Patent US6748932B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6748932B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Fuel regulator for natural gas fired co-generation unit
Assignee: Chapeau Inc
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Filing: 2003-02-10
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Granted: 2004-06-15
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Expires: 2023-02-10
Abstract
Abstract A natural gas fuel regulator for a natural gas fueled internal combustion engine for driving a co-generation plant, which allows exhaust recycled gas combustion while maintaining lower head temperatures to reduce thermal NO x emissions. The gas regulator has a modulation chamber, which modulates incremental pressure changes from the carburetion system to allow the engine to respond to load changes without the necessity for dynamic control feed back valve. In one aspect, a non-diaphragm venturi fuel/air-mixing unit with post turbo charger throttle adjustment is downstream of the natural gas fuel regulator to provide lean burn, low thermal NO x operation of the co-generation unit from no load to full load electrical generation.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard L. Sorter
- 👤 Gerald H. Dorn
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 21:33
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02B; F02B43/00; F02B43/10; G; G05; G05D; G05D16/00; G05D16/04; G05D16/06; G05D16/063; G05D16/0644; G05D16/0672; F01; F01N; F01N2230/00; F01N2230/04; F01N2240/00; F01N2240/02; F02B37/00; F02M; F02M26/00; F02M26/02; F02M26/13; F02M26/22; F02M26/23; F02M26/24; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E20/00; Y02E20/14; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/10; Y02T10/30; Y10; Y10T; Y10T137/00; Y10T137/7722; Y10T137/7754
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
103 words
A natural gas fuel regulator device for delivering natural gas to a fuel intake system of a natural gas fired internal combustion engine comprising: a) a gas metering element for receiving gas from a source and metering the flow of said gas in response to a change in pressure from said fuel intake system, b) a fuel regulating element for setting the flow of fuel to said fuel intake system; c) a pressure-modulating chamber between said gas metering element and said fuel regulating element for modulating said pressure within said regulator to dampen the amplitude of pressure changes from said fuel intake system.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
103 words
A natural gas fuel regulator device for delivering natural gas to a fuel intake system of a natural gas fired internal combustion engine comprising: a) a gas metering element for receiving gas from a source and metering the flow of said gas in response to a change in pressure from said fuel intake system, b) a fuel regulating element for setting the flow of fuel to said fuel intake system; c) a pressure-modulating chamber between said gas metering element and said fuel regulating element for modulating said pressure within said regulator to dampen the amplitude of pressure changes from said fuel intake system.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
225 words
A natural gas fuel regulator device for regulating natural gas flow to the carburetion system of a natural gas fired internal combustion engine comprising: a) a gas metering element having a housing defining a divided chamber having a first receiving chamber portion in communication with natural gas from a source, and a second chamber portion, and having a valve between said first receiving chamber portion and said second chamber portion for metering gas through said gas metering element in response to pressure changes in said second chamber portion; b) a fuel trim element having a housing defining a divided chamber having a first chamber portion and a second exiting chamber portion in communication with said carburetion system wherein said carburetion system communicates pressure changes to said second exiting chamber in response to change in said internal combustion engine speed and having a valve between said first chamber portion and said exit chamber portion for maintaining a flow of said gas through said fuel trim element, and c) a pressure-modulating element defining a pressure-modulating chamber, the inlet side of which communicates with the second chamber portion of said gas metering element and the exit side of which communicates with the first chamber portion of said fuel trim element such that the pressure-modulating chamber is effective to dampen the amplitude of pressure changes from said carburetion system.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
225 words
A natural gas fuel regulator device for regulating natural gas flow to the carburetion system of a natural gas fired internal combustion engine comprising: a) a gas metering element having a housing defining a divided chamber having a first receiving chamber portion in communication with natural gas from a source, and a second chamber portion, and having a valve between said first receiving chamber portion and said second chamber portion for metering gas through said gas metering element in response to pressure changes in said second chamber portion; b) a fuel trim element having a housing defining a divided chamber having a first chamber portion and a second exiting chamber portion in communication with said carburetion system wherein said carburetion system communicates pressure changes to said second exiting chamber in response to change in said internal combustion engine speed and having a valve between said first chamber portion and said exit chamber portion for maintaining a flow of said gas through said fuel trim element, and c) a pressure-modulating element defining a pressure-modulating chamber, the inlet side of which communicates with the second chamber portion of said gas metering element and the exit side of which communicates with the first chamber portion of said fuel trim element such that the pressure-modulating chamber is effective to dampen the amplitude of pressure changes from said carburetion system.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The device of claim 2 wherein said valve in said fuel trim element is maintained in fixed flow position by means of a manually operated setscrew.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
The device of claim 2 wherein said pressure-modulating chamber has a volume of from about 12 cubic inches to about 16 cubic inches and said pressure-modulating element is from about 0.75 inches to about 1.0 inch in length.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The device of claim 2 wherein said natural gas from a source is delivered to said first receiving chamber at a pressure of from about 1.5 to 2.0 psig.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
12 words
The device of claim 2 wherein said internal combustion engine is turbo-charged.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The device of claim 2 wherein said internal combustion engine is a driver for a co-generation unit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
The device of claim 2 wherein said valve between said first receiving chamber portion and said second chamber portion is actuated by at least one diaphragm which deforms in response to said pressure changes in said second chamber portion.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
The device of claim 8 wherein said at least one diaphragm comprises two diaphragms which operated in concert, one with the other, in response to said pressure changes in said second chamber portion.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
The device of claim 2 wherein said gas metering element further comprises a shutoff mechanism which communicates with said gas metering element valve to prevent flow from said first receiving chamber portion to said second chamber portion.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
The device of claim 10 wherein said shutoff mechanism comprises an electrically operated solenoid.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
61 words
A method for regulating natural gas fuel flow to the carburetion system of a natural gas fired internal combustion engine comprising: a) metering said gas from a natural gas fuel source in response to modulated pressure changes in said carburetion system; b) modulating said pressure from said carburetion system by means of a modulating chamber to produce said modulated pressure changes.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
61 words
A method for regulating natural gas fuel flow to the carburetion system of a natural gas fired internal combustion engine comprising: a) metering said gas from a natural gas fuel source in response to modulated pressure changes in said carburetion system; b) modulating said pressure from said carburetion system by means of a modulating chamber to produce said modulated pressure changes.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method for regulating natural gas fuel flow in accordance with claim 12 wherein said pressure-modulating chamber has a volume of from about 12 cubic inches to about 16 cubic inches and said pressure-modulating element is from about 0.75 inches to about 1.0 inch in length.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method for regulating natural gas fuel flow in accordance with claim 12 wherein said natural gas fired internal combustion engine is turbo charged.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method for regulating natural gas fuel flow in accordance with claim 12 further comprising maintaining a flow of said natural gas to said carburetion system by means of a trimming valve.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method for regulating natural gas fuel flow in accordance with claim 15 wherein said fuel trim valve is manually operated setscrew.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method for regulating natural gas fuel flow in accordance with claim 12 wherein said metering is accomplished by a valve.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method for regulating natural gas fuel flow in accordance with claim 17 wherein said valve is actuated by least one diaphragm, which deforms in response to modulated pressure changes.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method for regulating natural gas fuel flow in accordance with claim 17 wherein said valve can be closed to prevent natural gas fuel flow from said natural gas fuel source to said carburetion system.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method for regulating natural gas fuel flow in accordance with claim 19 wherein said valve is closed by means of an electrically operated solenoid.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2007-06-15 | 2007-12-15 | 2008-06-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-06-15 | 2011-12-15 | 2012-06-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2015-06-15 | 2015-12-15 | 2016-06-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |