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Method and apparatus for operating a dual fuel internal combustion engine

  • US 7,627,416 B2
  • Filed: 09/10/2008
  • Issued: 12/01/2009
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2006
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An apparatus is provided for determining when to fuel an internal combustion engine with main fuel and secondary fuel or secondary fuel alone, said apparatus comprising:

  • (a) a main-fuel supply system comprising a main-fuel injection valve that is operable to introduce said main fuel into a combustion chamber of said engine;

    (b) a secondary-fuel injection system comprising a secondary-fuel injection valve that is operable to introduce said secondary fuel directly into said combustion chamber;

    (c) a pressure sensor associated with said main-fuel supply system for determining an available injection pressure inside said main-fuel injection valve; and

    (d) an electronic controller in communication with said pressure sensor and programmable to separately command actuation of said secondary-fuel injection valve and said main-fuel injection valve to permit said engine to operate at power levels up to full power when said available injection pressure is greater than a predetermined threshold and to otherwise command actuation of said secondary-fuel injection valve and not said main-fuel injection valve to permit said engine to operate at reduced power levels less than full power for up to a predetermined amount of time.

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