Caterpillar Inc.

Other

Michael Gerstner

Daniel Raymond Baldwin

Benjamin R Tower

Kenneth Carroll Adams

Dianqi Fang

Robert Graumüller

Scott F Shafer

Stephen Robert Lewis

Daniel Reese Puckett

Eric Lee Schroeder

Michael C Long

Avinash Reddy Manubolu

Jayaraman Krishnapura Venkataraghavan

Shriprasad Gaurishankar Lakhapati

Arnold Myoungjin Kim

Christopher D Hanson

Bradley E Bartley

Zhenyu Li

Timothy Graham

Amy Shalaine Johanson

Jeffrey DePayva

Jeffrey M Mullinix

Bharath Chandrashekar

Jason Z Li

An internal combustion engine system is described herein. The system uses a mixer to mix two fuels to provide for a transition from using only one of the fuels to using only the other fuel as power demand changes. The output of the mixer is provided to the engine as a primary fuel. A controller opens and closes throttle valves to adjust the relative concentrations of a first fuel (e.g., diesel) and a second fuel (e.g., methanol) that enter the mixer. In some examples, rather than removing the desired performance and/or environmental benefits achieved by using the second fuel at power demand levels greater than the maximum achievable by only using the second fuel, the systems described herein allow the use of at least a portion of the second fuel in the primary fuel at those power demand levels.

Systems and methods for providing a diesel-methanol emulsion for direct injection engines

An internal combustion engine system is described herein. The system uses compressed air from a compressor to purge at least a portion of a fuel from an internal combustion engine. During a purge operation, a controller opens and closes an injector of the fuel to be purged to allow the compressed air from the compressor to push at least a portion of the fuel back into a fuel tank through the injector. The controller deenergizes a fuel pump that pumps the fuel to be purged, allowing the pressure of the fuel that is to be purged to reduce to a pressure that allows the compressed air to flow into the injector.

Systems and methods for purging fuel in a combustion engine

A fuel delivery system for an internal combustion engine system is described herein. The fuel delivery system uses one or more bidirectional purge components to provide for bidirectional purging of a fuel from at least a portion of the fuel delivery system. The bidirectional purge components provide for a fuel delivered using the fuel delivery system to be purged into the directional purge component in more than one fluid flow direction. When a differential pressure is applied across the bidirectional purge component, the fuel is purged into an inlet and an outlet of the bidirectional purge component, leaving the component through a purge outlet and into a tank. The differential pressure can be generated using a pressured fluid such as nitrogen or a pump downstream of the purge outlet.

Bidirectional purging fuel from a fuel delivery system

An internal combustion engine system is described herein. The internal combustion engine system uses one or more fuels that may be hydrophilic. The system uses a water measuring sensor to determine the concentration of water in the hydrophilic fuel. To meet power demands, the system uses the measured water concentration to modify data stored in a fuel map. The fuel map provides a controller the pump speeds and mixing ratio of the fuels for a given power level. The system receives that data and modifies it based on the measured concentration of water.

Two stage mixed fuel sensing system

A remanufactured sparkplug includes a housing, an insulator within the housing, and first and second electrodes. The first electrode and the second electrode form a plurality of spark gaps at a plurality of new spark gap locations, and a plurality of spark-induced erosions are formed in the second electrode at a plurality of former spark gap locations that are circumferentially offset from the new spark gap locations.

Remanufactured sparkplug and sparkplug remanufacturing method

A fuel pump manifold pressure control system may be effective to provide a compact and more effective fuel pump mechanism for compression ignition engines, such as diesel and some natural gas engines. The fuel pump manifold pressure control system includes a fuel pump manifold, at least one fuel injection accumulator adapted for supplying pressurized fuel to at least one fuel injector, a pressure control valve, a pressure sensor, and a pressure relief valve, all contained within a compact fuel pump housing. The pressure control valve and pressure sensor are each adapted for signal communication with electronic controller, and for fuel communication with the fuel pump manifold. The pressure relief valve is adapted for fuel communication with the fuel pump manifold. Each of the control valve, sensor, and relief valve are fixedly mounted to and internally contained within the housing.

Common rail fuel pump control system

A quill connector for a fuel system in an engine includes an elongate quill body defining a fuel conduit having a proximal accumulator segment, and a flow limiter subassembly, for limiting oversupplying of a pressurized fuel, positioned at least partially within the accumulator segment. The subassembly includes a seat component attached to the elongate quill body and supporting a guide component wherein a hydraulically actuated valve and a biaser are disposed. The valve is movable to a closed position during supplying pressurized fuel to a fuel injector, to interrupt a flow of the pressurized fuel thereto.

