Abstract: A gaseous-fuelled internal combustion engine and a method of engine operation improve combustion stability and reducing emissions of NOx, PM, and unburned hydrocarbons. The method comprises fuelling an internal combustion engine with hydrogen and natural gas, which can be directly injected into the combustion chamber together or introduced separately. Of the total gaseous fuel delivered to the engine, at least 5% by volume at standard temperature and pressure is hydrogen. For at least one engine operating condition, the ratio of fuel rail pressure to peak in-cylinder pressure is at least 1.5:1. A fuel injection valve introduces the gaseous fuel mixture directly into the combustion chamber. Two separate fuel injection valves could also introduce the methane and hydrogen separately. An electronic controller controls timing for operating the fuel injection valve(s). The engine has a preferred compression ratio of at least 14:1.

Abstract: In a method for diagnosing an internal combustion engine having first and second fuel injectors, if a misfire is detected, the following steps are performed in sequence: a first fuel quantity of the fuel is introduced only by the first fuel injector; a check is performed to determine whether a misfire results from the introduction of a first fuel quantity in the first step; a second fuel quantity of the fuel is introduced only by the second fuel injector; a check is performed to determine whether a misfire results from the introduction of the second fuel quantity in the third step; and an engine error is diagnosed if a misfire was detected in the second or in the fourth step.

Abstract: Fuel management system for enhanced operation of a spark ignition gasoline engine. Injectors inject an anti-knock agent such as ethanol directly into a cylinder. It is preferred that the direct injection occur after the inlet valve is closed. It is also preferred that stoichiometric operation with a three way catalyst be used to minimize emissions. In addition, it is also preferred that the anti-knock agents have a heat of vaporization per unit of combustion energy that is at least three times that of gasoline.

Abstract: A method of controlling fuel supplied to an engine is provided. In one example, a cylinder includes port and direct fuel injection. The method includes supplying a second fuel type from a second tank to the direct injector and supplying a first fuel type from a first tank to the port injector; and responsive to mis-fueling, supplying the first fuel type from the first tank to the direct injector. In response to receiving an indication of a mis-fuel, the direct fuel injector may be supplied with the second type of fuel from the second fuel storage tank. By supplying at least some fuel to the direct injector from a different source, fuel may be supplied to the DI fuel injector at various conditions to cool the DI fuel injector. In this way, overheating of the DI fuel injector may be reduced.

Abstract: A conventional gasoline engine is retrofitted and calibrated to operate as a bi-fuel engine using Hydrogen as the second fuel. When operated with Hydrogen, which typically leads to a reduction of engine output power, the engine is preferably operated in a charged mode and in a lean mode with the engine throttle kept in a wide open position during charged and lean mode operation resulting in a more efficient engine with a reduction of engine output power loss.

Abstract: A conventional gasoline engine is retrofitted to operate as a bi-fuel engine calibrated to burn Hydrogen gas as a primary fuel and gasoline as a secondary fuel at various acceptable air fuel ratios while avoiding forbidden air fuel ratios. The engine is preferably operated to burn Hydrogen fuel in a charged mode and in a lean mode at certain acceptable air fuel ratios where relatively very little NOx emissions occur. When additional power or acceleration is requested, processor controlled fuel injectors are operated to inject relatively small amounts of gasoline into the engine resulting in a fuel mixture that prevents increases in NOx emissions as the processor controls the engine to operate at a stoichiometric air fuel ratio where a catalytic converter is best able to reduce harmful emissions into the environment. The injection of the secondary liquid gasoline fuel to the gaseous Hydrogen fuel the temperature of the fuels significantly reduces or eliminates backfiring tendency of the engine.

Abstract: Fuel management system for efficient operation of a spark ignition gasoline engine. Injectors inject an anti-knock agent such as ethanol directly into a cylinder of the engine. A fuel management microprocessor system controls injection of the anti-knock agent so as to control knock and minimize that amount of the anti-knock agent that is used in a drive cycle. It is preferred that the anti-knock agent is ethanol. The use of ethanol can be further minimized by injection in a non-uniform manner within a cylinder. The ethanol injection suppresses knock so that higher compression ratio and/or engine downsizing from increased turbocharging or supercharging can be used to increase the efficiency of the engine.

