Dual fuel engine which utilizes valve lubricant as a pilot fuel

Abstract

An engine assembly includes a plenum member having an inlet opening and an outlet opening defined therein. The engine assembly further includes an air source in fluid communication with the inlet opening. The engine assembly still further includes a fuel combustion assembly having an engine block having a piston cylinder defined therein, an engine head secured to the engine block and having an intake port defined therein, and a piston which translates within the piston cylinder. The piston, the piston cylinder, and the engine head cooperate so as to define a combustion chamber. The engine assembly further includes a gaseous fuel supply valve which controls the amount of gaseous fuel advanced from a gaseous fuel source to the first intake conduit. The engine assembly still further includes an intake conduit interposed between the outlet opening and the intake port. The engine assembly still further includes a port oil injector operable to inject lubricating oil through an oil opening in the intake conduit and an intake valve positionable between an open position and a closed position. The lubricating oil lubricates the intake valve as the lubricating oil advances from the intake conduit to the combustion chamber during an intake stroke of the engine assembly, and combusts so as to ignite the mixture of natural gas and air in the combustion chamber during a compression stroke of the engine assembly. A method of operating the engine assembly is also disclosed.