Quill connector for fuel system and method

A quill tube is provided. The quill tube includes a hollow body and a spherical head. The hollow body defines a bore within the quill tube. The bore is configured to direct a flow of fuel into a fuel injector. The spherical head is located at a first end of the hollow body. The spherical head includes a tip, a first surface and a second surface. The tip is located at a distal end of the spherical head. The first surface is configured to engage with the fuel injector. The second surface is positioned between the tip and the first surface. Further, a flange is located proximate to the spherical head. The flange is angularly positioned relative to the first surface. If the spherical head is contacted against an external surface, the flange is configured to cause the second surface to touch the external surface.

Quill tube protection feature

A passive hydraulically actuated non-electric shutdown pressure relief valve relieves pressure in the high pressure volume of a low static leak common rail fuel system after shutdown. When the common rail fuel system is in operation, a transfer pump provides medium pressure to hold the shutdown pressure relief valve closed. At shutdown, the residual medium pressure downstream from the transfer pump decays back to tank, and the residual high pressure trapped in the common rail and fuel injectors pushes open the shutdown pressure relief valve to release the high pressure after back to tank.

Shutdown pressure relief valve for common rail fuel system

A fuel system for an engine is disclosed. The fuel system may have a pump, a plurality of fuel injectors, and a plurality of fuel accumulators. Each of the plurality of fuel accumulators may be disposed at least partially within a different cylinder head of the engine in fluid communication with an associated fuel injector of the plurality of fuel injectors. Each of the plurality of fuel accumulators may also be in fluid communication with adjacent fuel accumulators of the plurality of fuel accumulators. At least one of the plurality of fuel accumulators may also be in fluid communication with the pump. The fuel system may further have a plurality of flow limiters. Each of the plurality of flow limiters may be disposed between an associated fuel accumulator of the plurality of fuel accumulators and an associated fuel injector of the plurality of fuel injectors.

Fuel system having accumulators and flow limiters

A pressure relief valve includes a valve body having a valve seat fluidly positioned between an inlet and an outlet. A valve member is movable among a first position, a second position, and a third position. The valve member is in contact with the valve seat and fluidly blocks the inlet from the outlet at the first position. At the second position of the valve member, the inlet is fluidly connected to the outlet via a small flow area. The inlet is fluidly connected to the outlet via a large flow area when the valve member is at the third position. An electrical actuator is attached to the valve body and is operably coupled to move the valve member when energized. The valve member includes an opening hydraulic surface exposed to fluid pressure in the inlet when at the first position. A spring is operably positioned to bias the valve member toward the second position when the valve member is at the third position.

Pressure control in low static leak fuel system

A fuel system includes a plurality of fuel injectors fluidly connected to a common rail. Each of the fuel injectors has at least one body component and includes an intensifier control valve for controlling movement of an intensifier piston, a needle control valve for controlling movement of a needle valve member, and exactly one electrical actuator coupled with the intensifier control valve and the needle control valve via a coupling linkage. The intensifier control valve and the needle control valve each include a valve member that is movable with respect to a valve seat. The electrical actuator includes an intermediate position during which the valve member of one of the intensifier control valve and the needle control valve is in contact with the respective valve seat, and the valve member of the other of the intensifier control valve and the needle control valve is out of contact with the respective valve seat.

Two wire intensified common rail fuel system

The assembly comprises a flat pallet of extended surface area and a plurality of knock-off caster devices of improved type releasably secured to the pallet. Each caster device includes upper and lower horizontal plates joined at one end by a vertical web to form a sleeve in which an edge or end of the pallet is releasably secured by anchoring spikes, nuts or the like. A caster bracket is secured to the underside of the lower plate and a rotatable caster depends therefrom. A flange, detent or the like is provided to facilitate knock-off of the caster device from the pallet when the device is no longer needed. Preferably, the caster device is adjustable in plate length, sleeve height and/or caster position. The device may include a type which has a pair of casters, brackets and sleeves on opposite ends of the lower plate, which is adjustable to span the pallet. In a second type, the lower plate spans the pallet and has an upturned end abutting the pallet end and bearing a flange. In another embodiment, the device is configured and dimensioned such that the sleeve receives a whole corner of the pallet. Each caster device is inexpensive, durable, efficient and easy to install on and remove from the pallet.

Growing community of inventors

Peoria, IL, United States of America

Michael Gerstner