# US 11,028,805 B2 · System and method for on-board catalytic upgrading of hydrocarbon fuels > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,028,805 B2 - Document ID: US11028805B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/243,180 - Filed: 2019-01-09 - Published: 2020-07-09 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2019-01-09 - Assignees: Saudi Arabian Oil Company - Applicants: Saudi Arabian Oil Company - Inventors: Esam Zaki Hamad; Christos Kalamaras - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11028805B2 ## CPC - F02M 27/02: by catalysts - F02M 37/0064: {for engines being fed with multiple fuels or fuels having special properties, e.g. bio-fuels; varying the fuel composition (controlling engines working with pluralities of fuels F02D19/06)} - C10L 1/06: for spark ignition - C10L 10/12: for improving the cetane number - F02D 19/0607: {to adjust the fuel mass or volume flow} - F02D 19/0649: {Liquid fuels having different boiling temperatures, volatilities, densities, viscosities, cetane or octane numbers} - F02D 19/0671: {Means to generate or modify a fuel, e.g. reformers, electrolytic cells or membranes} - F02D 19/081: {Adjusting the fuel composition or mixing ratio; Transitioning from one fuel to the other} - F02D 19/085: {Control based on the fuel type or composition} - F02D 41/0025: {Controlling engines characterised by use of non-liquid fuels, pluralities of fuels, or non-fuel substances added to the combustible mixtures} - F02M 21/0227: {Means to treat or clean gaseous fuels or fuel systems, e.g. removal of tar, cracking, reforming or enriching} - F02M 25/10: adding acetylene, non-waterborne hydrogen, non-airborne oxygen, or ozone - F02M 37/0088: {Multiple separate fuel tanks or tanks being at least partially partitioned} - B01J 31/00: Catalysts comprising hydrides, coordination complexes or organic compounds (catalyst compositions used only in polymerisation reactions C08 {; catalytic antibodies C12N9/0002}) - B60K 15/03: Fuel tanks - B60K 2015/03348: {for supplying additives to fuel} - B60S 5/02: Supplying fuel to vehicles; General disposition of plant in filling stations (apparatus for transferring measured quantities of petrol, oil, or the like from storage space to vehicles B67D) - C10L 2270/023: for gasoline engines - C10L 2290/141: of additive or catalyst - C10L 2290/543: Distillation, fractionation or rectification for separating fractions, components or impurities during preparation or upgrading of a fuel - C10L 2290/58: Control or regulation of the fuel preparation of upgrading process - F02D 2200/0611: Fuel type, fuel composition or fuel quality - G06Q 20/20: Point-of-sale [POS] network systems - Y02T 10/30: Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels - F02M: SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF - C10L: FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G OR C10K; LIQUIFIED PETROLEUM GAS; USE OF ADDITIVES TO FUELS OR FIRES; FIRE-LIGHTERS - F02D: CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES (vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed B60K31/00; conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function, road vehicle drive control systems for purposes other than the control of a single sub-unit B60W) - B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - B60S: SERVICING, CLEANING, REPAIRING, SUPPORTING, LIFTING, OR MANOEUVRING OF VEHICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract The present disclosure relates to a vehicle, system, and method for on-board catalytic upgrading of hydrocarbon fuels. In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, a vehicle may include, amongst other things, an internal combustion engine configured to provide motive force to the vehicle, an unreformed fuel subsystem, a reformed fuel subsystem, and a fuel system control architecture. The unreformed fuel subsystem may be structurally configured to transfer unreformed hydrocarbon fuel from the on-board point-of-sale fuel tank to the internal combustion engine. The reformed fuel subsystem may be structurally configured to reform hydrocarbon fuel from the on-board point-of-sale fuel tank and transfer reformed fuel to the internal combustion engine along a reformed fuel supply pathway separated from the unreformed fuel supply pathway. The fuel system control architecture may include a reformate flow control device and a cetane rating controller. The cetane rating controller and the reformate flow control device may cooperate to deliver an upgraded hydrocarbon fuel to a combustion zone of the internal combustion engine. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle comprising an on-board point-of-sale fuel tank, an operator accessible point-of-sale fuel filling port that is structurally configured to transfer hydrocarbon fuel from a point-of-sale fuel dispenser to the on-board point-of-sale fuel tank, an internal combustion engine that is configured to provide motive force to the vehicle, an unreformed fuel subsystem that is structurally configured to transfer unreformed hydrocarbon fuel from the on-board point-of-sale fuel tank to the internal combustion engine along an unreformed fuel supply pathway, a reformed fuel subsystem that is structurally configured to reform hydrocarbon fuel from the on-board point-of-sale fuel tank and transfer reformed fuel to the internal combustion engine along a reformed fuel supply pathway separated from the unreformed fuel supply pathway, and fuel system control architecture comprising a reformate flow control device and a cetane rating