US20240044296A1 - Gaseous fuel engine system and operating strategy for limiting crankcase fuel accumulation - Google Patents
Gaseous fuel engine system and operating strategy for limiting crankcase fuel accumulation Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20240044296A1 US20240044296A1 US17/879,978 US202217879978A US2024044296A1 US 20240044296 A1 US20240044296 A1 US 20240044296A1 US 202217879978 A US202217879978 A US 202217879978A US 2024044296 A1 US2024044296 A1 US 2024044296A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- fuel
- gaseous fuel
- crankcase
- gaseous
- engine
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
- 239000000446 fuel Substances 0.000 title claims abstract description 254
- 238000009825 accumulation Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 42
- 238000011065 in-situ storage Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 17
- 238000002347 injection Methods 0.000 claims description 22
- 239000007924 injection Substances 0.000 claims description 22
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims description 17
- UFHFLCQGNIYNRP-UHFFFAOYSA-N Hydrogen Chemical compound [H][H] UFHFLCQGNIYNRP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 13
- 238000009423 ventilation Methods 0.000 claims description 12
- 238000002485 combustion reaction Methods 0.000 claims description 11
- 239000001257 hydrogen Substances 0.000 claims description 11
- 229910052739 hydrogen Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 11
- 238000004891 communication Methods 0.000 claims description 7
- 238000012544 monitoring process Methods 0.000 claims description 7
- 238000003958 fumigation Methods 0.000 claims description 6
- 239000004215 Carbon black (E152) Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- 229930195733 hydrocarbon Natural products 0.000 claims description 4
- 150000002430 hydrocarbons Chemical class 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000006185 dispersion Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000007789 gas Substances 0.000 description 14
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 description 9
- VNWKTOKETHGBQD-UHFFFAOYSA-N methane Chemical compound C VNWKTOKETHGBQD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 8
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 description 3
- 239000003345 natural gas Substances 0.000 description 3
- 238000010926 purge Methods 0.000 description 2
- OTMSDBZUPAUEDD-UHFFFAOYSA-N Ethane Chemical compound CC OTMSDBZUPAUEDD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 230000006835 compression Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000007906 compression Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000012141 concentrate Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000003247 decreasing effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000001419 dependent effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000005516 engineering process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000005431 greenhouse gas Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000010248 power generation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000005086 pumping Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000000979 retarding effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000003860 storage Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000011144 upstream manufacturing Methods 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
- F02D—CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES
- F02D41/00—Electrical control of supply of combustible mixture or its constituents
- F02D41/0025—Controlling engines characterised by use of non-liquid fuels, pluralities of fuels, or non-fuel substances added to the combustible mixtures
- F02D41/0027—Controlling engines characterised by use of non-liquid fuels, pluralities of fuels, or non-fuel substances added to the combustible mixtures the fuel being gaseous
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
- F02D—CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES
- F02D19/00—Controlling engines characterised by their use of non-liquid fuels, pluralities of fuels, or non-fuel substances added to the combustible mixtures
- F02D19/02—Controlling engines characterised by their use of non-liquid fuels, pluralities of fuels, or non-fuel substances added to the combustible mixtures peculiar to engines working with gaseous fuels
- F02D19/021—Control of components of the fuel supply system
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
- F02D—CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES
- F02D19/00—Controlling engines characterised by their use of non-liquid fuels, pluralities of fuels, or non-fuel substances added to the combustible mixtures
- F02D19/02—Controlling engines characterised by their use of non-liquid fuels, pluralities of fuels, or non-fuel substances added to the combustible mixtures peculiar to engines working with gaseous fuels
- F02D19/021—Control of components of the fuel supply system
- F02D19/023—Control of components of the fuel supply system to adjust the fuel mass or volume flow
- F02D19/024—Control of components of the fuel supply system to adjust the fuel mass or volume flow by controlling fuel injectors
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
- F02D—CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES
- F02D41/00—Electrical control of supply of combustible mixture or its constituents
- F02D41/30—Controlling fuel injection
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
- F02D—CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES
- F02D41/00—Electrical control of supply of combustible mixture or its constituents
- F02D41/30—Controlling fuel injection
- F02D41/3094—Controlling fuel injection the fuel injection being effected by at least two different injectors, e.g. one in the intake manifold and one in the cylinder
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
- F02D—CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES
- F02D19/00—Controlling engines characterised by their use of non-liquid fuels, pluralities of fuels, or non-fuel substances added to the combustible mixtures
- F02D19/06—Controlling engines characterised by their use of non-liquid fuels, pluralities of fuels, or non-fuel substances added to the combustible mixtures peculiar to engines working with pluralities of fuels, e.g. alternatively with light and heavy fuel oil, other than engines indifferent to the fuel consumed
