Method and system for improved fuel system performance of a gaseous fuel engine
First Claim
1. An improved gaseous fuel engine system, comprising:
- a gaseous fuel engine for receiving and using a gaseous fuel at a controlled supply pressure; and
a fuel metering system, comprising;
a fuel storage device for storing said gaseous fuel at a storage pressure;
a fuel pressure regulator for receiving said gaseous fuel from said fuel storage device and dynamically reducing the pressure of said gaseous fuel from said storage pressure to said controlled supply pressure;
at least one sensing means for generating a signal input in response to at least one sensed parameter associated with the flow rate of said gaseous fuel; and
controlling means for controlling said fuel pressure regulator in response to said signal input for dynamically determining and controlling the value of said controlled supply pressure and thereby controlling the flow rate of said gaseous fuel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved gaseous fuel delivery system and method (10) to improve performance of a gaseous fuel engine (30) by variably maintaining gaseous fuel pressure to the gaseous fuel engine (30). From a storage device (12), gaseous fuel flows to fuel pressure regulator (16) that variably and dynamically reduces the fuel pressure from the storage pressure and maintains the gaseous fuel pressure at the desired controlled supply pressure. Regulator controller (20) controls the fuel pressure regulator (16) in response to signal inputs (28, 34, 44, and 54) and maintain the gaseous fuel at the controlled supply pressure. Signal inputs (28, 34, 44, and 54) used by regulator controller (20) are derived from sensors such as fuel pressure sensor (24) an engine speed and/or intake manifold pressure sensor (34), fuel temperature sensor (42), and fuel composition sensor (52). The result is substantially improved fuel system dynamic range and the ability to control gaseous fuel supply to the gaseous fuel engine to provide improved fuel metering accuracy and improved engine performance and emissions.
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Citations
58 Claims
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1. An improved gaseous fuel engine system, comprising:
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a gaseous fuel engine for receiving and using a gaseous fuel at a controlled supply pressure; and a fuel metering system, comprising; a fuel storage device for storing said gaseous fuel at a storage pressure; a fuel pressure regulator for receiving said gaseous fuel from said fuel storage device and dynamically reducing the pressure of said gaseous fuel from said storage pressure to said controlled supply pressure; at least one sensing means for generating a signal input in response to at least one sensed parameter associated with the flow rate of said gaseous fuel; and controlling means for controlling said fuel pressure regulator in response to said signal input for dynamically determining and controlling the value of said controlled supply pressure and thereby controlling the flow rate of said gaseous fuel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for improving the supply of gaseous fuel to a gaseous fuel engine, comprising the steps of:
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receiving and using in a gaseous fuel engine a gaseous fuel at a controlled supply pressure; storing said gaseous fuel at a storage pressure in a fuel storage device; receiving said gaseous fuel from said fuel storage device and variably reducing the pressure of said gaseous fuel from said storage pressure to said controlled supply pressure using a fuel pressure regulator; controlling said fuel pressure regulator in response to signal inputs corresponding to said controlled supply pressure; and generating said signal inputs in response to sensed parameters associated with said gaseous fuel. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. An improved gaseous fuel metering system for a gaseous fuel engine, comprising:
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a fuel storage device for storing a gaseous fuel at a storage pressure; a fuel pressure regulator for receiving said gaseous fuel from said fuel storage device and dynamically reducing the pressure of said gaseous fuel from said storage pressure to a control supply pressure; at least one sensing means for generating an input signal in response to at least one sensed parameter associated with flow rate of said gaseous fuel; and controlling means for controlling said fuel pressure regulator in response to said signal input for dynamically determining and controlling the value of said control supply pressure and, thereby, controlling the flow rate of said gaseous fuel. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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Specification