Adaptive miller cycle engine

• US 7,690,336 B2
• Filed: 02/29/2008
• Issued: 04/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ai Alpine Us Bidco LLC
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Schick, Louis Andrew, Bowman, Michael John
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh; Hai H
• Application Number:
  US12/040,225
• Publication Number:
  US 20090222194A1
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 123/1.A, 123/27.GE, 123525-527, 123/48.R, 123/78.R, 123/90.15, 123/90.16, 123/406.3
• US Class Current: 123/48.00R
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 13/0269 Controlling the valves to perform a Miller-Atkinson cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0613 Switch-over from one fuel to another F02D19/081 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0644 the gaseous fuel being hydrogen, ammonia or carbon monoxide
• 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 19/0655 at least one fuel being an alcohol, e.g. ethanol F02D19/084 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/087 with determination of densities, viscosities, composition, concentration or mixture ratios of fuels
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/088 by estimation, i.e. without using direct measurements of a corresponding sensor
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/001 for engines with variable valve actuation
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0611 Fuel type, fuel composition or fuel quality
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 37/02 one of the functions being ignition
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0002 Controlling intake air
• 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 41/3094 the fuel injection being effected by at least two different injectors, e.g. one in the intake manifold and one in the cylinder
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

A Miller cycle combustion engine capable of operating on multiple fuel types, and a method of operating the engine, is provided. The engine includes a fuel type determiner to determine the fuel type, and a compression adjustor to adjust the compression of a first cylinder of the engine to match the requirement of the determined fuel type. The compression adjustor is a variable valve timing system that provides a maximum compression when a fuel type requiring maximum compression is determined, and that advances or retards the opening of the intake valve to provide lower compression when a fuel type requiring lower compression is determined.

Claims

1. A Miller cycle combustion engine capable of operating on multiple fuel types, comprising:

a fuel type determiner configured to receive fuel type identification signals from a plurality of input signal sources selected from a selector switch source operable by a user, a signal receiver source that communicates with a filling station, a fuel tank sensor source, a fuel line sensor source, and a combustion property sensor source to determine the fuel type; and

a compression adjustor to adjust the compression of a first cylinder of the engine to match the requirement of the determined fuel type.

2. A Miller cycle combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein the compression adjustor comprises variable valve timing.

3. A Miller cycle combustion engine according to claim 2, wherein the variable valve timing is configured to close an intake valve of the first cylinder at a point between intake and compression strokes when a fuel type requiring maximum compression is determined.

4. A Miller cycle combustion engine according to claim 2, wherein the variable valve timing is configured to advance the closing of an intake valve of the first cylinder during an intake stroke when a fuel type requiring less than maximum compression is determined.

5. A Miller cycle combustion engine according to claim 2, wherein the variable valve timing is configured to retard the closing of an intake valve of the first cylinder during a compression stroke when a fuel type requiring less than maximum compression is determined.

6. A Miller cycle combustion engine according to claim 1, further comprising a fuel introduction adjustor to adjust the fuel introduction parameters of the first cylinder of the engine to match the requirement of the determined fuel type.

7. A Miller cycle combustion engine according to claim 1, further comprising an ignition adjustor to adjust the ignition parameters of the first cylinder of the engine to match the requirement of the determined fuel type.

8. A Miller cycle combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein the fuel type comprises at least one fuel selected from the group consisting of gasoline, conventional diesel, bio-diesel, hydrogen, methane, liquefied petroleum gas, liquefied natural gas, ethanol, and methanol.

9. A Miller cycle combustion engine according to claim 1, further comprising multiple fuel tanks.

10. A method of controlling a Miller cycle combustion engine capable of operating on multiple fuel types, comprising:

determining a fuel type based on fuel type identification signals from a plurality of input signal sources selected from a selector switch source operable by a user, a signal receiver source that communicates with a filling station, a fuel tank sensor source, a fuel line sensor source, and a combustion property sensor source; and

adjusting the compression of a first cylinder of the engine to match the requirement of the determined fuel type.

11. A method of controlling a Miller cycle combustion engine according to claim 10, wherein the compression is adjusted by variable valve timing.

12. A method of controlling a Miller cycle combustion engine according to claim 11, wherein the variable valve timing closes an intake valve of the first cylinder at a point between intake and compression strokes when a fuel type requiring maximum compression is determined.

13. A method of controlling a Miller cycle combustion engine according to claim 11, wherein the variable valve timing advances the closing of an intake valve of the first cylinder during an intake stroke when a fuel type requiring less than maximum compression is determined.

14. A method of controlling a Miller cycle combustion engine according to claim 11, wherein the variable valve timing retards the closing of an intake valve of the first cylinder during a compression stroke when a fuel type requiring less than maximum compression is determined.

15. A method of controlling a Miller cycle combustion engine according to claim 10, further comprising adjusting the fuel introduction parameters of the first cylinder of the engine to match the requirement of the determined fuel type.

16. A method of controlling a Miller cycle combustion engine according to claim 10, further comprising adjusting the ignition parameters of the first cylinder of the engine to match the requirement of the determined fuel type.

17. A method of controlling a Miller cycle combustion engine according to claim 10, wherein determining the fuel type comprises one or more of:

a user operating a switch;

receiving a signal from a filling station;

sensing via a fuel tank sensor;

sensing via a fuel line sensor;

or sensing via a combustion property sensor.

18. A method of controlling a Miller cycle combustion engine according to claim 10, wherein the fuel type comprises at least one fuel selected from the group consisting of gasoline, conventional diesel, bio-diesel, hydrogen, methane, liquefied petroleum gas, liquefied natural gas, ethanol, and methanol.

19. A method of controlling a Miller cycle combustion engine according to claim 10, further comprising delivering the fuel type from one of multiple fuel tanks.

20. A vehicle comprising a Miller cycle combustion engine capable of operating on multiple fuel types, the Miller cycle engine comprising:

a fuel type determiner configured to receive fuel type identification signals from a plurality of input signal sources selected from a selector switch source operable by a user, a signal receiver source that communicates with a filling station, a fuel tank sensor source, a fuel line sensor source, and a combustion property sensor source to determine the fuel type; and

a compression adjustor to adjust the compression of a first cylinder of the engine to match the requirement of the determined fuel type.

21. A vehicle comprising a Miller cycle combustion engine capable of operating on multiple fuel types according to claim 20, the vehicle comprising one of a land vehicle;

an air vehicle;

or a sea vehicle.

22. A generator comprising a Miller cycle combustion engine capable of operating on multiple fuel types, the Miller cycle engine comprising:

a fuel type determiner configured to receive fuel type identification signals from a plurality of input signal sources selected from a selector switch source operable by a user, a signal receiver source that communicates with a filling station, a fuel tank sensor source, a fuel line sensor source, and a combustion property sensor source to determine the fuel type; and

a compression adjustor to adjust the compression of a first cylinder of the engine to match the requirement of the determined fuel type.