controller, wherein: the reformed fuel subsystem comprises a catalytic reactor, a diverted hydrocarbon fuel inlet configured to direct a diverted portion of hydrocarbon fuel originating from the on-board point-of-sale fuel tank to the catalytic reactor, an oxidizing gas inlet configured to direct an oxidizing gas to the catalytic reactor, an unreacted oxidizing gas outlet configured to direct at least a portion of an unreacted oxidizing gas from the catalytic reactor, and a reformed hydrocarbon fuel outlet configured to direct reformed hydrocarbon fuel to the internal combustion engine; the catalytic reactor comprises a reforming catalyst and is structurally configured to alter a native cetane rating of the diverted hydrocarbon fuel in the presence of oxidizing gas from the oxidizing gas inlet of the reformed fuel subsystem; the unreacted oxidizing gas outlet further comprises a hydrocarbon vapor removal device and a vapor recycle line connecting the hydrocarbon vapor removal device to an intake of the internal combustion engine where the hydrocarbon vapor removal device is structurally configured to separate hydrocarbon vapors from unreacted oxidizing gasses and discharge the hydrocarbon vapors into the vapor recycle line; and the cetane rating controller and the reformate flow control device cooperate to deliver an upgraded hydrocarbon fuel to a combustion zone of the internal combustion engine by controlling a volumetric ratio of unreformed hydrocarbon fuel from the unreformed fuel subsystem to reformed hydrocarbon fuel from the reformed fuel subsystem. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the reformed fuel subsystem comprises a reformed fuel storage tank in a reformed fuel flow path between the catalytic reactor and the reformed hydrocarbon fuel outlet. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein: the reformed fuel subsystem further comprises a liquid-gas separator in the reformed fuel flow path between the catalytic reactor and the reformed hydrocarbon fuel outlet; and the liquid-gas separator is structurally configured to separate unreacted oxidizing gasses from hydrocarbon fuel and direct unreacted oxidizing gasses to the unreacted oxidizing gas outlet of the reformed fuel subsystem. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the fuel system control architecture is structurally configured to control the volumetric ratio by controlling volumetric delivery of both unreformed hydrocarbon fuel and reformed hydrocarbon fuel to the internal combustion engine. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the fuel system control architecture is structurally configured to control the volumetric ratio by controlling volumetric delivery of reformed hydrocarbon fuel to the internal combustion engine. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the fuel system control architecture is structurally configured to control the volumetric ratio at one or more fuel delivery ports of the internal combustion engine or at a fuel mixing point upstream of the one or more fuel delivery ports of the internal combustion engine. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the cetane rating controller is a stand-alone controller or a controller integrated with a controller that is programmed to execute additional functionality. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the cetane rating controller is programmed to: determine a desired cetane rating at least in part from a lookup table; and deliver the upgraded hydrocarbon fuel by controlling the volumetric ratio of unreformed hydrocarbon fuel to reformed hydrocarbon fuel as a function of the desired cetane rating. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein: the fuel system control architecture further comprises a cetane rating sensor feedback loop in communication with the cetane rating controller; and the cetane rating controller is programmed to utilize the cetane rating sensor feedback loop to at least partially control the volumetric ratio of unreformed hydrocarbon fuel to reformed hydrocarbon fuel. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein: the reformed fuel subsystem further comprises a mixing region disposed between the oxidizing gas inlet and the reforming catalyst; and the reformed fuel subsystem is configured to introduce the oxidizing gas to the hydrocarbon fuel in the mixing region. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein: the oxidizing gas inlet further comprises an oxygen enrichment device; and the oxidizing gas inlet and the oxygen enrichment device are structurally configured to cooperate to introduce an oxygen enriched gas into the reformed fuel subsystem. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises an exhaust gas recycle system that is structurally configured to capture at least a portion of an exhaust gas originating from the internal combustion engine and direct at least a portion of the captured exhaust gas to a combustion zone of the internal combustion engine. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the unreacted oxidizing gas outlet is structurally configured to direct at least a portion of the unreacted oxidizing gasses to the combustion zone of the internal combustion engine. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the reforming catalyst comprises a N-hydroxy catalyst. