Fuel supply unit and engine system

Abstract

To make it possible to easily change the installation location of a fuel supply port of an engine.SOLUTION: A fuel supply unit 5 supplies a combustible fluid to a mixer 63 that mixes the fluid with air. The fuel supply unit 5 comprises a switching valve 521, a regulator 531, and a connection pipe 55. The switching valve 521 switches between flow and cut-off of the fluid. The regulator 531 is disposed downstream of the switching valve 521 and adjusts the pressure of the fluid. The connection pipe 55 allows the fluid flowing in a first direction D1 from the switching valve 521 to flow in a second direction D2 intersecting the first direction D1 toward the regulator 531. The connection pipe 55 is disposed between the switching valve 521 and the regulator 531 to be changeable of the first direction D1 relative to the second direction D2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a fuel supply unit and an engine system. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, engine systems have been known in which an engine that runs on fuel combustion drives a generator. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an engine-powered working machine that houses the engine, the generator driven by the engine, and the engine's fuel tank inside a casing. The fuel tank's filler port is provided on a side wall of the casing. At worksites where there are restrictions on the installation of the engine-powered working machine, the side wall is often located close to and facing a wall of a building or the like.

[0003] Incidentally, engine systems that drive generators are sometimes installed as emergency power generation systems. Emergency power generation systems are large-scale because they must generate electricity continuously for long periods of time (for example, 72 hours or more), and for this reason are usually installed in fixed locations. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-122026 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, at sites where there are restrictions on the installation of the engine system, such as in Patent Document 1, it may not be possible to place the fuel supply port near the fuel supply source. For example, the fuel supply source may be located on the opposite side of the side where the fuel supply port is installed. In this case, it is necessary to install a large-scale pipe from the supply source to the supply port.

[0006] Alternatively, the location of the supply port needs to be changed depending on the site where the engine system is installed. In this case, a major design change of the engine system or a piping system corresponding to the change in the location of the supply port is required. For these reasons, changing the location of the supply port has been difficult in the past.

[0007] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to make it possible to easily change the installation location of a fuel supply port of an engine. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, a fuel supply unit according to one aspect of the present invention supplies a flammable fluid to a mixer that mixes the fluid with air. The fuel supply unit includes a switching valve, a regulator, and a connecting pipe. The switching valve switches between flowing and blocking of the fluid. The regulator is located downstream of the switching valve and adjusts the pressure of the fluid. The connecting pipe is located between the switching valve and the regulator and causes the fluid flowing in a first direction from the switching valve to flow in a second direction intersecting the first direction toward the regulator.

[0009] In order to achieve the above object, an engine system according to one aspect of the present invention includes the above fuel supply unit, an engine, and a generator. The engine runs on a mixture of the fluid and air supplied from the mixer as fuel. The generator is driven by the engine.

[0010] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following embodiments. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, the installation location of the fuel supply port of the engine can be easily changed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1]External view showing an example of the engine system configuration [Figure 2] A perspective view of a main part of an engine device [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing another example of the configuration of the main part of the engine device. [Figure 4] A side view showing an example of the configuration of a mixing unit DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In this specification, a direction parallel to the central axis J of the generator 2, which will be described later, is referred to as the "front-rear direction." Within the front-rear direction, the direction from the engine 1 to the generator 2, which will be described later, is referred to as the "forward direction," and the direction from the generator 2 to the engine 1 is referred to as the "rearward direction." Additionally, a direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction and parallel to a horizontal plane is referred to as the "left-right direction." Within the left-right direction, the left-hand side when looking forward from the rear side is referred to as the "left side," and the right-hand side is referred to as the "right side." Additionally, the vertical direction is referred to as the "up-down direction," the vertically upward is referred to as the "upper side," and the vertically downward is referred to as the "lower side." The front-rear direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction are perpendicular to each other.

[0014] Furthermore, in the positional relationship between one of a direction, a line, and a plane and another, "parallel" includes not only a state in which they do not intersect at all no matter how far they are extended, but also a state in which they are substantially parallel. Furthermore, "perpendicular" and "orthogonal" each include not only a state in which they intersect at 90 degrees, but also a state in which they are substantially perpendicular and a state in which they are substantially orthogonal. In other words, "parallel," "perpendicular," and "orthogonal" each include a state in which there is an angular deviation in the positional relationship between the two to an extent that does not deviate from the spirit of the present invention.

[0015] <1. Embodiment> FIG. 1 is an external view showing an example configuration of an engine system 100. The engine system 100 of this embodiment is an emergency disaster prevention power generation system that uses a flammable fluid as fuel and is installed indoors or outdoors. When the external power supply is interrupted due to a power outage in the commercial power grid or the like, the engine system 100 operates to generate power and supplies the power to external devices and equipment that require power. For example, the engine system 100 supplies power to emergency equipment such as sprinklers, fire alarms, and emergency lights.

[0016] In this embodiment, the flammable fluid is city gas supplied from a commercial gas supply network provided by a gas supply business (e.g., a gas company). The gas supply network is a piping network of gas pipelines. The gas pipelines are connected to city gas storage tanks installed by the gas supply business and supply city gas to various buildings and facilities.

[0017] The engine system 100 of this embodiment uses city gas supplied from a gas supply network as fuel, and therefore does not require the installation of a large fuel storage tank, as compared to conventional power generation systems that use only liquid fuels such as diesel. This allows the engine system 100 to be made more compact. Furthermore, the engine system 100 can use city gas as long as there is no supply interruption from the gas supply network. In other words, since there is no need to worry about running out of fuel, the engine system 100 can operate for an arbitrarily long period of time, as compared to a configuration in which fuel is supplied only from a storage tank. Therefore, the engine system 100 can continue to generate and supply electricity for any period of time required.

