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AssigneesWestport Power Inc., The University of British Columbia
InventorsSandeep Munshi, Gordon P. McTaggart-Cowan, Steven N. Rogak, W. Kendal Bushe
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A gaseous-fuelled internal combustion engine and a method of engine operation improve combustion stability and reducing emissions of NOx, PM, and unburned hydrocarbons. The method comprises fuelling an internal combustion engine with hydrogen and natural gas, which can be directly injected into the combustion chamber together or introduced separately. Of the total gaseous fuel delivered to the engine, at least 5% by volume at standard temperature and pressure is hydrogen. For at least one engine operating condition, the ratio of fuel rail pressure to peak in-cylinder pressure is at least 1.5:1. A fuel injection valve introduces the gaseous fuel mixture directly into the combustion chamber. Two separate fuel injection valves could also introduce the methane and hydrogen separately. An electronic controller controls timing for operating the fuel injection valve(s). The engine has a preferred compression ratio of at least 14:1.
A method of operating a direct injection diesel cycle internal combustion engine, comprising introducing a gaseous fuel mixture directly into a combustion chamber of said engine, wherein said gaseous fuel mixture comprises methane and between 5% and 60% hydrogen by volume at standard temperature and pressure, and for at least one engine operating condition, maintaining a fuel rail to peak in-cylinder pressure ratio of at least 1.5:1 when introducing the gaseous fuel mixture into said combustion chamber, and adjusting start of fuel injection timing for said gaseous fuel mixture compared to start of fuel injection timing for methane to compensate for an earlier combustion event of said gaseous fuel mixture due to reduced ignition delay.
A method of operating a direct injection Diesel cycle internal combustion engine, comprising introducing a gaseous fuel mixture directly into a combustion chamber of said engine, wherein said gaseous fuel mixture comprises methane and between 5% and 60% hydrogen by volume at standard temperature and pressure, and for at least one engine operating condition, maintaining a fuel rail to peak in-cylinder pressure ratio of at least 1.5:1 when introducing the gaseous fuel mixture into said combustion chamber, and changing respective proportions of hydrogen and methane in said gaseous fuel mixture to predetermined amounts responsive to detected engine operating conditions, and for each respective gaseous fuel mixture adjusting start of fuel injection timing compared to start of fuel injection timing for methane to compensate for an earlier combustion event of said gaseous fuel mixture due to reduced ignition delay.
A diesel cycle internal combustion engine capable of being fuelled with a gaseous fuel mixture comprising methane and between 5% and 60% hydrogen by volume at standard temperature and pressure, said engine comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.