US 5,313,915 A · Coal slurry fuel supply and purge system

Abstract

A coal slurry fuel supply and purge system for a locomotive engines is disclosed which includes a slurry recirculation path, a stand-by path for circulating slurry during idle or states of the engine when slurry fuel in not required by the engine, and an engine header fluid path connected to the stand-by path, for supplying and purging slurry fuel to and from fuel injectors. A controller controls the actuation of valves to facilitate supply and purge of slurry to and from the fuel injectors. A method for supplying and purging coal slurry in a compression ignition engine is disclosed which includes controlling fluid flow devices and valves in a plurality of fluid paths to facilitate continuous slurry recirculation and supply and purge of or slurry based on the operating state of the engine.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A coal slurry fuel supply and purge system for a locomotive engine having fuel injection means, the system comprising:

slurry fuel supply means;
first slurry fuel recirculation means, fluidly connected with the slurry fuel supply means, for recirculating slurry in the slurry fuel supply means during engine operation;
purge fluid supply means;
purge fluid pump means, fluidly connectable with the purge fluid supply means;
slurry fuel pump means, fluidly connected to the slurry fuel supply means;
thermal exchange means, fluidly connected with the slurry fuel pump means;
fluid drain means, fluidly connectable with the purge fluid pump means, for draining purged fluid;
fluid pressure generating means, fluidly connectable to the thermal exchange means and the purge fluid pump means, for supplying slurry fuel under pressure to the fuel injection mans;
fluid passage means, fluidly connected to the fuel injection means, for providing fluid flow back to the slurry supply means or the fluid drain means;
and
control means, operatively coupled to valve means for selectively controlling the valve means to supply the slurry fuel to the fuel injection means or to purge the slurry fuel from the fuel injection means during predetermined engine operating states.

8 more elements

A coal slurry fuel supply and purge system for an engine having a fuel injection system, the system comprising:

at least one slurry fuel supply device;
at least a first slurry fuel recirculation apparatus operatively connected to the slurry fuel supply device, for recirculating slurry in the slurry fuel supply device during engine operation;
at least one purge fluid supply device;
at least one purge fluid pump device, operatively connectable to the purge fluid supply device;
at least one slurry fuel pump device, operatively connected to the slurry fuel supply device;
at least one thermal exchange device, operatively connected to the slurry fuel pump device;
at least one fluid drain device, operatively connectable to the purge fluid pump device, for draining purged fluid;
at least one fluid pressure generating device, operatively connectable to the thermal exchange device and the purge fluid pump device, for supplying slurry fuel under pressure to the fuel injection system;
at least one fluid passage device, operatively connected to the injection system, for providing fluid flow back to the slurry supply device or a fluid drain device;
and
at least one control device, operatively connected to valve means for selectively controlling the valve means to supply the slurry fuel to the injection means or to purge the slurry fuel from the fuel injection means during predetermined engine operating states.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Coal slurry fuel supply and purge system

Life of this patent

Coal slurry fuel supply and purge system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20