Natural gas fuel system for an internal combustion engine
AssigneeCummins Inc.
InventorsCorey W. Trobaugh, Daniel A. Norrick, Randy E. Berg, Brian K. Wagner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A natural gas fueling system supplies methane gas to an engine and includes a filter assembly. The filter assembly includes a gas inlet configured to receive inlet gas and a methane permeable filter configured to separate methane gas and first contaminant gases from the inlet gas. The natural gas fueling system also includes a reformer apparatus configured to convert the first contaminant gases into a reformed gas stream including methane gas. The reformed gas is supplied to the gas inlet and is recirculated through the filter assembly to extract the methane gas from the reformed gas stream.
Claims12
A natural gas fueling system for an energy source, comprising:
- a filter assembly including a gas inlet configured to receive inlet gas and a methane permeable filter configured to separate methane gas and first contaminant gases from the inlet gas;
- and
- a conduit fluidly coupled to the filter assembly and the energy source to deliver the methane gas to the energy source;
- and
- a supplemental fluid assembly fluidly coupled to the filter assembly and the energy source, the energy source being configured to receive the first contaminant gases from the supplemental fluid assembly.
A method of fueling an energy source, the method comprising:
- supplying natural gas to a filter assembly;
- separating the natural gas into at least methane gas and a first contaminant gas in the filter assembly;
- delivering the methane gas to the energy source;
- and
- providing the first contaminant gas to the energy source.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.