- F02D19/0639—Controlling engines characterised by their use of non-liquid fuels, pluralities of fuels, or non-fuel substances added to the combustible mixtures peculiar to engines working with pluralities of fuels, e.g. alternatively with light and heavy fuel oil, other than engines indifferent to the fuel consumed characterised by the type of fuels
- F02D19/0642—Controlling engines characterised by their use of non-liquid fuels, pluralities of fuels, or non-fuel substances added to the combustible mixtures peculiar to engines working with pluralities of fuels, e.g. alternatively with light and heavy fuel oil, other than engines indifferent to the fuel consumed characterised by the type of fuels at least one fuel being gaseous, the other fuels being gaseous or liquid at standard conditions
- F02D19/0644—Controlling engines characterised by their use of non-liquid fuels, pluralities of fuels, or non-fuel substances added to the combustible mixtures peculiar to engines working with pluralities of fuels, e.g. alternatively with light and heavy fuel oil, other than engines indifferent to the fuel consumed characterised by the type of fuels at least one fuel being gaseous, the other fuels being gaseous or liquid at standard conditions the gaseous fuel being hydrogen, ammonia or carbon monoxide
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
- F02D—CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES
- F02D19/00—Controlling engines characterised by their use of non-liquid fuels, pluralities of fuels, or non-fuel substances added to the combustible mixtures
- F02D19/06—Controlling engines characterised by their use of non-liquid fuels, pluralities of fuels, or non-fuel substances added to the combustible mixtures peculiar to engines working with pluralities of fuels, e.g. alternatively with light and heavy fuel oil, other than engines indifferent to the fuel consumed
- F02D19/08—Controlling engines characterised by their use of non-liquid fuels, pluralities of fuels, or non-fuel substances added to the combustible mixtures peculiar to engines working with pluralities of fuels, e.g. alternatively with light and heavy fuel oil, other than engines indifferent to the fuel consumed simultaneously using pluralities of fuels
- F02D19/082—Premixed fuels, i.e. emulsions or blends
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
- F02D—CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES
- F02D41/00—Electrical control of supply of combustible mixture or its constituents
- F02D41/02—Circuit arrangements for generating control signals
- F02D41/14—Introducing closed-loop corrections
- F02D41/1401—Introducing closed-loop corrections characterised by the control or regulation method
- F02D2041/1433—Introducing closed-loop corrections characterised by the control or regulation method using a model or simulation of the system
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
- F02D—CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES
- F02D2250/00—Engine control related to specific problems or objectives
- F02D2250/08—Engine blow-by from crankcase chamber
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
- Y02T10/00—Road transport of goods or passengers
- Y02T10/10—Internal combustion engine [ICE] based vehicles
- Y02T10/30—Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Electrical Control Of Air Or Fuel Supplied To Internal-Combustion Engine (AREA)
Abstract
Operating a gaseous fuel engine system includes controlling at least one of a delivery location, a delivery timing, or in situ mixing of a gaseous fuel with air, based on at least one engine system parameter upon the basis of which a blowby amount of a gaseous fuel to a crankcase varies. Crankcase accumulation of the gaseous fuel is maintained below a flammability limit. Related apparatus and control logic is also disclosed.
Description
- This invention was made with government support under Contract No. DE0009422 awarded by the Department of Energy. The government has certain rights in this invention.
- The present disclosure relates generally to operating a gaseous fuel engine system, and more particularly to maintaining crankcase accumulation of gaseous fuel below a flammability limit.
- Gaseous fuel engines are used globally for diverse purposes ranging from vehicle propulsion to operation of pumps and compressors, to electrical power generation and a variety of other applications. Gaseous fuels, conventionally gaseous hydrocarbon fuels such as natural gas, tend to produce fewer emissions of at least certain types and are generally widely available. In a typical configuration a gaseous fuel such as natural gas is conveyed into a combustion cylinder in an engine and spark-ignited to produce a controlled combustion reaction driving a piston in the engine to rotate a crankshaft. A great many different engine arrangements and operating strategies have been proposed over the decades.
- In recent years increased engineering efforts have been directed at the use of alternative fuels, including gaseous hydrogen fuels. Combustion of hydrogen with air produces few emissions and notably substantially zero so-called greenhouse gas or GHG emissions. Exploiting hydrogen as a fuel in reciprocating engines provides a great many new challenges, however. Hydrogen tends to be less energy dense than certain traditional fuels, has a faster flame speed, and requires special storage and handling techniques and apparatus in certain instances.
- In many engines, a phenomenon known as “blowby” can occur, where fluids from a combustion chamber are urged past a piston during operation. In liquid-fuel engines, fuel and oil that blows by a piston can sometimes be collected and reused or disposed of. In gaseous fuel engines, blowby may be more difficult to manage. One known technology addressing blowby is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,937,837 to Shaffer et al.
- In one aspect, a method of operating a gaseous fuel engine system includes monitoring at least one engine system parameter upon the basis of which a blowby amount of a gaseous fuel to a crankcase in a gaseous fuel engine varies, and conveying the gaseous fuel into a cylinder in the gaseous fuel engine for combustion. The method further includes controlling at least one of a delivery location, a delivery timing, or in situ mixing of a gaseous fuel with air, based on the monitored at least one engine system parameter. The method still further includes maintaining crankcase accumulation of the gaseous fuel below a flammability limit based on the controlling at least one of a delivery location, a delivery timing, or in situ mixing of the gaseous fuel with air.
