Engine Fuel Reformer Monitoring
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorRoss Dykstra Pursifull
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for monitoring a fuel reformer which reforms ethanol into a reformate gas comprising H2, CO, and CH4 for fueling an engine are provided. Degradation of the fuel reformer may be indicated based on an amount of ethanol injected into the fuel reformer and an amount of at least one of H2, CO, and CH4 produced by the fuel reformer.
Claims22
A method for monitoring a fuel reformer which reforms ethanol into a reformate gas comprising H2, CO, and CH4 for fueling an engine, comprising:
- measuring a flow rate of the reformate gas;
- and
- indicating degradation of the fuel reformer based on a ratio of an amount of the flow rate of the reformate gas to an amount of alcohol ethanol injected into the fuel reformer being less than a threshold.
A method for monitoring a fuel reformer which reforms ethanol into a reformate gas comprising H2, CO, and CH4, comprising:
- injecting an amount of fuel including an amount of alcohol to be reformed into the fuel reformer;
- and
- indicating degradation of the fuel reformer based on the amount of alcohol injected into the fuel reformer and an amount of H2, CO, and CH4 produced by the fuel reformer.
A system comprising:
- a fuel reformer which reforms alcohol into H2, CO, and CH4;
- an engine receiving the reformed alcohol;
- a computer readable storage medium having instructions encoded thereon, including:
- instructions to indicate degradation of the fuel reformer based on an amount of alcohol injected into the fuel reformer and an amount of at least one of H2, CO, and CH4 produced by the fuel reformer.
(canceled)
A method for monitoring a fuel reformer which reforms ethanol into a reformate gas comprising H2, CO, and CH4 for fueling an engine, comprising:
- indicating degradation of the fuel reformer based on an amount of engine knock which occurs while reformate gas is delivered to the engine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.