Other

Bi-phase Technologies, LLC

Impco Carburetion, Inc.

Gas Research Institute

Impco Technologies, Inc.

Awalbro Corporation

David E Bennett

Ronald H Roche

David H Smith

Jeffrey G Hopman

Devlin A Hunt

Fuel line arrangement for a liquefied petroleum gas fuel injection system, and method. A fuel supply line provides flow between a fuel tank and a plurality of fuel injectors, and a fuel return line returns a portion of the supply fuel to the tank. The supply line is positioned within the return line so that return fuel substantially surrounds the supply line. Liquefied petroleum gas is vaporized within the return line under certain conditions, thereby cooling supply fuel. A novel Y-connector and bushing are also disclosed.

Fuel line arrangement for LPG system, and method

Apparatus for condensing return fuel in a fuel tank. The condenser comprises an elongated body having a passage therethrough in fluid communication with a fuel return line. A plurality of vent holes are spaced along the length of the body and communicated with the passage. The vent holes are sloped along the length of the passage so that gaseous fuel will tend to first exit vent holes toward a distal end of the passage. Both single and multiple passage condensers are disclosed.

System and condenser for fuel injection system

A solenoid actuated fuel injector for liquified petroleum gas (LPG), compressed natural gas (CNG) or the like has a fuel passage therethrough and a valve to control the flow of fuel through the fuel passage. The valve has a valve head formed of a generally flexible and substantially resilient material engageable with a valve seat to prevent fuel flow through the injector. The valve is preferably spring biased to a closed position which compresses the valve head against the valve seat to prevent fuel flow between them. Compression of the valve head is preferably limited by contact between the metal valve body and the metal valve seat which limits the travel of the valve body relative to the valve seat. The valve head and valve seat are also constructed to be highly resistant to wear to provide a consistent seal between them. The valve head preferably engages the valve seat over a limited surface area to facilitate disengaging the valve head from the valve seat so that the force provided by the solenoid will be sufficient to accurately move the valve to its open and closed positions.

Fuel injector valve for liquified fuel

An internal combustion engine is fueled with a controlled mixture of natural gas and air which mixture is regulated by a regulator responsive to an electronic controller. In the event of a system failure with the electronic controller shutting down, a backup regulator automatically bypasses the normal regulator to provide temporary operation with a predetermined acceptable constant gas mixture.

Backup control for natural gas fueled internal combustion engine

A fuel rail for supplying liquified petroleum gas ('LPG') to an internal combustion engine. Fuel supply channel and fuel return channel are aligned generally parallel to one another within fuel rail. LPG flowing through return channel cools LPG flowing through supply channel by vaporization of return fuel. Vaporization is caused by lower pressure in return channel relative to supply channel. Cooling of supply fuel aids in maintaining LPG injected into the engine in a fully liquid state. This results in increased power output, lower toxic emissions, and a reduction in knocking.

Fuel rail for internal combustion engine

A sensor (10) detects misfires of combustion cylinders in an internal combustion engine by monitoring the exhaust from the engine. The sensor (10) comprises a spark gap (18) to be situated in exhaust from the engine and a transformer assembly (34). The transformer assembly (34) has an ignition transformer (41a) for providing a potential difference between the electrodes (18a, 18b) of the spark gap (18) and a detection transformer (41b) for sensing the occurrence of an arc across the spark gap (18). An ignition pulse shaper (68) provides an ignition pulse to the ignition transformer (41a) upon receiving a trigger signal from an engine control system (66), and a detection pulse shaper (72) monitors the detection transformer (41b) and forwards an arc detection signal to the engine control system (66) upon detecting an arc across the electrodes (18a, 18b) of the spark gap (18). Proper ignition in the internal combustion engine is presumed when the arc is generated across the electrodes (18a, 18b), and a misfire is presumed in the internal combustion engine in the absence of the arc across the spark gap (18).