- In another aspect, a gaseous fuel engine system includes a gaseous fuel engine having a cylinder formed therein, and a crankcase in blowby communication with the cylinder. The engine system further includes a fuel system having a first gaseous fuel admission valve at a first fuel delivery location relative to the cylinder and a second gaseous fuel admission valve at a second fuel delivery location relative to the cylinder. The engine system further includes a fueling control unit in control communication with each of the first gaseous fuel admission valve and the second gaseous fuel admission valve. The fueling control unit is structured to monitor at least one engine system parameter upon the basis of which a blowby amount of a gaseous fuel from the cylinder to the crankcase varies, and to vary at least one of a fuel delivery split between the first fuel delivery location and the second fuel delivery location, a fuel delivery timing, or in situ mixing of the gaseous fuel with air in the cylinder, based on the monitored at least one engine system parameter, to maintain crankcase accumulation of the gaseous fuel below a flammability limit.
- In still another aspect, a fuel system for a gaseous fuel engine system includes a fueling control unit structured to monitor at least one engine system parameter upon the basis of which a blowby amount of a gaseous fuel from a cylinder to a crankcase in a gaseous fuel engine varies, and to control, via fueling control commands, to at least one of a first fuel admission valve at a first fuel delivery location relative to the cylinder and a second fuel admission valve at a second fuel delivery location relative to the cylinder, at least one of a delivery location or a delivery timing of gaseous fuel to the cylinder, based on the monitored at least one engine system parameter. The fueling control unit is further structured to limit crankcase accumulation of the gaseous fuel based on the controlling at least one of a delivery location or a delivery timing of the gaseous fuel.
-
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a gaseous fuel engine system, according to one embodiment; -
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a fueling control unit, according to one embodiment; and -
FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating example methodology and logic flow, according to one embodiment. - Referring to
FIG. 1 , there is shown a gaseousfuel engine system 10, according to one embodiment.Engine system 10 includes agaseous fuel engine 12 having anengine housing 14 with acylinder 16 formed therein. Apiston 20 is shown movable withincylinder 16 in a generally conventional manner between a top-dead-center position and a bottom-dead-center position, typically in a four-stroke cycle.Cylinder 16 may be one of a plurality of cylinders formed inengine housing 14 of any number and in any suitable arrangement such as an in-line pattern, a V-pattern, or still another.Engine system 10 also includes anintake system 22 having anintake conduit 24 structured to receive air to be conveyed togaseous fuel engine 12. Acompressor 26 of aturbocharger 28 is withinintake conduit 24 and operable to pressurize intake air in a generally conventional manner. Turbocharger 28 also includes aturbine 30 positioned in anexhaust conduit 32 and rotated via a flow of exhaust fromgaseous fuel engine 12. -
Gaseous fuel engine 12 also includes acrankcase 18 in blowby communication withcylinder 16. Those skilled in the art will be familiar with the phenomenon of blowby where fluids in a cylinder blow past a piston or piston rings and escape the combustion chamber of the cylinder, typically during a compression stroke or a power stroke of the piston. InFIG. 1 ,arrow 54 indicates an approximate blowby communication path fromcylinder 16 tocrankcase 18. In some instances, unburned gaseous fuel may form some of a mixture of gases that blow by into an engine crankcase. Accumulation of gaseous fuel in an engine crankcase can present challenges relative to the possibility of ignition within the crankcase leading to catastrophic engine failure, as well as the possibility for leaks of flammable gaseous fuel. In the case of engines operating on a gaseous hydrogen fuel (H2), such as gaseous molecular hydrogen or blends of H2 and a gaseous hydrocarbon fuel (HC), the desire to mitigate gaseous fuel accumulation in a crankcase can be significant given the flammability limits of gaseous hydrogen fuels. A so-called lower flammability limit is generally understood as the lowest concentration of a fuel that can ignite with air at a given temperature and pressure. Techniques are known for purging a crankcase of accumulated combustible gases, including pumping air into and through an engine crankcase to dilute the mixture therein. According to the present disclosure, active controls affecting the combustion process and various other operating parameters are employed to limit crankcase accumulation of gaseous fuel typically maintaining crankcase accumulation of gaseous fuel below a flammability limit. -
Engine housing 14 further includes anintake port 34 structured to convey pressurized air fromintake conduit 52 and, at least at times, gaseous fuel tocylinder 16 for combustion.Intake port 34 may be one of a plurality of intake ports for a plurality of cylinders. Analogously, other apparatus referred to in the singular in connection withcylinder 16 will be understood to refer to any of a plurality of like apparatus inengine system 10. A single cylinder engine is nevertheless within the scope of the present disclosure.Engine system 10 also includes afuel system 36 having a first gaseousfuel admission valve 38 at a first fuel delivery location relative tocylinder 16. In the illustrated embodiment the first fuel delivery location is a port injection fuel delivery location and first gaseousfuel admission valve 38 is understood as a port injection fuel admission valve.Fuel system 36 also includes a second gaseousfuel admission valve 40 at a second fuel delivery location relative tocylinder 16. In the illustrated embodiment the second fuel delivery location is a direct injection fuel delivery location and second gaseousfuel admission valve 40 is understood as a direct injection fuel admission valve. As will be further apparent from the following description,fuel system 36 can be operated to vary at least one of a fuel delivery location including a fuel delivery split between a first fuel delivery location and a second fuel delivery location, vary a fuel delivery timing, or vary in situ mixing of gaseous fuel with air incylinder 16, based upon at least one engine system parameter upon the basis of which a blowby amount of a gaseous fuel fromcylinder 16 tocrankcase 18 varies. Varying the at least one of a fuel delivery location, a fuel delivery timing, or in situ mixing of gaseous fuel with air incylinder 16 can maintain crankcase accumulation of the gaseous fuel below a flammability limit. In addition,crankcase 18 may be ventilated at times as further discussed herein. -
