Multi-fuel engine conversion system and method

• US 7,019,626 B1
• Filed: 03/03/2005
• Issued: 03/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Omnitek Engineering Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omnitek Engineering Corporation
• Inventors: Funk, Werner
• Primary Examiner(s): Mullen, Jr., Thomas J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walk, Samuel J
• Application Number:
  US11/071,508
• Time in Patent Office: 390 Days
• Field of Search: 340/438, 123/205, 123/525, 123/526, 123575-578, 607/40
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0623 Failure diagnosis or prevention; Safety measures; Testing
• 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 19/0647 the gaseous fuel being liquefied petroleum gas [LPG], liquefied natural gas [LNG], compressed natural gas [CNG] or dimethyl ether [DME]
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/066 Retrofit of secondary fuel supply systems; Conversion of engines to operate on multiple fuels
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/081 Adjusting the fuel composition or mixing ratio; Transitioning from one fuel to the other
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2400/11 After-sales modification devices designed to be used to modify an engine afterwards
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0027 the fuel being gaseous non-electrical control F02D19/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels

Abstract

Systems, methods and apparatus'"'"' of converting an engine into a multi-fuel engine are provided. One embodiment reduces particulate emissions and reduces the amount of combusted gasoline or diesel fuel by replacing some of the fuel with a second fuel, such as natural gas, propane, or hydrogen. One feature of the present invention includes a control unit for metering the second fuel. Another feature of the present invention includes an indicator that indicates how much second fuel is being combusted relative to the diesel or gasoline. This Abstract is provided for the sole purpose of complying with the Abstract requirement rules that allow a reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the disclosure contained herein. This Abstract is submitted with the explicit understanding that it will not be used to interpret or to limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.

Claims

1. An engine apparatus, comprising:

an injector structured to introduce a first fuel into an engine that also uses a second fuel;

a controller structured to control the injector; and

an indicator communicating with the controller, the indicator indicating a current amount of injected first fuel to an engine operator so that the engine operator can adjust the amount of injected first fuel.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, where the engine is selected from a group consisting of:

an engine combusting diesel fuel and an engine combusting gasoline.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, where the first and second fuels are selected from a group consisting of:

natural gas, propane, hydrogen, diesel fuel, and gasoline.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a sensor communicating with the controller, the sensor selected from a group consisting of:

a throttle position sensor, an engine revolutions-per-minute sensor, an exhaust temperature sensor, a knock sensor, an intake manifold pressure sensor, a fuel temperature sensor, a fuel tank pressure sensor, a fuel pressure regulator, and a mixer element.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, where the indicator is selected from a group consisting of:

a gauge, an analog gauge, a display using lights, a light emitting diode display, a head-up display, and an aural indicator.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, where the controller is structured to control a diagnostic light that presents at least one diagnostic code.

7. A method of displaying fuel use, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an engine that uses a first fuel and a second fuel; and

providing an indicator that displays an amount of the first fuel used relative to the second fuel, the indicator informing a vehicle operator so that the vehicle operator can adjust the amount of the first fuel used relative to the second fuel.

8. The method of claim 7, where the engine is selected from a group consisting of:

an engine using diesel fuel and an engine using gasoline.

9. The method of claim 7, where the first and second fuels are selected from a group consisting of:

natural gas, propane, hydrogen, diesel fuel, and gasoline.

10. The method of claim 7, where the indicator is selected from a group consisting of:

a gauge, an analog gauge, a display using lights, a light emitting diode display, a head-up display, and an aural indicator.

11. A multi-fuel conversion kit, comprising:

an injector structured to introduce a first fuel into an engine that also combusts a second fuel;

a controller structured to control the injector; and

an indicator communicating with the controller, the indicator indicating a current amount of injected first fuel to an engine operator so that the engine operator can adjust the amount of injected first fuel.

12. The kit of claim 11, where the engine is selected from a group consisting of:

an engine combusting diesel fuel and an engine combusting gasoline.

13. The kit of claim 11, where the first and second fuels are selected from a group consisting of:

natural gas, propane, hydrogen, diesel fuel, and gasoline.

14. The kit of claim 11, further including a sensor communicating with the controller, the sensor selected from a group consisting of:

a throttle position sensor, an engine revolutions-per-minute sensor, an exhaust temperature sensor, a knock sensor, an intake manifold pressure sensor, a fuel temperature sensor, a fuel tank pressure sensor, a fuel pressure regulator, and a mixer element.

15. The kit of claim 11, where the indicator is selected from a group consisting of:

a gauge, an analog gauge, a display using lights, a light emitting diode display, a head-up display, and an aural indicator.

16. The kit of claim 11, where the controller is structured to control a diagnostic light that presents at least one diagnostic code.