Title: Apparatus and method for operating internal combustion engines from variable mixtures of gaseous fuels

Abstract

An apparatus and method for utilizing any arbitrary mixture ratio of multiple fuel gases having differing combustion characteristics, such as natural gas and hydrogen gas, within an internal combustion engine. The gaseous fuel composition ratio is first sensed, such as by thermal conductivity, infrared signature, sound propagation speed, or equivalent mixture differentiation mechanisms and combinations thereof which are utilized as input(s) to a "multiple map" engine control module which modulates selected operating parameters of the engine, such as fuel injection and ignition timing, in response to the proportions of fuel gases available so that the engine operates correctly and at high efficiency irrespective of the gas mixture ratio being utilized. As a result, an engine configured according to the teachings of the present invention may be fueled from at least two different fuel sources without admixing constraints.

Inventors:

Heffel, James W.; Scott, Paul B.

Issue Date:

Tue Sep 02 00:00:00 EDT 2003

Research Org.:

Univ. of California, Oakland, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

1174468

Patent Number(s):

6612269

Application Number:

09/925,281

Assignee:

The Regents of the University of California (Oakland, CA)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):

F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F02 - COMBUSTION ENGINES F02B - INTERNAL-COMBUSTION PISTON ENGINES

F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F02 - COMBUSTION ENGINES F02D - CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES

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F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F02 - COMBUSTION ENGINES F02B - INTERNAL-COMBUSTION PISTON ENGINES

F02B43/00 - Engines characterised by operating on gaseous fuels
F02B43/10 - Engines or plants characterised by use of other specific gases, e.g. acetylene, oxyhydrogen
F02B51/00 - Other methods of operating engines involving pretreating of, or adding substances to, combustion air, fuel, or fuel-air mixture of the engines

F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F02 - COMBUSTION ENGINES F02D - CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES

F02D19/024 - {by controlling fuel injectors}
F02D19/029 - {Determining density, viscosity, concentration or composition}
F02D19/0644 - {the gaseous fuel being hydrogen, ammonia or carbon monoxide}
F02D19/087 - {with determination of densities, viscosities, composition, concentration or mixture ratios of fuels}

F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F02 - COMBUSTION ENGINES F02G - HOT GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT ENGINE PLANTS

F02G1/043 - the engine being operated by expansion and contraction of a mass of working gas which is heated and cooled in one of a plurality of constantly communicating expansible chambers, e.g. Stirling cycle type engines
F02G2254/11 - Catalytic burners

F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F02 - COMBUSTION ENGINES F02M - SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF

F02M21/0215 - {Mixtures of gaseous fuels

G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01N - INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

G01N25/18 - by investigating thermal conductivity

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02T - CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

Y02T10/30 - Use of alternative fuels

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DOE Contract Number:  

FC36-94G010039

Resource Type:

Patent

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS; 42 ENGINEERING