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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:
; ;
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Univ. of California, Oakland, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1176719
Patent Number(s):
RE42876
Application Number:
12/769,408
Assignee:
The Regents of the University of California (Oakland, CA)
DOE Contract Number:  
FC36-94GO10039
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 2010 Apr 28
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
03 NATURAL GAS; 33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS

Citation Formats

Heffel, James W., Scott, Paul B., and Park, Chan Seung. Apparatus and method for operating internal combustion engines from variable mixtures of gaseous fuels. United States: N. p., 2011. Web.
Heffel, James W., Scott, Paul B., & Park, Chan Seung. Apparatus and method for operating internal combustion engines from variable mixtures of gaseous fuels. United States.
Heffel, James W., Scott, Paul B., and Park, Chan Seung. Tue . "Apparatus and method for operating internal combustion engines from variable mixtures of gaseous fuels". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1176719.
@article{osti_1176719,
title = {Apparatus and method for operating internal combustion engines from variable mixtures of gaseous fuels},
author = {Heffel, James W. and Scott, Paul B. and Park, Chan Seung},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Nov 01 00:00:00 EDT 2011},
month = {Tue Nov 01 00:00:00 EDT 2011}
}

Works referenced in this record:

Hydrogen Fuel for Surface Transportation
book, September 1996


Development of a Hydrogen Fueled Internal Combustion Engine Designed for Single Speed/Power Operation
conference, August 1996