Westport Power Inc.

Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Westport Research Inc.

Dehong Zhang

Mark E Dunn

Philip G Hill

Guowei Li

Ning Wu

Raymond Bzymek

Craig D Marriott

Joshua D Cowgill

Ben W Moscherosch

Alan B Welch

Hamed Karimi-Sharif

Ben Moscherosch

Mark Dunn

A technique for fuel system protection for an internal combustion engine includes introducing a directly injected fuel into a combustion chamber through a direct fuel injector, introducing a fumigated fuel upstream of an intake valve, selectively operating the internal combustion engine with at least one of the directly injected fuel and the fumigated fuel, determining a temperature of the direct fuel injector as a first function of engine operating parameters, and performing a temperature mitigation technique when the temperature rises above a first predetermined value such that the temperature is maintained below a second predetermined value.

Fuel system protection in a multi-fuel system internal combustion engine

A method of protecting a direct injection fuel injector in a multi-fuel engine, the method includes selectively operating the multi-fuel engine with a directly injected fuel introduced through the direct injection fuel injector and a second fuel; when fuelling the multi-fuel engine with the second fuel, selectively commanding a fuel system protection technique when determining that the direct injection fuel injector requires cooling, an age of directly injected fuel is above a predetermined value, transmission status has changed, an engine shutdown event has occurred and a global positioning system signal indicates an engine shutdown event will occur; wherein the fuel system protection technique includes commanding that the directly injected fuel be a portion of total fuel consumed and reducing quantities of the second fuel that is injected so that total fuel consumed equals a desired amount of fuel measured on an energy basis.

Fuel system protection in a multi-fuel internal combustion engine

A method that protects a direct injection fuel injector in a multi-fuel engine comprises selectively operating the engine with at least one of a directly injected fuel introduced through the direct injection fuel injector and a second fuel. When fuelling the multi-fuel engine with the second fuel, a fuel system protection technique is selectively commanded when one or more adverse conditions, such as the direct injection fuel injector requiring cooling, is determined to exist. The fuel system protection technique comprises (a) suspending fuelling with the second fuel and injecting the directly injected fuel for a first predetermined number of engine cycles, and (b) switching back to fuelling the multi-fuel engine with the second fuel for a second predetermined number of engine cycles. The first and second predetermined number of engine cycles are selected to keep torque disturbances below a predetermined threshold value.

Fuel system protection in a multi-fuel engine

This disclosure teaches a method of controlling a direct injection internal combustion engine and predicting the behavior of a direct injection internal combustion engine. An estimation of initial cylinder pressure, air flow and EGR flow (if applicable) is used to establish a system that provides engine behavior by integrating an injection module, combustion module and engine control module to provide data indicative of engine behavior such as brake torque and power, air flow, EGR flow, cylinder pressure, brake specific fuel consumption, start of combustion, heat release rate, turbo-charger speed and other variables. These values can then be used to adjust commanded variables such as start of injection, commanded pulse width, rail pressure to meet operator demand. Also the output data can be used as a tool to determine how a conceptualized engine design will behave. This is particularly useful for gaseous-fuelled internal combustion engines where cylinder pressure influences behavior of injected gases in light of the fact that rail pressure and cylinder pressure are, generally, of a similar magnitude.

Method for controlling combustion in an internal combustion engine and predicting performance and emissions

This disclosure teaches a method of controlling a direct injection internal combustion engine and predicting the behaviour of a direct injection internal combustion engine. An estimation of initial cylinder pressure, air flow and EGR flow (if applicable) is used to establish a system that provides engine behaviour by integrating an injection module, combustion module and engine control module to provide data indicative of engine behaviour such as brake torque and power, air flow, EGR flow, cylinder pressure, brake specific fuel consumption, start of combustion, heat release rate, turbo-charger speed and other variables. These values can then be used to adjust commanded variables such as start of injection, commanded pulse width, rail pressure to meet operator demand. Also the output data can be used as a tool to determine how a conceptualised engine design will behave. This is particularly useful for gaseous-fueled internal combustion engines where cylinder pressure influences behaviour of injected gases in light of the fact that rail pressure and cylinder pressure are, generally, of a similar magnitude.

A glow member, preferably in the shape of a ring, assists ignition and combustion of a fuel used in an internal combustion engine. A fuel injection valve injects a plurality of fuel jets directly into a combustion chamber during operation of the engine so that the fuel jets are aimed to the proximity of the glow member such that ignition of fuel in each fuel jet is assisted by the glow member. The glow member is made from high temperature materials and can include catalytic materials to further promote combustion. The glow member can be actively heated, for example by an electric current, in addition to being passively heated by the heat generated within the combustion chamber by the combustion of the fuel therein.

Glow ring ignition assist for internal combustion engine

An obstruction is employed in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. The obstruction is located within the chamber to generate turbulence and break-up or disrupt the soot rich zone within a directly injected quantity of fuel that is burning. More specifically, a ring disrupts fuel jets directly injected into the combustion chamber that impact on or are influence by the ring. The ring can be suspended from the piston or from the fire deck. Post-type obstructions help generate turbulence and are also targeted at disrupting the soot rich zone of the burning fuel jets. A method involves disrupting the soot rich zone or reducing soot generated within the combustion chamber and increasing burn rate by impacting the fuel jets on an obstruction within the chamber.

Direct injection combustion chamber geometry

A method and apparatus generate turbulence and impact on soot rich zone within a burning fuel jet within a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. A reservoir accumulates charge and projects the charge into a combustion chamber and into and around the burning fuel directly injected into the combustion chamber. A ring or the fire deck define one or more reservoirs with an orifice for accumulating, directing and ejecting the charge. The method and apparatus are particularly beneficial when employed with gaseous fuels.

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Vancouver, Canada

Dehong Zhang