Gaseous Fuel Engine Load Control for Gear Shift Transients
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gaseous fuel engines exhibit poor transient response characteristics due to the long path between cylinders and the fuel inlet, leading to delayed adjustments in engine load during gear shifts, which can cause significant delays in increasing or decreasing the flow rate of connected systems like fluid pumps.
Innovation Solution
A control system that includes a controller configured to increase an auxiliary load before shifting from a first gear to a second gear in a transmission coupled to a gaseous fuel engine, allowing for quicker adjustments in engine load by increasing the volume of gaseous fuel, thereby minimizing delays in gear shifts and maintaining constant speed operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If gaseous fuel engine is used, then fuel cost is reduced and cleaner burning is achieved, but transient response becomes poor
Solution Approach 1:
The controller increases auxiliary load before a gear shift event occurs, preparing the engine by increasing gaseous fuel volume in advance. This preliminary action ensures that when the gear shift requires increased primary load, the engine can respond immediately without delay, thus improving transient response while maintaining fuel efficiency
2Productivity
If gear shift is performed to increase flow rate, then productivity is improved, but delay of several seconds occurs due to slow fuel adjustment
Solution Approach 1:
The controller detects the upcoming gear shift event and increases auxiliary load beforehand, which increases the volume of gaseous fuel in the engine prior to the shift. This preliminary fuel preparation eliminates the several-second delay that would otherwise occur when trying to adjust fuel volume during the gear shift, enabling immediate productivity increase
3Speed
If auxiliary load is increased before gear shift, then transient response is improved, but engine load management becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The controller uses feedback from the transmission about upcoming gear shift events to automatically adjust auxiliary load. This feedback mechanism manages the complexity by using predetermined control logic that activates based on detected shift events, improving transient response without requiring complex manual intervention or overly complicated control algorithms
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The control system enhances the transient response of gaseous fuel engines by reducing speed droop or overspeed conditions during gear shifts, ensuring stable output and improved performance of connected loads like fluid pumps by allowing for immediate adjustments in engine load without significant delay.
Implementation Method 1
engine operable by spark ignition of a gaseous fuel
Data Source
AI summary
In some implementations, a controller may determine, in connection with a constant speed operation of an engine operable by spark ignition of a gaseous fuel, that a transient event associated with the engine is to occur, the transient event to cause a shift from a first gear to a second gear of a transmission coupled to the engine, where the shift from the first gear to the second gear is to increase a primary load associated with the engine. The controller may cause, prior to the shift from the first gear to the second gear, increasing of an auxiliary load associated with the engine. The controller may cause, during the shift from the first gear to the second gear, decreasing of the auxiliary load.