Method, apparatus, and system for controlling natural gas engine operation based on fuel properties
AssigneeCummins Inc.
InventorsCarlos Alcides Lana, Yilun Liu, Philipe F. Saad, Ganesh Raghunath
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Abstract
A method, system, and apparatus use infrared spectrometry onboard an internal combustion engine running on a natural gas fuel to detect characteristics of the fuel. At a site having a plurality of natural gas engines, detection of natural gas fuel components and concentrations of the components also is conducted at the site upstream of the point of intake of the natural gas fuel to one or more of the engines. Operating parameters of the engine or a plurality of the engines may be controlled on the basis of the detected composition of the natural gas fuel.
Claims18
A method of operating an engine system, comprising:
- determining a first characteristic of a natural gas fuel supplied to an engine of the system using a first analyzer disposed upstream of a fuel inlet of the engine;
- and
- determining a second characteristic of the fuel using a second analyzer disposed onboard the engine.
A control system for a natural gas engine, comprising:
- a processor coupled to an input and an output, wherein
- the input is adapted to receive
- a first characteristic of a natural gas fuel supplied to the engine, detected by a first analyzer disposed upstream of a fuel inlet of the engine, and
- a second characteristic of the fuel detected by a second analyzer disposed downstream of the fuel inlet,
- the output is adapted to provide a control command to the engine, and
- the processor is configured to
- determine a concentration of at least one component of the fuel based on the first and second characteristics, and
- provide the control command to the output based on the concentration.
An engine system, comprising:
- a natural gas engine;
- a mid-infrared analyzer disposed onboard the engine;
- and
- a controller coupled to the engine, the controller being configured
- to determine a concentration of at least one component of natural gas fuel supplied to the engine based on detection of components of the fuel by the mid-infrared analyzer and by a second analyzer disposed upstream of a fuel inlet of the engine, and
- to provide a control command to the engine based on the concentration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.