System and method for increasing gaseous fuel substitution

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016169133-A1
Application number	US-201414567418-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 11, 2014
Priority date	Dec 11, 2014
Publication date	Jun 16, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A fuel control system for a multiple fuel internal combustion engine may include at least one cylinder pressure sensor associated with each cylinder of the engine. A data collection module may be configured to receive real-time cylinder pressure measurements from each of the at least one cylinder pressure sensors and calculate one or more actual combustion parameter values from the real-time cylinder pressure measurements. A comparison module may be configured to receive the calculated one or more actual combustion parameter values from the data collection module and compare the calculated one or more actual combustion parameter values for each cylinder to reference combustion parameter values to determine any difference therebetween, wherein the reference combustion parameter values are the same for each of the cylinders. A process control module may be configured to control fuel injection of at least two different types of fuel supplied to each cylinder in order to reduce any difference between the calculated actual combustion parameter values for each cylinder and the reference combustion parameter values.

First claim

1 . A control system for a multiple fuel internal combustion engine having one or more cylinders, comprising:
at least one cylinder pressure sensor associated with each cylinder of the engine; a data collection module configured to receive real-time cylinder pressure measurements from each of the at least one cylinder pressure sensors and calculate one or more actual combustion parameter values from the real-time cylinder pressure measurements; a comparison module configured to receive the calculated one or more actual combustion parameter values from the data collection module and compare the calculated one or more actual combustion parameter values for each cylinder to reference combustion parameter values to determine any difference therebetween, wherein the reference combustion parameter values are the same for each of the cylinders; and a process control module configured to control fuel injection of at least two different types of fuel supplied to each cylinder in order to reduce any difference between the calculated actual combustion parameter values for each cylinder and the reference combustion parameter values.

2 . The control system of claim 1 , wherein the comparison module is further configured to receive the reference combustion parameter values from a memory storage.

3 . The control system of claim 2 , wherein the reference combustion parameter values from the memory storage are combustion parameter values associated with a multiple fuel internal combustion engine using a higher percentage of a gaseous fuel than a percentage of gaseous fuel currently being used by the multiple fuel internal combustion engine.

4 . The control system of claim 3 , wherein the reference combustion parameter values from the memory storage are combustion parameter values associated with the multiple fuel internal combustion engine using a ratio of gaseous fuel to liquid fuel that one or more of provides a reduction in total fuel costs and a reduction in emissions, while still meeting power output requirements for the engine and maintaining stress on the engine below an acceptable threshold level.

5 . The control system of claim 1 , wherein the calculated one or more actual combustion parameter values and the reference combustion parameter values include one or more of peak cylinder pressure, indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP), maximum heat released, maximum rate of pressure rise, estimated combustion gas temperature, location of peak cylinder pressure, location of maximum rate of pressure rise, crank angle of start of combustion, crank angle of center of combustion, and crank angle of opening or closing of an inlet or outlet valve for each of the cylinders of the multiple fuel internal combustion engine.

6 . The control system of claim 5 , wherein the reference combustion parameter values are combustion parameter values associated with the multiple fuel internal combustion engine using a ratio of gaseous fuel to liquid fuel that one or more of provides a reduction in total fuel costs and a reduction in emissions, while still meeting power output requirements for the engine and maintaining stress on the engine below an acceptable threshold level.

7 . The control system of claim 1 , wherein the process control module is further configured to control the timing of one or more of fuel injection of at least two different types of fuel and ignition of the at least two different types of fuel.

8 . The control system of claim 1 , further including the data collection module being configured to recalculate one or more actual combustion parameter values from new real-time cylinder pressure measurements taken after the process control module controls fuel injection of at least two different types of fuel in order to reduce any difference between the calculated actual combustion parameter values for each cylinder and the reference combustion parameter values, the recalculation by the data collection module continuing in a closed loop process until the difference between the calculated actual combustion parameter values and the reference combustion parameter values is less than a predetermined threshold.

9 . The control system of claim 1 , wherein the comparison module is further configured to receive the reference combustion parameter values from a calculation module configured to calculate the reference combustion parameter values from at least one of theoretical, empirical, and historical data associated with a multiple fuel internal combustion engine using a ratio of gaseous fuel to liquid fuel that one or more of provides a reduction in total fuel costs and a reduction in emissions, while still meeting power output requirements for the engine and maintaining stress on the engine below an acceptable threshold level.

10 . A multiple fuel internal combustion engine operable in a combined liquid and gaseous fuel mode; comprising:
a plurality of cylinders; a real-time cylinder pressure sensor associated with each of the plurality of cylinders; a liquid fuel injection system; a gaseous fuel injection system; and a control system comprising:
a data collection module configured to receive real-time cylinder pressure measurements from each of the cylinder pressure sensors and calculate one or more actual combustion parameter values from the real-time cylinder pressure measurements;
a comparison module configured to receive the calculated one or more actual combustion parameter values from the data collection module and compare the calculated one or more actual combustion parameter values for each cylinder to reference combustion parameter values to determine any difference therebetween, wherein the reference combustion parameter values are the same for each of the cylinders; and
a process control module configured to control one or more of fuel injection of at least a liquid fuel and a gaseous fuel, and ignition in order to reduce any difference between the calculated actual combustion parameter values for each cylinder and the reference combustion parameter values.

11 . The multiple fuel internal combustion engine of claim 10 , wherein the comparison module is further configured to receive the reference combustion parameter values from a memory storage.

12 . The multiple fuel internal combustion engine of claim 11 , wherein the reference combustion parameter values from the memory storage are combustion parameter values associated with the multiple fuel internal combustion engine using a higher percentage of a gaseous fuel than a percentage of gaseous fuel currently being used by the multiple fuel internal combustion engine.

13 . The multiple fuel internal combustion engine of claim 12 , wherein the reference combustion parameter values from the memory storage are combustion parameter values associated with the multiple fuel engine using a ratio of gaseous fuel to liquid fuel that one or more of provides a reduction in total fuel costs and a reduction in emissions, while still meeting power output requirements for the engine and maintaining stress on the engine below an acceptable threshold level.

14 . The multiple fuel internal combustion engine of claim 10 , wherein the calculated one or more actual combustion parameter values and the reference combustion parameter values include one or more of peak cylinder pressure, indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP), maximum heat released, maximum rate of pressure rise, estimated combustion gas temperature, location of peak cylinder pressure, location of maximum rate of pressure rise, crank angle of start of combustion, crank angle of center of combustion, and crank angle of opening or closing of an inl

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Yeager Mary Louise
• Clark Francis Leonard
• Gregory Brandon Glenn

Classifications

• F02D41/2438

  Active learning methods · CPC title

• F02D41/0027 Primary

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

• F02D41/1443

  with one sensor per cylinder or group of cylinders · CPC title

• F02D41/0085

  Balancing of cylinder outputs, e.g. speed, torque or air-fuel ratio · CPC title

• F02D41/021

  Introducing corrections for particular conditions exterior to the engine (conjoint control of vehicle sub-units for propelling the vehicle B60W30/18) · CPC title