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US 6,851,398 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for controlling a fuel reformer by use of existing vehicle control signals
AssigneeArvin Technologies, Inc.
InventorsWilliam Taylor III, Dennis A. Kramer, Shawn D. Bauer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A reformer controller is electrically coupled to both a fuel reformer and an engine control unit. The reformer controller is configured to communicate with the engine control unit to monitor an engine load signal between the engine control unit and an internal combustion engine. The reformer controller operates the fuel reformer in response to the engine load signal. A method of operating a fuel reformer is also disclosed.
Claims17
A method of operating a fuel reformer, the method comprising the steps of:
- operating a fuel injector assembly in response to an injector signal from an engine control unit so as to inject fuel from the fuel injector assembly into an internal combustion engine but not into the fuel reformer,
- monitoring a signal between the internal combustion engine and the engine control unit, and
- operating the fuel reformer in response to the signal between the engine and the engine control unit,
- wherein the monitoring step further comprises monitoring an ignition timing signal output from the engine control module to the engine, the fuel reformer operating step includes generating a reformer control signal based on the ignition timing signal and sending the reformer control signal to the fuel reformer, and the generating step includes phase-shifting the ignition timing signal to create the reformer control signal.
1 more element
A method of operating a fuel reformer, the method comprising the steps of:
- operating a fuel injector assembly in response to an injector signal from an engine control unit so as to inject fuel from the fuel injector assembly into an internal combustion engine but not into the fuel reformer,
- monitoring a signal between the internal combustion engine and the engine control unit, and
- operating the fuel reformer in response to the signal between the engine and the engine control unit, wherein the step of operating the fuel reformer comprises operating a plasma fuel reformer in response to the signal between the engine and the engine control unit.
A method of operating a fuel reformer, the method comprising the steps of:
- operating a fuel injector assembly so as to inject fuel from the fuel injector assembly into an internal combustion engine but not into the fuel reformer,
- monitoring an engine load signal based on load of the internal combustion engine,
- generating a reformer control signal based on the engine load signal, and
- operating the fuel reformer based on the reformer control signal, wherein the step of operating the fuel reformer comprises sending the reformer control signal to a power supply associated with a plasma fuel reformer and operating the plasma fuel reformer based on the reformer control signal sent to the power supply.
1 more element
A power system comprising:
- a fuel reformer,
- a fuel injector assembly for injecting fuel into an engine but not into the fuel reformer,
- an engine control unit coupled to the engine and configured to generate an injector signal to control operation of the fuel injector assembly, and
- a controller electrically coupled to both the fuel reformer and the engine control unit wherein the controller comprises (i) a processor, and (ii) a memory device electrically coupled to the processor, the memory device having stored therein a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:
- (a) monitor a signal between the engine control unit and the engine;
- (b) generate a reformer control signal based on the signal between the engine control unit and the engine;
- and
- (c) operate the fuel reformer based on the reformer control signal,
- wherein the fuel reformer is a plasma fuel reformer.
6 more elements
A power system comprising:
- a fuel reformer,
- a fuel injector assembly for injecting fuel into an engine but not into the fuel reformer,
- an engine control unit coupled to the engine and configured to generate an injector signal to control operation of the fuel injector assembly,
- a controller electrically coupled to both the fuel reformer and the engine control unit wherein the controller comprises (i) a processor, and (ii) a memory device electrically coupled to the processor, the memory device having stored therein a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:
- (a) monitor a signal between the engine control unit and the engine;
- (b) generate a reformer control signal based on the signal between the engine control unit and the engine;
- and
- (c) operate the fuel reformer based on the reformer control signal, and
- an emissions abatement device fluidly coupled to the fuel reformer to receive reformate gas produced by operation of the fuel reformer based on the reformer control signal.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.