ALTERNATIVE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE

• US 20100180838A1
• Filed: 07/14/2009
• Published: 07/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: H2 Solutions, LLC
• Original Assignee: H2 Solutions, LLC
• Inventors: LEWIS, JOSEPH E. III, ROBBINS, ANDREW A.
• Application Number:
  US12/502,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20100180838A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/3
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0205 containing a reforming step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0227 containing a catalytic reforming step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/04 containing a purification step for the hydrogen or the synthesis gas
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0861 by plasma
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/32 by reaction of gaseous or liquid organic compounds with gasifying agents, e.g. water, carbon dioxide, air
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/342 with the aid of electrical means, electromagnetic or mechanical vibrations, or particle radiations
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/38 using catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 43/10 Engines or plants characterised by use of other specific gases, e.g. acetylene, oxyhydrogen
• 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 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 21/0206 Non-hydrocarbon fuels, e.g. hydrogen, ammonia or carbon monoxide
• 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 27/04 by electric means, ionisation, polarisation or magnetism
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels

Abstract

An internal combustion engine that includes an engine block assembly, an air intake system coupled to the engine block assembly and an alternative fuel delivery system coupled to the air intake system. The alternative fuel delivery system includes a control module that monitors measurements of operational data of the internal combustion engine from the one or more sensors. In response to the operational data, the control module determines a fuel flow rate of alternative fuel and controls injection of the alternative fuel to provide the determined fuel flow rate of alternative fuel into the air intake system.

Claims

1. An internal combustion engine, comprising:

an engine block assembly,

an air intake system coupled to the engine block assembly; and

a fuel delivery system coupled to the air intake system, wherein the fuel delivery system controls injection of an alternative fuel into the air intake system at an alternative fuel flow rate that varies in response to one or more measurements of operational data.

2. The internal combustion engine of claim 1, wherein the fuel delivery system further comprises:

a control module; and

one or more sensors coupled to the internal combustion engine and to the control module for providing measurements of operational data of the internal combustion engine to the control module.

3. The internal combustion engine of claim 2, wherein the one or more sensors provide at least one of:

air flow measurements, engine load measurement and revolutions per minute (RPM) measurements.

4. The internal combustion engine of claim 3, wherein the control module is operable to:

monitor the measurements of operational data of the internal combustion engine from the one or more sensors;

in response to the operational data, access a flow rate database to determine an alternative fuel flow rate of alternative fuel; and

control injection of the alternative fuel to provide the determined fuel flow rate of alternative fuel into the air intake system.

5. The internal combustion engine of claim 4, wherein flow rate database comprises:

a first table that includes a list of a first type of measurements of operational data and a corresponding list of fuel flow rates for a specific type of engine.

6. The internal combustion engine of claim 5, wherein the flow rate database includes a second table that includes a list of a second type of measurements of operational data and a list of corresponding percentage changes of fuel flow rates for a specific type of engine.

7. The internal combustion engine of claim 6, wherein the specific type of engine is a compression ignition type engine and the first type of measurements are load measurements and the second type of measurements are air flow measurements from the air intake system.

8. The internal combustion engine of claim 6, wherein the specific type of engine is a spark ignition type engine and the first type of measurements are air flow measurements from the air intake system and the second type of measurements are load measurements.

9. The internal combustion engine of claim 6, wherein the list of corresponding fuel flow rates for the list of the first type of measurements of operational data are determined in response to engine efficiency data.

10. The internal combustion engine of claim 9, wherein the list of corresponding percentage changes of fuel flow rates of the second type of measurements of operational data are determined in response to engine efficiency data.

11. The internal combustion engine of claim 4, wherein the fuel delivery system further comprises:

a fuel injector;

an injector driver operable to control the fuel injector in response to a control signal from the control module; and

wherein the control module includes an internal clock and transmits a control signal to the injector driver to vary the fuel flow rate and maintain a predetermined rate of operation of the fuel injector as set by the internal clock.

12. The internal combustion engine of claim 11, wherein the control signal has pulse width modulation.

13. The internal combustion engine of claim 11, wherein the control signal has peak and hold modulation.

14. A method for alternative fuel delivery to an air intake system of an internal combustion engine, comprising:

monitoring operational data from one or more sensors coupled to the internal combustion engine; and

adjusting a fuel flow rate of alternative fuel injected into the air intake system in response to the operational data from the one or more sensors, wherein adjusting the fuel flow rate of alternative fuel includes;

in response to the operational data, accessing a flow rate database to determine a fuel flow rate of alternative fuel corresponding to the operational data; and

controlling injection of the alternative fuel to provide the determined fuel flow rate of alternative fuel into the air intake system.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the alternative fuel includes hydrogen fuel and further comprising:

controlling a hydrogen fuel source to regulate production of hydrogen fuel in response to the determined fuel flow rate of hydrogen fuel.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the hydrogen fuel source comprises at least one of:

electrolyzer, plasma reformer, steam reformer, catalytic reformer, organic feed stock reformer and high pressure hydrogen storage module.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein monitoring operational data from one or more sensors coupled to the internal combustion engine comprises monitoring at least one of the following:

air flow measurements, load measurements and revolutions per minute (RPM) measurements.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the flow rate database includes a first table having a list of load measurements of operational data and a corresponding list of fuel flow rates for a specific type of engine and a second table having a list of air flow measurements of operational data and a list of corresponding percentage changes of fuel flow rates for a specific type of engine.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the flow rate database includes a table that includes a list of air flow measurements of operational data and a corresponding list of fuel flow rates.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the flow rate database includes a table that includes a list of load measurements of operational data and a corresponding list of fuel flow rates.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the fuel flow rate of alternative fuel corresponding to the operational data in the flow rate database is determined in response to engine efficiency data.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein engine efficiency data includes at least one of the following:

engine emission reductions, fuel consumption, fuel costs, fuel availability, engine maintenance costs, thermal efficiency and volumetric efficiency.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein controlling injection of the alternative fuel to provide the determined fuel flow rate of alternative fuel into the air intake system, comprises:

maintaining a predetermined rate of operation of a fuel injector by an internal clock; and

varying duration of injection during each cycle of the predetermined rate of operation to vary the fuel flow rate of alternative fuel.

24. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

injecting an alternative fuel into an engine exhaust system at a fuel flow rate in response to the measurements from the one or more sensors, wherein the alternative fuel reacts with engine emissions in the engine exhaust system for catalytic reduction of the engine emissions.