Abstract: A control system includes an engine enable module and a fuel control module. The engine enable module determines whether predetermined operating conditions of a spark ignition direct injection (SIDI) engine are satisfied and enables an engine prime mode when the predetermined operating conditions are satisfied. The fuel control module controls a fuel injector to deliver a prime pulse to a cylinder of the SIDI engine when the engine prime mode is enabled. The fuel injector delivers the prime pulse by opening for a pulse width to inject fuel directly into the cylinder when the SIDI engine is stopped.

Abstract: A control system of an internal combustion engine in which a first fuel of ammonia and a second fuel which is easier to burn than ammonia are used as fuels. An ammonia ratio is usually set to a reference ammonia ratio which is determined in advance in accordance with an operating state of an engine. At the time when feed of the fuel is restarted after suspension of feed of the fuel at the time of deceleration, the ammonia ratio is temporarily made lower than the reference ammonia ratio in accordance with the operating state of the engine.

Abstract: A flex fuel internal combustion engine system includes means for sensing ethanol concentration of the fuel. If the ethanol concentration is determined to be above a given threshold, engine operation is adjusted for lean combustion of the fuel. An aftertreatment system is provided to remove harmful emissions from the exhaust.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine (1) is provided with an in-cylinder pressure sensor (15) for detecting an in-cylinder pressure in a combustion chamber (3) and an ECU (20). The ECU 20 calculates a heat release quantity parameter showing a combustion state based upon a detected in-cylinder pressure, calculates a combustion delay based upon the detected in-cylinder pressure, and determines fuel property based upon a comparison between a calculated heat release quantity parameter and the calculated combustion delay; and a heat release quantity parameter and a combustion delay corresponding to reference fuel.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine can use ammonia and a non-ammonia fuel which is easier to burn than ammonia as fuel. The non-ammonia fuel is directly injected into a combustion chamber by a non-ammonia fuel injector, and the injected non-ammonia fuel is ignited, whereby combustion of the air-fuel mixture in the combustion chamber is commenced. In the control system of the internal combustion engine, the injection timing of the non-ammonia fuel is advanced at a time when a ratio of ammonia in all fuel fed to the internal combustion engine is high in comparison with the time when the ratio is low. Therefore, a control system of an internal combustion engine capable of using ammonia and a non-ammonia fuel (gasoline, light oil, hydrogen, etc.) which is easier to burn than ammonia, which suitably feeds fuel and controls combustion in order to suitably burn an air-fuel mixture in a combustion chamber is provided.

Abstract: A fuel property detector for an internal combustion engine determines a cetane number with high accuracy even when a high-cetane fuel is used. The fuel property detector includes a cylinder pressure detection device; ignition delay time calculating device for calculating ignition delay time in accordance with the cylinder pressure; a high-cetane fuel judgment device for judging based on the ignition delay time whether the cetane number of an employed fuel is high; an ignition delay time extension device that increases the ignition delay time by correcting a control parameter for the internal combustion engine; an ignition delay time recalculation device for recalculating the ignition delay time based on cylinder pressure after the ignition delay time is increased by the ignition delay time extension device; and a cetane number calculation device for calculating the cetane number of the employed fuel based on the recalculated ignition delay time.

Abstract: A fuel compensation factor (FCF) is determined to account for the amount of oxygenated fuel blended in diesel fuel. In one embodiment, the FCF is based on an expected exhaust gas oxygen concentration compared to an actual exhaust gas oxygen concentration. The FCF is used to estimate an amount of oxygenated fuel in the blend. Such estimate can be used to adjust the exhaust temperature model, which is used at least in determining the temperature in aftertreatment devices, the fuel dilution model which affects oil change recommendations, and the diesel particulate filter loading model which affects regenerations. Biodiesels are more prone to waxing at lower temperatures. The estimated amount of biodiesel and the temperature in the injection system are used to prevent and/or delay starting when it is predicted that too much wax exists in the fuel system.

