Apparatus and methods for converting conventionally fueled engines to operate on an alternative fuel
First Claim
1. A method of operating an internal combustion engine with an alternative fuel, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing first and second alternative fuel injectors in fluid communication with the alternative fuel;
measuring the temperature of the alternative fuel;
generating an intermediate alternative fuel injector control signal in response to the temperature of the alternative fuel and the energy content differential of conventional fuel and the alternative fuel;
adjusting the intermediate alternative fuel injector control signal to a final alternative fuel injector control signal in accordance with the flow and operating characteristics of the alternative fuel injector; and
transmitting the final alternative fuel injector control signal to the first alternative fuel injector until the load on the engine increases past the capacity of the first alternative fuel injector, and thereafter transmitting the final alternative fuel injector control signal to the first and second alternative fuel injectors.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and methods for converting fuel injected internal combustion engines normally operated with a conventional fuel such as gasoline to operate with an alternative fuel are disclosed. The methods include a synchronization method where an alternative fuel injector control signal is synchronized among two or more alternative fuel injectors throughout the engine'"'"'s energy demand range; a method for transforming non-sequential conventional fuel injector control signals to individual cylinder timed alternative fuel injector control signals; a method for transforming sequential multi-port conventional fuel injector control signals to throttle body alternative fuel injector control signals; and a method which includes adjusting the timing of the start of the injection relative to the valve opening event as a function of fuel flow.
54 Citations
16 Claims
-
1. A method of operating an internal combustion engine with an alternative fuel, the method comprising the steps of:
-
providing first and second alternative fuel injectors in fluid communication with the alternative fuel; measuring the temperature of the alternative fuel; generating an intermediate alternative fuel injector control signal in response to the temperature of the alternative fuel and the energy content differential of conventional fuel and the alternative fuel; adjusting the intermediate alternative fuel injector control signal to a final alternative fuel injector control signal in accordance with the flow and operating characteristics of the alternative fuel injector; and transmitting the final alternative fuel injector control signal to the first alternative fuel injector until the load on the engine increases past the capacity of the first alternative fuel injector, and thereafter transmitting the final alternative fuel injector control signal to the first and second alternative fuel injectors.
-
-
2. A method of operating an internal combustion engine with an alternative fuel, the method comprising the steps of:
-
providing a plurality of alternative fuel injectors in fluid communication with the alternative fuel; measuring the temperature of the alternative fuel; generating an intermediate alternative fuel injector control signal in response to the temperature of the alternative fuel and the energy content differential of conventional fuel and the alternative fuel; adjusting the intermediate alternative fuel injector control signal to a final alternative fuel injector control signal in accordance with the flow and operating characteristics of the alternative fuel injector; and synchronizing the final alternative fuel injector control signal among the alternative fuel injectors. - View Dependent Claims (3)
-
-
4. A method of converting a conventionally fueled internal combustion engine to operate with an alternative fuel, the engine having an electronic control module which generates a control signal to a conventional fuel injector, the engine also having a valve which cycles through a valve opening event, the method comprising the steps of:
-
providing an alternative fuel injector in fluid communication with the alternative fuel; measuring the temperature of the alternative fuel; generating an intermediate alternative fuel injector control signal in response to the temperature of the alternative fuel and the energy content differential of conventional fuel and the alternative fuel; adjusting the intermediate alternative fuel injector control signal to a final alternative fuel injector control signal in accordance with the flow and operating characteristics of the alternative fuel injector; establishing the time (t.sub.α
) between the control signal to the conventional fuel injector and a point of the valve opening event;establishing the time (t.sub.β
) between the point of the valve opening event and the optimum point at which to actuate the alternative fuel injector;adjusting the final alternative fuel injector control signal as a function of t.sub.α
and t.sub.β
; andtransmitting the final alternative fuel injector control signal to the alternative fuel injector. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A method of converting a conventionally fueled internal combustion engine to operate with an alternative fuel, the engine having an electronic control module which generates a control signal to a conventional fuel injector, the method comprising the steps of:
-
providing a plurality of throttle body alternative fuel injectors in fluid communication with the alternative fuel; measuring the temperature of the alternative fuel; generating an intermediate alternative fuel injector control signal in response to the temperature of the alternative fuel and the energy content differential of conventional fuel and the alternative fuel; adjusting the intermediate alternative fuel injector control signal to a final alternative fuel injector control signal in accordance with the flow and operating characteristics of the alternative fuel injector; and alternately transmitting the final alternative fuel injector control signal among the throttle body alternative fuel injectors. - View Dependent Claims (15)
-
-
16. A method of converting a conventionally fueled internal combustion engine to operate with an alternative fuel, the engine having an electronic control module which generates a control signal to a conventional fuel injector, the method comprising the steps of:
-
providing an alternative fuel injector in fluid communication with the alternative fuel; measuring the temperature of the alternative fuel; generating an intermediate alternative fuel injector control signal in response to the temperature of the alternative fuel and the energy content differential of conventional fuel and the alternative fuel; adjusting the intermediate alternative fuel injector control signal to a final alternative fuel injector control signal in accordance with the flow and operating characteristics of the alternative fuel injector; varying the timing of the start of the final alternative fuel injector control signal as a function of the fuel flow rate demanded by the engine; and transmitting the final alternative fuel injector control signal to the alternative fuel injector.
-
Specification