The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 08, 2007
Filed:
Dec. 03, 2003
Roger Francis Cracknell, Chester, GB;
Roger Francis Cracknell, Chester, GB;
Shell Oil Company, Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
A process for controlling the performance of a homogeneous charge compression (HCCI) engine in a vehicle having a hydrocarbon fuel reservoir which process is provided. The octane or cetane number of hydrocarbon fuel being supplied to the HCCI engine is adjusted by: (a) converting a portion of hydrocarbon fuel from the hydrocarbon fuel reservoir to synthesis gas; (b) converting synthesis gas produced in step (a) to a mixture of hydrocarbons having an octane number less than or a cetane number higher than that of the hydrocarbon fuel of the hydrocarbon fuel reservoir using a Fischer Tropsch process; (c) delivering (i) a portion of hydrocarbon fuel from the hydrocarbon fuel reservoir and (ii) a portion of the mixture of hydrocarbons produced in step (b) to the HCCI engine; and (d) varying the amounts of (i) and (ii) in step (c) in order to adjust the octane or cetane number of the hydrocarbon fuel being supplied to the HCCI engine. Apparatus suitable for carrying out this process is also disclosed.