Abstract: A device for controlling an internal combustion engine which uses, as the fuel, a heavy fuel, a light fuel, an alcohol fuel and a mixture thereof, comprising a heavy fuel/light fuel ratio detector 39 capable of detecting the ratio of the heavy fuel and the light fuel, and an air-fuel ratio detector 41 for detecting the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas, wherein the amount of fuel injection is calculated based on the heavy fuel/light fuel ratio detector so that the air-fuel ratio becomes a target air-fuel ratio. The heavy fuel/light fuel ratio detector is diagnosed if it is in an abnormal condition based on a difference between the target air-fuel ratio and the air-fuel ratio detected by the air-fuel ratio detector while the engine temperature is in a particular temperature region. The heavy fuel/light fuel ratio detector can be correctly diagnosed if it is in an abnormal condition even when an alcohol-mixed fuel is used.

Abstract: Various systems and methods are described for a controlling a flow of reformate fuel in a fuel system which includes a reformer and a storage tank coupled to an engine in a vehicle. The system includes a pump located between the reformer and the storage tank that is selectively operated in order to reduce parasitic losses on the system.

Abstract: Various systems and methods are described for controlling operation of engine cylinders, where each cylinder has a first and second injector for delivering fuel. One example method maintains air-fuel ratio in the exhaust by adjusting fuel injection of a common fuel injector type among the cylinders, where different cylinders operate with different combinations of injectors.

Abstract: A method for operating an engine with a fuel reformer is presented. In one embodiment a first fuel is reformed into a gaseous fuel comprising H, CO, and CH4, or the fuel may change state to vaporized alcohol. The present method provides for ramping injection of the gaseous fuel so that stoichiometric combustion may be maintained while gaseous fuel is injected to the engine.

Abstract: Methods are provided for operating an engine with a variable fuel blend in a cylinder, where the variable fuel blend varies a peak achievable engine torque for a given operating condition. One example method comprises selectively operating an engine actuator that affects engine torque and engine fuel economy at the given operating condition, and extending operation of the actuator to higher engine torques as a peak engine torque for the given operating condition increases.

Abstract: A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes a first fuel tank where a first fuel containing alcohol is stored; a second fuel tank where a second fuel is stored, wherein a concentration of alcohol in the second fuel is known; an alcohol concentration sensor disposed in a supply passage through which the first and second fuels flow; and a malfunction determination portion. The control apparatus switches a fuel flowing through the supply passage between the first fuel and the second fuel, and controls a fuel injection amount based on a concentration of the alcohol in the first fuel detected by the sensor. The malfunction determination portion determines that the sensor malfunctions, if a value detected by the sensor is outside a predetermined range corresponding to the concentration of the alcohol in the second fuel when the fuel flowing through the supply passage is switched to the second fuel.

Abstract: A fuel delivery system for an internal combustion engine and a method of operating the fuel delivery system is described. As one example, the method includes delivering a first fuel blend from a first fuel tank to the engine; delivering a second fuel blend from a second fuel tank to the engine, the proportion of said second fuel blend delivered to the engine to said first fuel blend delivered to the engine being related to the desired engine output; transferring said first fuel blend from said first fuel tank to said second fuel tank to prevent an amount of said first fuel blend and said second fuel blend in said second fuel tank from falling below a predetermined level; and boosting air delivered to the engine, the amount of boosting being related to latent heat of vaporization of said second fuel blend delivered to the engine.

Abstract: A system for connecting a supply of alternative oil to a diesel engine which uses heated engine coolant and electric heat to prevent engine line restriction due to gelled alternative oil.

Abstract: A method of operation of an internal combustion engine including an intake valve coupled to a combustion chamber, and a port fuel injector positioned upstream of the intake valve in an intake manifold including a throttle, the port fuel injector fluidly coupled to a fuel rail included in a fuel delivery system housing a fuel at least partially composed of alcohol. The method including, during a start-up operation when the temperature of the engine is below a threshold value and fuel is actively being injected into the intake manifold, adjusting a cone angle of a fuel spray from the port fuel injector, via adjustment of the throttle and/or fuel delivery system, based on the position of the intake valve.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for extracting components of a mixed fuel into at least one substantially non-polar component and at least one polar fuel component. In one example approach, a volume of a mixed fuel is added to an extractor and a polar solvent is used to extract components of the mixed fuel. The extracted components may be selectively provided to an engine in a ratio based upon engine operating conditions.