Fuel system 36 also includes a gaseous hydrogen fuel supply orH2 supply 42.H2 supply 42 may store a gaseous hydrogen fuel (H2) including gaseous molecular hydrogen or blends of H2 and another gaseous fuel in a pressurized state. A low-pressurefuel supply conduit 50 extends fromH2 supply 42 to first gaseousfuel admission valve 38. In the illustrated embodiment the low-pressure H2 supplied to first gaseousfuel admission valve 38 may be supplied at a tank pressure. Thus, “low-pressure” and like terms are used herein in a relative sense.Fuel system 36 may also include apressurization pump 48 connected to a high-pressurefuel delivery conduit 52 extending to second gaseousfuel admission valve 40.Pump 48, or potentially a plurality of pumps, can increase a pressure of H2 from a tank pressure to an increased pressure for direct injection intocylinder 16. -
Fuel system 36 also includes aline gas supply 44 and a thirdfuel admission valve 46 that fluidly connectsline gas supply 44 tointake conduit 24 at a location upstream ofcompressor 26.Line gas supply 44 can provide a gaseous predominantly hydrocarbon fuel, such as natural gas, mine gas, methane, ethane, landfill gas, biogas, various blends of these, or still another. In an embodimentline gas supply 44 supplies a mixture of H2 and HC that is premixed. Third gaseousfuel admission valve 46 can be opened, closed, or otherwise adjusted in position to vary a relative amount of gaseous fuel fromline gas supply 44 that is supplied intointake system 22. In the illustrated embodiment gaseous fuel fromline gas supply 44 is supplied by fumigation at a fumigation delivery location. It should be appreciated that the present disclosure contemplates a great variety of different ways whereby gaseous fuels, potentially of different types or different blend ratios, are provided togaseous fuel engine 12. For instance, gaseous fuel fromline gas supply 44 could be further pressurized and injected into an intake manifold ofengine system 10. In other instances, fumigation could be combined with port injection only and no direct injector used. In still other variations fumigation and direct injection could be used to provide all of the fuel togaseous fuel engine 12. - It will also be recalled that in addition to varying at least one of a fuel delivery location or a fuel delivery timing, in situ mixing of gaseous fuel with air in
cylinder 16 can be varied to maintain crankcase accumulation of gaseous fuel below a flammability limit. In situ mixing means mixing within an engine, such as within an intake port or within the cylinder itself. In the illustrated embodiment, a swirl controller 74 in the nature of a movable valve, plate, vane, baffle, or other suitable structure coupled with anelectrical actuator 76, is provided in or in proximity tointake port 34. By adjusting a position of swirl controller 74 a relative swirl ratio ingaseous fuel engine 12 can be varied, in turn increasing or decreasing mixing. In one example, adjusting a position of swirl controller 74 varies relative amounts of intake air or intake air and gaseous fuel that are provided to two intake valves forcylinder 16, thus adjusting swirl ratio. - It has been discovered that blowby amount of gaseous fuel can vary dependent upon a distribution of gaseous fuel in a cylinder. Where gaseous fuel is relatively more concentrated, such as in a center of a cylinder based on direct injection, then the relative amount of gaseous fuel in blowby gases to a crankcase can be less. Where gaseous fuel and air are better mixed in a cylinder, gaseous fuel may comprise a greater proportion of the gases that blow by a piston into a crankcase. The present disclosure leverages this recognition to, at times, concentrate the gaseous fuel more in certain locations in the cylinder to limit dispersion prior to combustion and thereby reduce the relative amount of gaseous fuel that ultimately makes its way into the crankcase. At other times, blowby may be less severe overall, and it is practicable to deliver gaseous fuel at locations other than direct injection locations, permitting and typically encouraging greater mixing. Moreover, reducing a relative amount of direct injected gaseous fuel can improve efficiency given lower pressurization requirements. Thus, by varying a fuel delivery split between a direct injection location and a port injection location the present disclosure enables limiting an amount of gaseous fuel that blows by a piston under certain conditions. By adjusting swirl controller 74 the present disclosure can vary a swirl ratio and thus limit mixing of gaseous fuel with air to similar effect. Directionally, greater swirl will tend to be associated with greater mixing and lesser swirl associated with lesser mixing. Thus, varying a position of swirl controller 74 can vary in situ mixing of gaseous fuel with air in the cylinder. In further examples a fuel delivery timing can be varied as noted above. In some instances, retarding of a fuel delivery timing can result in injected gaseous fuel having less time to mix with air in or just prior to entering the cylinder and tendency toward less dispersion. Put differently, by injecting gaseous fuel relatively later in an engine cycle, less mixing and less blowby of gaseous fuel into the crankcase may occur. Injecting timing could also be advanced to facilitate greater mixing where blowby is of less concern.