[0018] Note that the example of this embodiment does not exclude a configuration in which the flammable fluid is not city gas. For example, the flammable fluid may be a flammable gas such as liquefied petroleum gas (LP gas) stored outside the engine system 100. Alternatively, the flammable fluid may be a mixture of liquid fuel and gas. For example, a liquid fuel in the form of mist or fine particles may be mixed with a flammable gas such as city gas or LP gas, or may be mixed with a non-flammable gas such as air. Furthermore, when the fluid is a mixture as described above, the engine system 100 may further include a storage tank for the liquid fuel.

[0019] The engine system 100 includes an engine unit 101 and a control panel 102. The control panel 102 is disposed outside the engine unit 101 and controls the engine unit 101. The control panel 102 normally receives power from a commercial power supply network and supplies the power to components of the engine unit 101 that require power. On the other hand, when a power outage occurs (i.e., when power supply from the commercial power supply network is stopped), the control panel 102 receives power from a battery 3 (and / or a generator 2) of the engine unit 101, which will be described later. The control panel 102 includes an operation panel 1021 and a control unit 1022. The operation panel 1021 accepts operation inputs from an operator or the like and outputs the operation inputs to the control unit 1022. The operation panel 1021 also includes a display unit, a speaker, and the like, and notifies the surrounding area of ​​the operating status of the engine unit 101, etc. The control unit 1022 controls each component of the engine unit 101 that requires control.

[0020] <1-1. Engine equipment 101> Next, a configuration example of the engine device 101 will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the main parts of the engine device 101. Note that in Figure 2, the side surface 43 of the frame 4, the housing 8, etc. are omitted from the illustration in order to make the main parts easier to see.

[0021] The engine device 101 of the engine system 100 includes an engine 1, a generator 2, a pair of left and right mixing units 6, a fuel supply unit 5, a stand 4, a battery 3, a base 7, and a housing 8. The housing 8 can be omitted. For example, when the engine device 101 is placed indoors, the housing 8 can be omitted.

[0022] <1-1-1. Engine 1> In this embodiment, the engine 1 is a diesel engine and drives the generator 2. For example, the engine 1 has a turbocharger 11, a cooler (not shown), and a diesel engine (not shown). The turbocharger 11 compresses the mixed fluid supplied from the mixing unit 6 and supplies the compressed mixed fluid to the diesel engine. The engine 1 runs on a mixed fluid of a combustible fluid and air supplied from the mixing unit 6 (mixer 63) through the turbocharger 11 as fuel. The cooler cools the mixed fluid and maintains the temperature of the mixed fluid below its ignition point. The diesel engine runs on combustion of the compressed mixed fluid supplied from the turbocharger 11, and the output of the diesel engine is transmitted to the generator 2.

[0023] The engine 1 of this embodiment is equipped with a pair of turbochargers 11 arranged side by side in the left-right direction. Each turbocharger 11 is connected to a separate mixing unit 6 and receives a supply of mixed fluid from the mixing unit 6. However, the present invention is not limited to this example, and the engine 1 may be equipped with a single turbocharger 11.

[0024] <1-1-2. Generator 2> The generator 2 is driven by the output transmitted from the engine 1 to generate electricity and supply the electricity to the outside of the engine system 100. Note that a portion of the electricity output from the generator 2 is supplied to the control panel 102 and the battery 3.

[0025] <1-1-3. Battery 3> The battery 3 is a rechargeable secondary battery such as a lead-acid battery, a lithium-ion battery, or a sodium-sulfur (NAS) battery. Under normal circumstances, the battery 3 receives power from the commercial power grid via the control panel 102 and maintains a fully charged or nearly fully charged state (for example, an 80% charge rate). On the other hand, when a power outage occurs (i.e., when the supply of power from the commercial power grid is stopped), the battery 3 supplies power to the control panel 102 and also supplies the power to components of the engine device 101 that require power under the control of the control unit 1022. When the engine device 101 is operating, the battery 3 receives a portion of the power output from the generator 2 and maintains a predetermined amount of power stored.

[0026] <1-1-4. Stand 4> The pedestal 4 is disposed forward of the engine 1 and supports a portion of the fuel supply unit 5. For example, the pedestal 4 supports a downstream portion of the fuel supply unit 5 and the mixing unit 6. The pedestal 4 has a top plate 41, multiple legs 42, and side plates 43. The top plate 41 is plate-shaped and extends in the front-rear and left-right directions. The fuel supply unit 5 and at least a portion of the mixing unit 6 are disposed on the top plate 41. The front portion of the generator 2 and the battery 3 are disposed below the top plate 41. The legs 42 extend downward from the outer edge of the top plate 41 and support the top plate 41. The lower ends of the legs 42 are fixed to the base 7. The side plates 43 are plate-shaped and extend in the up-down direction and the front-rear or left-right directions, and cover the left side, right side, and front side of the pedestal 4.

[0027] The platform 4 also has a foothold 44. The foothold 44 is disposed on at least one of the left and right side panels 43, for example, in the center in the up-down direction. The foothold 44 is in the shape of a plate that protrudes from the side panel 43 and extends in the front-to-rear direction.

[0028] Further, the pedestal 4 is provided with a meter section 45 and a high-voltage section 46. The meter section 45 is disposed on the same side of the pedestal 4 as the upstream portion of the fuel supply unit 5 (for example, the first piping section 41 described later), and in this embodiment, it is disposed on the left side of the pedestal 4. An ammeter, a voltmeter, an emergency stop button, and the like are disposed in the meter section 45. The high-voltage section 46 electrically connects high-voltage wiring electrically connected to the generator 2 and supported by insulators to a power supply line 1023 (see FIG. 1) drawn to the outside of the engine device 101. The high-voltage section 46 is disposed inside the pedestal 4, and in particular, on a different side from the upstream portion of the fuel supply unit 5 (for example, the first piping section 41 described later). In FIGS. 1 and 2, since the upstream portion of the fuel supply unit 5 is disposed on the left side of the pedestal 4, the high-voltage section 46 is disposed on the right side inside the pedestal 4. This allows the high-voltage section 46 to be separated from the upstream portion of the fuel supply unit 5. That is, a sufficient distance can be secured between the high-voltage section 46 and the fuel supply unit 5.

