Engine system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11713727-B2
Application number	US-202017440031-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 18, 2020
Priority date	Mar 26, 2019
Publication date	Aug 1, 2023
Grant date	Aug 1, 2023

Abstract

An engine system includes an engine having a combustion chamber, an intake gas passage through which air to be supplied to the combustion chamber flows, an exhaust gas passage through which exhaust gas generated from the combustion chamber flows, a reformer configured to reform the fuel to generate a reformed gas containing hydrogen, a gas supply passage through which air to be supplied to the reformer flows, a bypass passage connected to the gas supply passage and the exhaust gas passage so as to bypass the reformer and through which the fuel having passed through the reformer is circulated to an upstream of the reformer, and a switching valve switched between a normal position that does not allow the fuel having passed through the reformer to flow to the bypass passage and a circulating position that allows the fuel having passed through the reformer to flow to the bypass passage.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An engine system comprising:
an engine having a combustion chamber;
an intake gas passage through which air to be supplied to the combustion chamber flows;
an exhaust gas passage through which exhaust gas generated from the combustion chamber flows;
a fuel injection valve from which a fuel is injected to the combustion chamber;
a first throttle valve disposed in the intake gas passage and configured to control a flow rate of the air to be supplied to the combustion chamber;
a reforming member configured to reform the fuel to generate a reformed gas containing hydrogen;
a gas supply passage through which the air to be supplied to the reforming member flows;
a fuel supply member configured to supply the fuel to the reforming member;
a second throttle valve disposed in the gas supply passage and configured to control a flow rate of the air to be supplied to the reforming member;
a reformed gas passage through which the reformed gas generated by the reforming member flows to the combustion chamber;
a bypass passage that has one end connected to the gas supply passage so as to bypass the reforming member and through which the fuel having passed through the reforming member flows to an upstream of the reforming member;
a switching valve switched between a normal position that does not allow the fuel having passed through the reforming member to flow to the bypass passage and a circulating position that allows the fuel having passed through the reforming member to flow to the bypass passage; and
a controller configured to control the fuel injection valve, the first throttle valve, the fuel supply member, the second throttle valve, and the switching valve, wherein
the controller executes a first control process in which the fuel supply member and the second throttle valve are controlled so that the fuel and the air are supplied to the reforming member with the switching valve switched to the circulating position, and then, the controller executes a second control process in which the switching valve is controlled so that the switching valve is switched from the circulating position to the normal position and the first throttle valve and the fuel injection valve are controlled so that the air and the fuel is supplied to the combustion chamber.

2. The engine system according to claim 1 , wherein
the bypass passage has the one end connected to the gas supply passage,
the bypass passage has the other end connected to the exhaust gas passage,
the switching valve is disposed in the exhaust gas passage,
the normal position is a position that opens the exhaust gas passage and closes the bypass passage,
the circulating position is a position that closes the exhaust gas passage and opens the bypass passage, and
the controller controls the engine so that the engine cranks when the controller executes the first control process.

3. The engine system according to claim 2 , further comprising
a temperature detection member configured to detect a temperature of the reforming member, wherein
the reforming member includes a reformer catalyst that decomposes the fuel into hydrogen, and
when the controller executes the first control process, the controller controls the fuel supply member so that the fuel is supplied to the reforming member, and, once the temperature of the reforming member detected by the temperature becomes equal to or higher than a first specified temperature, the controller controls the fuel supply member and the second throttle valve so that the fuel and the air are supplied to the reforming member.

4. The engine system according to claim 3 , wherein
when the controller executes the second control process, the controller controls the switching valve so that the switching valve is switched from the circulating position to the normal position, and controls the first throttle valve and the fuel injection valve so that the air and the fuel are supplied to the combustion chamber, once the temperature of the reforming member detected by the temperature detection member becomes equal to or higher than a second specified temperature higher than the first specified temperature.

5. The engine system according to claim 1 , wherein
the bypass passage has the one end connected to the gas supply passage,
the bypass passage has the other end connected to the reformed gas passage,
the switching valve is disposed in the reformed gas passage,
the normal position is a position that opens the reformed gas passage and closes the bypass passage,
the circulating position is a position that closes the reformed gas passage and opens the bypass passage, and
a pump configured to suction the fuel having passed through the reforming member is disposed in the bypass passage.

6. The engine system according to claim 5 , further comprising
a temperature detection member configured to detect a temperature of the reforming member, wherein
the reforming member includes a reformer catalyst that decomposes the fuel into hydrogen, and
when the controller executes the first control process, the controller controls the fuel supply member so that the fuel is supplied to the reforming member, and, once the temperature of the reforming member detected by the temperature becomes equal to or higher than a first specified temperature, the controller controls the fuel supply member and the second throttle valve so that the fuel and the air are supplied to the reforming member.

7. The engine system according to claim 6 , wherein
when the controller executes the second control process, the controller controls the switching valve so that the switching valve is switched from the circulating position to the normal position, and controls the first throttle valve and the fuel injection valve so that the air and the fuel are supplied to the combustion chamber, once the temperature of the reforming member detected by the temperature detection member becomes equal to or higher than a second specified temperature higher than the first specified temperature.

8. The engine system according to claim 1 , wherein the engine is an ammonia engine using ammonia as the fuel.

Assignees

• Toyota Jidoshokki Kk

Inventors

• Homma Takayuki
• Takeuchi Yoshitaka

Classifications

• F02D19/0671 Primary

  Means to generate or modify a fuel, e.g. reformers, electrolytic cells or membranes · CPC title

• F02B51/02

  involving catalysts · CPC title

• F02D19/021

  Control of components of the fuel supply system · CPC title

• F02D19/06

  peculiar to engines working with pluralities of fuels, e.g. alternatively with light and heavy fuel oil, other than engines indifferent to the fuel consumed · CPC title

• F02D19/061

  by controlling fuel injectors · CPC title