- To perform the various monitoring and executive actions relating to limiting crankcase fuel accumulation,
engine system 10 includes acontrol system 60.Control system 60 includes a fuelingcontrol unit 62 in control communication with each of first gaseousfuel admission valve 38 and second gaseousfuel admission valve 40, as well as third gaseousfuel admission valve 46. Fuelingcontrol unit 62 may include aprocessor 64 and a computerreadable memory 66.Processor 64 may include any suitable microprocessor or microcontroller, for example. Computerreadable memory 66 may include RAM, ROM, SDRAM, EEPROM, a hard drive, FLASH, or still another suitable volatile or non-volatile memory. - Fueling
control unit 62 is structured to monitor at least one engine system parameter upon the basis of which a blowby amount of gaseous fuel fromcylinder 16 tocrankcase 18 varies as noted above. It has been observed that a relative blowby amount scales generally with engine load. At higher engine loads blowby tends to be greater, and at lower engine loads blowby tends to be less.Control system 60 may also include anengine sensor 70 such as an engine speed sensor. Those skilled in the art will appreciate various strategies for estimating or inferring engine load based in part upon engine speed, fueling, mass air flow, and potentially still other parameters. Accordingly, one engine system parameter upon the basis of which a blowby amount of gaseous fuel varies is engine load. Monitoring at least one engine system parameter includes monitoring an engine load parameter in some embodiments. - Other engine operating parameters upon the basis of which a blowby amount of gaseous fuel varies may also be monitored, and in particular upon the basis of which a blowby amount of gaseous hydrogen fuel varies. In one example, a monitored engine system operating parameter can include an H2 concentration or a relative amount of H2 versus HC which is combusted in the cylinder. In other words, a fuel mixture relatively richer in H2 versus HC, or more generally a fuel or fuel mixture having a higher H2 concentration, can be expected to result in more blowby of H2 into
crankcase 18. Still other engine system operating parameters that are monitored may not be directly related to a blowby amount but nevertheless relate to accumulation of H2 incrankcase 18. For example,control system 60 can monitor an amount of H2 accumulated in crankcase 18 (a “gaseous fuel accumulation parameter”) directly employing a fuelaccumulation crankcase sensor 72 structured to monitor gaseous fuel accumulation incrankcase 18.Crankcase sensor 72 may be exposed to a fluid volume ofcrankcase 18 and produces data indicative of a current gaseous fuel concentration incrankcase 18, and in particular an H2 concentration in some embodiments. An engine system operating parameter that is monitored may also include at least one gaseous fuel availability parameter, including, for example, an H2 availability parameter. To this end,control system 60 may also monitor an H2 level intank 42 employing H2tank level sensor 68. - Focusing now on
FIG. 2 , fuelingcontrol unit 62 may further include a crankcase fuel accumulation model stored on computerreadable memory 66 that is populated based upon the several monitored engine system parameters and serves as the basis for outputting various control commands. As shown inFIG. 2 , fuelingcontrol unit 62 can receive an H2tank level input 80 such as fromsensor 68, anengine load input 82, and an operatingmode input 84 indicative of relative proportions of fuel injected at the first fuel delivery location and the second fuel delivery location. H2tank level input 80 may indicate how much H2 is available, potentially causing less H2 to be delivered (and more HC) where supplies are low and/or more H2 to be delivered (and less HC) where supplies are high, balanced with other factors considered in the gaseous fuel accumulation model. Fuelingcontrol unit 62 may also receive an H2fuel level input 86, indicative of a desired relative amount of H2 delivered toengine system 10, and an H2 crankcase gaseousfuel accumulation input 88. Based upon the several inputs, fuelingcontrol unit 62 can produce anH2 pump command 90, fueling control commands including a direct injection orDI command 92, a port injection orPI command 94, an H2/HC fueling command 96 for operating thirdfuel admission valve 46, and aventilation pump command 98. - As noted above, one monitored engine system parameter upon the basis of which gaseous fuel accumulation in
crankcase 18 varies can include an engine load parameter. Fuelingcontrol unit 62 may be further structured to vary operation ofcrankcase ventilation blower 56 based on the monitored engine load parameter. It will also be recalled that blowby generally scales with engine load. Accordingly, at higher engine loads a blowby amount of gaseous fuel may be relatively greater, andventilation blower 56 can be operated to pump air from ambient intocrankcase 18 to purgecrankcase 18 and thereby mitigate the gaseous fuel accumulation. At lower engine loads it may be possible and desirable to maintain crankcase accumulation of the gaseous fuel below a flammability limit solely by controlling delivery location, delivery timing, or in situ mixing, making operation ofventilation blower 56 unnecessary. Since a blowby amount of H2 can also vary on the basis of other parameters, including H2 concentration, it will be appreciated that there are combinations of engine load and other factors where ventilation blower is desirably used as well as combinations of engine load and other factors whereventilation blower 56 does not need to be used. Thus, at least some of the time energy required to operate ventilation blower can be conserved by turningventilation blower 56 off. - Referring now also to
