Bi-fuel gasoline and low pressure gas fuel system and method of operation

• US 6,494,190 B1
• Filed: 08/04/2000
• Issued: 12/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Automotive Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Cohen, James H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamen, Noah P.
• Application Number:
  US09/632,791
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 123/525, 123/575, 123/1.A, 123/478
• US Class Current: 123/525
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0628 Determining the fuel pressure, temperature or flow, the fuel tank fill level or a valve position
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0642 at least one fuel being gaseous, the other fuels being gaseous or liquid at standard conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0665 Tanks, e.g. multiple tanks
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0684 High pressure fuel injection systems; Details on pumps, rails or the arrangement of valves in the fuel supply and return systems
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0694 operating with a plurality of fuels
• 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

A fuel system for an internal combustion engine having a plurality of combustion chambers is disclosed. The fuel system includes a liquid fuel and a low pressurize gaseous fuel. The fuel system further includes a fuel tank, with the liquid fuel and the low pressurize gaseous fuel forming a fuel mixture in the fuel tank. A single fuel supply rail is fluidly connected to the fuel tank and a fuel injector fluidly connects the single fuel supply rail to each of the plurality of combustion chambers. The fuel mixture is provided to each fuel injector for injection into each respective combustion chamber. A method of operating the fuel system is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A multi-fuel system for an internal combustion engine having a plurality of combustion chambers, the multi-fuel system comprising:

a multi-fuel tank adapted to receive one of a liquid fuel, a low pressure gaseous fuel or a mixture thereof that forms a fuel mixture in the multi-fuel tank;

a fuel supply rail adapted to receive the liquid fuel, the low pressure gaseous fuel or the mixture thereof from the fuel tank;

a fuel injector fluidly connecting the fuel supply rail to each of the plurality of combustion chambers so that the combustion chamber operates with only one of the liquid fuel, the low pressure gaseous fuel or a mixture thereof, wherein the fuel mixture is provided to each fuel injector for injection into each respective combustion chamber.

2. The fuel system according to claim 1, further comprising a single fuel return rail fluidly connecting each fuel injector to the fuel tank.

3. The fuel system according to claim 2, further comprising at least one thermodynamic sensor fluidly connected to at least one of the fuel supply rail and the fuel return rail, the at least one thermodynamic sensor providing a signal to an electronic control unit.

4. The fuel system according to claim 3, wherein the electronic control unit controls operation of each fuel injector.

5. The fuel system according to claim 3, wherein the at least one thermodynamic sensor comprises at least one of a temperature sensor and a pressure sensor.

6. A multi-fuel system for an internal combustion engine having a plurality of combustion chambers, the multi-fuel system comprising:

means for receiving one of a liquid fuel, a low pressure gaseous fuel or a mixture thereof;

means for delivering one of the liquid fuel, the low pressure gaseous fuel or the mixture thereof from the multi-fuel tank; and

means for injecting one of the liquid fuel, the low pressure gaseous fuel or the mixture thereof to each of the plurality of combustion chambers so that each of combustion chambers operates with only one of the liquid fuel, the low pressure gaseous fuel or a mixture thereof.

7. The fuel system according to claim 6, further comprising a single fuel return rail fluidly connecting each fuel injector to the fuel tank.

8. The fuel system according to claim 7, further comprising at least one thermodynamic sensor fluidly connected to at least one of the means for delivering and the fuel return rail, the at least one thermodynamic sensor providing a signal to an electronic control unit.

9. The fuel system according to claim 8, wherein the electronic control unit controls operation of the means for injecting.

10. The fuel system according to claim 8, wherein the at least one thermodynamic sensor comprises at least one of a temperature sensor and a pressure sensor.

11. A method of operating a multi-fuel system comprising a common fuel tank, a fuel supply rail, a plurality of fuel injectors, each fuel injector being coupled to a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine and a single fuel return rail, the method comprising:

receiving one of a liquid fuel, a low pressure gaseous fuel or a mixture thereof in the common fuel tank;

delivering fuel having one of the liquid fuel, low pressure gaseous fuel or mixture thereof from the common fuel tank through the fuel supply rail to a plurality of fuel injectors;

delivering at least part of the fuel from the common fuel tank into each of the plurality of fuel injectors such that the combustion chamber operates with only one of the liquid fuel, the low pressure gaseous fuel or a mixture thereof;

delivering a remaining part of the fuel to a single fuel return rail; and

returning the remaining part of the fuel to the common tank.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

measuring a quality of the fuel and sending a quality signal corresponding to a quality of the fuel to an electronic control unit.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising sending a control signal to each of the fuel injectors based on the quality signal.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein measuring the quality