[0029] <1-1-5. Fuel supply unit 5> Next, a configuration example of the fuel supply unit 5 will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing another configuration example of the main parts of the engine device 101. Note that in Fig. 3, the housing 8 and the like are omitted from the illustration in order to make the main parts easier to see.

[0030] The fuel supply unit 5 supplies a flammable fluid supplied from outside the engine system 100 (for example, from a gas tank) to the mixing unit 6 (particularly a mixer 63 described later). The fuel supply unit 5 includes a supply pipe 50, a first piping section 51, a second piping section 52, a third piping section 53, a connecting pipe 55, and a branch pipe 54.

[0031] In this embodiment, the supply pipe 50 is disposed in a frame portion 72 of the base 7, which will be described later. One end of the supply pipe 50 (i.e., the supply port 501) is connected to an external pipe extending from an external fluid supply source (e.g., a gas tank), and receives a supply of flammable fluid from the external pipe. Note that this example does not exclude a configuration in which the supply pipe 50 is not disposed in the base 7. For example, the supply port 501 may be disposed in a wall portion 81 of the housing 8, which will be described later. Alternatively, if the housing 8 is omitted, the supply port 501 may be connected to the above-mentioned external pipe without going through the base 7.

[0032] 1 and 2, the first piping section 51 is supported on the left side surface of the frame 4. The first piping section 51 of the fuel supply unit 5 includes a pipe 510, a gas filter 511, a pressure gauge 512, and a pressure sensor 513. The pipe 510 extends vertically and connects the other end of the supply pipe 50 to one end of the second piping section 52. The pipe 510 flows the fluid supplied from the supply pipe 50 to the second piping section 52. The gas filter 511 is disposed between the one end and the other end of the pipe 510 and removes foreign matter such as dust contained in the fluid flowing inside the pipe 510. The pressure gauge 512 and the pressure sensor 513 are disposed at the other end of the pipe 510. The pressure gauge 512 is, for example, a Bourdon tube pressure gauge and detects the pressure of the fluid at the other end of the pipe 510. The pressure sensor 513 outputs a signal indicating the detection result of the pressure of the fluid at the other end of the pipe 510 to, for example, the control panel 102. The pressure sensor 513 is arranged to confirm that the pressure of the fluid at the other end of the pipe 510 is equal to or greater than a predetermined lower limit. In this embodiment, the pressure sensor 513 is a so-called pressure switch, and outputs a signal indicating whether the pressure of the fluid at the other end of the pipe 510 is equal to or greater than a predetermined lower limit.

[0033] The second piping section 52 is disposed and supported on the left side of the top plate 41 of the pedestal 4 in FIGS. 1 and 2 . The second piping section 52 of the fuel supply unit 5 includes a piping 520 and a switching valve 521. The piping 520 extends left and right in FIGS. 1 and 2 and connects the other end of the first piping section 51 to one end of the connecting pipe 55. The piping 520 passes fluid supplied from the first piping section 51 through the connecting pipe 55. The switching valve 521 is disposed between one end and the other end of the piping 520 and switches between open and closed states of the fluid flowing through the piping 520. The switching valve 521 can shut off the flow of flammable fluid in the second piping section 52 in the event of a fluid leak or during maintenance, thereby preventing fluid leakage. Furthermore, operators can safely perform maintenance work. The switching valve 521 includes a solenoid valve 5211 and a manual valve 5212. These are arranged in series between one end and the other end of the pipe 520. Although two solenoid valves 5211 are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the number is not limited to this example and may be three or more. By providing a plurality of solenoid valves 5211, the flow of fluid in the pipe 520 can be more reliably blocked. For example, even if some of the solenoid valves 5211 are not in operation, the remaining solenoid valves 5211 can block the flow of fluid. Furthermore, in FIGS. 1 and 2, the manual valve 5212 is arranged between two solenoid valves 5211. However, the number is not limited to this example and the manual valve 5212 may be arranged upstream of the plurality of solenoid valves 5211 or downstream of the plurality of solenoid valves 5211.

[0034] 1 and 2, the third piping section 53 is disposed and supported in the center in the left-right direction on the top plate 41 of the stand 4. The third piping section 53 of the fuel supply unit 5 includes a piping 530 and a regulator 531. The regulator 531 is disposed downstream of the switching valve 521 and adjusts the pressure of the fluid. The regulator 531 includes a first regulator 5311 and a second regulator 5312. The piping 530 extends in the front-rear direction and connects the other end of the connecting pipe 55 to the branch pipe 54. The piping 520 allows the fluid supplied from the connecting pipe 55 to flow into the branch pipe 54. The first regulator 5311 and the second regulator 5312 are disposed between one end and the other end of the piping 530 and adjust the pressure of the fluid flowing in the piping 530. The first regulator 5311 is a pressure reducing valve and reduces the pressure of the fluid flowing into one end of the piping 530. The second regulator 5312 adjusts and maintains the pressure of the fluid flowing through the branch pipe 54. For example, the second regulator 5312 is a pressure equalizing valve (a so-called zero governor), and maintains the pressure of the fluid at approximately the same level as atmospheric pressure.

