Method of supplying fuel to engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016003176-A1
Application number	US-201514753098-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 29, 2015
Priority date	Jul 1, 2014
Publication date	Jan 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for supplying fuel to an engine is disclosed. The method may include regulating a gas admission valve disposed between a gaseous fuel line and a cylinder intake port to reduce flow of gaseous fuel to the cylinder. The method may also include closing a shut-off valve disposed between a gaseous fuel reservoir and the gaseous fuel line to restrict flow of gaseous fuel from the gaseous fuel reservoir to the gaseous fuel line. Further, the method may include actuating an inert gas inlet valve disposed between an inert gas reservoir and the gaseous fuel line to supply inert gas to the gaseous fuel line and flush the gaseous fuel in the gaseous fuel line into the cylinder via the gas admission valve. Additionally, the method may include closing the inert gas inlet valve to restrict supply of inert gas to the gaseous fuel line.

First claim

1 . A method for supplying fuel to a dual fuel engine or a gaseous fuel engine, the method comprising:
regulating a gas admission valve disposed between a gaseous fuel line and an intake port of a cylinder of the engine to reduce flow of gaseous fuel to the cylinder; closing a shut-off valve disposed between a gaseous fuel reservoir and the gaseous fuel line to restrict flow of gaseous fuel from the gaseous fuel reservoir to the gaseous fuel line; actuating an inert gas inlet valve disposed between an inert gas reservoir and the gaseous fuel line to supply inert gas to the gaseous fuel line and to flush gaseous fuel remaining in the gaseous fuel line into the cylinder via the gas admission valve; and closing the inert gas inlet valve to restrict supply of inert gas to the gaseous fuel line.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein regulating the gas admission valve comprises actuating the gas admission valve to decrease an opening duration of the gas admission valve.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
opening the gas admission valve during the supply of inert gas to the gaseous fuel line; supplying liquid fuel into the cylinder of the engine via a fuel injector; and closing the gas admission valve after a predetermined duration is elapsed.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the predetermined duration is estimated based on a first relationship between a flow rate of liquid fuel supplied into the cylinder and an engine power.

5 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
opening the gas admission valve during the supply of inert gas to the gaseous fuel line; supplying liquid fuel into the cylinder of the engine via the fuel injector; and closing the gas admission valve after an energy calculated based on a second relationship between a flow rate of liquid fuel supplied into the cylinder and an engine power or a flow rate of liquid fuel supplied into the cylinder is constant.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising releasing inert gas to atmosphere.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising supplying inert gas to the gaseous fuel line so that inert gas passes through the gas admission valve along with the remaining gaseous fuel in the gaseous fuel line into the cylinder due to a clearance of the gas admission valve.

8 . A fuel supply system for an engine, the fuel supply system comprising:
a gaseous fuel supply system comprising:
a gaseous fuel reservoir configured to store gaseous fuel therein;
a gaseous fuel line fluidly communicated between the gaseous fuel reservoir and an intake port of a cylinder of the engine;
a shut-off valve disposed in the gaseous fuel line and configured to regulate a flow of gaseous fuel from the gaseous fuel reservoir; and
a gas admission valve disposed between the gaseous fuel line and the intake port of the cylinder, the gas admission valve configured to regulate a flow of gaseous fuel from the gaseous fuel line to the intake port;
an inert gas supply system fluidly communicated with the gaseous fuel line, wherein the inert gas supply system comprising an inert gas reservoir configured to store inert gas therein and an inert gas inlet valve configured to regulate a flow of inert gas to the gaseous fuel line; and a controller communicated with the gaseous fuel supply system and the inert gas supply system, the controller is configured to:
regulate the gas admission valve to reduce flow of gaseous fuel into the cylinder;
close the shut-off valve to restrict flow of gaseous fuel from the gaseous fuel reservoir to the gaseous fuel line;
actuate the inert gas inlet valve to supply inert gas to the gaseous fuel line and to flush gaseous fuel remaining in the gaseous fuel line into the cylinder via the gas admission valve; and
close the inert gas inlet valve to restrict supply of inert gas to the gaseous fuel line.

