply of the CNG to the engine, a key switch unit detecting key-on/key-off states, and a controller generating opening/closing signals of the first valve according to the key-on/key-off states, wherein the storage containers are arranged so that the safety valves disposed at each fuel outlet of adjacent storage containers are positioned in opposite locations each other.

Claims

1. A fuel feeding control device of a compressed natural gas engine, comprising:

a plurality of storage containers storing compressed natural gas (CNG) and respectively having a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet;

a plurality of safety valves respectively connected to the fuel outlet of each storage container;

a first line connecting each safety valve to the engine and guiding a flow of the CNG supplied from the respective storage container to the engine;

a first valve located adjacent to the storage containers in the first line and controlling a supply of the CNG to the engine;

a key switch unit detecting key-on/key-off states; and

a controller analyzing a signal corresponding to a location of a key switch input from the key switch unit, and generating opening/closing signals of the first valve according to the key-on/key-off states, the opening signal of the first valve being generated in the key-on state and the closing signal of the first valve being generated in the key-off state,

wherein the storage containers are arranged so that the safety valves disposed at each fuel outlet of adjacent storage containers are positioned in opposite locations each other.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising second lines separately formed from the first line and individually connected to each safety valve such that in case that a safety valve connected to a storage container is operated, the CNG is exhausted from the storage container into the air through a corresponding second line.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising an engine speed detector detecting a rotational state of the engine,

wherein the controller analyzes a signal input from the engine speed detector in the key-on state and generates the opening/closing signals of the first valve corresponding to the rotational state of the engine, and

wherein the controller supplies the opening signal to the first valve when the engine is rotated, and supplies the closing signal to the first valve when the engine is stopped.

4. The device of claim 3, further comprising:

a filter positioned between the first valve and the engine in the first line and filtering foreign substances contained in the CNG supplied from the storage containers;

a second valve positioned between the storage containers and the first valve in the first line, and configured to be opened or closed by an external force so as to control a flow of the CNG to the first valve;

a regulator disposed between the filter and the engine to reduce pressure of the CNG so as to supply a decompressed CNG to the engine;

a heat exchanger connected to the regulator and heated according to a pressure change in the regulator;

a third valve positioned at the engine, and configured to be opened or closed by the controller so as to control an amount of the decompressed CNG supplied from the regulator to the engine; and

a fourth valve positioned between the regulator and the third valve and controlling a flow of the decompressed CNG supplied to the third valve.

5. The device of claim 4, further comprising a pressure detector detecting a pressure of the decompressed CNG flowing between the regulator and the fourth valve, and generating a pressure signal corresponding thereto,

wherein the controller analyzes the pressure signal input from the pressure detector and supplies opening/closing signals to the fourth valve according to the pressure of the decompressed CNG, and

wherein the controller supplies the closing signal to the fourth valve when the detected pressure of the decompressed CNG is lower than or equal to a predetermined pressure.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the first valve includes a high-pressure lock-off blocking valve to block off a flow of the CNG in case that a pressure of the CNG supplied to the first valve is higher than a predetermined pressure.