Combustion engine with multi-fuel capability
This patent describes a combustion engine. It has means for providing thereto a fuel mixture of one or more liquid fuels in an unknown combination through a fuel line and means for determining an engine operating control parameter in response to the dielectric constant of the fuel mixture. The last means comprising, in combination: a capacitor in the fuel line adapted for fuel flow therethrough so that the fuel provided to the combustion engine comprises a dielectric which determines the capacitance thereof; an impedance in series combination with the capacitor; an oscillator providing an oscillating voltage to the series combination of the impedance and capacitor, the oscillating voltage having a component with a frequency of oscillation of at least 1 MHz but less than a frequency requiring microwave components; and an electric circuit responsive to a capacitively determined electrical parameter of the capacitor to determine the capacitance thereof and therefore the dielectric constant of the fuel mixture.
- Assignee:
- General Motors Corp., Detroit, MI (USA)
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4971015; A
- Application Number:
- PPN: US 7-499084
- OSTI ID:
- 5697156
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: 26 Mar 1990
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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