Feedback controlled system for charged ignition promoter droplet distribution

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9869255-B2
Application number	US-201514960680-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2015
Priority date	Dec 7, 2015
Publication date	Jan 16, 2018
Grant date	Jan 16, 2018

Abstract

An engine system is disclosed. The engine system may have an engine including at least one cylinder. The engine system may also have a first source configured to supply fuel for combustion in the engine and a second source configured to supply an ignition promoter material for combustion in the engine. The engine system may have a droplet injector configured to generate at least one droplet of the ignition promoter material, apply an amount of charge on the at least one droplet, and deliver the at least one droplet to the at least one cylinder. The engine system may also have a controller. The controller may be configured to determine an engine parameter, and to determine the amount of charge based on the engine parameter. In addition, the controller may be configured to adjust the droplet injector to apply the determined amount of charge to the at least one droplet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An engine system, comprising:
an engine, including at least one cylinder;
a first source configured to supply fuel for combustion in the engine;
a second source configured to supply an ignition promoter material for combustion in the engine;
a droplet injector configured to:
generate at least one droplet of the ignition promoter material;
apply an amount of charge on the at least one droplet; and
deliver the at least one droplet to the at least one cylinder; and

a controller configured to:
determine an engine parameter;
determine the amount of charge based on the engine parameter;
control the droplet injector to apply the determined amount of charge to the at least one droplet.

2. The engine system of claim 1 , wherein the droplet injector includes:
a droplet generator configured to generate the at least one droplet; and
a charge generator configured to apply the amount of charge to the at least one droplet.

3. The engine system of claim 1 , wherein
the ignition promoter material includes lubrication oil, and
the fuel includes natural gas.

4. The engine system of claim 1 , wherein the droplet injector is configured to:
generate a plurality of droplets; and
apply a same amount of charge to each of the plurality of droplets.

5. The engine system of claim 1 , wherein the droplet injector is configured to:
generate a plurality of droplets; and
apply different amounts of charge to different droplets selected from the plurality of droplets.

6. The engine system of claim 5 , wherein
the engine parameter is engine speed, and
the droplet injector is configured:
apply a first amount of charge to the at least one droplet at a first engine speed; and
apply a second amount of charge to the at least one droplet at a second engine speed, the second amount of charge being greater than the first amount of charge when the second engine speed is greater than the first engine speed.

7. The engine system of claim 5 , wherein
the engine parameter is air-fuel ratio, and
the droplet injector is configured to:
apply a first amount of charge to the at least one droplet when the air-fuel ratio has a first value; and
apply a second amount of charge to the at least one droplet when the air-fuel ratio has a second value, the second amount of charge being greater than the first amount of charge when the second value is greater than the first value.

8. The engine system of claim 5 , wherein
the plurality of droplets include:
a first droplet having a first droplet size; and
a second droplet having a second droplet size greater than the first droplet size, and

the droplet injector is configured to:
apply a first amount of charge to the first droplet; and
apply a second amount of charge greater than the first amount of charge to the second droplet.

9. The engine system of claim 5 , wherein the droplet injector is configured to apply the different amounts of charge such that the droplets have
a first droplet charge variation at a first engine speed, and
a second droplet charge variation greater than the first droplet charge variation at a second engine speed greater than the first engine speed.

10. An engine, comprising:
a plurality of cylinders;
an intake manifold configured to deliver air for combustion to the cylinders;
an exhaust manifold configured to discharge exhaust from the cylinders;
a first source configured to supply fuel for combustion in the cylinders;
a second source configured to supply an ignition promoter material;
a droplet generator configured to receive the ignition promoter material from the second source and generate at least one droplet of the ignition promoter material;
a charge generator configured to apply an amount of charge to the at least one droplet; and
a controller configured to:
determine an engine parameter;
determine the amount of charge based on the engine parameter; and
adjust the charge generator to apply the determined amount of charge on the at least one droplet.

11. The engine of claim 10 , wherein
the droplet generator is configured to generate a plurality of droplets, and
the charge generator is configured to apply different amounts of charge to different droplets selected from the plurality of droplets.

12. The engine of claim 11 , wherein
the engine parameter is engine speed, and
the charge generator is configured to:
apply a first amount of charge to the at least one droplet at a first engine speed; and
apply a second amount of charge to the at least one droplet at a second engine speed, the second amount of charge being greater than the first amount of charge when the second engine speed is greater than the first engine speed.

13. The engine of claim 11 , wherein
the plurality of droplets includes:
a first droplet having a first droplet size; and
a second droplet having a second droplet size greater than the first droplet size, and

the charge generator is configured to:
apply a first amount of charge to the first droplet; and
apply a second amount of charge greater than the first amount of charge to the second droplet.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Singh Jaswinder
• Willi Martin L

Classifications

• F02D41/1454

  the characteristics being an oxygen content or concentration or the air-fuel ratio · CPC title

• F02D2200/101

  Engine speed · CPC title

• F02D41/0027

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

• F02M21/0215

  Mixtures of gaseous fuels; Natural gas; Biogas; Mine gas; Landfill gas · CPC title

• F02D19/0647

  the gaseous fuel being liquefied petroleum gas [LPG], liquefied natural gas [LNG], compressed natural gas [CNG] or dimethyl ether [DME] · CPC title