Off-board fuel regulator for generator engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11492985-B2
Application number	US-202016783455-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 6, 2020
Priority date	Jun 12, 2015
Publication date	Nov 8, 2022
Grant date	Nov 8, 2022

Abstract

A generator and off-board fuel delivery system is disclosed. The generator is configured to operate on one or more fuels, including on a gaseous fuel supplied from a pressurized fuel source through a gaseous fuel line. A fuel regulator system is located off board the generator and is configured to regulate the gaseous fuel supplied from the pressurized fuel source in a first stage, with the gaseous fuel regulated down to a reduced pressure in the first stage. A second stage of the fuel regulator system regulates the reduced pressure gaseous fuel, with the reduced pressure gaseous fuel from the first stage regulated down to a desired pressure in the second stage for delivery through the gaseous fuel line to operate the generator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A generator and fuel delivery system comprising:
a generator free of any pressure regulator and configured to operate on a gaseous fuel supplied from a pressurized fuel source through a gaseous fuel line;
a fuel regulator system located off-board the generator and comprising a first stage and a second stage, the fuel regulator system configured to:
regulate the gaseous fuel supplied from the pressurized fuel source in the first stage, the gaseous fuel regulated down to a reduced pressure in the first stage; and
regulate the reduced pressure gaseous fuel in the second stage, the reduced pressure gaseous fuel from the first stage regulated down to a desired pressure in the second stage for delivery through the gaseous fuel line to operate the generator.

2. The generator and fuel delivery system of claim 1 wherein the first and second stages comprise a dual stage regulator configured to regulate the gaseous fuel supplied from the pressurized fuel source and regulate the reduced pressure gaseous fuel.

3. The generator and fuel delivery system of claim 2 wherein the dual stage regulator is mounted directly onto the pressurized fuel source, off-board from the generator.

4. The generator and fuel delivery system of claim 1 wherein the generator comprises a dual fuel generator configured to operate on the gaseous fuel and on a liquid fuel, the liquid fuel supplied from a liquid fuel source through a liquid fuel line.

5. The generator and fuel delivery system of claim 4 further comprising a mechanical fuel valve actuatable between a first position and a second position to selectively control fuel flow to the dual fuel generator from the liquid fuel source through the liquid fuel line and the pressurized fuel source through the gaseous fuel line.

6. The generator and fuel delivery system of claim 5 further comprising a fuel lockout apparatus coupled to the mechanical fuel valve;
wherein, when the mechanical fuel valve is in the first position, the fuel lockout apparatus communicates the liquid fuel source to the dual fuel generator and prevents the pressurized fuel source from coupling to the dual fuel generator; and
wherein, when the mechanical fuel valve is in the second position, the fuel lockout apparatus permits the pressurized fuel source to couple to the dual fuel generator and interrupts the liquid fuel source communication with the dual fuel generator.

7. The generator and fuel delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the first stage comprises a primary pressure regulator and the second stage comprises a secondary pressure regulator; and
wherein the generator and fuel delivery system further comprises a quick-connect hose coupling including:
a first end coupled to an outlet of the secondary pressure regulator; and
a second end coupled to an inlet of the gaseous fuel line to couple the secondary pressure regulator to the gaseous fuel line.

8. The generator and fuel delivery system of claim 7 , further comprising a regulator mounting device secured to the pressurized fuel source with at least the secondary pressure regulator mounted on the regulator mounting device.

9. The generator and fuel delivery system of claim 8 , wherein the primary pressure regulator is mounted on the regulator mounting device.

10. The generator and fuel delivery system of claim 9 , wherein the pressurized fuel source comprises a pressurized fuel container having a collar; and
wherein the regulator mounting device secures to the collar so that the primary and secondary pressure regulators are positioned adjacent each other along an outer periphery of the collar.

11. A generator and fuel delivery system comprising:
a generator comprising an engine configured to operate on a gaseous fuel supplied from a pressurized fuel source through a gaseous fuel line;
a fuel regulator system located off-board the generator and comprising a first stage and a second stage, the fuel regulator system configured to:
regulate the gaseous fuel supplied from the pressurized fuel source in the first stage, the gaseous fuel regulated down to a first reduced pressure in the first stage; and
regulate the gaseous fuel output from the first stage in the second stage, the first reduced pressure gaseous fuel from the first stage being regulated down to a second reduced pressure in the second stage for delivery through the gaseous fuel line to operate the generator;

wherein the fuel regulator system outputs gaseous fuel to the generator for operation of the engine at the second reduced pressure.

12. The generator and fuel delivery system of claim 11 wherein the first and second stages comprise a dual stage regulator configured to regulate the gaseous fuel supplied from the pressurized fuel source and regulate the reduced pressure gaseous fuel.

13. The generator and fuel delivery system of claim 12 wherein the dual stage regulator is mounted directly onto the pressurized fuel source, off-board from the generator.

14. The generator and fuel delivery system of claim 11 wherein the generator comprises a dual fuel generator configured to operate on the gaseous fuel and on a liquid fuel, the liquid fuel supplied from a liquid fuel source through a liquid fuel line.

15. The generator and fuel delivery system of claim 14 further comprising a mechanical fuel valve actuatable between a first position and a second position to selectively control fuel flow to the dual fuel generator from the liquid fuel source through the liquid fuel line and the pressurized fuel source through the gaseous fuel line.

16. A dual fuel generator and fuel delivery system comprising:
a dual fuel generator configured to operate on a liquid fuel supplied from a liquid fuel source through a liquid fuel line and a gaseous fuel supplied from a pressurized fuel source through a gaseous fuel line;
a fuel regulator system located off board the dual fuel generator, the fuel regulator system comprising:
a primary pressure regulator coupled to a service valve of the pressurized fuel source and configured to regulate the fuel supplied from the pressurized fuel source to a first reduced pressure; and
a secondary pressure regulator coupled to the primary pressure regulator and configured to regulate the gaseous fuel supplied from the primary pressure regulator down from the first reduced pressure to a second reduced pressure for delivery through the gaseous fuel line to operate the dual fuel generator;

wherein the fuel regulator system outputs gaseous fuel to the dual fuel generator for operation thereof at the second reduced pressure.

17. The dual fuel generator and fuel delivery system of claim 16 wherein the primary and secondary pressure regulators are integral components of a dual stage pressure regulator.

18. The dual fuel generator and fuel delivery system of claim 16 , further comprising a quick-connect hose coupling including:
a first end coupled to an outlet of the secondary pressure regulator; and
a second end coupled to an inlet of the gaseous fuel line to couple the secondary pressure regulator to the gaseous fuel line.

19. The dual fuel generator and fuel delivery system of claim 16 , wherein the pressurized fuel source comprises a pressurized fuel container having a collar; and
wherein a regulator mounting device secures to the collar so that the primary and secondary pressure regulators are positioned adjacent each other along an outer periphery of the collar.

Assignees

• Champion Power Equipment Inc

Inventors

• Sarder Mark J
• Sotiriades Aleko D
• Dehn James J
• Jenison Leigh

Classifications

• F02D19/0647

  the gaseous fuel being liquefied petroleum gas [LPG], liquefied natural gas [LNG], compressed natural gas [CNG] or dimethyl ether [DME] · CPC title

• F02D19/0613 Primary

  Switch-over from one fuel to another (F02D19/081 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y02T10/30

  Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels · CPC title

• F02D19/0605

  to adjust the fuel pressure or temperature · CPC title

• F02D19/0673

  Valves; Pressure or flow regulators; Mixers · CPC title