Electronic dual fuel injection system

• US 4,936,280 A
• Filed: 08/16/1989
• Issued: 06/26/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gerard Langlois
• Original Assignee: Gerard Langlois
• Inventors: Langlois, Gerard
• Primary Examiner(s): Cross, E. Rollins
• Application Number:
  US07/394,612
• Time in Patent Office: 314 Days
• Field of Search: 123/578, 123/576, 123/491, 123/179 L, 123/180 T, 123/497, 123/499, 123/357
• US Class Current: 123/578
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 7/06 the fuel in the charge being gaseous
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/061 by controlling fuel injectors
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0615 being initiated by automatic means, e.g. based on engine or vehicle operating conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0631 by estimation, i.e. without using direct measurements of a corresponding sensor
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0649 Liquid fuels having different boiling temperatures, volatilities, densities, viscosities, cetane or octane numbers
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0692 Arrangement of multiple injectors per combustion chamber
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/081 Adjusting the fuel composition or mixing ratio; Transitioning from one fuel to the other
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels

Abstract

There is disclosed an electronic dual-fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine having a cylinder block with driving cylinders. The system has an intake manifold which is connected to the driving cylinders to feed fuel mixtures to the cylinders and an air supply assembly including a shuttle-valve body connected to the manifold for feeding air into it. A high grade fuel supply assembly, which includes an injector mounted on the output section of the air supply assembly, serves for feeding high grade fuel to the manifold. A similar but low grade fuel assembly, which includes a plurality of injectors each of which is mounted on the manifold, serves for feeding low grade fuel to one of the driving cylinders. The injection system also includes a computer, connected to the two fuel supply assemblies, and temperature sensors connected to the computer and to the cylinder block to measure its temperature. The computer is programmed first to cause actuation of the high grade fuel injector for starting and warming the engine up to a predetermined temperature as measured by the temperature sensor and corresponding to the combustion temperature of the low grade fuel. It is also programmed to cause actuation of the low grade fuel injectors to supply low grade fuel to the cylinders after the combustion temperature has been reached and, thereafter, cut-off the high grade fuel supply system.

Claims

1. An electronic dual-fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine having a cylinder block including driving cylinders, said system comprising:

intake manifold means operatively connected to said driving cylinders to feed fuel mixtures thereto;

an air supply assembly having a shuttle-valve body including a tubular output section connected to said manifold means for feeding air thereto;

a high grade fuel supply assembly, including an injector mounted on said output section of said air supply assembly for feeding high grade fuel to said manifold means, and

a low grade fuel supply assembly including a plurality of injectors, each of said injectors being mounted on said manifold means for feeding low grade fuel to one of said driving cylinders.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

computer means operatively connected to said fuel supply assemblies and including a computer and temperature sensor means operatively connected to said computer and to said cylinder block to measure the temperature thereof;

wherein said computer is programmed first to cause actuation of said high grade fuel injector for supplying high grade fuel to said cylinders, through said manifold means, for starting said engine and warming said engine up to a predetermined temperature, as measured by said temperature sensor means and corresponding to the combustion temperature of said low grade fuel and, second, to cause actuation of said low grade fuel injectors to supply low grade fuel to said cylinders after said predetermined temperature has been reached, and thereafter cut off said high grade fuel supply system.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said intake manifold means comprise:

an elongated manifold tube connected to said tubular output section of said air supply assembly to receive air therefrom;

admission pipes, each pipe being connected at one end to said manifold tube to receive air therefrom and being connected at the other end to one of said driving cylinders, and

wherein said low grade fuel injectors are each operatively connected to one of said admission pipes to inject low grade fuel therein.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3, further including heating means in said low grade fuel supply assembly for heating said low grade fuel to said predetermined temperature.

5. A system as claimed in claim 4, further including a throttle valve operatively connected to and controlled by said computer and located upstream of said high grade fuel injector.

6. A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said computer is further programmed to actuate said low-grade fuel injectors to provide low grade fuel in spirts of about 2 seconds duration at about 9 seconds intervals.

7. A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said computer is additionally programmed to cut off said high grade fuel supply injector about two seconds after said predetermined temperature is reached.

8. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said computer is additionally programmed to cut off said high grade fuel supply injector about two seconds after said predetermined temperature is reached.