Caterpillar Inc.

Matthew Jordan Engfehr

Nathan Atterberry

Joshua Thomas Perko

Hua Xu

Roderick S Zehrung

Derek P Samsel

Michael J Campagna

Brett Michael Nee

David F Schaller

Brian S Jones

Balasubramanian Ramachandran

Manikandan Natarajan

Asha L Pai

Brian M Bevard

Brian M Boksa

A fuel system for a machine may include a fuel tank configured to hold cryogenic fuel, a pressure sensor, and an electronic control module (ECM). The ECM may determine a change in pressure of the fuel between a first time and a second time, determine a predicted change in pressure of the fuel between the first time and the second time, and determine that the change in pressure and the predicted change in pressure is greater than a threshold. Based on the change in pressure and the predicted change in pressure being greater than the threshold, a notification may be displayed associated with an integrity of the fuel tank.

System and method for diagnosing integrity of a cryogenic fuel tank

In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, a mobile machine includes a LNG fuel tank to provide natural gas to a natural gas engine, a pressure relief valve to relieve pressure to a relief vent line, and a liquid separation device. The liquid separation device includes a canister defining an interior space and having a top end and a bottom end, a LNG inlet configured to receive mixed phase fluid into the canister from the relief vent line, a separator disposed within the interior space and fluidly connected to the LNG inlet, the separator configured to direct condensed liquid to the bottom end and to pass vapor to the interior space, a vapor outlet disposed on the top end of the canister, and a liquid drain disposed on the bottom end of the canister.

Separation and venting cryogenic liquid from vapor on a mobile machine

A fuel level measurement system and method for liquified natural gas (LNG) powered machines is disclosed. An engine control module (ECM) receives fuel line pressure levels at a first time (e.g., a key-off event) and, again, at a second time (e.g., a key-on event). The ECM predicts an expected change in pressure from the key-off event to the key-on event based on various factors. If the change in pressure detected is greater than a threshold level different from the predicted change in pressure, the ECM determines a fill event and resets a current fuel level. The ECM tracks mass flow commands used to provide fuel to the engine to determine the consumption of fuel from the fuel tank and to determine a new current fuel level based on the amount of fuel consumed. The current fuel level is displayed on a fuel gauge.

Fuel level measurement system for a machine

An engine control system includes a dual fuel internal combustion engine, a fuel system including a liquid fuel source and a gaseous fuel source, and a controller. The engine control system further includes a liquid fuel control module and at least one gaseous fuel control module associated with a first and second subset of cylinders, each communicatively connected over a network. The controller has an operating mode and a cylinder deactivation mode. The controller in the operating mode is configured to instruct the liquid fuel control module and the at least one gaseous fuel control module to operate the plurality of cylinders in a dual fuel mode. The controller in the cylinder deactivation mode transitions the plurality of cylinders to a liquid-fuel only mode over a phase out period, deactivates the first subset of cylinders, and then transitions to the dual fuel mode in the second subset of cylinders.

Dual fuel cylinder deactivation control system and method

A method for determining failure of an electromechanically actuated gas shut off valve includes sensing and recording a gas fuel rail pressure and a boost pressure from an air intake manifold at a first time after the dual fuel engine has been started. The method includes opening the gas shut off valve at a second time, holding the gas shut off valve in its open state, and then closing the gas shut off valve after a predetermined interval at a third time. The method includes comparing an actual gas rail pressure decay rate to a threshold gas rail pressure decay rate for the predetermined interval, and determining failure of the gas shut off valve when the actual gas rail pressure decay rate is less than the threshold gas rail pressure decay rate. Upon determining failure of the gas shut off valve, the method also includes initiating a mitigating action.

System and method to determine failure of a gas shut off valve

A fuel rail for an engine includes a tubular body having an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface defining a longitudinally extending fuel bore. The fuel rail also includes a valve bore extending normal to the fuel bore and extending through the outer surface of the tubular body at a first end and completely through the fuel bore to a second end.

Fuel rail

A gaseous fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine may include a storage tank for storing liquefied gaseous fuel and supplying the fuel to the engine. The system may also include a liquid level sensor for measuring a level value of the liquefied gaseous fuel in the storage tank and a pressure sensor for measuring a pressure value of gaseous fuel in the fuel supply system. The system may further include a controller. The controller may be configured to: monitor a pressure signal of the pressure sensor indicating the pressure value and a tank level signal of the liquid level sensor indicating the level value; store the level value when the pressure value indicates the storage tank is empty; store the level value when the pressure value or the level value indicates the storage tank is full; and determine a calibrated level range based on the stored level values.

