System and method for operating an internal combustion engine with hydrogen blended with conventional fossil fuels

• US 7,290,504 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2005
• Issued: 11/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hugh O'Reilly
• Original Assignee: David Lange
• Inventors: Lange, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Cronin; Stephen K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Harris; Katrina B.
• Application Number:
  US11/107,184
• Publication Number:
  US 20050229872A1
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• Field of Search: 123/1.A, 123/575, 123/DIG.12, 123/568.11, 123/304, 123/3, 123/527, 123/585
• US Class Current: 123/1.00A
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0233 the reforming step being a steam reforming step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/06 Integration with other chemical processes
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/1223 Methanol
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/1241 Natural gas or methane
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/323 Catalytic reaction of gaseous or liquid organic compounds other than hydrocarbons with gasifying agents
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/38 using catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 43/08 Plants characterised by the engines using gaseous fuel generated in the plant from solid fuel, e.g. wood
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 43/12 Methods of operating
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 45/10 operating on mixtures of liquid and non-liquid fuels, e.g. in pasty or foamed state
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0644 the gaseous fuel being hydrogen, ammonia or carbon monoxide
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/066 Retrofit of secondary fuel supply systems; Conversion of engines to operate on multiple fuels
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0671 Means to generate or modify a fuel, e.g. reformers, electrolytic cells or membranes
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0692 Arrangement of multiple injectors per combustion chamber
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0697 Arrangement of fuel supply systems on engines or vehicle bodies; Components of the fuel supply system being combined with another device
• 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 41/0025 Controlling engines characterised by use of non-liquid fuels, pluralities of fuels, or non-fuel substances added to the combustible mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0027 the fuel being gaseous non-electrical control F02D19/02
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/10 adding acetylene, non-waterborne hydrogen, non-airborne oxygen, or ozone
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 123/12 : Hydrogen

Abstract

A system for retrofitting an internal combustion engine to use a proportion of hydrogen gas and existing fossil fuel is disclosed. The system is comprised of a source of hydrogen gas and means for delivering hydrogen gas to the combustion chamber of the engine. The engine operating parameters are adjusted and the delivery of hydrogen is controlled to provide selective introduction of hydrogen gas throughout the engine'"'"'s operating cycle. The source of hydrogen gas can comprise an onboard hydrogen reformer, or hydrogen and carbon monoxide can be reformed inside the cylinder from an on board carrier of hydrogen. A single point injector placed at the intake manifold in close proximity to the engine intake valve can be used to mix the hydrogen gas to the air/fossil fuel mixture or sequential injectors can deliver hydrogen in close proximity to each engine intake valve, or directly into each cylinder.

Claims

1. A system for controlling an internal combustion engine to use a proportion of hydrogen gas and fossil fuel, comprising:

a) means for providing a source of hydrogen gas to said engine;

b) means for delivering hydrogen gas from said source to at least one combustion chamber of said engine; and

c) means for adjusting operating parameters of the internal combustion engine and controlling an amount and timing of hydrogen delivered to the at least one combustion chamber according to a pre-determined map of engine performance.

2. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for providing a hydrogen source comprises an onboard hydrogen reformer.

3. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for providing a hydrogen source comprises “

green”

alcohol brought directly into the combustion chamber, wherein the combustion chamber operates as a reformer.

4. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for providing a hydrogen source is comprised of one of a gaseous, cryogenic or anhydride hydrogen on board storage system.

5. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for adjusting said engine operating parameters comprises an engine sensor mapped to monitor fuel volumes and engine efficiency across said engine'"'"'s operating spectrum and load.

6. A system as defined in claim 5, wherein said means for delivering hydrogen gas is comprised of a hydrogen injector, and wherein the hydrogen injector is controlled to inject hydrogen according to a predetermined hydrogen substitution schedule.

7. A system as defined in claim 6, wherein said injector comprises a continuous port injector.

8. A system as defined in claim 6, wherein said injector comprises a sequential port injector having a hydrogen injection shaft bored through the engine head.

9. A system as defined in claim 6, wherein said hydrogen injector further comprises a fuel injector adapter placed at an intake manifold adjacent a fossil fuel injector to enable delivery of a hydrogen and fossil fuel mixture in close proximity to an engine intake valve.

10. A system as defined in claim 9, wherein said injector is located at a throttle plate.

11. A system as defined in claim 6, wherein said injector comprises a flow tube drilled into an intake manifold.

20. A system as defined in claim 6, wherein said hydrogen injector further comprises a fuel injector adapter placed at an intake manifold, said fuel injector adapter having a first injector to supply hydrogen and a second injector to supply fossil fuel.

21. A system as defined in claim 20, wherein said first and second injectors continuously supply hydrogen and fossil fuels to the intake manifold.

22. A system as defined in claim 20, wherein said hydrogen and fossil fuels are variably injected into said intake manifold.

23. A system as defined in claim 20, wherein said injectors operate independently within a common injector body.

24. A system as defined in claim 20, further comprising an Exhaust Gas Recirculating system for recirculating variable amounts of exhaust gases into the intake manifold.

12. A method of operating an internal combustion engine using a proportion of hydrogen gas and fossil fuel, comprising the steps of:

a) providing a source of hydrogen gas to said engine;

b) delivering hydrogen gas from said source to at least one combustion chamber of said engine;

c) adjusting operating parameters of said engine according to a predetermined map of fuel volumes and engine efficiencies across said engine'"'"'s operating spectrum; and

d) controlling said delivery of hydrogen gas according to said predetermined map to provide selective introduction of hydrogen gas throughout the engine'"'"'s operating cycle.

13. A method as defined in claim 12, wherein hydrogen gas is injected in predetermined quantities and at predetermined time of the engine'"'"'s operating cycle with fossil fuel near an intake valve, prior to ignition.

14. A method as defined in claim 12, wherein said engine operating parameters are adjusted by:

a) recording said engine'"'"'s original equipment manufacturer'"'"'s (OEM) operating parameters;

b) mapping said OEM parameters upon introduction of hydrogen in said combustion chamber;

c) proportionally substituting hydrogen gas for said fossil fuel in certain segments of said engine operating cycle; and

d) managing detonation timing and delivery of hydrogen gas and fossil fuel to maintain engine performance according to said recorded parameters.

15. A method as defined in claim 14, wherein exhaust emissions are monitored and exhaust gases are re-directed to an exhaust gas recirculator to lower combustion temperature with reduced oxygen and thereby achieve optimal reduction of gas emissions in the engine cylinder.

16. A method as defined in claim 15, wherein said exhaust gas is re-directed to a hydrogen fueled selective catalytic reactor after treatment to achieve optimal reduction of gas emissions.

17. A method as defined in claim 12, wherein said source of hydrogen is provided by on-board reformation of one of ethanol, methanol and natural gas ahead of the engine.

18. A method as defined in claim 12, wherein said source of hydrogen is provided by on-board reformation of one of ethanol, methanol and natural gas directly inside the cylinder.

19. A method as defined in claim 14, wherein mapping of said OEM parameters is achieved by collecting and monitoring combustion pressure and engine cylinder data during hydrogen substitution.