[0035] The branch pipe 54 connects the other end of the third piping section 53 to the mixing unit 6. In this embodiment, the branch pipe 54 is disposed rearward of the third piping section 53 and between the pair of left and right mixing units 6, and connects the other end of the third piping section 53 to each mixing unit 6 (the mixer 63). The other end of the third piping section 53 is connected between the left and right ends of the branch pipe 54. The left and right ends of the branch pipe 54 are connected to the mixing unit 6 (the mixer 63) via a metering valve 541. That is, the left end of the branch pipe 54 is connected to the left mixing unit 6 (the mixer 63) via the left metering valve 541. The right end of the branch pipe 54 is connected to the left mixing unit 6 (the mixer 63) via the right metering valve 541. Each metering valve 541 adjusts the flow rate of the fluid supplied from the fuel supply unit 5 (the branch pipe 54) to the mixing unit 6 (the mixer 63). In this embodiment, the branch pipe 54 extends linearly in the left-right direction. However, the present invention is not limited to this example, and the branch pipe 54 may extend outward in the left-right direction and forward (or backward) from the other end of the third piping section 53 when viewed from the top-bottom direction.

[0036] Preferably, the distance along the branch pipe 54 from the other end of the third piping section 53 to the left end of the branch pipe is the same as the distance along the branch pipe 54 from the other end of the third piping section 53 to the right end of the branch pipe. By making these two distances the same, the flow rate and flow pressure of the fluid flowing from the other end of the third piping section 53 to the left end of the branch pipe 54 can be made uniform, as can the flow rate and flow pressure of the fluid flowing from the other end of the third piping section 53 to the left end of the branch pipe 54. This makes it easier to adjust the flow rate of the fluid supplied to the pair of left and right mixing units 6. However, this example does not exclude a configuration in which the two distances are different.

[0037] The connecting pipe 55 connects the other end of the second piping section 52 and one end of the third piping section 53, and is arranged between the switching valve 521 and the regulator 531 so that the first direction D1 can be changed with respect to the second direction D2. The connecting pipe 55 is a curved pipe, and causes the fluid flowing in the first direction D1 from the switching valve 521 of the second piping section 52 to flow in the second direction D2 toward the regulator 531 of the third piping section 53. The second direction D2 intersects with the first direction D1 and is parallel to the front-rear direction in this embodiment. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the first direction D1 is the left-right direction, and the second direction D2 is the front-rear direction.

[0038] By connecting the second piping section 52 and the third piping section 53 with the bent connecting pipe 55, the arrangement of the first piping section 51 and the second piping section 52 with respect to the regulator 531 can be easily changed. Therefore, the installation location of the supply port 501 for the fuel (flammable fluid) of the engine 1 can be easily changed.

[0039] 1 and 2, for example, the fluid supply port 501 is disposed on the left side of the engine device 101. Meanwhile, one end of the connecting pipe 55, which faces left in FIGS. 1 and 2, is rotated around the central axis J of the piping 530 to face right. By doing so, as shown in FIG. 3, the second piping section 52 can be disposed on the right side of the top plate 41 of the pedestal 4, and the first piping section 51 can be supported on the right side surface of the pedestal 4. Therefore, even if the supply port from the external fluid supply source is disposed to the right of the planned installation position of the engine device 101, by turning one end of the connecting pipe 55 from the state shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to the right as shown in FIG. 3, the first piping section 51 and the second piping section 52 can be disposed on the right side of the generator 2 and the pedestal 4. This makes it easy to change the location of the fluid supply port 501 to the right side of the engine device 101.

[0040] Alternatively, with one end of the connecting pipe 55 disposed forward of the front end of the gantry 4, the one end of the connecting pipe 55 is rotated about the central axis J of the piping 530 so as to face downward. In this manner, the first piping section 51 and the second piping section 52 can be supported on the front surface of the gantry 4. Therefore, even if a supply port from an external fluid supply source is disposed in front of the planned installation position of the engine device 101, the first piping section 51 and the second piping section 52 can be disposed in front of the generator 2 and the gantry 4 by facing one end of the connecting pipe 55 downward. This makes it easy to change the position of the fluid supply port 501 to the front side of the engine device 101.

[0041] In this embodiment, the connecting pipe 55 is a bent pipe that is bent at a predetermined angle. For example, a commonly available standard piping product can be used for the connecting pipe 55. For example, a steel pipe bent at an angle of 90° or 120° can be used.

[0042] Alternatively, without being limited to this example, the connecting pipe 55 may be a bendable flexible pipe (for example, a flexible hose made of metal). By using a flexible pipe, the bending angle of the connecting pipe 55 can be set as desired. Therefore, the orientation of one end of the connecting pipe 55 can be easily and freely changed. In other words, the position of the second piping section 52 (the switching valve 521) relative to the third piping section 53 (the regulator 531) can be changed more freely, so the installation location of the supply port 501 can be changed more easily.

[0043] In this embodiment, the connecting pipe 55 is bent at one location as shown in Fig. 1 etc. However, the present invention is not limited to this example, and the connecting pipe 55 may be bent at multiple locations (especially when the connecting pipe 55 is a flexible pipe).

[0044] Preferably, a port 551 is provided in the connecting pipe 55, which can be switched between communication and cut-off with the inside of the connecting pipe 55. In this way, for example, by injecting fluid from the port 551 during maintenance, the pressure of the fluid in the fuel supply unit 5 can be increased. Therefore, the maintainability of the fuel supply unit 5 can be improved. However, this example does not exclude a configuration in which the port 551 is not provided in the connecting pipe 55.

[0045] Preferably, the other end of the connecting pipe 55 connected to the regulator 531 of the third piping section 53 is disposed directly above the central axis J of the generator 2, and disposed in the center of the top plate 41 of the pedestal 4 in the left-right direction. In other words, the regulator 531 is disposed directly above the central axis J of the generator 2, and disposed in the center of the top plate 41 in the left-right direction. In this way, the arrangement of the second piping section 52 and the third piping section 53 can be changed from one of the left and right sides of the pedestal 4 to the other without changing the left-right length of the second piping section 52. Therefore, the arrangement of the fluid supply port 501 can be easily changed from one of the left and right sides of the engine device 101 to the other without changing the configuration of the second piping section 52 (for example, the piping length, etc.).

[0046] <1-1-6. Mixed Unit 6> Next, a configuration example of the mixing unit 6 will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 4. Figure 4 is a side view showing the configuration example of the mixing unit 6. In Figure 4, the mixing unit 6 is viewed from the outside to the inside in the left-right direction.

