Fuel selection method and related system for a mobile asset
AssigneeTransportation IP Holdings, LLC
InventorsShawn Gallagher, Daniel George Norton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of methods and systems related to operating a mobile asset are provided. In one example, a method for operating a mobile asset includes supplying an engine with a fuel controller a first amount of a first fuel and a second amount of a second fuel and combusting the first fuel and the second fuel at a fuel combustion ratio in at least one cylinder of the engine, the first amount and the second amount being selected based on route information for a route along which the mobile asset is operable to travel and a projected exhaustion of the first fuel that does not precede a projected exhaustion of the second fuel, wherein the mobile asset is unable to operate with the second fuel alone.
Claims19
A method for operating a mobile asset, comprising:
- selecting a route from a plurality of possible routes along which the mobile asset is operable to travel based on fuel availability information for at least one of a first fuel or a second fuel at one or more fuel stations along the plurality of possible routes;
- supplying an engine of the mobile asset with the first fuel and the second fuel at a fuel combustion ratio for combustion in at least one cylinder of the engine, the fuel combustion ratio selected based on the selected route;
- and
- supplying an engine exhaust with a third amount of the first fuel based on an actual emission level via an exhaust injector, wherein the third amount is based on a predefined threshold cost,
- wherein the fuel combustion ratio is further selected so that a projected exhaustion of a particular fuel selected from the first fuel and the second fuel does not precede projected arrival of the mobile asset at a location where the mobile asset is resupplied with that particular fuel, the fuel combustion ratio further based on the fuel availability information along the selected route.
A method for operating a mobile asset, comprising:
- propelling the mobile asset with one or more of a first fuel or a second fuel;
- selecting a fuel ratio of the first fuel to the second fuel provided to an engine for propelling the mobile asset and a route from a plurality of possible routes along which the mobile asset is operable to travel based on availability information for at least one of the first fuel or the second fuel atone or more fuel stations along the plurality of possible routes;
- and
- supplying an engine exhaust with an amount of the first fuel via an exhaust injector, wherein the amount is based on a predefined threshold cost,
- wherein selecting the fuel ratio based on availability information for the first fuel and second fuel at one or more fuel stations along the selected route so that a projected exhaustion of a particular fuel selected from the first fuel and the second fuel does not precede projected arrival of the mobile asset at a fuel station where the mobile asset is resupplied with that particular fuel.
A method for operating a mobile asset, comprising:
- propelling the mobile asset with a first fuel and a second fuel, the first fuel and the second fuel respectively stored in first and second separate tanks of the mobile asset;
- and
- selecting a fuel ratio of the first fuel to the second fuel provided to an engine for propelling the mobile asset and a route from a plurality of possible routes along which the mobile asset is operable to travel based on availability information for the first fuel and the second fuel at plural fuel stations along the plurality of possible routes;
- and
- supplying an engine exhaust with an amount of the first fuel not combusted so that an actual emission level associated with combustion of the first and second fuels is less than or equal to a determined emission level, and wherein the amount is based on a predefined threshold cost,
- wherein the fuel ratio is further selected so that a projected exhaustion of a particular fuel selected from the first fuel and the second fuel does not precede projected arrival of the mobile asset at a location where the mobile asset is resupplied with the particular fuel, the fuel ratio further based on the availability information along the selected route.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.