FIG. 3 , there is shown aflowchart 100 illustrating example methodology and logic flow, according to one embodiment. At ablock 110 gaseous fuel is conveyed into a cylinder for combustion and may be injected at the port injection and/or direct injection locations according to a first fuel delivery split. Gaseous fuel may also be delivered at the fumigation delivery location. The fuel delivery split could include 50% fuel delivery at each location, a majority of fuel delivery at one location versus a minority at another location, or an entirety of fuel delivery at only one of the two locations. Fromblock 110flowchart 100 advances to ablock 120 to monitor one or more engine system parameters influencing an amount of gaseous fuel blowby to the crankcase. - As discussed herein, various monitored engine system parameters may affect a blowby amount of gaseous fuel, including H2 and potentially also HC, to crankcase 18. Other engine system parameters, including gaseous fuel availability such as H2 tank level or even line gas availability, and actual gaseous fuel crankcase accumulation, can also be monitored. Such factors do not directly influence blowby tendency, but can bear on whether blowby can be tolerated, in the case of the actual crankcase accumulation, or whether H2 delivery should be varied in view of H2 availability for injection. From
block 120 flowchart advances to ablock 130 to populate the crankcase fuel accumulation model based upon the various monitored engine system parameters. - From
block 130 fuelingcontrol unit 62 can determine fueling control commands, such as electrical current control commands, based upon the crankcase fuel accumulation model, and at ablock 140 output the fueling control commands to inject gaseous fuel at the port injection and/or direct injection locations according to a varied fuel delivery split. In other instances, rather than varying delivery split, in situ mixing, or delivery timing could additionally or alternatively be varied. Fromblock 140flowchart 100 may advance to ablock 150 to vary operation of crankcase ventilation blower to turn onblower 56, turn offblower 56, or adjust blower speed, for example. - The present description is for illustrative purposes only, and should not be construed to narrow the breadth of the present disclosure in any way. Thus, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications might be made to the presently disclosed embodiments without departing from the full and fair scope and spirit of the present disclosure. Other aspects, features and advantages will be apparent upon an examination of the attached drawings and appended claims. As used herein, the articles “a” and “an” are intended to include one or more items, and may be used interchangeably with “one or more.” Where only one item is intended, the term “one” or similar language is used. Also, as used herein, the terms “has,” “have,” “having,” or the like are intended to be open-ended terms. Further, the phrase “based on” is intended to mean “based, at least in part, on” unless explicitly stated otherwise.
Claims (20)
1. A method of operating a gaseous fuel engine system comprising:
monitoring at least one engine system parameter upon the basis of which a blowby amount of a gaseous fuel to a crankcase in a gaseous fuel engine varies;
conveying the gaseous fuel into a cylinder in the gaseous fuel engine for combustion;
controlling at least one of a delivery location, a delivery timing, or in situ mixing of the gaseous fuel with air, based on the monitored at least one engine system parameter; and
limiting the blowby amount of the gaseous fuel that blows by a piston in the gaseous fuel engine based on the controlling at least one of a delivery location, a delivery timing, or in situ mixing of the gaseous fuel with air, such that crankcase accumulation of the gaseous fuel is maintained below a flammability limit.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the gaseous fuel includes gaseous hydrogen fuel (H2).
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the H2 is combusted in the cylinder with a gaseous hydrocarbon fuel (HC).
4. The method of claim 2 wherein the controlling at least one of a delivery location, a delivery timing, or in situ mixing includes controlling a delivery split between a first delivery location and a second delivery location.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the first delivery location includes a direct injection location and the second location includes a port injection location or a fumigation delivery location.
6. The method of claim 5 further comprising limiting dispersion of the gaseous fuel in the cylinder based on the controlling at least one of a delivery location, a delivery timing, or in situ mixing.
7. The method of claim 2 wherein the monitoring at least one engine system parameter includes monitoring an engine load parameter.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the controlling at least one of a delivery location, a delivery timing, or in situ mixing is based on a crankcase fuel accumulation model.
9. The method of claim 8 further comprising populating the crankcase fuel accumulation model based on the engine load parameter and a monitored fuel accumulation parameter.
10. The method of claim 9 further comprising populating the crankcase fuel accumulation model with a gaseous fuel availability parameter.
11. A gaseous fuel engine system comprising:
a gaseous fuel engine having a cylinder formed therein, and a crankcase in blowby communication with the cylinder;
a fuel system including a first gaseous fuel admission valve at a first fuel delivery location relative to the cylinder and a second gaseous fuel admission valve at a second fuel delivery location relative to the cylinder;
a fueling control unit in control communication with each of the first gaseous fuel admission valve and the second gaseous fuel admission valve and structured to:
monitor at least one engine system parameter upon the basis of which a blowby amount of a gaseous fuel from the cylinder to the crankcase varies; and
vary at least one of a fuel delivery split between the first fuel delivery location and the second fuel delivery location, a fuel delivery timing, or in situ mixing of the gaseous fuel with air in the cylinder, based on the monitored at least one engine system parameter, such that the blowby amount of the gaseous fuel that blows by a piston in the cylinder is limited to maintain crankcase accumulation of the gaseous fuel below a flammability limit.
12. The engine system of claim 11 wherein the first fuel admission valve includes a direct injection fuel admission valve, and the second fuel admission valve includes a port injection fuel admission valve.
13. The engine system of claim 12 further comprising a crankcase ventilation blower, and wherein:
the monitored engine system parameter includes an engine load parameter; and
the fueling control unit is further structured to vary operation of the crankcase ventilation blower based on the engine load parameter.