[0047] The mixing unit 6 mixes the supplied air with a flammable fluid and supplies the mixture of the two to the turbocharger 11 of the engine 1. The mixing unit 6 has an intake section 61, a reducer 62, a mixer 63, and a relay section 64. These are connected in this order from the front to the rear in the longitudinal direction.

[0048] The intake section 61 is connected to the front end of the mixer 63 via a reducer 62. The intake section 61 draws in air through an air filter 611 and supplies the air to the mixer 63.

[0049] The rear end of the mixer 63 is connected to the turbocharger 11 via a relay unit 64. The mixer 63 mixes the flammable fluid supplied from the fuel supply unit 5 with the air supplied from the intake unit 61, and supplies the mixed fluid of the two to the turbocharger 11 via the relay unit 64.

[0050] Preferably, at least a portion of the intake section 61 and the mixer 63 is disposed on the top plate 41 of the pedestal 4. In this way, at least a portion of the intake section 61 and the mixer 63 is not disposed between the engine 1 and the pedestal 4 in the front-to-rear direction, so an increase in the front-to-rear size of the engine device 101 can be suppressed. Furthermore, at least a portion of the intake section 61 and the mixer 63 is not disposed outboard of the pedestal 4 in the left-to-right direction, so an increase in the left-to-right size of the engine device 101 can be suppressed. Therefore, an increase in the size of the engine device 101 can be suppressed. However, this example does not exclude a configuration in which at least a portion of the intake section 61 and the mixer 63 is not disposed on the top plate 41.

[0051] The relay section 64 is a hollow box extending in the vertical direction, and connects the mixer 63 and the turbocharger 11. However, without being limited to this example, the relay section 64 does not have to be a box. For example, the relay section 64 may be a pipe extending at least in the vertical direction.

[0052] The mixer 63 is connected to one of the upper and lower parts of the relay part 64. The turbocharger 11 is connected to the other of the upper and lower parts of the relay part 64. For example, in this embodiment, the rear end part of the mixer is connected to the upper part of the relay part 64, and the turbocharger 11 is connected to the lower part of the relay part 64. In this way, even if the vertical position of the rear end part of the mixer 63 differs from the vertical position of the turbocharger 11, the two can be connected via the relay part 64. Therefore, the engine 1 and the mixing unit 6 can be connected without changing the designs of the engine 1 and the mixing unit 6.

[0053] Preferably, the inner surface of the relay section 64 includes a first curved surface 641. The first curved surface 641 is a curved surface that protrudes outward from the relay section 64 when viewed from the left-right direction and faces the mixer 63 in the third direction D3. The left-right direction here is an example of a direction perpendicular to the third direction D3 in which the mixed fluid flows from the mixer 63 and the up-down direction. The third direction D3 here is, for example, the front-rear direction. In this embodiment, the first curved surface 641 is a curved surface that protrudes upward and rearward when viewed from the left-right direction and faces the mixer 63 in the front-rear direction. In this manner, the mixed fluid flowing from the mixer 63 in the third direction D3 (front-rear direction) hits the first curved surface 641 and then flows downward along the first curved surface 641. Therefore, the mixed fluid supplied from the mixer 63 can flow smoothly downward without being disturbed. However, this example does not exclude a configuration in which the inner surface of the relay portion 64 does not include the first curved surface 641.

[0054] Preferably, the inner surface of the relay portion 64 includes a second curved surface 642. The second curved surface 642 is a curved surface that protrudes outward from the relay portion 64 when viewed from the left-right direction and faces the mixer 63 in the fourth direction D4. The left-right direction here is an example of a direction perpendicular to the fourth direction D4 in which the mixed fluid flows out from the relay portion 64 to the turbocharger 11 and the up-down direction. The fourth direction D4 here is, for example, the front-rear direction. In this embodiment, the second curved surface 642 is a curved surface that protrudes downward and forward when viewed from the left-right direction and faces the turbocharger 11 in the front-rear direction. In this manner, the mixed fluid flowing downward within the relay portion 64 hits the second curved surface 642 and then flows rearward (i.e., toward the turbocharger 11) along the second curved surface 642. Therefore, the mixed fluid flowing downward within the relay portion 64 can be smoothly supplied to the turbocharger 11 without disturbing its flow. However, this example does not exclude a configuration in which the inner surface of the relay portion 64 does not include the second curved surface 642.

[0055] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, the mixing unit 6 has the relay portion 64, and the mixer 63 is connected to the turbocharger 11 via the relay portion 64. However, this example does not exclude a configuration in which the mixing unit 6 does not have the relay portion 64. For example, the mixer 63 may be directly connected to the turbocharger 11.

[0056] <1-1-7. Base 7> The base 7 is a foundation portion of the engine device 101, and supports the engine 1, the generator 2, the stand 4, the battery 3, and the housing 8. The base 7 of the engine system 100 has a bottom portion 71, a frame portion 72, and an opening portion 73.

[0057] The bottom 71 is disposed below the engine 1 and the generator 2, and extends in the front-rear and left-right directions. For example, the engine 1, the generator 2, the base 4, the battery 3, the housing 8, and the like are disposed on the bottom 71.

[0058] The frame portion 72 extends upward from the outer edge of the bottom portion 71. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 and the like, the frame portion 72 surrounds the engine 1, the generator 2, and the like when viewed from the top-bottom direction. However, without being limited to the example of this embodiment, the frame portion 72 may surround the engine 1 but not surround the generator 2 when viewed from the top-bottom direction. Alternatively, the frame portion 72 may surround the generator 2 but not surround the engine 1 when viewed from the top-bottom direction. In other words, it is sufficient that the frame portion 72 surrounds at least one of the engine 1 and the generator 2 when viewed from the top-bottom direction.