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the reforming catalyst comprises one or more metals, metal oxides, organometalics, polyoxometalates, organotransition-metals ions, N-heteroaromatic compounds, N-hydroxy catalytic systems, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The reformed fuel subsystem of claim 1, further comprising a catalyst removal device, wherein: the reforming catalyst is a homogenous catalyst; and the catalyst removal device is structurally configured to separate the homogenous catalyst from a liquid hydrocarbon fuel. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein: the reformed fuel subsystem further comprises a liquid-gas separator in the reformed fuel flow path between the catalytic reactor and the reformed hydrocarbon fuel outlet; the liquid-gas separator is structurally configured to separate unreacted oxidizing gasses from hydrocarbon fuel and direct unreacted oxidizing gasses to the unreacted oxidizing gas outlet of the reformed fuel subsystem; the fuel system control architecture further comprises a cetane rating sensor feedback loop in communication with the cetane rating controller; the cetane rating controller is programmed to utilize the cetane rating sensor feedback loop to at least partially control the volumetric ratio of unreformed hydrocarbon fuel to reformed hydrocarbon fuel; the reformed fuel subsystem further comprises a mixing region disposed between the oxidizing gas inlet and the reforming catalyst; the reformed fuel subsystem is configured to introduce the oxidizing gas to the hydrocarbon fuel in the mixing region; the unreacted oxidizing gas outlet further comprises a hydrocarbon vapor removal device and a vapor recycle line connecting the hydrocarbon vapor removal device to an intake of the internal combustion engine; the hydrocarbon vapor removal device is structurally configured to separate hydrocarbon vapors from unreacted oxidizing gasses and discharge the hydrocarbon vapors into the vapor recycle line; the oxidizing gas inlet further comprises an oxygen enrichment device; and the oxidizing gas inlet and the oxygen enrichment device are structurally configured to cooperate to introduce an oxygen enriched gas into the reformed fuel subsystem. ### Claim 18 A system comprising: a point-of-sale fuel tank, an operator accessible point-of-sale fuel filling port that is structurally configured to transfer hydrocarbon fuel from a point-of-sale fuel dispenser to the point-of-sale fuel tank, an internal combustion engine, an unreformed fuel subsystem that is structurally configured to transfer unreformed hydrocarbon fuel from the point-of-sale fuel tank to the internal combustion engine along an unreformed fuel supply pathway, a reformed fuel subsystem that is structurally configured to reform hydrocarbon fuel from the point-of-sale fuel tank and transfer reformed fuel to the internal combustion engine along a reformed fuel supply pathway separated from the unreformed fuel supply pathway, and fuel system control architecture comprising a reformate flow control device and a cetane rating controller, wherein: the reformed fuel subsystem comprises a catalytic reactor, a diverted hydrocarbon fuel inlet configured to direct a diverted portion of hydrocarbon fuel originating from the point-of-sale fuel tank to the catalytic reactor, an oxidizing gas inlet configured to direct an oxidizing gas to the catalytic reactor, an unreacted oxidizing gas outlet configured to direct at least a portion of an unreacted oxidizing gas from the catalytic reactor, and a reformed hydrocarbon fuel outlet configured to direct reformed hydrocarbon fuel to the internal combustion engine; the catalytic reactor comprises a reforming catalyst and is structurally configured to alter a native cetane rating of the diverted hydrocarbon fuel in the presence of oxidizing gas from the oxidizing gas inlet of the reformed fuel subsystem; the unreacted oxidizing gas outlet further comprises a hydrocarbon vapor removal device and a vapor recycle line connecting the hydrocarbon vapor removal device to an intake of the internal combustion engine where the hydrocarbon vapor removal device is structurally configured to separate hydrocarbon vapors from unreacted oxidizing gasses and discharge the hydrocarbon vapors into the vapor recycle line; and the cetane rating controller and the reformate flow control device cooperate to deliver an upgraded hydrocarbon fuel to a combustion zone of the internal combustion engine by controlling a volumetric ratio of unreformed hydrocarbon fuel from the unreformed fuel subsystem to reformed hydrocarbon fuel from the reformed fuel subsystem. ### Claim 19 A method for on-board catalytic upgrading of hydrocarbon fuels, the method comprising: passing a hydrocarbon fuel along a reformed fuel subsystem from an on-board point-of-sale fuel tank into a catalytic reactor; passing an oxidizing gas through an oxidizing gas inlet into the catalytic reactor; contacting the oxidizing gas, a reforming catalyst, and the hydrocarbon fuel to alter the native cetane rating of the hydrocarbon fuel and thereby produce a reformed hydrocarbon fuel; passing an unreacted oxidizing gas from the catalytic reactor into a hydrocarbon vapor removal device and separating hydrocarbon vapors from the unreacted oxidizing gas; discharging the hydrocarbon vapors separated from the unreacted oxidizing gas into a vapor recycle line connecting the hydrocarbon vapor removal device to an intake of the internal combustion engine; contacting an unreformed hydrocarbon fuel from the on-board point-of-sale fuel tank with the reformed hydrocarbon fuel at a controlled volumetric ratio to produce an upgraded hydrocarbon fuel; and introducing the upgraded hydrocarbon fuel into a combustion zone of an internal combustion engine.