Internal combustion engine for natural gas compressor operation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9528465-B2
Application number	US-201514676725-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 1, 2015
Priority date	Apr 2, 2014
Publication date	Dec 27, 2016
Grant date	Dec 27, 2016

Abstract

This application concerns systems and methods for compressing natural gas with an internal combustion engine. In a representative embodiment, a method is featured which includes placing a first cylinder of an internal combustion engine in a compressor mode, and compressing a gas within the first cylinder, using the cylinder as a reciprocating compressor. In some embodiments a compression check valve system is used to regulate pressure and flow within cylinders of the engine during a compression process.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An internal combustion engine, comprising:
a first bimodal cylinder operable in a first bimodal cylinder compression mode to compress fuel gas without combusting the fuel gas when fuel gas is received in the first bimodal cylinder from a fuel gas source, and operable in a first bimodal cylinder combustion mode to combust fuel gas;
a second bimodal cylinder in fluid communication with the first bimodal cylinder and operable in a second bimodal cylinder compression mode and a second bimodal cylinder combustion mode;
a fuel gas source conduit in fluid communication with the first bimodal cylinder and fluidly couplable to the fuel gas source to supply fuel gas to the first bimodal cylinder when the first bimodal cylinder is operating in the first bimodal cylinder compression mode; and
a cylinder head including a valve system operable to regulate a flow of fuel gas into the first bimodal cylinder from the fuel gas source conduit and out of the first bimodal cylinder to the second bimodal cylinder when compressing fuel gas in the first bimodal cylinder.

2. The internal combustion engine of claim 1 , further comprising at least one cylinder operable in a combustion mode to drive the first bimodal cylinder when compressing fuel gas in the first bimodal cylinder, the at least one cylinder and the first bimodal cylinder being coupled to a common crankshaft.

3. The internal combustion engine of claim 1 , wherein the first and second bimodal cylinders are in fluid communication via a conduit defined in the cylinder head.

4. The internal combustion engine of claim 3 , wherein the valve system comprises at least one check valve.

5. The internal combustion engine of claim 4 , wherein the at least one check valve is associated with the first bimodal cylinder, the at least one check valve being actuated by changing pressure within the first bimodal cylinder when the first bimodal cylinder is operating in the first bimodal cylinder compression mode.

6. The internal combustion engine of claim 5 , wherein the at least one check valve is lockable in a closed position when the first bimodal cylinder is operated in the first bimodal cylinder combustion mode.

7. The internal combustion engine of claim 1 , wherein:
the first bimodal cylinder compresses fuel gas to a first pressure; and
the second bimodal cylinder receives fuel gas from the first bimodal cylinder and compresses the fuel gas to a second pressure greater than the first pressure.

8. The internal combustion engine of claim 7 , wherein:
the first bimodal cylinder and a third bimodal cylinder both compress fuel gas to the first pressure; and
the second bimodal cylinder receives fuel gas from the first and third bimodal cylinders and compresses the fuel gas to the second pressure.

9. The internal combustion engine of claim 1 , wherein the valve system further comprises an inlet valve configured to open inwardly into the first bimodal cylinder and an outlet valve configured to open outwardly away from the first bimodal cylinder.

10. The internal combustion engine of claim 1 , wherein the cylinder head further comprises inlet and outlet channels operable during operation of the first bimodal cylinder in the first bimodal cylinder combustion mode.

11. The internal combustion engine of claim 1 , further comprising a booster compressor in fluid communication with the fuel gas source and the first bimodal cylinder.

12. A vehicle including the internal combustion engine of claim 1 .

13. A method, comprising making an internal combustion engine including a first bimodal cylinder operable in a first bimodal cylinder compression mode to compress fuel gas without combusting the fuel gas when fuel gas is received in the first bimodal cylinder from a fuel gas source and operable in a first bimodal cylinder combustion mode to combust fuel gas, the internal combustion engine further comprising a second bimodal cylinder in fluid communication with the first bimodal cylinder and operable in a second bimodal cylinder compression mode and a second bimodal cylinder combustion mode, the internal combustion engine further comprising a fuel gas source conduit in fluid communication with the first bimodal cylinder and fluidly couplable to the fuel gas source to supply fuel gas to the first bimodal cylinder when the first bimodal cylinder is operating in the first bimodal cylinder compression mode, the internal combustion engine further comprising a cylinder head including a valve system operable to regulate a flow of fuel gas into the first bimodal cylinder from the fuel gas source conduit and out of the first bimodal cylinder to the second bimodal cylinder when compressing fuel gas in the first bimodal cylinder.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein making the internal combustion engine further comprises making at least one cylinder operable in a combustion mode to drive the first and second bimodal cylinders when compressing fuel gas in the first and second bimodal cylinders.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein making the internal combustion engine further comprises making a conduit in the cylinder head to fluidly couple the first and second bimodal cylinders.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein making the internal combustion engine further comprises:
making the valve system operable with the first bimodal cylinder to compress fuel gas to a first pressure; and
making the valve system operable with the second bimodal cylinder to receive fuel gas from the first bimodal cylinder and compress the fuel gas to a second pressure.

17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising incorporating the internal combustion engine into a vehicle.

18. A method, comprising operating a vehicle having an internal combustion engine including a first bimodal cylinder operable in a first bimodal cylinder compression mode to compress fuel gas without combusting the fuel gas when fuel gas is received in the first bimodal cylinder from a fuel gas source and operable in a first bimodal cylinder combustion mode to combust fuel gas, the internal combustion engine further comprising a second bimodal cylinder in fluid communication with the first bimodal cylinder and operable in a second bimodal cylinder compression mode and a second bimodal cylinder combustion mode, the internal combustion engine further comprising a fuel gas source conduit in fluid communication with the first bimodal cylinder and fluidly couplable to the fuel gas source to supply fuel gas to the first bimodal cylinder when the first bimodal cylinder is operating in the first bimodal cylinder compression mode, the internal combustion engine further comprising a cylinder head including a valve system operable to regulate a flow of fuel gas into the first bimodal cylinder from the fuel gas source conduit and out of the first bimodal cylinder to the second bimodal cylinder when compressing fuel gas in the first bimodal cylinder, the first and second bimodal cylinders being operable as reciprocating compressors to compress gas when operating in the first bimodal cylinder compression mode and the second bimodal cylinder compression mode, respectively.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein operating the vehicle further comprises actuating a controller to place the first bimodal cylinder in the first bimodal cylinder compression mode and the second bimodal cylinder in the second bimodal cylinder compression mode, and compressing fuel gas within the first and second bimodal cylinders using the first and second bimodal cylinders as reciprocating compressors, or transmitting cont

Assignees

• Hagen Christopher
• Babbitt Guy
• Univ Oregon State

Inventors

• Hagen Christopher
• Babbitt Guy

Classifications

• F02M21/0218

  Details on the gaseous fuel supply system, e.g. tanks, valves, pipes, pumps, rails, injectors or mixers · CPC title

• F02B33/22 Primary

  with pumping cylinder situated at side of working cylinder, e.g. the cylinders being parallel · CPC title

• F02D17/026

  delivering compressed fluid, e.g. air, reformed gas, to the active cylinders other than during starting · CPC title

• F02M21/0224

  Secondary gaseous fuel storages · CPC title

• Y10T29/4927

  Cylinder, cylinder head or engine valve sleeve making · CPC title