[0059] The frame portion 72 has a pair of left and right side frames 721, a front frame 722, and a rear frame 723. The pair of left and right side frames 721 are disposed outboard of the engine 1, the generator 2, the frame 4, the battery 3, etc. in the left-right direction, and extend upward from both left-right end portions of the bottom portion 71 and in the front-rear direction. The front frame 722 is disposed forward of at least one of the above-mentioned devices, and in this embodiment, is disposed forward of the engine 1, the generator 2, the frame 4, the battery 3, etc. The front frame 722 extends upward from the front end portion of the bottom portion 71 and in the left-right direction between (the front ends of) the pair of left and right side frames 721. The rear frame 723 is disposed rearward of the engine 1, the generator 2, the frame 4, the battery 3, etc., and extends upward from the rear end portion of the bottom portion 71 and in the left-right direction between (the rear ends of) the pair of left and right side frames 721. The left end of the front frame 722 and the left end of the rear frame 723 are connected to the left side frame 721. The right end of the front frame 722 and the right end of the rear frame 723 are connected to the right side frame 721.

[0060] The opening 73 is arranged in the frame portion 72. The opening 73 allows the end portion of the supply side of the fuel supply unit 5, through which fluid is supplied from an external fluid supply source, to be arranged or inserted. The opening 73 includes a left opening 731 and a right opening 732. The left opening 731 is arranged in the left side frame 721 and passes through the left side frame 721 in the left-right direction. The right opening 732 is arranged in the right side frame 721 and passes through the right side frame 721 in the left-right direction. By arranging the openings 731, 732 in each side frame 721, the supply port 501 of the fuel supply unit 5 can be arranged on either the left side or the right side of the engine device 101.

[0061] Preferably, the left opening 731 and the right opening 732 are positioned at the same position when viewed from the left-right direction; in other words, they overlap when viewed from the left-right direction. That is, the openings 731, 732 of each side frame are positioned at the same position in the front-rear direction. In this way, when changing the orientation of one end of the connecting pipe 55 (i.e., the end on the switching valve 521 side) from the left side to the right side, simply by positioning the first piping section 51 and the second piping section 52 of the fuel supply unit 5 on the opposite side of the frame 4, the supply pipe 50 can be positioned in the opening 73 on the opposite side. Therefore, the installation location of the supply port 501 can be easily changed in the left-right direction. However, this example does not exclude a configuration in which the left opening 731 and the right opening 732 are not positioned at the same position when viewed from the left-right direction.

[0062] The opening 73 further includes a front opening 733. The front opening 733 is disposed in the front frame 722 and penetrates the front frame 722 in the front-rear direction. This allows the supply port 501 of the fuel supply unit 5 to be disposed on the front side of the engine device 101.

[0063] In this embodiment, the supply side end portion of the fuel supply unit 5 is disposed in or inserted through one of these openings. For example, supply pipe 50 of fuel supply unit 5 is disposed in left opening 731 in Figures 1 and 2, and in right opening 732 in Figure 3. Note that openings 73 into which the supply side end portion of the fuel supply unit 5 is not disposed or inserted are closed by attaching lid portion 730.

[0064] <1-1-8. Housing 8> The housing 8 is disposed above the base 7 and covers the fuel supply unit 5 and the like. In this embodiment, the housing 8 covers the engine 1, the generator 2, the fuel supply unit 5, the mixing unit 6, the stand 4, and the like (see FIG. 1). The housing 8 has a wall portion 81, a door portion 82, and a roof 83.

[0065] The wall portions 81 extend upward from the frame portion and surround the engine 1, the generator 2, the fuel supply unit 5, the mixing unit 6, the pedestal 4, etc. For example, each of the pair of left and right wall portions 81 is erected on the side frames 721 and extends in the front-to-rear direction. The front wall portion 81 is erected on the front frame 722. The rear wall portion 81 is erected on the rear frame 723. The front and rear wall portions 81 extend in the left-to-right direction between the pair of left and right wall portions 81 and are connected to the pair of left and right wall portions 81.

[0066] The door portion 82 can be opened and closed, and is arranged on the wall portion 81. The door portion 82 includes a left door portion 821, a right door portion 822, and a front door portion 823. The left door portion 821 is arranged on the wall portion 81 on the left side. The right door portion 822 is arranged on the wall portion 81 on the right side. The front door portion 823 is arranged on the wall portion 81 on the front side.

[0067] Preferably, the door portion 82 is disposed directly above the opening 73. In this way, for example, when the door portion 82 directly above the opening 73 in which the supply pipe 50 is disposed is opened, the state of the supply pipe 50 can be easily inspected. However, this example does not exclude a configuration in which at least one of the door portions 82 is not disposed directly above the opening 73.

[0068] Preferably, the portion of fuel supply unit 5 that is located upstream of connecting pipe 55 and within housing 8 (for example, first piping section 51 and second piping section 52) is located between connecting pipe 55 and door section 82 when viewed from the top-bottom direction. In this way, first piping section 51 and second piping section 52 of fuel supply unit 5 are located in front of door section 82, making inspection and maintenance of fuel supply unit 5 easy.

[0069] The roof 83 is a ceiling portion of the housing 8, and is disposed above the front, rear, left, and right wall portions 81 to cover the openings formed at the upper ends of the front, rear, left, and right wall portions 81. The front end of the roof 83 is disposed forward of the front wall portion 81.

[0070] A ventilation section 831 is arranged on the underside of the front portion of the roof 83. The front portion of the ventilation section 831 is arranged forward of the front wall section 81. The rear portion of the ventilation section 831 is arranged rearward of the front wall section 81. The ventilation section 831 draws in air from inside the housing 8 together with air outside the housing 8, and exhausts it from an exhaust port (not shown) arranged on the outer surface of the roof 83.

[0071] <2. Notes> The above describes an embodiment of the present invention. Note that the above embodiment is merely an example, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications are possible in the combination of each component and each process, and that these modifications are within the scope of the present invention.

