MULTI-FUEL SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20160222895A1
• Filed: 04/11/2016
• Published: 08/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Transportation IP Holdings, LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Norton, Daniel George, Klingbeil, Adam Edgar
• Application Number:
  US15/095,388
• Publication Number:
  US 20160222895A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/081 Adjusting the fuel composition or mixing ratio; Transitioning from one fuel to the other
• 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 2200/701 Information about vehicle position, e.g. from navigation system or GPS signal
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/02 peculiar to engines driving vehicles; peculiar to engines driving variable pitch propellers
• 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 41/0027 the fuel being gaseous non-electrical control F02D19/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels

Abstract

A method provides for operating an engine configured to use a plurality of differing fuels. The method includes determining a fuel combustion ratio of the plurality of differing fuels associated with at least one engine cylinder of the engine based at least in part on one or more of a plurality of characteristic profiles. This maintains one or more of a plurality of actual values associated with usage of the plurality of differing fuels relative to defined corresponding threshold values. The fuel combustion ratio includes a ratio of the plurality of differing fuels to be delivered to the at least one engine cylinder. A fuel delivery system delivers the plurality of differing fuels to the at least one engine cylinder based on the fuel combustion ratio.

Claims

1. A method for operating an engine configured to use a plurality of differing fuels, the method comprising:

determining a fuel combustion ratio of the plurality of differing fuels associated with at least one engine cylinder of the engine based at least in part on one or more of a plurality of characteristic profiles along a defined path of a mobile asset in which the engine is disposed, wherein the fuel combustion ratio comprises a ratio of the plurality of differing fuels to be delivered to the at least one engine cylinder, and the plurality of characteristic profiles comprises one or more of global positioning sensor (GPS) information for a current location of the mobile asset, a calculated distance from the current location of the mobile asset to a fuel station, a fuel cost for one or more of the plurality of differing fuels, a terrain profile associated with a location on the defined path, or an ambient temperature or ambient pressure proximate to the mobile asset; and

controlling a fuel delivery system to deliver the plurality of differing fuels to the at least one engine cylinder based on the determined fuel combustion ratio.

2. The method of claim 1, where the plurality of characteristic profiles comprises two or more of the GPS information for the current location of the mobile asset, the calculated distance from the current location of the mobile asset to the fuel station, the fuel cost for one or more of the plurality of differing fuels, the terrain profile associated with the location on the defined path, or the ambient temperature or ambient pressure proximate to the mobile asset.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of characteristic profiles comprises at least one asset sensed information comprising at least one of an engine emission level, a fuel usage level, a power output, an engine load, an engine speed, or a fuel injection profile.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling a measured exhaust emission constituent level relative to a defined threshold emission level.

5. A method for operating an engine configured to use a plurality of differing fuels, the method comprising:

monitoring a plurality of engine parameters;

determining a fuel combustion ratio of the plurality of differing fuels associated with at least one engine cylinder of the engine based at least in part on one or more monitored engine parameters and one or more of a plurality of characteristic profiles along a defined path of a mobile asset in which the engine is disposed, wherein the fuel combustion ratio comprises a ratio of the plurality of differing fuels to be delivered to the at least one engine cylinder, and the plurality of characteristic profiles comprises one or more of global positioning sensor (GPS) information for a current location of the mobile asset, a calculated distance from the current location of the mobile asset to a fuel station, a fuel cost for one or more of the plurality of differing fuels, a terrain profile associated with a location on the defined path, or an ambient temperature or ambient pressure proximate to the mobile asset; and

controlling a fuel delivery system to deliver the plurality of fuels to the at least one engine cylinder based on the determined fuel combustion ratio.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein one of the one or more monitored engine parameters comprises an increased load operation of the engine.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the increased load operation comprises a transient acceleration operation.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining if an increased load operation corresponds to an increased gradient of the defined path at the current location of the mobile asset.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining in advance that an increased gradient is coming up along the defined path and pre-staging the engine to anticipate the increased load.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the pre-staging includes switching hardware configurations comprising one of a valve event, compression ratio, piston, piston ring, valve lift profile, pressure sensor, temperature sensor, knock sensor, injector, or injector nozzle.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein one of the one or more monitored engine parameters comprises an aftertreatment status.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein one of the one or more monitored engine parameters comprises a sensor status for a temperature sensor or a knock sensor.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein one of the one or more monitored engine parameters comprises increased engine speed.

14. A fuel system, comprising:

a fuel controlling unit configured to deliver a plurality of differing fuels to at least one engine cylinder of an engine based at least in part on a fuel combustion ratio,

wherein the fuel combustion ratio comprises a ratio of the plurality of differing fuels to be delivered to the at least one engine cylinder and is based at least in part on one or more of a plurality of characteristic profiles along a defined path of a mobile asset in which the engine is disposed, wherein the fuel combustion ratio comprises a ratio of the plurality of differing fuels to be delivered to the at least one engine cylinder, and the plurality of characteristic profiles comprises one or more of global positioning sensor (GPS) information for a current location of the mobile asset, a calculated distance from the current location of the mobile asset to a fuel station, a fuel cost for one or more of the plurality of differing fuels, a terrain profile associated with a location on the defined path, or an ambient temperature or ambient pressure proximate to the mobile asset.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising one or more sensors operable to communicate sensor information with the fuel controlling unit sensor information, and the fuel controlling unit is operable to receive the sensor information and thereby to determine the one or more of the plurality of characteristic profiles.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the fuel controlling unit is configured to signal a fuel demand to a regasification unit to supply at least one of the plurality of fuels.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the fuel controlling unit is configured to maintain an actual quantity of at least one of the plurality of differing fuels in the mobile asset to less than or equal to a defined threshold quantity for that fuel.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of characteristic profiles further comprises one or more of historical operational data or ambient conditions along the defined path.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the mobile asset in which the engine is disposed is a vehicle.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the vehicle is a rail vehicle, and the plurality of differing fuels include diesel and natural gas.