Method and apparatus for operating an internal combustion engine

Claim 1

A method for operating an internal combustion engine which includes a reformed gas generator for converting liquid fuel to fuel gas for the engine by admixing the liquid fuel with a gas containing a predetermined amount of oxygen selected from the group consisting of air, containing oxygen in free form, the exhaust gas of the engine, containing bound oxygen, and a mixture of air and exhaust gas, the gas containing oxygen having an air component of between 0 and 100% and an exhaust gas component complementary thereto, comprising the steps of: (a) injecting an amount of the liquid fuel into the gas generator proportional to a predetermined relationship which is in part a function of the fuel gas requirements of the engine; (b) supplying the gas containing a predetermined amount of oxygen to said generator such that it contains a total amount of oxygen, which may be in free or bound form, equivalent to an air number λ 12 , for a 100% air component in the range of 0.009 to 0.2; (c) supplying said fuel gas to said engine; and (d) mixing a quality of air to said fuel gas such that the air number, λ 23 , for combustion of said fuel gas in said engine is at least equal to 1.

Claim 2

A method for operating an internal combustion engine which includes a reformed gas generator for converting liquid fuel to fuel gas for the engine by admixing the liquid fuel with a gas containing a predetermined amount of oxygen selected from the group consisting of air, containing oxygen in free form, the exhaust gas of the engine, containing bound oxygen, and a mixture of air and exhaust gas, the gas containing oxygen having an air component of between 0 and 100% and an exhaust gas component complementary thereto, comprising the steps of: (a) injecting an amount of the liquid fuel into the gas generator proportional to a predetermined relationship which is in part a function of the fuel gas requirements of the engine; (b) supplying the gas containing a predetermined amount of oxygen to said generator such that it contains a total amount of oxygen, which may be in free or bound form, equivalent to an air number λ 12 , for a 100% air component in the range of 0.009 to 0.2; (c) supplying said fuel gas to said engine; and (d) mixing a quality of air to said fuel gas such that the air number, λ 23 , for combustion of said fuel gas in said engine is at least equal to 1.

Claim 9

An apparatus for operating an internal combustion engine on fuel gas converted from liquid fuel comprising: (a) a reformed gas generator including: (1) at least one reaction chamber containing a catalyst, (2) a fuel evaporator for vaporizing said liquid fuel, (3) a mixing chamber, connected to said fuel evaporator, (4) air inlet means opening into said mixing chamber for providing a supply of a gas containing oxygen selected from the group consisting of air, engine exhaust gas and a mixture of air and exhaust gas for mixture with said liquid fuel in said mixing chamber; (b) a fuel gas line connecting said reaction chamber to the air intake line of said engine; (c) a fuel gas and air mixing means provided in said air intake line, said mixing means having a pressure loss characteristic matched to the pressure loss characteristic of said generator; (d) first temperature sensing means positioned in said air intake line; (e) means for detecting the speed of said engine; (f) pedal means for controlling the fuel gas and air flow into said engine, said pedal means including means for determining the position of said pedal; (g) control circuit means responsive to said first temperature sensing means, said speed detecting means and said pedal position means, to thereby generate control signals for regulating the flow of liquid fuel to said vaporizer; (h) second temperature sensing means for detecting the temperature of said reaction chamber; (i) engine exhaust gas supply means; (j) regulating means connected to said exhaust gas supply means and said air inlet means responsive to said second temperature means to thereby change the mixing ratio of said air and exhaust gas mixture in said inlet means.

