Compact auxiliary power system for heavy-duty diesel engines and method

In combination with a heavy-duty diesel engine installation:

• means providing a conventional apparatus-receiving space associated with such installation;
• a small compact auxiliary power system occupying said space instead of said conventional apparatus;
• a pneumatic assembly cooperatively connecting said auxiliary power system with said heavy-duty diesel engine installation;
• and
• wherein said auxiliary power system comprises a small diesel engine and operating equipment therefor, a compressor operated by said small diesel engine, and air storage reservoir supplied by said compressor.

An auxiliary power assembly for use with a heavy-duty diesel engine comprising:

• a small, auxiliary, internal combustion engine;
• an air compressor coupled to and driven by said internal combustion engine;
• a compressed air reservoir adapted to be mounted proximate said internal combustion engine and coupled to said air compressor for fluid communication therewith;
• said small auxiliary engine and said air compressor having a combined volume not substantially greater than the combined volume of a battery pack for said heavy-duty diesel engine;
• and
• a pneumatic starter adapted to be mounted on and for starting said heavy-duty diesel engine and coupled to said air reservoir to receive compressed air from said air reservoir and said air compressor.

A method of retrofitting a heavy-duty diesel engine with an auxiliary power assembly, said heavy-duty diesel engine having an electric starter operably coupled to start said heavy-duty diesel engine and a battery assembly mounted in a space proximate said heavy duty diesel engine and electrically connected to said electric starter, said method comprised of the steps of:

• removing said electric starter from said heavy-duty diesel engine;
• removing said battery assembly from said space;
• coupling a pneumatic starter to said heavy-duty diesel engine;
• mounting an auxiliary power assembly including an independently operable auxiliary internal combustion engine coupled to drive a compressed gas generation assembly in said space, said auxiliary power assembly having an overall size not substantially greater than said battery assembly;
• and
• connecting said compressed gas generation assembly to said pneumatic starter for use in starting said heavy-duty diesel engine.

A method of providing an auxiliary power assembly for a truck powered by a heavy-duty diesel engine comprising the steps of:

• coupling a pneumatic starter to said diesel engine;
• mounting an auxiliary power assembly including an independently operable auxiliary engine coupled to drive a compressed gas generation assembly in said truck in a space not substantially greater than the space occupied by a conventional battery assembly for an electric starter for said diesel engine;
• and
• connecting said compressed gas generation assembly to said pneumatic starter for use in starting said diesel engine.