9 . The fuel supply system of claim 8 , wherein the controller actuates the gas admission valve to decrease an opening duration of the gas admission valve.

10 . The fuel supply system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to:
open the gas admission valve during the supply of inert gas to the gaseous fuel line; supply liquid fuel into the cylinder of the engine via a fuel injector; and close the gas admission valve after a predetermined duration is elapsed.

11 . The fuel supply system of claim 10 , wherein the predetermined duration is estimated based on a first relationship between a flow rate of liquid fuel supplied into the cylinder and an engine power.

12 . The fuel supply system of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to:
open the gas admission valve during the supply of inert gas to the gaseous fuel line; supply liquid fuel into the cylinder of the engine via the fuel injector; and close the gas admission valve after an energy calculated based on a second relationship between a flow rate of liquid fuel supplied into the cylinder and an engine power or a flow rate of liquid fuel supplied into the cylinder is constant.

13 . The fuel supply system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to release inert gas to atmosphere.

14 . The fuel supply system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to supply inert gas to the gaseous fuel line so that inert gas passes through the gas admission valve along with the remaining gaseous fuel in the gaseous fuel line into the cylinder due to a clearance of the gas admission valve.

15 . The fuel supply system of claim 8 , wherein the engine is used in a marine vessel.

16 . An engine comprising:
a cylinder; a piston reciprocatingly disposed within the cylinder; a crankshaft; a connecting rod connecting the piston to the crankshaft; an intake port configured to direct air into the cylinder; a fuel injector configured to inject liquid fuel into the cylinder; a gaseous fuel reservoir configured to store gaseous fuel; a gaseous fuel line fluidly communicated between the gaseous fuel reservoir and the intake port; a shut-off valve disposed in the gaseous fuel line and configured to regulate a flow of gaseous fuel from the gaseous fuel reservoir; a gas admission valve disposed between the gaseous fuel line and the intake port of the cylinder, the gas admission valve configured to regulate a flow of gaseous fuel from the gaseous fuel line to the intake port; an inert gas reservoir configured to store inert gas; an inert gas inlet valve configured to regulate a flow of inert gas to the gaseous fuel line; and a controller configured to:
regulate the gas admission valve to reduce flow of gaseous fuel into the cylinder;
close the shut-off valve to restrict flow of gaseous fuel from the gaseous fuel reservoir to the gaseous fuel line;
actuate the inert gas inlet valve to supply inert gas to the gaseous fuel line and to flush gaseous fuel remaining in the gaseous fuel line into the cylinder via the gas admission valve; and
close the inert gas inlet valve to restrict supply of inert gas to the gaseous fuel line.

17 . The engine of claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to actuate the gas admission valve to decrease an opening duration of the gas admission valve.

18 . The engine of claim 16 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
open the gas admission valve during the supply of inert gas to the gaseous fuel line; actuate the fuel injector to supply liquid fuel into the cylinder; and close the gas admission valve after a predetermined duration.

19 . The fuel supply system of claim 18 , wherein the predeter

Assignees

• Caterpillar Motoren Gmbh & Co

Inventors

• Marscheider Hannes
• Sixel Eike Joachim
• Wester Daniel
• Tuexen Thorsten

Classifications

• F02M45/00

  Fuel-injection apparatus characterised by having a cyclic delivery of specific time/pressure or time/quantity relationship {(pumps having such delivery by means of delivery valves F02M59/462)} · CPC title

• F02D41/345

  Controlling injection timing (F02D41/365 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F02M63/0012

  Valves (for fuel metering see the relevant groups, e.g. F02M59/34; inlet or outlet check valves for fuel injection pumps F02M59/46; for fuel injectors see the relevant groups, e.g. F02M61/00) · CPC title

• F02M43/04

  Injectors peculiar thereto · CPC title

• F02D41/0027 Primary

  the fuel being gaseous (non-electrical control F02D19/02) · CPC title