System for regulating speed of an internal combustion engine
First Claim
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1. A method for regulating an engine, comprising:
- providing an engine including one or more combustion chambers, an intake manifold, and a source of gaseous fuel;
mixing the gaseous fuel and air upstream of the one or more combustion chambers to provide a mixture of air and fuel through the intake manifold to the engine for combustion, wherein the gaseous fuel includes one or more of natural gas, propane, or petroleum gas;
driving an electric power generator with the engine, the generator being operable to provide AC electric power;
adjusting a ratio between air and fuel in the mixture to regulate frequency of the AC electric power provided by the generator; and
regulating rotational speed of the engine with a PID control based on a number of multiplies selected as a function of pressure in the intake manifold.
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Abstract
An internal combustion engine system is disclosed that improves regulation of engine speed relative to a speed setpoint. The system controls ignition timing, throttle plate actuation, fuel valve actuation or a combination thereof in accordance with maintaining a setpoint speed. The system also includes a transient air flow estimation for further improving setpoint speed accuracy.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. A method for regulating an engine, comprising:
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providing an engine including one or more combustion chambers, an intake manifold, and a source of gaseous fuel;
mixing the gaseous fuel and air upstream of the one or more combustion chambers to provide a mixture of air and fuel through the intake manifold to the engine for combustion, wherein the gaseous fuel includes one or more of natural gas, propane, or petroleum gas;
driving an electric power generator with the engine, the generator being operable to provide AC electric power;
adjusting a ratio between air and fuel in the mixture to regulate frequency of the AC electric power provided by the generator; and
regulating rotational speed of the engine with a PID control based on a number of multiplies selected as a function of pressure in the intake manifold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system for generating electric power, comprising:
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An internal combustion engine including an intake manifold;
An electric power generator coupled to said engine to be driven therewith;
A first sensor to sense rotational speed of said engine and output a first signal corresponding thereto;
A second sensor to sense manifold pressure and output a second signal corresponding thereto;
A controller responsive to said first signal and said second signal to generate a valve control signal to regulate engine speed relative to a desired rotational engine speed in accordance with a number of gain multipliers each determined as a function of the rotational speed of said engine with the manifold pressure by adjusting a ratio of a mixture of fuel and air provided to said engine for combustion. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method, comprising:
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operating an internal combustion engine including a manifold coupled to a number of combustion chambers;
providing a mixture of fuel and air to the combustion chambers through the manifold;
detecting a change in rotational speed of the engine;
adjusting the mixture from a first fuel-to-air ratio to a second fuel-to-air ratio in response to said detecting to regulate the rotational speed of the engine, which includes governing the rotational speed of the engine with a PID controller; and
driving an electric power generator with the engine during said adjusting. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A system comprising:
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an internal combustion engine including a manifold to selectively supply a mixture of gaseous fuel and air to each of a number of combustion chambers, the combustion chambers each corresponding to one of a number of spark ignition devices;
means for pressurizing the mixture provided to the manifold with a compressor driven by a turbine turned by exhaust from the engine;
means for supplying the mixture to said manifold;
means for sensing rotational speed of said engine;
means for adjusting the mixture from a first fuel-to-air ratio to a second fuel-to-air ratio in response to said sensing means to regulate engine rotational speed; and
means for driving an electric power generator with said engine.
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25. A method, comprising:
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operating an internal combustion engine including a number of combustion chambers and a corresponding number of spark ignition devices;
pressurizing a mixture of fuel and air with a compressor, the compressor being driven with a turbine turned by exhaust from the engine;
providing the mixture to the combustion chambers of the engine;
driving an electric power generator with the engine;
detecting a sudden engine load loss of 30% or more; and
retarding timing of the spark ignition devices in response to the sudden engine load loss. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 30)
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29. A method, comprising:
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providing an engine including one or more combustion chambers and a source of fuel;
mixing the fuel and air upstream of the one or more combustion chambers to provide a mixture of air and fuel to the engine for combustion;
driving an electric power generator with the engine, the generator being operable to provide AC electric power;
adjusting a ratio between air and fuel in the mixture to regulate frequency of the AC electric power provided by the generator; and
regulating rotational speed of the engine with a PID control based on a number of multipliers selected as a function of an engine manifold pressure. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 35)
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34. A method, comprising:
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operating an internal combustion engine including a manifold coupled to a number of combustion chambers;
providing a mixture of fuel and air to the combustion chambers through the manifold;
sensing exhaust gas oxygen and fuel mass flow;
detecting a change in rotational speed of the engine;
adjusting the mixture from a first fuel-to-air ratio to a second fuel-to-air ratio in response to said detecting to regulate the rotational speed of the engine; and
driving an electric power generator with the engine during said adjusting. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A method, comprising:
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operating an internal combustion engine including a manifold coupled to a number of combustion chambers;
providing a mixture of fuel and air to the combustion chambers through the manifold;
pressurizing the mixture provided to the manifold with a compressor driven by a turbine turned by exhaust from the engine;
detecting a change in rotational speed of the engine;
adjusting the mixture from a first fuel-to-air ratio to a second fuel-to-air ratio in response to said detecting to regulate the rotational speed of the engine; and
driving an electric power generator with the engine during said adjusting. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification