Apparatus and methods for controlling reciprocating internal combustion engines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10683754-B2
Application number	US-201816139265-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2018
Priority date	Oct 24, 2017
Publication date	Jun 16, 2020
Grant date	Jun 16, 2020

Abstract

A method of controlling a reciprocating internal combustion engine comprising: a cylinder defining a cavity having a first end and a second end; and a piston moveable within the cavity of the cylinder between the first end and the second end, the method comprising: receiving at least a first signal; determining a quantity of liquid air to be injected using at least the received first signal; controlling injection of the determined quantity of liquid air into the first end of the cavity at a first time when the piston is closer to the first end than the second end.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of controlling a reciprocating internal combustion engine comprising: a cylinder defining a cavity having a first end and a second end; and a piston moveable within the cavity of the cylinder between the first end and the second end, the method comprising:
receiving at least a first signal;
determining a quantity of liquid air to be injected using at least the received first signal;
controlling injection of the determined quantity of liquid air into the first end of the cavity at a first time when the piston is closer to the first end than the second end.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first signal includes user input data defining the fuel.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first signal includes data defining one or more properties of the fuel.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the one or more properties include a combustion property of the fuel.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first signal includes data defining an operating parameter of the reciprocating internal combustion engine.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising controlling injection of fuel into the first end of the cavity to cause the piston to perform a power stroke.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the determined quantity of liquid air is injected into the first end of the cavity without fuel to cause the piston to perform a first power stroke.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 , further comprising controlling injection of fuel into the first end of the cavity at a second time when the piston is closer to the first end than the second end to cause the piston to perform a second power stroke.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising controlling injection of fuel into the first end of the cavity at a third time when the piston is closer to the first end than the second end to cause the piston to perform an initial power stroke, the third time being prior to the first time.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the liquid air has greater oxygen content than atmospheric air.

11. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable instructions that, when read by a computer, cause performance of the method as claimed in claim 1 .

12. Apparatus for controlling a reciprocating internal combustion engine comprising: a cylinder defining a cavity having a first end and a second end; and a piston moveable within the cavity of the cylinder between the first end and the second end, the apparatus comprising a controller configured to:
receive at least a first signal;
determine a quantity of liquid air to be injected using at least the received first signal; and
control injection of the determined quantity of liquid air into the first end of the cavity at a first time when the piston is closer to the first end than the second end.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the first signal includes user input data defining the fuel.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the first signal includes data defining one or more properties of the fuel.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the one or more properties include a combustion property of the fuel.

16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the first signal includes data defining an operating parameter of the reciprocating internal combustion engine.

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to control injection of fuel into the first end of the cavity to cause the piston to perform a power stroke.

18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the determined quantity of liquid air is injected into the first end of the cavity without fuel to cause the piston to perform a first power stroke.

19. Apparatus as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the controller is configured to control injection of fuel into the first end of the cavity at a second time when the piston is closer to the first end than the second end to cause the piston to perform a second power stroke.

20. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to control injection of fuel into the first end of the cavity at a third time when the piston is closer to the first end than the second end to cause the piston to perform an initial power stroke, the third time being prior to the first time.

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Plc

Inventors

• Palmer Chloe J
• Sim Jia Qing Alastair Milton
• My Razak Ahmed

Classifications

• F02M2700/43

  Arrangements for supplying air, fuel or auxiliary fluids to a combustion space of mixture compressing engines working with liquid fuel · CPC title

• F02M2023/008

  by injecting compressed air directly into the combustion chamber · CPC title

• Y02T10/12

  Improving ICE efficiencies · CPC title

• F02M23/00 Primary

  Apparatus for adding secondary air to fuel-air mixture · CPC title

• F02M25/00

  Engine-pertinent apparatus for adding non-fuel substances or small quantities of secondary fuel to combustion-air, main fuel or fuel-air mixture (adding secondary air to fuel-air mixture F02M23/00; adding exhaust gases F02M26/00; fuel-injection apparatus operating simultaneously on two or more fuels or on a liquid fuel and another liquid F02M43/00) · CPC title