14. The engine system of claim 12 further comprising a computer readable memory storing a crankcase fuel accumulation model populated with an engine load parameter and a gaseous fuel availability parameter.
15. The engine system of claim 14 further comprising a gaseous fuel sensor structured to monitor gaseous fuel accumulation in the crankcase, and the crankcase fuel accumulation model is populated based on the gaseous fuel accumulation in the crankcase.
16. The engine system of claim 14 wherein the gaseous fuel availability parameter includes a gaseous hydrogen fuel (H2) availability parameter.
17. A fuel system for a gaseous fuel engine system comprising:
a fueling control unit structured to:
monitor at least one engine system parameter upon the basis of which a blowby amount of a gaseous fuel from a cylinder to a crankcase in a gaseous fuel engine varies;
control, via fueling control commands to at least one of a first fuel admission valve at a first fuel delivery location relative to the cylinder and a second fuel admission valve at a second fuel delivery location relative to the cylinder, at least one of a delivery location or a delivery timing of gaseous fuel to the cylinder, based on the monitored at least one engine system parameter; and
limit the blowby amount of the gaseous fuel that blows by a piston in the cylinder based on the controlling at least one of a delivery location or a delivery timing of the gaseous fuel so as to limit crankcase accumulation of the gaseous fuel.
18. The fuel system of claim 17 further comprising a gaseous fuel sensor structured to monitor gaseous fuel accumulation in the crankcase.
19. The fuel system of claim 17 further comprising a computer readable memory storing a crankcase fuel accumulation model populated with an engine load parameter and a crankcase fuel accumulation parameter, and the fueling control unit is further structured to produce the fueling control commands based on the crankcase fuel accumulation model.
20. The fuel system of claim 18 wherein the fueling control unit is further structured to vary operation of a crankcase ventilation blower based on the engine load parameter.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US17/879,978 US11891961B1 (en) | 2022-08-03 | 2022-08-03 | Gaseous fuel engine system and operating strategy for limiting crankcase fuel accumulation |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US17/879,978 US11891961B1 (en) | 2022-08-03 | 2022-08-03 | Gaseous fuel engine system and operating strategy for limiting crankcase fuel accumulation |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US11891961B1 US11891961B1 (en) | 2024-02-06 |
US20240044296A1 true US20240044296A1 (en) | 2024-02-08 |
Family
ID=89769776
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US17/879,978 Active US11891961B1 (en) | 2022-08-03 | 2022-08-03 | Gaseous fuel engine system and operating strategy for limiting crankcase fuel accumulation |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US11891961B1 (en) |
Citations (12)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2524597A (en) * | 1947-10-08 | 1950-10-03 | Packard Motor Car Co | Crankcase ventilation |
US3577726A (en) * | 1969-07-24 | 1971-05-04 | Caterpillar Tractor Co | Fuel system for natural gas turbocharged engine |
US20100012103A1 (en) * | 2008-07-18 | 2010-01-21 | Ford Global Technologies, Llc | System and method for storing crankcase gases to improve engine air-fuel control |
US20100031904A1 (en) * | 2008-08-08 | 2010-02-11 | Honda Motor Co., Ltd. | System and Method for Crankcase Gas Air to Fuel Ratio Correction |
US20110072814A1 (en) * | 2009-09-25 | 2011-03-31 | Dresser-Rand Company | Greenhouse gas capture system and method |
US8191537B1 (en) * | 2008-10-16 | 2012-06-05 | Cummings Filtration Ip, Inc. | Crankcase ventilation system with variable blower for increased efficiency |
US20140116399A1 (en) * | 2012-10-25 | 2014-05-01 | Ford Global Technologies, Llc | Method and system for fuel vapor management |
US20150204263A1 (en) * | 2014-01-20 | 2015-07-23 | Ford Global Technologies, Llc | Controlling an internal combustion engine through modeling compensation of pcv fuel flow due to oil dilution |
US20160169143A1 (en) * | 2013-06-27 | 2016-06-16 | Serge V. Monros | Multi-fuel system for internal combustion engines |
US9856835B1 (en) * | 2016-07-01 | 2018-01-02 | Caterpillar Inc. | Fuel supply system for an engine with an electric ignition power source |
US10832497B2 (en) * | 2018-04-04 | 2020-11-10 | International Business Machines Corporation | Positive crankcase ventilation valve performance evaluation |
US11261766B1 (en) * | 2020-11-30 | 2022-03-01 | Ford Global Technologies, Llc | Oil dilution diagnostic test |
Family Cites Families (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3154059A (en) | 1962-10-25 | 1964-10-27 | Southwest Res Inst | Stratified spark ignition internal combustion engine |
CA1040950A (en) | 1974-07-29 | 1978-10-24 | Roy E. Mcalister | Method and apparatus for fuel injection-spark ignition system for an internal combustion engine |
US5937837A (en) | 1997-12-09 | 1999-08-17 | Caterpillar Inc. | Crankcase blowby disposal system |
US8800530B2 (en) | 2010-12-22 | 2014-08-12 | Caterpillar Inc. | Stratified charge port injection engine and method |
