Multi-Fuel Engine Cylinder Fuel Switching Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multi-cylinder internal combustion piston engines face reliability issues during fuel switching between gaseous and liquid fuels, particularly in maintaining controllability and flexibility, as existing systems lack efficient control mechanisms for seamless transitions.
Innovation Solution
The engine operates by continuously monitoring control parameters during gaseous fuel combustion and switching to liquid fuel in affected cylinders while maintaining the liquid fuel system in a standby state, utilizing two actuation systems for quick and reliable transitions, allowing for proportional control based on engine load and selecting the operational status of the second fuel system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the engine switches from gaseous fuel to liquid fuel in all cylinders simultaneously, then the backup system provides reliable operation, but the controllability and flexibility during fuel transition are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel transition process is segmented by allowing different cylinders to operate on different fuels simultaneously. The control system divides the engine into groups: cylinders that have experienced combustion anomalies switch to liquid fuel, while other cylinders continue operating on gaseous fuel. This segmentation enables selective fuel switching rather than forcing all cylinders to switch simultaneously, thereby maintaining controllability and flexibility during the transition while ensuring reliable operation.
2Speed
If the liquid fuel system is maintained in standby state with two actuation systems, then quick transition is enabled, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid fuel system is maintained in a preliminary ready state with actuation systems positioned correctly during gaseous fuel operation. The primary actuation system is kept in a position that allows immediate transition to liquid fuel injection, while the secondary actuation system is prepared but not activated. This preliminary preparation enables extremely fast fuel transition when combustion anomalies occur, as the system is already configured for rapid switching without requiring complex real-time adjustments during the transition.
3Measurement precision
If control parameters are monitored and compared to target values, then combustion process control is improved, but the measurement and control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system continuously monitors combustion parameters (such as cylinder pressure, temperature, or exhaust gas composition) and compares them against predetermined target values. When combustion anomalies are detected through this feedback mechanism, the system automatically triggers the fuel switching process for affected cylinders. This feedback-based approach provides precise combustion control and rapid anomaly detection while using established control algorithms that balance measurement precision with manageable system complexity.
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
This approach enhances the reliability and controllability of fuel switching, ensuring stable engine operation by isolating failed cylinders to diesel mode and maintaining other cylinders in gas mode, allowing for optimized performance and quick transitions between fuel types.
Implementation Method 1
The gaseous fuel used as main fuel in the gas engine is fed into the combustion chamber of the engine mixed with air. It is ignited by injecting a very small amount of ignition fuel, which is ignited due to the existing conditions and thereby also ignites the gaseous fuel.
Implementation Method 2
the engine can be provided with a backup fuel feed systems based on using only liquid fuel. In this case there is a transfer from running on gas to running on liquid fuel and the engine is run according to the diesel process.
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A multi-cylinder internal combustion piston engine (10) comprises a first fuel feed system (20) and a second fuel feed system (30). The engine is operated by supplying a first fuel to at least one of the cylinders. During the operation, control parameters are acquired from the engine indicating the combustion process with the first fuel in said at least one of the cylinders. In case a difference between any of the acquired control parameters and their respective target values is exessive, the introduction of the first fuel is stopped to said cylinder, and the introduction of a second fuel to said cylinder is commenced, while in other cylinders fuel supply remains unchanged. During engine operation with the first fuel, the feed system (30) of the second fuel is maintained in a standby state to allow for quick transition to the second fuel.