Systems for methanol vaporization
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsKenth I. Svensson, Jonathan W. Anders, Naga Krishna Chaitanya Kavuri
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An exhaust heater system includes an exhaust heater and an air supply tube disposed within the exhaust heater. Relatively hot exhaust gas from an engine is directed into the exhaust heater, whereby heat from the exhaust heats the interior of the air supply tube. The heat partially vaporizes liquid methanol injected into the air supply tube. To control the amount of heating, the exhaust can be directed to the air supply tube as well as an exhaust bypass, whereby exhaust directed to the exhaust bypass does not heat the interior of the air supply tube.
Claims20
A method of operating an engine, comprising:
- receiving air into a heating section of an intake manifold;
- injecting methanol into the heating section to form a methanol/air mixture;
- vaporizing at least a portion of the methanol in the methanol/air mixture by directing exhaust into an exhaust heater, wherein the heating section is at least partially internally disposed within the exhaust heater allowing for heat from the exhaust to heat the heating section;
- introducing a fuel and the methanol/air mixture into a combustion cylinder;
- and
- causing the fuel and the methanol/air mixture in the combustion cylinder to ignite.
An exhaust heater system, comprising:
- an exhaust tube having an exhaust tube outer surface, an exhaust tube inner surface, and a longitudinal central axis extending substantially centrally through the exhaust tube, the exhaust tube inner surface defining an interior space of the exhaust tube;
- an air supply tube disposed within the interior space of the exhaust tube, the air supply tube having an air supply tube outer surface and an air supply tube inner surface;
- a methanol injector configured to inject methanol into the air supply tube;
- a turbine configured to receive exhaust from an engine and direct the exhaust to the exhaust tube;
- and
- a compressor powered by the turbine, the compressor configured to direct compressed air into the air supply tube, wherein heat from the exhaust in the exhaust tube heats and vaporizes at least a portion of the methanol injected into the air supply tube.
An internal combustion engine fuel system, comprising:
- an exhaust heater system comprising:
- an exhaust tube having an exhaust tube outer surface, an exhaust tube inner surface, and a longitudinal central axis extending substantially centrally through the exhaust tube, the exhaust tube inner surface defining an interior space of the exhaust tube;
- an air supply tube disposed within the interior space of the exhaust tube, the air supply tube having an air supply tube outer surface and an air supply tube inner surface;
- a methanol injector configured to inject methanol into the air supply tube;
- a turbine configured to receive exhaust from an engine and direct the exhaust to the exhaust tube;
- and
- a compressor powered by turbine, the compressor configured to direct compressed air into the air supply tube to form a methanol/air mixture in the air supply tube;
- wherein heat from the exhaust in the exhaust tube heats and vaporizes at least a portion of the methanol injected into the air supply tube;
- and
- a fuel injector for injecting a fuel into the methanol/air mixture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.