Fuel ejector assembly for fuel assisted EGR flow

A fuel insertion system, comprising:

• a fuel conduit configured to receive fuel from a fuel source;
• a fuel ejector assembly fluidly coupled to the fuel conduit, the fuel ejector assembly comprising:
• a nozzle structured to receive the fuel from the fuel conduit and eject the fuel therethrough,
• an exhaust gas recirculation (“EGR”) conduit structured to communicate a recirculated exhaust gas therethrough,
• a mixing portion disposed downstream of the nozzle and the EGR conduit, the nozzle and the EGR conduit fluidly coupled to the mixing portion such that the mixing portion receives each of the fuel and the recirculated exhaust gas,
• a diffuser disposed downstream of the mixing portion and structured to be fluidly coupled to an engine to communicate a mixture of the fuel and the recirculated exhaust gas to the engine, and
• a bypass line fluidly coupled to the fuel conduit upstream of the nozzle, the bypass line structured to receive a portion of the fuel and communicate the portion of the fuel downstream of the diffuser and upstream of the engine;
• a fuel flowrate control valve coupled to the fuel conduit and configured to selectively adjust a flowrate of the fuel flowing from the fuel source towards the fuel ejector assembly via the fuel conduit;
• and
• a controller configured to operate the fuel flowrate control valve to adjust the flowrate of the fuel flowing from the fuel source towards the fuel ejector assembly.

A method for controlling fuel assisted flow of a recirculated exhaust gas to an engine via a fuel ejector assembly, the method comprising:

• determining, by a controller based on a pressure signal received from a pressure sensor, at least one of an engine pressure or a mixture pressure, the mixture pressure comprising a pressure of a mixture, the mixture comprising a fuel and the recirculated exhaust gas;
• determining, by the controller based on a flowrate signal received from a flowrate sensor, an exhaust gas recirculation (“EGR”) flowrate, the EGR flowrate comprising a flowrate of the recirculated exhaust gas flowing through an EGR conduit into a mixing portion, the EGR conduit structured to communicate the recirculated exhaust gas therethrough;
• adjusting, by the controller based on at least one of an operating condition of the engine, the engine pressure, or the mixture pressure, a fuel flowrate control valve to control a flowrate of the fuel to the engine, the fuel flowrate control valve fluidly coupled to a fuel conduit, the fuel conduit structured to provide the fuel to a nozzle, the nozzle structured to eject the fuel therethrough, wherein the mixing portion is disposed downstream of the nozzle and the EGR conduit, the nozzle and the EGR conduit fluidly coupled to the mixing portion such that the mixing portion receives each of the fuel and the recirculated exhaust gas, and wherein a diffuser is disposed downstream of the mixing portion and structured to be fluidly coupled to the engine to communicate the mixture to the engine;
• adjusting, by the controller based on at least one of the operating condition of the engine, the engine pressure, or the mixture pressure, a bypass valve to control a fuel flowrate to the engine, the bypass valve fluidly coupled to a bypass line, the bypass line coupled to the fuel conduit upstream of the nozzle and structured to receive a portion of the fuel and communicate the portion of the fuel downstream of the diffuser and upstream of the engine;
• and
• adjusting, by the controller based on the EGR flowrate and at least one of the engine pressure or the mixture pressure, an EGR valve to control the EGR flowrate to the engine.