Sensor and method for detecting misfires in internal combustion engines

A fuel injector for injecting liquified petroleum gas ('LPG') fuel into an internal combustion engine in a fully liquid state. Fuel injector includes a housing assembly having fuel supply and return channels. At least a portion of the return channel is adjacent to the supply channel, with the fuel in the return channel flowing countercurrent to fuel in the supply channel. Supply fuel in the supply channel is cooled by vaporization of return fuel in the return channel. This cooling aids in maintaining LPG in a fully liquid state during injection, resulting in improved engine performance.

Liquified petroleum gas fuel injector

A fuel supply system for providing liquified petroleum gas ('LPG') fuel in a liquid state to intake manifold of internal combustion engine, including a fuel supply assembly and a fuel injecting mechanism. Fuel supply assembly includes a fuel rail assembly containing both supply and return channels. Fuel injecting mechanism is in fluid communication with supply and return channels of fuel rail assembly. Injected LPG is maintained liquid through refrigeration both along fuel rail assembly and within fuel injecting mechanism. Return fuel in both fuel rail assembly and fuel injecting mechanism is used to effectively cool supply fuel to a liquid state prior to injection into intake manifold of engine.

Liquified petroleum gas fuel supply system

An air-gas mixing device of the type used to mix air and gaseous fuel as a gaseous fuel charge for an internal combustion engine and having air and gaseous fuel valves for controlling the air-fuel mixture. For more optimum control of the air-fuel mixture, a linear variable differential transformer is coupled to each valve to detect the exact position of the valve at any particular engine operating condition and the detection is transmitted to a remote measuring instrument and control station. If the engine is not operating at its most optimum efficiency, the fuel valve may then be moved to a predetermined position relative to the air valve to provide this efficiency. Internal electrical wires of the device are connected to an external wiring harness through an interconnector in a manner to prevent contamination of interconnecting electrical contacts in a corrosive atmosphere or an explosion caused by arcing of the contacts during connection or disconnection in an explosive atmosphere. The interconnector is retained on the air inlet housing of the device in a manner which allows the housing to move relative to the interconnector without interfering with the electrical connection.

Air gas mixing device with valve position detector

An air-gas mixing device of the type used to mix air and gaseous fuel as a gaseous fuel charge for an internal combustion engine and particularly suitable for use with engines operating generators and the like at constant speed. Fuel and air valves for controlling the air/fuel mixture are coupled together and actuated by a fluid motor in response to a fluid pressure signal, derived from the intake manifold pressure of the engine, acting on the diaphragm of the fluid motor. The fuel valve is also independently actuated by a second fluid motor, mounted to the diaphragm of the first fluid motor, in response to ambient air pressure which is applied to the second fluid motor upon a sudden increase in engine load demand to enlarge the opening of the fuel valve and thereby enrich the air/fuel mixture to prevent a significant falloff in engine speed. Because of the dual control of the fuel valve, the device is capable of providing a more optimum lean air/fuel mixture for better fuel economy and emissions control during normal operating conditions while being able to quickly enrich the fuel mixture in response to sudden increases in load demand.

Air-gas mixing device with dual-control fuel valve

An air-gas mixing device of the type used to mix air and gaseous fuel as a gaseous fuel charge for an internal combustion engine. Fuel and air valves for controlling the air/fuel mixture are coupled together and actuated by a diaphragm in response to a fluid pressure signal, derived from the intake manifold pressure of the engine, acting on the diaphragm. The fuel valve is also independently acutated by a stepper motor mounted to the diaphragm and operated by a remote electrical control signal from a controller designed to measure engine performance and provide a signal to correct any deficiencies in the air/fuel mixture such as a feedback controller receiving inputs from oxygen, speed and other sensors for measuring engine performance. Becuase of the dual control of the fuel valve, the device is capable of handling a wide range of gaseous fuels of different BTU content and of providing a more optimum air/fuel mixture for better fuel economy, emissions control and engine performance.

Growing community of inventors

Lake Lillian, MN, United States of America

David E Bennett