[0072] <3. Summary> The following will provide an overview of the embodiments described so far.

[0073] For example, the fuel supply unit 5 disclosed herein may include: A fuel supply unit (5) for supplying a combustible fluid to a mixer (63) for mixing said fluid with air, A switching valve 521 that switches between flow and cutoff of the fluid; a regulator 531 arranged downstream of the switching valve 521 to adjust the pressure of the fluid; a connecting pipe 55 that is disposed between the switching valve 521 and the regulator 531, causes the fluid flowing from the switching valve 521 in a first direction D1 to flow toward the regulator 531 in a second direction D2 that intersects with the first direction D1, and is disposed between the switching valve 521 and the regulator 531 so as to be able to change the first direction D1 with respect to the second direction D2; The configuration (first configuration) includes the above.

[0074] The fuel supply unit 5 of the first configuration is The connecting pipe 55 may be configured as a bent pipe that is bent at a predetermined angle (second configuration).

[0075] Furthermore, the fuel supply unit 5 having the first or second configuration described above has the following features: The connecting pipe may be a flexible pipe (third configuration).

[0076] Further, the fuel supply unit having any one of the first to third configurations described above may include: The connecting pipe 55 may be configured to have a port 551 that can be switched between communication with the inside of the connecting pipe 55 and cut off (fourth configuration).

[0077] The engine system 100 disclosed herein also includes: A fuel supply unit 5 having any one of the first to fourth configurations described above; an engine 1 that operates using a mixed fluid of the fluid and air supplied from the mixer 63 as fuel; a generator 2 driven by the engine 1; The fifth configuration may include the following:

[0078] Moreover, the engine system 100 of the fifth configuration described above has the following features: The regulator 531 of the fuel supply unit 5 may be configured (sixth configuration) to be disposed directly above the central axis J of the generator 2 extending in the front-rear direction parallel to the second direction D2.

[0079] Furthermore, the engine system 100 having the fifth or sixth configuration described above has the following features: Further provided is a frame 4 for supporting a part of the fuel supply unit 5, The pedestal 4 has a top plate 41 extending in a front-rear direction parallel to the second direction D2 and in a left-right direction perpendicular to the second direction D2, On the top plate 41, the regulator 531 may be configured to be disposed at the center of the top plate 41 in the left-right direction (seventh configuration).

[0080] Furthermore, the engine system 100 having any one of the fifth to seventh configurations described above has the following features: The engine further includes a mixing unit that supplies the mixed fluid to the engine. The mixing unit 6 comprises: an intake section 61 that draws in air; the mixer 63 that mixes the flammable fluid supplied from the fuel supply unit 5 with air supplied from the intake section 61; and At least a part of the intake section 61 and the mixer 63 may be arranged on the top plate 41 (eighth configuration).

[0081] Furthermore, the engine system 100 having any one of the fifth to eighth configurations described above has the following features: The engine further includes a mixing unit that supplies the mixed fluid to the engine. The mixing unit 6 comprises: an intake section 61 that draws in air; the mixer 63 that mixes the flammable fluid supplied from the fuel supply unit 5 with air supplied from the intake section 61; a relay portion 64 extending in the vertical direction and connecting the mixer 63 and the turbocharger 11 of the engine 1; and The mixer 63 is connected to one of the upper and lower parts of the relay unit 64, The other of the upper and lower parts of the relay part 64 may be configured to be connected to the supercharger 11 (ninth configuration).

[0082] Moreover, the engine system 100 of the ninth configuration is The inner surface of the relay portion 64 includes a first curved surface 641 that protrudes outward from the relay portion 64 when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the third direction D3 in which the mixed fluid flows in from the mixer 63 and the up-down direction, The first curved surface 641 may be configured to face the mixer 63 in the third direction D3 (tenth configuration).

[0083] Furthermore, the engine system 100 having the ninth or tenth configuration described above has the following features: an inner surface of the relay portion 64 includes a second curved surface 642 that protrudes outward from the relay portion 64 when viewed in a direction perpendicular to a fourth direction D4 in which the mixed fluid flows out from the relay portion 64 to the turbocharger 11 and to the up-down direction, The second curved surface 642 may be configured to face the supercharger 11 in the fourth direction D4 (eleventh configuration).

[0084] Furthermore, the engine system 100 having any one of the fifth to eleventh configurations described above has the following features: a frame portion 72 surrounding at least one of the engine 1 and the generator 2 when viewed from above and below; an opening 73 disposed in the frame portion 72, through which an end portion of a supply side of the fuel supply unit 5 through which the fluid is supplied from an external fluid supply source can be disposed or inserted; Furthermore, The frame portion 72 has a pair of left and right side frames 721 extending in the front-rear direction, The opening 73 includes first openings 731 and 732 that penetrate each of the side frames 721 in the left-right direction, The first openings 731, 732 of each of the side frames 721 may be configured to be arranged at the same position when viewed from the left-right direction (twelfth configuration).

[0085] Moreover, the engine system 100 of the twelfth configuration is as follows: the frame portion 72 further includes a front frame 722 disposed forward of at least one of the devices and extending in the left-right direction, The opening 73 may be configured to include a second opening 733 disposed in the front frame 722 (thirteenth configuration).

[0086] Furthermore, the engine system 100 having any one of the fifth to thirteenth configurations described above has the following features: a housing 8 that covers the fuel supply unit 5; a frame portion 72 surrounding at least one of the engine 1 and the generator 2 when viewed from above and below; an opening 73 disposed in the frame portion 72, through which an end portion of a supply side of the fuel supply unit 5 through which the fluid is supplied from an external fluid supply source can be disposed or inserted; Furthermore, The housing 8 has an openable and closable door portion 82, The door portion 82 may be configured to be disposed directly above the opening 73 (fourteenth configuration).

