Natural gas engine with in situ generation of an autoignition product
AssigneeEaton Corporation
InventorWilliam W. Saylor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for generating an autoignition substance such as DME for operating a diesel-type engine 12 with natural gas. A multi-stage reformer 18 is connected to a supply of natural gas 20 to receive a portion therefrom for production of an autoignition substance for supply to the microigniters 14 within a diesel-type engine 12. An engine control unit 24 in communication with a microcontroller 22 receives signals from sensors within the engine 12 and multi-stage reformer 18 for optimizing engine performance and generation of autoignition substances thereto. The apparatus and method of the present invention allows the operation of a diesel-type engine with natural gas as the primary or even the sole fuel by providing an autoignition substance in situ.
Claims19
An apparatus for generating an autoignition product for operating a diesel-type engine with natural gas as a primary fuel, comprising:
- a supply of natural gas;
- a reformer constructed to receive a portion of natural gas from said supply and process the portion of natural gas, said reformer producing an autoignition product from the portion of natural gas;
- a pump connected to said reformer for receiving the autoignition product and supplying the autoignition product to at least one microigniter in a diesel-type engine constructed to operate with natural gas as a primary fuel;
- and
- a controller in communication with said reformer and said pump for receiving input signals therefrom and providing output signals thereto for generating a desired amount of the autoignition product for supply to at least one microigniter in the diesel-type engine, wherein the diesel-type engine operates with natural gas as the primary fuel without a spark ignition source.
A method for producing an autoignition product for a diesel-type engine operating with natural gas as a primary fuel, comprising the steps of:
- providing a supply of natural gas;
- connecting a multi-stage reformer to the supply of natural gas and receiving a portion of the natural gas therefrom for creating a natural gas stream;
- making a synthesis gas stream from the natural gas stream in a first reactor stage of the reformer;
- combining CO and H2O in the synthesis gas stream to form CO2 and H2 in at least one water-shift reaction stage connected to the first reactor;
- removing CO2 from the synthesis gas stream in a second reactor stage connected to the at least one water-shift reaction stage;
- synthesizing DME and methanol from the synthesis gas stream in a third reactor stage connected to and receiving the synthesis gas stream from the second reactor stage;
- separating impurities from the DME and methanol for providing the DME and methanol mixture as an autoignition product for a diesel-type engine;
- and
- operating the diesel-type engine with natural gas as a primary fuel without a spark ignition source.
A method for operating a diesel-type engine with natural gas as a primary fuel using an autoignition product generated in situ, comprising the steps of:
- providing a diesel-type engine;
- providing a supply of natural gas, the supply of natural gas being connected to the diesel-type engine;
- connecting a multi-stage reformer to the natural gas supply for removing a portion of natural gas therefrom for a process stream;
- producing an autoignition product from the process stream with the multi-stage reformer in situ;
- providing a pump connected to the multi-stage reformer, the pump being connected to a plurality of microigniters in the diesel-type engine;
- controlling an amount of the autoignition product supplied by the pump to the microigniters;
- and
- operating the diesel-type engine with natural gas as a primary fuel without a spark ignition source.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.