Abstract: The invention deals with a method to determine the fuel composition of a fuel mixture from a first fuel and a second fuel for the operation of an internal combustion engine, wherein the first and the second fuel have different octane numbers and wherein the internal combustion engine has at least one knock sensor and a closed-loop knock control. Provision is made according to the invention for the composition of the fuel mixture to be determined by means of an output signal of the knock sensor. Provision is made in many cases for the knock sensor to already be in the internal combustion engine, so that it does not present any additional expenditure of money or effort. Because the octane number of the fuel mixture is determined by the mixing ratio of the fuels involved, which have different octane numbers, in retrospect the composition of the fuel mixture can be suggested from the signal of the knock sensor under suitable operating conditions.

Abstract: A method of converting a diesel engine to a natural gas engine comprising inserting a spark plug into a diesel fuel injector opening in a cylinder head; installing a throttle body on the diesel engine; installing a throttle body adaptor between a throttle body and an intake manifold of said diesel engine; and modifying a piston, whereby the compression ratio of said piston is decreased during operation of said piston. The method also includes installation of a waste gate and waste gate adaptor and a timing mask.

Abstract: A method includes mixing air and converted fuel from an on-board fuel converter in a fuel mixer to form an air-converted fuel mixture, the air-converted fuel mixture includes a short chain hydrocarbon; mixing the air-converted fuel mixture with a high specific heat diluent to form an air-diluent-converted fuel mixture; mixing the air-diluent-converted fuel mixture with a first amount of fuel to form a homogenous mixture. A system and article are included.

Abstract: A fuel control system and method for providing fuel to an internal combustion engine are provided. The fuel control system generally includes at least one valve device structured to deliver a fuel supply to the engine, a first fuel source structured to provide a primary fuel to the valve device, a second fuel source structured to provide an alternate fuel to the valve device, and an electronic controller structured to control the valve device. The electronic controller controls the valve device as a function of various data to selectively deliver the primary fuel and the alternate fuel to generate a fuel supply, e.g. as a mixture of the two fuels. The data used to control the fuel supply may include GPS data, engine data, environmental data, and/or other operational data.

Abstract: In a multiple gas fuel delivery system for interchangeably supplying a plurality of gas fuels having different supply pressures to an internal combustion engine, at least a pair of fuel passages extend from a gas fuel inlet (6a) to a fuel ejection nozzle (12) for delivering the gas fuel to a carburetor, and are provided with respective metering jets (13, 14). One of the fuel passages is provided with a pressure responsive valve (15) that communicates only the first metering jet (14) for delivering the fuel gas to the carburetor when a gas fuel of a relatively high pressure is used, and communicates both the first and second metering jets (13, 14) for delivering the fuel gas to the carburetor when a gas fuel of a relatively low pressure is used. Therefore, a flow switching valve is not required, and the passage structure can be simplified. Also, the pressure responsive valve (15) is actuated by the pressure of the fuel, and no manual selection is required when a different gas fuel is selected.

Abstract: A system and a method of facilitating fuel vaporization in a directly injected internal combustion engine are provided. As one example, vaporization may be improved by coordinating the timing of the directly injected fuel with intake valve opening while also utilizing negative valve overlap between the intake and exhaust valves to generate reduced pressures within the cylinder.

Abstract: Titania is a semiconductor and photocatalyst that is also chemically inert. With its bandgap of 3.0, to activate the photocatalytic property of titania requires light of about 390 nm wavelength, which is in the ultra-violet, where sunlight is very low in intensity. A method and devices are disclosed wherein stress is induced and managed in a thin film of titania in order to shift and lower the bandgap energy into the longer wavelengths that are more abundant in sunlight. Applications of this stress-induced bandgap-shifted titania photocatalytic surface include photoelectrolysis for production of hydrogen gas from water, photovoltaics for production of electricity, and photocatalysis for detoxification and disinfection.

