System and method for engine lubrication

Abstract

The invention resides in an internal combustion engine (20) comprising an air intake system (24) operatively connected to a cylinder (21), a gaseous phase fuel delivery system (25) operatively connected to the cylinder (21), and a liquid phase lubricant injection system (10) operatively connected to the cylinder (21). An atomised portion of liquid phase lubricant is injected into a mixture of gaseous phase fuel and air by the liquid phase lubricant injection system (10) to lubricate components of the cylinder (21) prior to burning the mixture in the cylinder (21).

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to lubrication of internal combustion engines. In particular, although not exclusively, the invention relates to a system and method for lubricating engine cylinder walls using lubricant injectors.BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION[0002]Flammable gas is considered a waste bi-product of many industrial processes. For example, coal mine gas (commonly known as firedamp) consists primarily of highly flammable methane that is produced during the geochemical process of carbonizing organic material into coal. Coal mine gas has produced many lethal explosions in coal mines. Therefore, coal mines today are generally elaborately and carefully ventilated to ensure that explosive concentrations of coal mine gas are removed. However, rather than simply venting coal mine gas directly to the atmosphere as pollution, coal mine gas is sometimes captured and used as a fuel to run engines that can perform useful work at a mine site. For example, large...

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Benefits of technology

[0008]An object of the present invention is to overcome or alleviate one or more limitations of the prior art and/or provid

Problems solved by technology

Coal mine gas has produced many lethal explosions in coal mines.

Unfortunately, many waste gases such as methane are relatively ‘dry’ fuels that can result in significant wear and deterioration of engine parts.

However, in waste gas fuelled engines, the waste gases generally do not provide significant lubrication to prevent wear on the engine components such as valve stems and piston cylinder walls.

Methane-powered engines also suffer from an abrasive crystalline build-up on the valve stems and piston cylinder walls due to a chemical product in the gas which is unable to be pre-filtered.

Without some form of additional lubrication or wear protection, these engines can be subject to high maintenance costs and premature failure.

However, many of these solutions are impractically expensive and still do not provide for the engine reliability required to make the use of waste gas engines economical and profitable.

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