Intake bypass for liquid fuel engine
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsMichael Bardell, David T. Montgomery
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine includes an air compressor, an air cooler connected downstream of the air compressor and the compressed air supply passage, and a bypass passage connected downstream of the air compressor. The fuel supply system also includes a fuel injector secured to the compressed air supply passage or secured to the bypass passage and a valve connected between the air compressor and the air cooler, the valve being configured to block a flow of intake air to the air cooler, causing the intake air to flow to the bypass passage or to permit the flow of intake air to the air cooler.
Claims20
A fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine, the fuel supply system comprising:
- an air compressor;
- a compressed air supply passage connected downstream of the air compressor;
- an air cooler connected downstream of the air compressor and the compressed air supply passage;
- a bypass passage connected downstream of the air compressor;
- a fuel injector secured to the compressed air supply passage or secured to the bypass passage;
- and
- a valve connected between the air compressor and the air cooler, the valve being configured to block a flow of intake air to the air cooler, causing the intake air to flow to the bypass passage or to permit the flow of intake air to the air cooler.
A fuel supply system, comprising:
- an internal combustion engine;
- an air compressor configured to compress air received by the internal combustion engine;
- a compressed air supply passage connected downstream of the air compressor;
- an air cooler for reducing a temperature of the compressed air;
- a compressed air bypass passage connected downstream of the air compressor;
- a fuel injector secured to the compressed air supply passage or secured to the compressed air bypass passage;
- a bypass valve having a bypass position configured to cause at least a portion of the compressed air to bypass the air cooler;
- and
- an electronic control module configured to generate a command to cause the bypass valve to enter the bypass position.
A fuel supply method for supplying fuel to an internal combustion engine, the method comprising:
- compressing air with an air compressor;
- injecting fuel into the compressed air at a location upstream of an intake plenum to form a fuel and air mixture, the intake plenum being a portion of an intake manifold having a plurality of runners extending from the intake plenum toward the internal combustion engine;
- causing at least some compressed air to bypass an air cooler;
- supplying the air and fuel mixture to the internal combustion engine;
- and
- combusting the air and fuel mixture within the internal combustion engine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.