Claim 10

An apparatus for operating an internal combustion engine on fuel gas converted from liquid fuel comprising: (a) a reformed gas generator including: (1) at least one reaction chamber containing a catalyst, (2) a fuel evaporator for vaporizing said liquid fuel, (3) a mixing chamber, connected to said fuel evaporator, (4) air inlet means opening into said mixing chamber for providing a supply of a gas containing oxygen selected from the group consisting of air, engine exhaust gas and a mixture of air and exhaust gas for mixture with said liquid fuel in said mixing chamber; (b) a fuel gas line connecting said reaction chamber to the air intake line of said engine; (c) a fuel gas and air mixing means provided in said air intake line, said mixing means having a pressure loss characteristic matched to the pressure loss characteristic of said generator; (d) first temperature sensing means positioned in said air intake line; (e) means for detecting the speed of said engine; (f) pedal means for controlling the fuel gas and air flow into said engine, said pedal means including means for determining the position of said pedal; (g) control circuit means responsive to said first temperature sensing means, said speed detecting means and said pedal position means, to thereby generate control signals for regulating the flow of liquid fuel to said vaporizer; (h) second temperature sensing means for detecting the temperature of said reaction chamber; (i) engine exhaust gas supply means; (j) regulating means connected to said exhaust gas supply means and said air inlet means responsive to said second temperature means to thereby change the mixing ratio of said air and exhaust gas mixture in said inlet means.

Claim 16

A method for operating an internal combustion engine which includes a reformed gas generator for converting liquid fuel to fuel gas for the engine by admixing the liquid fuel with a gas containing a predetermined amount of oxygen selected from the group consisting of air, the exhaust gas of the engine and a mixture of air and exhaust gas, the gas containing oxygen having an air component of between 0 and 100% and an exhaust component complementary thereto, comprising the steps of: (a) injecting an amount of the liquid fuel in a vaporized form into the gas generator proportional to a predetermined relationship which is proportional to the position of a gas pedal regulating the flow of the fuel gas to the engine and the speed of the engine and inversely proportional to the absolute temperature of the air to be mixed with the fuel gas mixture; (b) supplying the gas containing a predetermined amount of oxygen to said generator such that it contains an amount of oxygen equivalent to air number λ 12 , for a 100% air component, in the range of 0.07 to 0.3; (c) supplying said fuel gas to said engine; and (d) mixing a quantity of air to said fuel gas such that the air number, λ 23 , for combustion of said fuel gas in said engine is at least equal to 1.

Claim 17

A method for operating an internal combustion engine which includes a reformed gas generator for converting liquid fuel to fuel gas for the engine by admixing the liquid fuel with a gas containing a predetermined amount of oxygen selected from the group consisting of air, the exhaust gas of the engine and a mixture of air and exhaust gas, the gas containing oxygen having an air component of between 0 and 100% and an exhaust component complementary thereto, comprising the steps of: (a) injecting an amount of the liquid fuel in a vaporized form into the gas generator proportional to a predetermined relationship which is proportional to the position of a gas pedal regulating the flow of the fuel gas to the engine and the speed of the engine and inversely proportional to the absolute temperature of the air to be mixed with the fuel gas mixture; (b) supplying the gas containing a predetermined amount of oxygen to said generator such that it contains an amount of oxygen equivalent to air number λ 12 , for a 100% air component, in the range of 0.07 to 0.3; (c) supplying said fuel gas to said engine; and (d) mixing a quantity of air to said fuel gas such that the air number, λ 23 , for combustion of said fuel gas in said engine is at least equal to 1.

Claim 20

A method for operating an internal combustion engine which includes a reformed gas generator for converting liquid fuel to fuel gas for the engine by admixing the liquid fuel with a gas containing a predetermined amount of oxygen selected from the group consisting of air, the exhaust gas of the engine and a mixture of air and exhaust gas, the gas containing oxygen having an air component of between 0 and 100% and an exhaust component complementary thereto, comprising the steps of: (a) injecting an amount of the liquid fuel into the gas generator proportional to a predetermined relationship which is in part a function of the fuel gas requirements of the engine; (b) supplying the gas containing a predetermined amount of oxygen to said generator such that it contains an amount of oxygen equivalent to air number 80 12 , for a 100% air component in the range of 0.07 to 0.3; (c) supplying said fuel gas to said engine; (d) mixing a quantity of air to said fuel gas such that the air number, λ 23 , for combustion of said fuel gas in said engine is at least equal to 1; (e) limiting said predetermined amount of said gas containing oxygen supplied to said generator per engine stroke to the amount at a predetermined threshold load; and (f) continuing the injecting of said liquid fuel above said threshold load such that λ 12 is decreased.

