Granted Patent B2

US 12,577,918 · App. 18/778,438 · Granted Mar 17, 2026

Inventors: Brian V. Tranel (Dunlap, IL); Andrew O. Marrack (Peoria Heights, IL); Gregory L. Armstrong (Edwards, IL); Dustin K. Fee (Peoria, IL)

Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.

F02D41/0025F02D41/30

Abstract

Claims (61)

1 . A method comprising:

receiving, by a multi-fuel injection system, a first liquid fuel;

receiving, by the multi-fuel injection system, a second liquid fuel;

controlling, by the multi-fuel injection system, a fuel injector to perform fuel injection of the first liquid fuel and the second liquid fuel into a cylinder of an engine via a nozzle, during a fuel injection window; and

controlling, by the multi-fuel injection system, the fuel injector to perform fuel metering, of the second liquid fuel into the nozzle of the fuel injector while the fuel injector is not injecting either of the first liquid fuel or the second liquid fuel into the cylinder of the engine, during a fuel metering window that is asymmetric to the fuel injection window.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

controlling the fuel injector, to refrain from the fuel injection or the fuel metering, during a reload window between the fuel injection window and the fuel metering window in which the fuel injection and the fuel metering are prohibited.

3 . A method comprising:

receiving, by a multi-fuel injection system, a first fuel;

receiving, by the multi-fuel injection system, a second fuel;

controlling, by the multi-fuel injection system, a fuel injector to perform fuel injection, of at least one of the first fuel or the second fuel into a cylinder of an engine, during a fuel injection window; and

controlling, by the multi-fuel injection system, the fuel injector to perform fuel metering, of the second fuel into a nozzle of the fuel injector while the fuel injector is not injecting either of the first fuel or the second fuel into the cylinder of the engine, during a fuel metering window that is asymmetric to the fuel injection window, wherein:

the fuel injection window is delineated by a first crank angle of a crankshaft and a second crank angle of the crankshaft, the fuel metering window is delineated by a third crank angle of the crankshaft and a fourth crank angle of the crankshaft, and a first rotational distance between the first crank angle and the second crank angle is less than a second rotational distance between the third crank angle and the fourth crank angle, or

the fuel injection window is delineated by a first time and a second time, the fuel metering window is delineated by a third time and a fourth time, and a first duration between the first time and the second time is less than a second duration between the third time and the fourth time.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein:

the fuel injection window is delineated by the first time and the second time,

the fuel metering window is delineated by the third time and the fourth time, and

the first duration between the first time and the second time is less than the second duration between the third time and the fourth time.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating a combustion signal including a combustion waveform including a combustion hold-in section; and

generating a metering signal including a metering waveform including a metering hold-in section that includes a duration that is greater than a duration of the combustion hold-in section.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first liquid fuel is a primary fuel and the second liquid fuel is a pilot fuel.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the first liquid fuel has a lower cetane rating than the second liquid fuel.

8 . An electronic control module (ECM) comprising:

a memory configured to store instructions; and

one or more processors configured to execute the instructions to:

control a fuel injector to perform fuel injection, of at least one of first fuel or a second fuel into a cylinder of an engine, during a fuel injection window; and

control the fuel injector to perform fuel metering, the fuel metering including actuating a valve of the fuel injector to introduce the second fuel into a nozzle of the fuel injector while the fuel injector is not injecting either of the first fuel or the second fuel into the cylinder of the engine, during a fuel metering window that is greater than the fuel injection window.

9 . The ECM of claim 8 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

control the fuel injector, to refrain from the fuel injection or the fuel metering, during a reload window between the fuel injection window and the fuel metering window.

10 . The ECM of claim 8 , wherein:

the fuel injection window is delineated by a first crank angle of a crankshaft and a second crank angle of the crankshaft,

the fuel metering window is delineated by a third crank angle of the crankshaft and a fourth crank angle of the crankshaft, and

a first rotational distance between the first crank angle and the second crank angle is less than a second rotational distance between the third crank angle and the fourth crank angle.

11 . The ECM of claim 8 , wherein:

the fuel injection window is delineated by a first time and a second time,

the fuel metering window is delineated by a third time and a fourth time, and

a first duration between the first time and the second time is less than a second duration between the third time and the fourth time.

12 . The ECM of claim 8 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

generate a combustion signal including a combustion waveform including a combustion hold-in section; and

generate a metering signal including a metering waveform including a metering hold-in section that includes a duration that is greater than a duration of the combustion hold-in section.

13 . The ECM of claim 8 , wherein the ECM is configured to adjust the fuel metering window based on engine sensor data received from an engine sensor, crankshaft sensor data received from a crankshaft sensor, or sensor data received from a sensor.

14 . The ECM of claim 8 , wherein the fuel metering window is at least twice as long as the fuel injection window.

15 . A system comprising:

a fuel injector configured to perform fuel injection and fuel metering; and

an electronic control module (ECM) configured to:

control the fuel injector to perform the fuel injection, of at least one of a first fuel or a second fuel into a cylinder of an engine, during a fuel injection window; and

control the fuel injector to perform the fuel metering, the fuel metering including actuating a valve of the fuel injector to introduce the second fuel into a nozzle of the fuel injector while the fuel injector is not injecting either of the first fuel or the second fuel into the cylinder of the engine, during a fuel metering window that is asymmetric to the fuel injection window, wherein:

the fuel injection window is delineated by a first time and a second time,

the fuel metering window is delineated by a third time and a fourth time, and

a first duration between the first time and the second time is less than a second duration between the third time and the fourth time.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the ECM is further configured to:

control the fuel injector, to refrain from the fuel injection or the fuel metering, during a reload window between the fuel injection window and the fuel metering window.

17 . The system of claim 15 , wherein:

the fuel injection window is delineated by a first crank angle of a crankshaft and a second crank angle of the crankshaft,

the fuel metering window is delineated by a third crank angle of the crankshaft and a fourth crank angle of the crankshaft, and

a first rotational distance between the first crank angle and the second crank angle is less than a second rotational distance between the third crank angle and the fourth crank angle.

18 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the ECM is further configured to:

generate a combustion signal including a combustion waveform including a combustion hold-in section; and

generate a metering signal including a metering waveform including a metering hold-in section that includes a duration that is greater than a duration of the combustion hold-in section.

19 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the first fuel is a primary fuel and the second fuel is a pilot fuel.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (21)