Internal combustion engine fuel supply system
First Claim
1. In a method of operating an internal combustion engine, said engine including a fuel supply tank for receiving a liquid hydrocarbon fuel, a fuel line coupled to said fuel supply tank, a gas intake line, a throttle valve coupled to said engine and to said gas intake line, a converter for converting said liquid hydrocarbon fuel to a soot-free gaseous fuel by means of partial combustion, a first branch line coupled to said gas intake line, a gas metering valve coupled to said first branch line and to said converter, a first fuel metering valve coupled to said fuel line and said converter, an injection device coupled to said converter, a second branch line coupled to said fuel line between said fuel metering valve and said converter, and a second fuel metering valve coupled to said second branch line and to said injection device, said method including the steps of converting said liquid hydrocarbon fuel to a soot-free gaseous fuel by means of partial combustion in said converter while supplying an oxygen-containing gas to said converter by means of said first branch line and said gas metering valve, supplying said gaseous fuel to said engine, and supplying combustion air to said engine by means of said throttle valve and said gas intake line to support combustion of said gaseous fuel, the improvement comprising the step of admixing, by means of said second fuel metering valve, liquid hydrocarbon fuel from said fuel supply tank with said gaseous fuel produced by said converter, subsequent to said step of converting and prior to said steps of supplying said gaseous fuel to said engine and supplying said combustion air to said engine, said step of admixing further comprising admixing said liquid hydrocarbon fuel with said gaseous fuel by opening said second fuel metering valve to admix said liquid hydrocarbon fuel with said gaseous fuel when said throttle valve is fully opened.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The method of operating an internal combustion engine which includes the steps of converting liquid hydrocarbon fuel to a soot-free gaseous fuel by means of partial combustion in a converter while supplying an oxygen-containing gas to the converter by means of a first branch line and a gas metering valve, supplying the gaseous fuel to the engine, and supplying combustion air to the engine by means of a throttle valve and a gas intake line to support combustion of the gaseous fuel. The improvement comprises the step of admixing, by means of a second fuel metering valve, liquid hydrocarbon fuel from a fuel supply tank with the gaseous fuel produced by the converter, subsequent to the step of converting and prior to the steps of supplying the gaseous fuel to the engine and supplying combustion air to the engine. The step of admixing further comprises admixing the liquid hydrocarbon fuel with the gaseous fuel by opening the second fuel metering valve to admix the liquid hydrocarbon fuel with the gaseous fuel when the throttle valve is fully opened.
20 Citations
6 Claims
- 1. In a method of operating an internal combustion engine, said engine including a fuel supply tank for receiving a liquid hydrocarbon fuel, a fuel line coupled to said fuel supply tank, a gas intake line, a throttle valve coupled to said engine and to said gas intake line, a converter for converting said liquid hydrocarbon fuel to a soot-free gaseous fuel by means of partial combustion, a first branch line coupled to said gas intake line, a gas metering valve coupled to said first branch line and to said converter, a first fuel metering valve coupled to said fuel line and said converter, an injection device coupled to said converter, a second branch line coupled to said fuel line between said fuel metering valve and said converter, and a second fuel metering valve coupled to said second branch line and to said injection device, said method including the steps of converting said liquid hydrocarbon fuel to a soot-free gaseous fuel by means of partial combustion in said converter while supplying an oxygen-containing gas to said converter by means of said first branch line and said gas metering valve, supplying said gaseous fuel to said engine, and supplying combustion air to said engine by means of said throttle valve and said gas intake line to support combustion of said gaseous fuel, the improvement comprising the step of admixing, by means of said second fuel metering valve, liquid hydrocarbon fuel from said fuel supply tank with said gaseous fuel produced by said converter, subsequent to said step of converting and prior to said steps of supplying said gaseous fuel to said engine and supplying said combustion air to said engine, said step of admixing further comprising admixing said liquid hydrocarbon fuel with said gaseous fuel by opening said second fuel metering valve to admix said liquid hydrocarbon fuel with said gaseous fuel when said throttle valve is fully opened.
Specification