FUEL MIXTURE SYSTEM AND ASSEMBLY
A system and attendant structural assembly operative to establish a coordinated mixture of gaseous and distillate fuels for an engine including an electronic control unit (ECU) operative to monitor predetermined engine data determinative of engine fuel requirements and structured to regulate ratios of the gaseous and distillate fuel of an operative fuel mixture for the engine. The system and assembly includes at least one mixing assembly comprising an integrated throttle body and air gas mixer directly connected to one another, wherein the throttle body is disposed in fluid communication with a pressurized gaseous fuel supply and the air gas mixer is disposed in fluid communication with a flow of intake air to a combustion section of the engine. In use, the throttle body is structured to direct a variable gaseous fuel flow directly to the air gas mixer for dispensing into the intake air flow to the combustion section.
1 . A control system for establishing gaseous fuel input for a compression ignition engine operative on a variable mixture of gaseous and distillate fuels, said control system comprising;
a monitoring assembly structured to determine pre-determined operating parameters associated with engine performance,
an electronic control unit (ECU) operatively connected to said monitoring assembly and structured to process data associated with said engine performance,
said ECU programmed to define a plurality of dynamic set points for said pre-determined operating parameters across a range of engine loads, and
at least some of said plurality of dynamic set points being determinative of deactivation of a gaseous-distillate operative mode and transition to a full-distillate operative mode.
2 . A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said ECU is further structured to define different ones of said plurality of dynamic set points over a variable range of engine loads, for each of said pre-determined operating parameters.
3 . A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said plurality of dynamic set points comprise a plurality of dynamic safety set points and a plurality of dynamic control set points.
4 . A system as recited in claim 3 wherein said plurality of safety set points are associated with at least some of said pre-determined operating parameters and determinative of engine shut-off.
5 . A system as recited in claim 4 wherein said plurality of dynamic control set points are associated with at least some of said pre-determined parameters and determinative of deactivation of said gaseous, distillate operative mode and transition to said full-distillate operative mode.
6 . A system as recited in claim 3 wherein said plurality of dynamic control set points are associated with at least some of said pre-determined parameters and determinative of deactivation of said gaseous, distillate operative mode and transition to said full-distillate operative mode.
7 . A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said monitoring assembly is at least partially comprises original equipment manufacturer.
8 . A system as recited in claim 7 wherein said ECU is structured for an adaptive retrofit with the engine originally structured for exclusive distillate fuel operation.
9 . A system as recited in claim 7 wherein said monitoring assembly comprises a sensor network including a plurality of sensors disposed and structured to determine said pre-determined operating parameters of the engine.
10 . A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said monitoring assembly comprises a sensor network including a plurality of sensors disposed and structured to determine said pre-determined operating parameters of the engine.
11 . A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said range of engine loads comprises a plurality of variable engine load conditions less than and including maximum loads and conditions.
12 . A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said operating parameters comprise fuel flow rate.
13 . A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said operating parameters further comprise exhaust gas temperature.
14 . A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said predetermined operating parameters further comprise vibration levels of the engine.
15 . A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said predetermined operating parameters further comprise manifold air temperature.
16 . A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said predetermined operating parameters further comprise gaseous fuel pressure.
17 . A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said predetermined operating parameters further comprise engine coolant temperature.
18 . A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said predetermined operating parameters further comprise engine RPM.
19 . A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said predetermined operating parameters further comprise compressor inlet pressure.
20 . A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said predetermined operating parameters further comprise manifold air pressure (MAP).
21 . A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said plurality of dynamic set points for said pre-determined operating parameters of the engine are referenced to a base line performance of the engine during a 100% distillate fuel operative mode.
22 . A control system for establishing gaseous fuel input for a compression ignition engine operative on a variable mixture of gaseous and distillate fuels, said control system comprising;
a monitoring assembly comprising a sensor network including a plurality of sensors disposed and structured to determine said pre-determined operating parameters,
an electronic control unit (ECU) operatively connected to said monitoring assembly and structured to define a plurality of dynamic set points corresponding to said plurality of predetermined operating parameters,
said plurality of dynamic set points determined over a plurality of variable load conditions of the engine; said plurality of variable load conditions being less than and including maximum engine load conditions,
said plurality of dynamic set points for said pre-determined operating parameters being referenced to a baseline performance of the engine during a 100% distillate fuel operative mode, and
said plurality of dynamic set points being determinative of engine shut-off or deactivation of a gaseous-distillate operative mode and transition to a full distillate operative mode.
23 . A system as recited in claim 22 wherein said ECU is structured for an adaptive retrofit with the engine originally structured for exclusive distillate fuel operation.