Fuel control system for an internal combustion engine using an aqueous fuel emulsion

A fuel control system for an internal combustion engine that utilizes a fuel in water emulsion as a source of fuel, the fuel control system comprising:

• a fuel system including one or more fuel injectors adapted to inject said fuel in water emulsion into said engine cylinders and a fuel line in fluid communication with said fuel injectors through which said fuel in water emulsion is transported;
• a control unit operatively associated with said fuel system and further adapted to receive inputs generally indicative of selected engine operating characteristics;
• a post add water system in fluid communication with said fuel line and adapted for providing an additional supply of water to said fuel in water emulsion in said fuel line;
• and
• a control valve interposed between said post add water system and said fuel line and responsive to said control unit to introduce a prescribed volume of said additional supply of water to the fuel line and control the water content of said fuel in water emulsion delivered to said fuel injectors, said prescribed volume being a function of said engine operating characteristics.

A method of controlling the water content of a fuel in water emulsion delivered to one or more fuel injectors in an internal combustion engine comprising the steps of:

• supplying a prescribed quantity of said fuel in water emulsion at a prescribed pressure from a source of fuel in water emulsion to said fuel injectors via a fuel line;
• determining an additional quantity of water to supply to said fuel in water emulsion in said fuel line as a function of engine operating characteristics;
• supplying said additional quantity of water from a source of water to said fuel in water emulsion at a selected location in said fuel line, said selected location being upstream of said injectors;
• mixing said additional quantity of water with said fuel in water emulsion upstream of said fuel injectors to yield a mixed fuel in water emulsion having a prescribed water content;
• and
• injecting said mixed fuel in water emulsion having said prescribed water content into the engine cylinders.