# US 12,006,900 B1 · System and method for measuring fluid delivery from a multi-fluid injector > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,006,900 B1 - Document ID: US12006900B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 18/361,117 - Filed: 2023-07-28 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2023-07-28 - Assignees: Caterpillar Inc. - Applicants: Caterpillar Inc. - Inventors: Scot D Ward; Eric L Schroeder - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12006900B1 ## CPC - F02M 43/04: Injectors peculiar thereto - F02D 19/0628: {Determining the fuel pressure, temperature or flow, the fuel tank fill level or a valve position} - F02D 19/0642: {at least one fuel being gaseous, the other fuels being gaseous or liquid at standard conditions} - F02D 19/0665: {Tanks, e.g. multiple tanks} - F02D 19/0694: {operating with a plurality of fuels} - F02D 19/08: simultaneously using pluralities of fuels (F02D19/12 takes precedence) - F02D 41/0025: {Controlling engines characterised by use of non-liquid fuels, pluralities of fuels, or non-fuel substances added to the combustible mixtures} - F02D 41/0027: {the fuel being gaseous (non-electrical control F02D19/02)} - F02D 41/403: {with pilot injections} - 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)} - F02M 37/0076: {Details of the fuel feeding system related to the fuel tank (vehicle fuel tanks B60K15/03)} - F02D 2200/06: Fuel or fuel supply system parameters - F02D 2200/0602: Fuel pressure - F02D 2200/0614: Actual fuel mass or fuel injection amount - F02M: SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF - 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) ## Abstract A system for measuring fuel delivery from a multi-fuel injector of a device includes a fuel injector for injecting a first fuel and a second fuel, a first fuel pump for supplying the first fuel to the fuel injector, a first sensor including a first measurement reservoir for measuring a volume of flow of the first fuel to the injector, the first measurement reservoir having a supply chamber that that decreases in volume upon actuation of the fuel injector, a second fuel pump for supplying the second fuel to the fuel injector, and a second sensor for measuring a volume of flow of the second fuel to the fuel injector. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for measuring fuel delivery from a multi-fuel injector of a device, the system comprising: a fuel injector for injecting a first fuel and a second fuel; a first fuel pump for supplying the first fuel to the fuel injector; a first sensor including a first measurement reservoir for measuring a volume of flow of the first fuel to the injector, the first measurement reservoir having a supply chamber that that decreases in volume upon actuation of the fuel injector; a second fuel pump for supplying the second fuel to the fuel injector; and a second sensor for measuring a volume of flow of the second fuel to the fuel injector. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the fuel injector, the first fuel pump, and the first measurement reservoir form a closed-loop system during actuation of the fuel injector. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first measurement reservoir is a make-up cylinder comprising: the supply chamber; a pressurizing chamber; a slidable piston separating the supply chamber and the pressurizing chamber; and a displacement sensor for determining a position of the piston, wherein the supply chamber contains the first fuel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the pressurizing chamber is in fluid communication with a fuel tank containing the first fuel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the pressurizing chamber contains air to provide back pressure to the piston. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the second sensor comprises at least one of: a second measurement reservoir having a supply chamber that decreases in volume upon actuation of the fuel injector; or a flow meter in fluid communication with an outlet port of the fuel injector. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein one of the first fuel and the second fuel comprises a pilot fuel, and wherein the other of the first fuel and the second fuel comprises a primary fuel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the pilot fuel comprises diesel, and wherein the primary fuel comprises at least one of methanol, ethanol, or a combination of alcohols. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a fuel injector calibration system. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the device comprises an internal combustion engine. ### Claim 11 A method for measuring fuel delivery from a multi-fluid fuel injector, the method comprising: supplying a first fuel from a first fuel circuit to the fuel injector; supplying a second fuel from a second fuel circuit to the fuel injector; actuating the fuel injector to deliver a volume of the first fuel and a volume of the second fuel from an outlet port of the fuel injector; determining the volume of the first fuel delivered from the fuel injector by measuring fluid displacement from a first measurement reservoir in fluid communication with the fuel injector; and determining the volume of the second fuel delivered from the fuel injector. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein determining the volume of the second fuel comprises: measuring fluid displacement from a second measurement reservoir in fluid communication with the fuel injector. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein determining the volume of the second fuel comprises: measuring a total volume of the first fuel and the second fuel delivered from the fuel injector; and subtracting the volume of the first fuel from the total volume. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein actuating the fuel injector causes a supply chamber of the first measurement reservoir to decrease in volume. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein a first fuel pump, the first measurement reservoir, and the fuel injector form a closed loop system during actuation of the fuel injector. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein supplying a first fuel from a first fuel circuit to the fuel injector comprises pressurizing the first fuel circuit. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein actuating the fuel injector comprises retracting a valve member of a nozzle of the fuel injector. ### Claim 18 A system for measuring fluid delivery from a multi-fluid injector, the system comprising: a fluid injector for injecting a first fluid and a second fluid; a first fluid pump for supplying the first fluid to the fluid injector; a first measurement reservoir having a supply chamber that decreases in volume upon actuation of the fluid injector; a second fluid pump for supplying the second fluid to the fluid injector; a second measurement reservoir having a supply chamber that decreases in volume upon actuation of the fluid injector; and a flow meter in fluid communication with an outlet port of the fluid injector. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the first measurement reservoir is a make-up cylinder comprising: the supply chamber; a pressurizing chamber; a slidable piston separating the supply chamber and the pressurizing chamber; and a displacement sensor for determining a position of the piston, wherein the supply chamber contains the first fluid. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, further comprising a valve for establishing fluid communication between the pressurizing chamber of the first measurement reservoir and a fluid tank containing the first fluid.