Dual fuel engine and evaporated natural gas system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9234472-B2
Application number	US-201213569260-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 8, 2012
Priority date	Aug 8, 2012
Publication date	Jan 12, 2016
Grant date	Jan 12, 2016

Abstract

A dual fuel compression ignition engine operates by injecting gaseous fuel and liquid diesel fuel from a common fuel injector directly into each engine cylinder. The gaseous fuel is ignited by compression igniting a small pilot injection quantity of the liquid diesel fuel. Evaporated natural gas from a cryogenic tank and/or a fuel conditioning module is dosed into an intake manifold of the engine with an electronically controlled supply valve. The electronically controlled supply valve may open to supply evaporated gas to the intake manifold contingent upon combustion conditions in the engine cylinder demonstrating a low risk of methane slip, and the dosing quantities are limited to reduce risk of ignition of an air/gas mixture in the intake manifold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A compression ignition dual fuel engine comprising:
a gaseous fuel common rail fluidly connected to a plurality of fuel injectors each positioned for direct injection into one engine cylinder;
a liquid fuel common rail fluidly connected to the plurality of fuel injectors;
a gaseous fuel supply and pressure control system fluidly connected to the gaseous fuel common rail;
a liquid fuel supply and pressure control system fluidly connected to the liquid fuel common rail;
an evaporated gas system fluidly positioned between an electronically controlled supply valve fluidly connected to an intake manifold and the gaseous fuel supply and pressure control system, and the electronically controlled supply valve being movable between an open position and a closed position;
each of the fuel injectors having a liquid drain outlet fluidly connected to the liquid fuel supply and pressure control system; and
an electronic controller in control communication with each of the plurality of fuel injectors, the liquid fuel supply and pressure control system, the gaseous fuel supply and pressure control system and the electronically controlled supply valve, the electronic controller configured to selectively and independently control each of the plurality of fuel injectors, the liquid fuel supply and pressure control system, the gaseous fuel supply and pressure control system and the electronically controlled supply valve, the electronic controller further configured to control the electronically controlled supply valve based at least upon a risk of methane slip, a risk of intake ignition, or a load on the compression ignition dual fuel engine, or a combination thereof.

2. The compression ignition engine of claim 1 wherein the evaporated gas system includes an accumulator with a volume greater than the gaseous fuel common rail.

3. The compression ignition engine of claim 1 wherein gaseous fuel supply and pressure control system includes a cryogenic tank fluidly connected to a first inlet to the evaporated gas system, and a fuel conditioning module fluidly connected to a second inlet to the evaporated gas system.

4. The compression ignition engine of claim 1 wherein the electronic controller includes an evaporated gas dosing algorithm configured to communicate an open signal and a close signal to the electronically controlled supply valve.

5. The compression ignition engine of claim 4 wherein the evaporated gas system includes an accumulator with a volume greater than the gaseous fuel common rail.

6. The compression ignition engine of claim 5 wherein the evaporated gas dosing algorithm is configured to communicate the close signal contingent on combustion conditions corresponding to an elevated risk of methane slip, and the open signal contingent on combustion conditions corresponding to a reduced risk of methane slip.

7. The compression ignition engine of claim 6 wherein the evaporated gas dosing algorithm is configured to communicate the close signal contingent on an air/fuel ratio in the intake manifold corresponding to an elevated risk of intake ignition, and the open signal contingent on the air/fuel ratio in the intake manifold corresponding to a reduced risk of intake ignition.

8. The compression ignition engine of claim 7 wherein the gaseous fuel supply and pressure control system includes a cryogenic tank fluidly connected to a first inlet to the evaporated gas system, and a fuel conditioning module fluidly connected to a second inlet to the evaporated gas system.

9. A machine comprising: a machine body supported on a conveyance; and
a compression ignition dual fuel engine supported on the machine body and operably coupled to the conveyance, and comprising:
a gaseous fuel common rail fluidly connected to a plurality of fuel injectors each positioned for direct injection into one engine cylinder;
a liquid fuel common rail fluidly connected to the plurality of fuel injectors;
a gaseous fuel supply and pressure control system fluidly connected to the gaseous fuel common rail;
a liquid fuel supply and pressure control system fluidly connected to the liquid fuel common rail;
an evaporated gas system fluidly positioned between an electronically controlled supply valve fluidly connected to an intake manifold and the gaseous fuel supply and pressure control system, and the electronically controlled supply valve being movable between an open position and a closed position;
each of the fuel injectors having a liquid drain outlet fluidly connected to the liquid fuel supply and pressure control system; and
an electronic controller in control communication with each of the plurality of fuel injectors, the liquid fuel supply and pressure control system, the gaseous fuel supply and pressure control system and the electronically controlled supply valve, the electronic controller configured to selectively and independently control each of the plurality of fuel injectors, the liquid fuel supply and pressure control system, the gaseous fuel supply and pressure control system and the electronically controlled supply valve, the electronic controller further configured to control the electronically controlled supply valve based at least upon a risk of methane slip, a risk of intake ignition, or a load on the compression ignition dual fuel engine, or a combination thereof.

10. The machine of claim 9 wherein the gaseous fuel supply and pressure control system includes a cryogenic tank fluidly connected to a first inlet to the evaporated gas system, and a fuel conditioning module fluidly connected to a second inlet to the evaporated gas system.

11. The machine of claim 9 wherein the electronic controller includes an evaporated gas dosing algorithm configured to communicate an open signal and a close signal to the electronically controlled supply valve.

12. The machine of claim 10 wherein the evaporated gas system includes an accumulator with a volume greater than the gaseous fuel common rail.

13. The machine of claim 11 wherein the evaporated gas dosing algorithm is configured to communicate the close signal contingent on an air/fuel ratio in the intake manifold corresponding to an elevated risk of intake ignition, and the open signal contingent on the air/fuel ratio in the intake manifold corresponding to a reduced risk of intake ignition.

14. The machine of claim 12 wherein the evaporated gas dosing algorithm is configured to communicate the close signal contingent on combustion conditions corresponding to an elevated risk of methane slip, and the open signal contingent on combustion conditions corresponding to a reduced risk of methane slip.

Assignees

• Kim Hoisan
• Sommars Mark F
• Stockner Alan R
• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Kim Hoisan
• Sommars Mark F
• Stockner Alan R

Classifications

• F02D19/10

  peculiar to compression-ignition engines in which the main fuel is gaseous · CPC title

• F02D41/403

  with pilot injections · CPC title

• F02D19/022

  to adjust the fuel pressure, temperature or composition · CPC title

• F02D41/0027

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

• F02M21/0245

  High pressure fuel supply systems; Rails; Pumps; Arrangement of valves · CPC title