Systems and methods for phase-safe ammonia vapor fuel delivery to an internal combustion engine
AssigneeFirst Ammonia Motors, Inc.
InventorsJames L. Wall, II, David Gwynn Kapp, Jr., James Francis Lamb
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates, in general, to systems and methods for generating hydrogen from ammonia on-board vehicles, where the produced hydrogen is used as a co-fuel for an internal combustion engine along with ammonia vapor. The present invention provides a safety control arrangement for ensuring that only ammonia vapor is delivered to the engine's ammonia fuel injectors, resulting in consistent metering, mixing, and safe combustion, whereas liquid ammonia would otherwise introduce instability, mechanical stress, and dangerous expansion risks.
Claims20
A system for preventing liquid ammonia from entering an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- at least one fuel injector coupled to the internal combustion engine;
- a fuel rail configured to distribute ammonia to the at least one fuel injector;
- a supply line configured to deliver ammonia to the fuel rail;
- a shutoff valve fluidly coupled between the fuel rail and the supply line;
- and
- an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to determine if the ammonia in the supply line is in a vapor phase or a liquid phase,
- wherein the ECU controls the shutoff valve to close if the ammonia in the supply line is determined to be in a liquid phase, thereby preventing liquid ammonia from being delivered to the fuel rail from the supply line.
A system for preventing liquid ammonia from entering an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- at least one fuel injector coupled to the internal combustion engine;
- a fuel rail configured to distribute ammonia to the at least one fuel injector;
- a supply line configured to deliver ammonia to the fuel rail;
- a shutoff valve fluidly coupled between the fuel rail and the supply line;
- a sensor module configured to detect a temperature and a pressure of the ammonia in the supply line;
- and
- an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to determine if the ammonia in the supply line is in a vapor phase or a liquid phase based on the detected temperature and pressure,
- wherein the ECU controls the shutoff valve to close if the ammonia in the supply line is determined to be in a liquid phase, thereby preventing liquid ammonia from being delivered to the fuel rail from the supply line.
A system for preventing liquid ammonia from entering an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- at least one fuel injector coupled to the internal combustion engine;
- a fuel rail configured to distribute ammonia to the at least one fuel injector;
- a supply line configured to deliver ammonia to the fuel rail;
- a shutoff valve fluidly coupled between the fuel rail and the supply line;
- a sensor module configured to detect a temperature and a pressure of the ammonia in the supply line;
- and
- an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to determine if the ammonia in the supply line is in a vapor phase or a liquid phase by comparing the detected temperature of the ammonia in the supply line to a known condensation temperature at the detected pressure of the ammonia in the supply line,
- wherein the ECU controls the shutoff valve to close if the ammonia in the supply line is determined to be in a liquid phase, thereby preventing liquid ammonia from being delivered to the fuel rail from the supply line.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.