Claim 21

A method for operating an internal combustion engine which includes a reformed gas generator for converting liquid fuel to fuel gas for the engine by admixing the liquid fuel with a gas containing a predetermined amount of oxygen selected from the group consisting of air, the exhaust gas of the engine and a mixture of air and exhaust gas, the gas containing oxygen having an air component of between 0 and 100% and an exhaust component complementary thereto, comprising the steps of: (a) injecting an amount of the liquid fuel into the gas generator proportional to a predetermined relationship which is in part a function of the fuel gas requirements of the engine; (b) supplying the gas containing a predetermined amount of oxygen to said generator such that it contains an amount of oxygen equivalent to air number 80 12 , for a 100% air component in the range of 0.07 to 0.3; (c) supplying said fuel gas to said engine; (d) mixing a quantity of air to said fuel gas such that the air number, λ 23 , for combustion of said fuel gas in said engine is at least equal to 1; (e) limiting said predetermined amount of said gas containing oxygen supplied to said generator per engine stroke to the amount at a predetermined threshold load; and (f) continuing the injecting of said liquid fuel above said threshold load such that λ 12 is decreased.

Claim 23

A method for operating an internal combustion engine which includes a reformed gas generator for converting liquid fuel to fuel gas for the engine by admixing the liquid fuel with a gas containing a predetermined amount of oxygen selected from the group consisting of air the exhaust gas of the engine and a mixture of air and exhaust gas, the gas containing oxygen having an air component of between 0 and 100% and an exhaust component complementary thereto, comprising the steps of: (a) supplying a predetermined amount of liquid fuel and air to a starting device, having less catalytic material than said generator, connected to the reaction chamber of said generator; (b) igniting a mixture of said fuel and air supplied to said starting device, said ignited mixture being drawn through said starting device and said generator until the catalytic material of said starting device has reached a predetermined temperature and then; (c) reducing the air number of the reaction in said starting device such that a fuel gas mixture is generated by said starting device, said latter fuel gas mixture being drawn through said generator into said engine for combustion until the catalytic material of said generator reaches a predetermined temperature, then; (d) turning off the supply of said air and fuel to said starting device, then; (e) injecting an amount of the liquid fuel into the gas generator proportional to a predetermined relationship which is in part a function of the fuel gas requirement of the engine; (f) supplying the gas containing a predetermined amount of oxygen to said generator such that it contains an amount of oxygen equivalent to air number λ 12 , for a 100% air component in the range of 0.07 to 0.3; (g) supplying said fuel gas to said engine; and (h) mixing a quantity of air to said fuel gas such that the air number, λ 23 , for combustion of said fuel gas in said engine is at least equal to 1.

Claim 24

A method for operating an internal combustion engine which includes a reformed gas generator for converting liquid fuel to fuel gas for the engine by admixing the liquid fuel with a gas containing a predetermined amount of oxygen selected from the group consisting of air the exhaust gas of the engine and a mixture of air and exhaust gas, the gas containing oxygen having an air component of between 0 and 100% and an exhaust component complementary thereto, comprising the steps of: (a) supplying a predetermined amount of liquid fuel and air to a starting device, having less catalytic material than said generator, connected to the reaction chamber of said generator; (b) igniting a mixture of said fuel and air supplied to said starting device, said ignited mixture being drawn through said starting device and said generator until the catalytic material of said starting device has reached a predetermined temperature and then; (c) reducing the air number of the reaction in said starting device such that a fuel gas mixture is generated by said starting device, said latter fuel gas mixture being drawn through said generator into said engine for combustion until the catalytic material of said generator reaches a predetermined temperature, then; (d) turning off the supply of said air and fuel to said starting device, then; (e) injecting an amount of the liquid fuel into the gas generator proportional to a predetermined relationship which is in part a function of the fuel gas requirement of the engine; (f) supplying the gas containing a predetermined amount of oxygen to said generator such that it contains an amount of oxygen equivalent to air number λ 12 , for a 100% air component in the range of 0.07 to 0.3; (g) supplying said fuel gas to said engine; and (h) mixing a quantity of air to said fuel gas such that the air number, λ 23 , for combustion of said fuel gas in said engine is at least equal to 1.