US9920684B2 (en) | 2012-11-07 | 2018-03-20 | Dave Schouweiler | Fuel-stratified combustion chamber in a direct-injected internal combustion engine |
US9404407B2 (en) | 2014-01-23 | 2016-08-02 | Ford Global Technologies, Llc | Method and system for pre-ignition control |
US9528406B2 (en) | 2014-05-22 | 2016-12-27 | Ford Global Technologies, Llc | Systems and methods for purge and PCV control |
-
2022
- 2022-08-03 US US17/879,978 patent/US11891961B1/en active Active
Patent Citations (12)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2524597A (en) * | 1947-10-08 | 1950-10-03 | Packard Motor Car Co | Crankcase ventilation |
US3577726A (en) * | 1969-07-24 | 1971-05-04 | Caterpillar Tractor Co | Fuel system for natural gas turbocharged engine |
US20100012103A1 (en) * | 2008-07-18 | 2010-01-21 | Ford Global Technologies, Llc | System and method for storing crankcase gases to improve engine air-fuel control |
US20100031904A1 (en) * | 2008-08-08 | 2010-02-11 | Honda Motor Co., Ltd. | System and Method for Crankcase Gas Air to Fuel Ratio Correction |
US8191537B1 (en) * | 2008-10-16 | 2012-06-05 | Cummings Filtration Ip, Inc. | Crankcase ventilation system with variable blower for increased efficiency |
US20110072814A1 (en) * | 2009-09-25 | 2011-03-31 | Dresser-Rand Company | Greenhouse gas capture system and method |
US20140116399A1 (en) * | 2012-10-25 | 2014-05-01 | Ford Global Technologies, Llc | Method and system for fuel vapor management |
US20160169143A1 (en) * | 2013-06-27 | 2016-06-16 | Serge V. Monros | Multi-fuel system for internal combustion engines |
US20150204263A1 (en) * | 2014-01-20 | 2015-07-23 | Ford Global Technologies, Llc | Controlling an internal combustion engine through modeling compensation of pcv fuel flow due to oil dilution |
US9856835B1 (en) * | 2016-07-01 | 2018-01-02 | Caterpillar Inc. | Fuel supply system for an engine with an electric ignition power source |
US10832497B2 (en) * | 2018-04-04 | 2020-11-10 | International Business Machines Corporation | Positive crankcase ventilation valve performance evaluation |
US11261766B1 (en) * | 2020-11-30 | 2022-03-01 | Ford Global Technologies, Llc | Oil dilution diagnostic test |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
US11891961B1 (en) | 2024-02-06 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
CN105697173B (en) | System and method for optimal fueling of an engine | |
US9334841B1 (en) | Differential fueling between donor and non-donor cylinders in engines | |
US9097224B2 (en) | Multi-fuel vehicle fuel control systems and methods | |
US10359008B2 (en) | Differential fueling between donor and non-donor cylinders in engines | |
US9856835B1 (en) | Fuel supply system for an engine with an electric ignition power source | |
CN107750304B (en) | Method for operating a multi-cylinder piston engine and piston engine | |
US10145319B1 (en) | Control strategy for improved substitution capability in dual fuel engine system | |
US20130046453A1 (en) | System and method for controlling multiple fuel systems | |
US11319904B2 (en) | Supply of an active prechamber for turbocharged gasoline engines with an air extraction downstream of an exhaust gas turbocharger | |
US20140136079A1 (en) | Control Strategy In Gaseous Fuel Internal Combustion Engine | |
US11891961B1 (en) | Gaseous fuel engine system and operating strategy for limiting crankcase fuel accumulation | |
AU2018201531B2 (en) | Engine and control strategy for injecting augmenting fuel to stream of gaseous fuel and air | |
US10539086B2 (en) | Systems and method for a cold start system for a gaseous fuel engine | |
US11891962B1 (en) | Gaseous fuel engine system operating strategy including hydrogen fueling amount based on performance target | |
CN210829531U (en) | Air supplement unit for improving dynamic response of natural gas engine | |
US20240068418A1 (en) | Gaseous fuel engine operating strategy for improved derating performance using varied ratio fuel blend | |
US11939904B2 (en) | Optimized piston temperature control in gaseous fuel hydrogen engine system | |
US11773795B1 (en) | Gaseous fuel engine and operating strategy for limiting preignition in prechamber sparkplug | |
EP3510271B1 (en) | A fuel system for feeding gas fuel to an internal combustion piston engine and a method of operating an internal combustion piston engine | |
US11840979B1 (en) | Gaseous fuel engine system and operating method for same | |
US11236705B2 (en) | Gaseous fuel mixer assembly for engine and engine system operating method | |
US11933240B2 (en) | NOx mitigation strategy in methanol internal combustion engine | |
US11280260B2 (en) | Engine operating method and engine system for improved load step acceptance | |
JP2016217331A (en) | Fuel injection control device of internal combustion engine | |
KR20170049925A (en) | Method for testing pilot fuel injection system of dual fuel engine |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
FEPP | Fee payment procedure |
Free format text: ENTITY STATUS SET TO UNDISCOUNTED (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: BIG.); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: LARGE ENTITY |
|
STCF | Information on status: patent grant |
Free format text: PATENTED CASE |