Dual-fuel engine with liquid-gas separation unit

A fuel circulation system for a dual-fuel engine, the fuel circulation system comprising:

• a gaseous fuel supply module;
• a fuel injector;
• a gaseous fuel supply conduit directly coupled to the gaseous fuel supply module and the fuel injector for delivery of a gaseous fuel from the gaseous fuel supply module to the fuel injector, a flow direction through the gaseous fuel supply conduit extending from the gaseous fuel supply module toward the fuel injector;
• and
• an exhaust conduit having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the first end of the exhaust conduit being fluidly coupled to the gaseous fuel supply conduit at a branch connection with the gaseous fuel supply conduit, the branch connection being located downstream of the gaseous fuel supply module and upstream of the fuel injector along the flow direction through the gaseous fuel supply conduit;
• and
• a separator having an inlet port, a first outlet port, and a second outlet port, the first outlet port and the second outlet port each being fluidly coupled to the inlet port within the separator,
• the inlet port of the separator being fluidly coupled to the second end of the exhaust conduit to receive a mixture of the gaseous fuel and a leaked liquid fuel from the gaseous fuel supply conduit, the leaked liquid fuel being leaked into the gaseous fuel supply conduit from the fuel injector,
• the first outlet port of the separator being fluidly coupled to a leaked fuel reservoir via a liquid drain conduit,
• the separator being configured to separate the leaked liquid fuel from the mixture and discharge the leaked liquid fuel to the leaked fuel reservoir via the first outlet port.

A dual-fuel engine comprising:

• at least one combustion chamber;
• at least one injector fluidly coupled to the at least one combustion chamber to inject at least one of a gaseous fuel and a liquid fuel into the at least one combustion chamber;
• a gaseous fuel supply module;
• a gaseous fuel supply conduit directly coupled to the gaseous fuel supply module and the at least one injector for delivery of the gaseous fuel from the gaseous fuel supply module to the at least one injector, a flow direction through the gaseous fuel supply conduit extending from the gaseous fuel supply module toward the at least one injector;
• a gaseous fuel conditioning module mounted along the gaseous fuel supply conduit and configured to condition the gaseous fuel for use in the dual-fuel engine before the gaseous fuel is supplied to the at least one injector;
• a check valve disposed along the gaseous fuel supply conduit downstream of the gaseous fuel conditioning module and configured to stop a flow of a leaked liquid fuel from the at least one injector upstream through the check valve and toward the gaseous fuel conditioning module;
• an exhaust conduit having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the first end of the exhaust conduit being fluidly coupled to the gaseous fuel supply conduit at a branch connection with the gaseous fuel supply conduit, the branch connection being located downstream of the check valve and upstream of the at least one injector along the flow direction through the gaseous fuel supply conduit;
• and
• a separator having an inlet port, a first outlet port, and a second outlet port, the first outlet port and the second outlet port each being fluidly coupled to the inlet port within the separator,
• the inlet port of the separator being fluidly coupled to the second end of the exhaust conduit to receive a mixture of the gaseous fuel and the leaked liquid fuel from the gaseous fuel supply conduit,
• the first outlet port of the separator being fluidly coupled to a leaked fuel reservoir via a liquid drain conduit,
• the separator being configured to separate the leaked liquid fuel from the mixture and discharge the leaked liquid fuel to the leaked fuel reservoir via the first outlet port.