Method and apparatus for pilot fuel introduction and controlling combustion in gaseous-fuelled internal combustion engine
First Claim
1. A method of introducing a pilot fuel into a cylinder of an operating internal combustion engine, said engine having a piston disposed within said cylinder, said method comprising:
- (a) monitoring a set of engine parameters;
(b) determining engine load and engine speed from said set of engine parameters;
(b) introducing a first quantity of a first gaseous fuel into said cylinder and an intake charge into said cylinder;
(c) at a pilot fuel timing, introducing a pilot fuel quantity of said pilot fuel at said pilot fuel timing into said cylinder so that it ignites when said piston is at or near top dead centre of the compression stroke, said pilot timing avoiding a excessive knocking range during a compression stroke of said engine;
wherein said first quantity and said pilot fuel quantity and said pilot fuel timing are controllable in response to at least one of engine load and engine speed, said first quantity forming a premixed charge of fuel and air prior to ignition of said pilot fuel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for introducing pilot fuel into a piston cylinder of an operating gaseous fuelled internal combustion engine monitoring a set of engine parameters, determining engine load and engine speed from the set of engine parameters, introducing a first portion of the gaseous fuel into the cylinder where the first portion of gaseous fuel forms a substantially homogeneous mixture comprising gaseous fuel and air prior to combustion, and introducing a pilot fuel to avoid a excessive knocking range for the engine. A second quantity of gaseous fuel can also be added to burn in a substantially diffusion combustion mode.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method of introducing a pilot fuel into a cylinder of an operating internal combustion engine, said engine having a piston disposed within said cylinder, said method comprising:
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(a) monitoring a set of engine parameters;
(b) determining engine load and engine speed from said set of engine parameters;
(b) introducing a first quantity of a first gaseous fuel into said cylinder and an intake charge into said cylinder;
(c) at a pilot fuel timing, introducing a pilot fuel quantity of said pilot fuel at said pilot fuel timing into said cylinder so that it ignites when said piston is at or near top dead centre of the compression stroke, said pilot timing avoiding a excessive knocking range during a compression stroke of said engine;
wherein said first quantity and said pilot fuel quantity and said pilot fuel timing are controllable in response to at least one of engine load and engine speed, said first quantity forming a premixed charge of fuel and air prior to ignition of said pilot fuel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An apparatus for introducing fuel into the cylinder of an operating internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder with a piston disposed therein, said fuel comprising a main fuel and a pilot fuel that is auto-ignitable to a degree greater than said main fuel, said apparatus comprising:
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(a) measuring devices for collecting operational data from said engine, said measuring devices comprising a tachometer for measuring engine speed and a sensor for determining throttle position;
(b) an electronic control unit that receives said operational data and processes said data to compute a set of load conditions, said electronic control unit comprising memory for storing control sets of load conditions and predetermined operating modes for said control sets of load conditions, said electronic control unit matching said computed set of load conditions with said control sets of load conditions to select one of a plurality of predetermined operating modes;
(c) a main fuel introduction system controlled by said electronic control unit to introduce said main fuel into said cylinder at times and in quantities determined by said electronic control unit in accordance with said predetermined operating modes and said set of load conditions; and
(d) a pilot fuel injection valve controlled by said electronic control unit to introduce said pilot fuel into said cylinder at times and in quantities determined by said electronic control unit with said predetermined operating modes and said set of load conditions;
wherein said predetermined operating mode comprises a two stage introduction of fuel into said cylinder, whereby a first portion of said main fuel is introduced in a first stage to provide for a premixed fuel/air charge prior to combustion of said pilot fuel and said pilot fuel is introduced in a second stage, said controller and said pilot fuel injection valve capable of detecting and avoid an excessive knocking range for introduction of said pilot fuel. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification