SIMPLIFIED METHOD TO INJECT ETHANOL OR OTHER SOLUTION ADDITIVES INTO DIESEL ENGINES EQUIPPED WITH A DIGITAL DATA BUS

• US 20140156167A1
• Filed: 12/05/2013
• Published: 06/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electromotive Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Electromotive Incorporated
• Inventors: LUKACZYK, William A., RAWLINGS, Jonathan W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,422,874 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/102
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 47/02 the substances being water or steam
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/066 Retrofit of secondary fuel supply systems; Conversion of engines to operate on multiple fuels
• 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 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 41/3094 the fuel injection being effected by at least two different injectors, e.g. one in the intake manifold and one in the cylinder
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/022 Adding fuel and water emulsion, water or steam
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

A system for the delivery of ethanol or other solution additives to the intake manifold of compression ignition diesel engines comprising an electronic control module containing a microcomputer capable of monitoring SAE J1939 serial data, receive a signal from an additive monitoring sensor and have outputs to turn on a pump relay, indicator lamp and from 1 to n pulse width modulated electrical fluid injectors.

Claims

1. A system for the delivery of ethanol or other solution additives to the intake manifold of compression ignition diesel engines comprising an electronic control module containing a microcomputer capable of monitoring SAE J1939 serial data, receive a signal from an additive monitoring sensor and have outputs to turn on a pump relay, indicator lamp and from 1 to n pulse width modulated electrical fluid injectors.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the microcomputer retrieves various data parameters from the J1939 data stream such as engine RPM, Engine load, coolant temperature and other data.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the microcomputer determines if the proper level of additive is present and when the proper engine operating conditions are met, can turn on a fluid pump electrical relay.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the microcomputer calculates with linear interpolation and extrapolation software routines from data stored in a 3 dimensional array a desired injector pulse width.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the system does not use a crankshaft sensor or other direct means to measure engine speed or crankshaft position and instead is using data from the J1939 data bus.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the system does not use a pressure sensor or other direct means to measure engine load or fuel rate and instead is using data from the J1939 data bus.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the system can create a start of injection pulse instants which are not exactly synchronized to the exact position of the crankshaft but occur at a rate of injection which is approximately proportional to the speed of crankshaft rotation and such injection rate is constantly adjusted to the most recently available RPM value as obtained from the J1939 data.

8. The system of claim 1 including an ability to allow arbitrary injector output pattern firing-orders by use of a programmable table.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the microcomputer monitors the additive fluid level or pressure and turn on a diagnostic lamp or notify the operator in another way if the system operation is not within prescribed parameters.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the microcomputer uses a data communications interface to a PC type computer and a graphical human interface to allow for modifications to stored calibration parameters and to see current operating conditions within the system.