Abstract: A controller of an internal combustion engine includes: a purge controller, operable to control a purge amount of the vaporized fuel purged to an air intake system; an exhaust air-fuel ratio detector; an air-fuel ratio feedback controller; a period determiner, operable to determine whether it is an estimation enabling period; and an alcohol concentration estimator, operable to estimate the alcohol concentration. When the purge of the vaporized fuel is cut during the estimation enabling period, the purge controller: performs control so that the purge is cut with a large degree of tailing, in an operation region where a load of the internal combustion engine is high and a rotation speed is high; and performs control so that the purge is cut with a smaller degree of tailing than the large degree of tailing, in an operation region where the load of the internal combustion engine is low and the rotation speed is low.

Abstract: An open or closed loop EFI system integrating an alcohol sensor is provided on a genset engine. The EFI system provides acceptable engine performance and efficiency when using fuels or fuel blends over a wide band and when starting from a cold state, i.e., starting the engine after the engine has not run for a relatively long period of time. The alcohol sensor enables acceptable operation while the genset engine is cold. The alcohol sensor sends data to the electronic control unit (ECU) and this data, as well as data provided by other sensors that may be available such as an air flow sensor, is used to determine the optimal air-to-fuel ratio (AFR). The ECU actuates the fuel injector which sends the correct amount of atomized fuel to mix with the air flow to be combusted. The fuel mixture, at the requested AFR, enables the engine to start and operate efficiently from a cold state even if the fuel blend has been changed from a previous operation of the engine.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for improving fuel usage while addressing knock by adjusting the use of spark retard and direct injection of a knock control fluid based on engine operating conditions and the composition of the injected fluid. One or more engine parameters, such as EGR, VCT, boost, throttle position, and CMCV, are coordinated with the direct injection to reduce torque and EGR transients.

Abstract: A fuel feed chamber and a residual fuel chamber that are connectable to each other via a shutoff valve are provided in a fuel tank. When the fuel tank is refueled, the fuel feed chamber and the residual fuel chamber, which have been connected to each other so far, are disconnected and then fuel is fed only into the fuel feed chamber to refuel the fuel tank. When the engine is restarted after the refueling, only the fuel in the residual fuel chamber is supplied to the engine while the fuel feed chamber and the residual fuel chamber remain disconnected from each other, and the engine is controlled in accordance with the property of the fuel in the residual fuel chamber, which has been determined in advance.

Abstract: A system and method for fuel tuned variable valve timing is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of cylinders, each cylinder being further associated with at least two exhaust valves. A first exhaust valve operates according to a first valve lift curve that is tuned for combustion of gasoline. A second exhaust valve operates according to at least two different valve lift curves that are tuned for E85 fuel. The second lift curve is associated with high engine speeds and the modified second lift curve is associated with low engine speeds.

Abstract: A system for an engine of a vehicle includes methanol and water injection to abate engine knock. The injection is provided directly into the cylinder.

Abstract: Startability of an internal combustion engine using a mixed fuel of gasoline and alcohol is improved. An intake passage of the engine has a main flow channel provided with a throttle valve and a bypass flow channel for bypassing the throttle valve. A bypass quantity adjusting mechanism adjusts the bypass quantity in the bypass flow channel. A control device detects or estimates the mixing ratio of alcohol of the fuel and controls the bypass quantity adjusting mechanism so that a bypass quantity before a first explosion is smaller than a bypass quantity after the first explosion when the mixing ratio of alcohol is equal to or more than a predetermined value.

Abstract: A system for operating a vehicle including an engine operating on at least one type of fuel is provided. The system includes a locator element to determine a location of the vehicle, a characterization element to provide information about a terrain of the vehicle, a database to store characteristic information for each type of fuel, and a processor operable to receive information from the locator element, the characterization element, and the database. An algorithm is embodied within the processor with access to the information for creating a trip plan that optimizes performance of the vehicle in accordance with one or more operational criteria for the vehicle.

