Pressure reducing device for gaseous fuel system
AssigneeElectro-Motive Diesel, Inc.
InventorsAaron Gamache Foege, Emma Kathleen Kaiser
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pressure reducing device is disclosed for use with a gaseous fuel system. The pressure reducing device may include a body defining an inlet and an outlet, and a converging-diverging nozzle formed between the inlet and the outlet. The pressure reducing device may further include a shockwave inducing element disposed within the body between the venture and the outlet, and an airfoil located inside the body upstream of the shockwave inducing element and connected to move the shockwave inducing element.
Claims18
A pressure reducing device, comprising:
- a body defining an inlet and an outlet;
- a converging-diverging nozzle formed between the inlet and the outlet;
- a shockwave inducing element disposed within the body between the converging-diverging nozzle and the outlet;
- and
- an airfoil located inside the body upstream of the shockwave inducing element and connected to move the shockwave inducing element, wherein the shockwave inducing element is configured to produce an oblique shockwave within the body that creates a pressure drop and a temperature increase in a flow of fluid at the outlet.
A fuel system for an engine, comprising:
- a supply of liquid fuel;
- a pump configured to draw fuel from the supply;
- an accumulator located downstream of the pump and configured to store gasified fuel;
- and
- a pressure reducing device fluidly connected to the accumulator, the pressure reducing device including:
- a body defining an inlet and an outlet;
- a converging-diverging nozzle formed between the inlet and the outlet;
- a ramp disposed within the body between the converging-diverging nozzle and the outlet, the ramp having a first end pivotally connected to a wall of the body, and a second end;
- an airfoil located inside the body upstream of the ramp;
- linkage connecting the airfoil to the second end of the ramp;
- and
- a spring biasing the airfoil and the ramp toward the wall of the body.
A method of regulating gaseous fuel pressures for an engine, comprising:
- directing gaseous fuel through a converging-diverging nozzle;
- and
- generating an oblique shockwave in the gaseous fuel at a location downstream of the converging-diverging nozzle to cause a pressure drop in the gaseous fuel, wherein generating the oblique shockwave includes directing the gaseous fuel from the converging-diverging nozzle against a ramp extending out into a flow of the gaseous fuel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.