Liquified gaseous fuel storage tank level calibration control system

A dual fuel engine system, such as for diesel and natural gas operation, includes a control system having an electronic control unit structured to vary a stored control valve for a fuel delivery parameter, responsive to engine power output. The engine power output can be determined by in-cylinder pressure monitoring during a liquid fuel mode. The stored control value can be a dynamically updated value in an engine fueling map.

Adaptive control strategy in dual fuel engine

A method for predicting failure in a cylinder of a multi-cylinder engine is provided. Each cylinder has an associated pressure sensor to provide a signal indicative of pressure in the cylinder. The method includes identifying whether there is a non-fueling interval associated with any of the cylinder on the engine. The method includes determining at least one of parameters such as an indicated mean effective pressure, a peak cylinder pressure, a total heat released, or a total duration of heat released over a combustion cycle for the cylinder. The method includes comparing the at least one of the parameters with predefined threshold value, determining whether any of the parameters exceeds the predefined threshold value, and generating a signal indicating the impending cylinder failure if at least one of the parameters exceeds the corresponding predefined threshold value.

System and method for predicting failure of a cylinder in a multi-cylinder engine

A dual fuel engine control system includes a pressure sensor, and an electronic control unit coupled with the pressure sensor and structured to receive cylinder pressure data indicative of cylinder over-pressurization, and to switch the system to a limited gas-to-liquid substitution mode based on the cylinder pressure data indicative of cylinder over-pressurization. The electronic control unit is further structured to return the system to a normal gas-to-liquid substitution mode, receive cylinder pressure data indicative of cylinder over-pressurization after returning the system to the normal gas-to-liquid substitution mode, and responsively output a gas substitution fault signal.

Dual fuel engine control strategy for limiting cylinder over-pressurization

Operating a dual fuel engine system includes firing combustion cylinders on a liquid fuel or both the liquid fuel and a gaseous fuel, and selectively cutting out at least one of the combustion cylinders based on a cylinder pressure parameter. A subset of those combustion cylinders remaining active after cylinder cutout is fired at a gas-to-liquid substitution ratio based on a user-settable combustion optimization term. The optimization term can include an efficiency term, an emissions term, and/or a fuel cost term, each of which has a finite range of values including a diesel equivalency value.

Control strategy for improved substitution capability in dual fuel engine system

A system, method and apparatus for controlling a gas substitution characteristic in a dual fuel engine are provided. The gas substitution characteristic can be controlled based on measured characteristics directly or indirectly associated with operation of the dual fuel engine, including intake manifold air pressure (IMAP), load of the dual fuel engine, ambient air temperature, exhaust temperature, fan speed, and/or pressure of natural gas supplied to the dual fuel engine. Further, the gas substitution characteristic can be controlled by controlling intake manifold air temperature (IMAT) based on control of a cooling capacity of a cooling circuit.

System, method, and apparatus to control gas substitution characteristic in dual fuel engine

A system, method, and apparatus for controlling intake manifold air temperature (IMAT) of a dual fuel engine are provided. A determination regarding whether IMAT is to be modified is performed, followed by modifying the IMAT by changing flow of coolant in a cooling circuit in fluid communication with a separate circuit aftercooler (SCAC) of a SCAC circuit from a first flow path to a second flow path when it is determined that the IMAT is to be modified. A portion of the first flow path overlaps a portion of the second flow path.

System, method, and apparatus to control engine intake manifold air temperature

A fuel delivery system for an engine is provided. The fuel delivery system includes a tank, a temperature sensor, a delivery conduit, a return conduit, a heat exchanger, a first valve, a second valve, an accumulator, and a controller. The controller is configured to receive a signal indicative of a temperature of a fuel present within the tank. The controller is also configured to control at least one of the first valve and the second valve to selectively bypass at least a portion of the fuel to the tank through the return conduit and the accumulator based, at least in part, on the received signal. The portion of the fuel is adapted to raise the temperature of the fuel present within the tank.

Fuel delivery system

A control system for a multiple fuel internal combustion engine on a vehicle in a fleet of vehicles may include at least one gas analyzer configured to monitor real-time characteristics of gaseous fuel being supplied to the engine, a fleet management data monitoring module, and a cylinder pressure sensor associated with each cylinder of the engine. The control system may further include a data collection module configured to receive real-time fuel characteristics measurements from the gas analyzer, fleet data characteristic of one or more operational parameters, fuel usage, and performance results for vehicles in the fleet, and cylinder pressure measurements from each of the cylinder pressure sensors. An engine electronic control module may calculate one or more actual combustion parameter values from the real-time cylinder pressure measurements, assign weights to fuel characteristics data, cylinder pressure data, and fleet management data, and control at least one of fuel injection and ignition timing based on the weighted data and any difference between calculated actual combustion parameter values for each cylinder and predetermined combustion parameter values.

Growing community of inventors

Dunlap, IL, United States of America

Matthew Jordan Engfehr