Abstract: A fuel delivery approach for an engine includes delivering a first fuel blend from a first, lower alcohol fuel tank to a port injector; delivering a second, higher alcohol, fuel to a direct injector, and transferring the first fuel from the first tank to the second tank so that the first tank is emptied before the second. In this way, at least some fuel is available for direct injection even when the higher alcohol fuel is exhausted prior to the lower alcohol fuel. Thus, it is possible to at least obtain charge cooling benefits of direct injection, and therefore the engine may be operated with a greater amount of boost.

Abstract: Fuel management system for efficient operation of a spark ignition gasoline engine. Injectors inject an anti-knock agent such as ethanol directly into a cylinder of the engine. A fuel management microprocessor system controls injection of the anti-knock agent so as to control knock and minimize that amount of the anti-knock agent that is used in a drive cycle. It is preferred that the anti-knock agent is ethanol. The use of ethanol can be further minimized by injection in a non-uniform manner within a cylinder. The ethanol injection suppresses knock so that higher compression ratio and/or engine downsizing from increased turbocharging or supercharging can be used to increase the efficiency of the engine.

Abstract: A direct injection bi-fuel system includes a first fuel subsystem, a second fuel subsystem, and a junction configured to receive first fuel from the first fuel subsystem when the system is operating in a first fuel consuming mode, and to receive second fuel from the second fuel subsystem when the system is operating in a second fuel consuming mode. A pump is configured to receive the fuel passing through the junction and pump the fuel to a high pressure rail of a combustion engine, and a purging unit is configured to purge the second fuel from the rail when the system is switched from the second fuel consuming mode to the first fuel consuming mode. The purging unit includes a piston and is configured to receive the second fuel on one side of the piston and the first fuel on the other side of the piston.

Abstract: A method for operating an engine with a fuel reformer is presented. In one embodiment a first fuel is reformed into a gaseous fuel comprising H, CO, and CH4 or the fuel may change state to vaporized alcohol. The present method provides for ramping injection of the gaseous fuel so that stoichiometric combustion may be maintained while gaseous fuel is injected to the engine.

Abstract: A method for operating an engine with a fuel reformer is presented. In one embodiment a method for operating an engine by injecting a gaseous fuel and a liquid fuel to at least an engine cylinder is presented. The method may prioritize the injection of the gaseous fuel in response to an amount of gaseous fuel stored in a fuel storage tank.

Abstract: Various systems and methods are described for controlling fuel injection of a dual fuel engine which includes first and second fuel rails and first and second fuel pumps. In one example, while pumping is suspended in the second fuel rail, the first fuel is injected to all but one cylinder of the engine and the second fuel is injected to the one cylinder in a predetermined sequence. As such, the fuel injector injecting to the one cylinder is isolated and its performance may be assessed without significantly affecting engine performance.

Abstract: A method for operating an engine with a fuel reformer is presented. In one embodiment a first fuel is reformed into a gaseous fuel comprising H, CO, and CH4. The engine is operated by injecting the gaseous fuel and a second fuel to a cylinder of the engine in response to an available amount of gaseous fuel, engine speed and engine load. Further, an engine actuator may be adjusted to vary cylinder charge in response to the available amount of gaseous fuel.

Abstract: A system including, an internal combustion engine including a combustion chamber, a first injector to provide a first injection fluid to the combustion chamber, and a heated pressurization system to heat the first injection fluid in a pressure vessel to achieve a sufficient injection pressure.

Abstract: Various systems and methods are described for a controlling a flow of reformate fuel in a fuel system which includes a reformer and a storage tank coupled to an engine in a vehicle. The system includes a pump located between the reformer and the storage tank that is selectively operated in order to reduce parasitic losses on the system.

Abstract: A method for operating an engine with a fuel reformer is presented. In one embodiment a first fuel is reformed into a gaseous fuel comprising H, CO, and CH4. The engine is operated by injecting the gaseous fuel and a second fuel to a cylinder of the engine in response to an available amount of gaseous fuel, engine speed and engine load. Further, an engine actuator may be adjusted to vary cylinder charge dilution in response to the available amount of gaseous fuel.

Abstract: A method of controlling fuel supplied to an engine of a vehicle is provided. The method may improve engine starting during cold operating conditions. In one example, the type of fuel injected to the engine is changed in response to operating conditions.