[0087] Furthermore, the engine system 100 having any one of the fifth to fourteenth configurations described above has the following features: The fuel supply unit further includes a housing 8 for covering the fuel supply unit 5. The housing 8 has an openable and closable door portion 82, The portion of the fuel supply unit 5 that is upstream of the connecting pipe 55 and that is arranged within the housing 8 may be configured to be arranged between the connecting pipe 55 and the door portion 82 when viewed from the top-bottom direction (15th configuration). [Explanation of symbols]

[0088] 100 Engine System 101 Engine equipment 102 Control Panel 1021 Control panel 1022 control section 1023 Power supply line 1 engine 11. Turbocharger 2. Generator 3 Battery 4 Mounting stand 41 Top plate 42 Legs 43 Side Panel 44 Scaffolding 45 Instrument section 46 High voltage section 5 Fuel supply unit 50 Supply pipe 501 Supply port 51 First piping section 510 Piping 511 Gas Filter 512 Pressure Gauge 513 Pressure Sensor 52 Second piping section 520 Piping 521 Switching valve 5211 Solenoid valve 5212 Manual valve 53 Third piping section 530 Piping 531 Regulator 5311 First regulator 5312 Second regulator 54 Branch Pipe 541 metering valve 55 Connecting pipe Port 551 6 Mixing Unit 61 Intake section 611 Air Filter 62 Reducer 63 Mixer 64 Relay Section 641 1st curved surface 642 2nd surface 7. Bass 71 Bottom 72 Frame section 721 Side Frame 722 Front Frame 723 rear frame 73 Opening 730 Lid 731 Left opening 732 Right opening 733 Front opening 8. Housing 81 Wall section 82 Door section 821 Left door 822 Right door 823 Front door 83 Roof 831 Ventilation section J center axis D1 1st direction D2 2nd direction D3 Third direction D4 4th direction

Claims

1. 1. A fuel supply unit for supplying a combustible fluid to a mixer that mixes the fluid with air, comprising: a switching valve that switches between flow and cut-off of the fluid; a regulator disposed downstream of the switching valve for adjusting the pressure of the fluid; a connecting pipe that causes the fluid flowing in a first direction from the switching valve to flow toward the regulator in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and that is arranged between the switching valve and the regulator so that the first direction can be changed with respect to the second direction; A fuel supply unit comprising:

2. 2. The fuel supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the connecting pipe is a bent pipe that is bent at a predetermined angle.

3. 2. The fuel supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the connecting pipe is a flexible pipe.

4. 2. The fuel supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the connecting pipe is provided with a port that can be switched between communication with and blocking communication with the interior of the connecting pipe.

5. A fuel supply unit according to any one of claims 1 to 4; an engine that operates using the mixed fluid of the fluid and air supplied from the mixer as fuel; a generator driven by the engine; An engine system comprising:

6. The engine system according to claim 5 , wherein the regulator of the fuel supply unit is disposed immediately above a rotational shaft of the generator that extends in a front-rear direction parallel to the second direction.

7. a frame supporting a part of the fuel supply unit; the pedestal has a top plate extending in a front-rear direction parallel to the second direction and in a left-right direction perpendicular to the second direction, The engine system according to claim 5 , wherein the regulator is disposed on the top plate at a center portion in the left-right direction of the top plate.

8. a mixing unit that supplies the mixed fluid to the engine; The mixing unit comprises: an intake section that draws in air; the mixer that mixes the combustible fluid supplied from the fuel supply unit with air supplied from the intake section; and The engine system according to claim 5 , wherein the intake section and at least a portion of the mixer are disposed on the top plate.

9. a mixing unit that supplies the mixed fluid to the engine; The mixing unit comprises: an intake section that draws in air; the mixer that mixes the combustible fluid supplied from the fuel supply unit with air supplied from the intake section; a relay portion extending in a vertical direction and connecting the mixer and a turbocharger of the engine; and the mixer is connected to one of the upper and lower parts of the relay unit; The engine system according to claim 5 , wherein the supercharger is connected to the other of the upper and lower portions of the relay portion.

10. an inner surface of the relay portion includes a first curved surface that protrudes outward from the relay portion when viewed in a direction perpendicular to a third direction in which the mixed fluid flows from the mixer and to the up-down direction, The engine system according to claim 9 , wherein the first curved surface faces the mixer in the third direction.

11. an inner surface of the relay portion includes a second curved surface that protrudes outward from the relay portion when viewed in a direction perpendicular to a fourth direction in which the mixed fluid flows out from the relay portion to the turbocharger and to the up-down direction, The engine system according to claim 9 , wherein the second curved surface faces the supercharger in the fourth direction.

12. a frame portion surrounding at least one of the engine and the generator when viewed from above and below; an opening disposed in the frame portion, through which an end portion of the fuel supply unit on a supply side through which the fluid is supplied from an external fluid supply source can be disposed or inserted; Furthermore, The frame portion has a pair of left and right side frames extending in the front-rear direction, the openings include first openings that penetrate each of the side frames in the left-right direction, The engine system according to claim 5 , wherein the first openings of the side frames are disposed at the same position when viewed in the left-right direction.

13. the frame portion further includes a front frame disposed forward of at least one of the devices and extending in the left-right direction, The engine system according to claim 12 , wherein the opening includes a second opening disposed in the front frame.

14. a housing that covers the fuel supply unit; a frame portion surrounding at least one of the engine and the generator when viewed from above and below; an opening disposed in the frame portion, through which an end portion of the fuel supply unit on a supply side through which the fluid is supplied from an external fluid supply source can be disposed or inserted; Furthermore, The housing has an openable and closable door, The engine system according to claim 5 , wherein the door portion is disposed directly above the opening.

15. a housing for covering the fuel supply unit; The housing has an openable and closable door, 6. The engine system according to claim 5, wherein a portion of the fuel supply unit that is located upstream of the connecting pipe and within the housing is located between the connecting pipe and the door portion when viewed from above.

Images