US-20260126022-A1 - ENGINE SYSTEM, FUEL VAPORIZATION SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR VAPORIZING A SECONDARY LIQUID FUEL

US20260126022A1US 20260126022 A1US20260126022 A1US 20260126022A1US-20260126022-A1

Abstract

An engine system includes an engine, a first fuel injection system, a second fuel injection system, and a fuel vaporization system. The engine includes an intake manifold. The intake manifold is structure to receive charge air. The first fuel injection system is configured to inject a first liquid fuel into the engine. The second fuel injection system is configured to inject a second liquid fuel into the charge air. The second fuel can be different from the first fuel. The fuel vaporization system is configured to heat at least one of (i) the charge air or (ii) the second liquid fuel upstream of where the second liquid fuel is injected into the charge air to enhance vaporization of the second liquid fuel and/or improve combustion characteristics of the engine.

Inventors

TYLER J. LUNSFORD
Marten H. Dane
Matthew W. Isaacs

Assignees

CUMMINS POWER GENERATION INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20241030

Claims (20)

1 . An engine system comprising: an engine including an intake manifold, the intake manifold structured to receive charge air; a first fuel injection system configured to inject a first liquid fuel into the engine; a second fuel injection system configured to inject a second liquid fuel into the charge air, the second liquid fuel being different from the first liquid fuel; and a fuel vaporization system configured to heat at least one of (i) the charge air or (ii) the second liquid fuel upstream of where the second liquid fuel is injected into the charge air to enhance vaporization of the second liquid fuel and/or improve combustion characteristics of the engine.
2 . The engine system of claim 1 , wherein the fuel vaporization system is configured to heat the charge air upstream of where the second liquid fuel is delivered to the charge air.
3 . The engine system of claim 1 , wherein the fuel vaporization system is configured to heat the charge air downstream of where the second liquid fuel is delivered to the charge air.
4 . The engine system of claim 1 , wherein the fuel vaporization system is configured to heat the second liquid fuel upstream of where the second liquid fuel is delivered to the charge air.
5 . The engine system of claim 1 , wherein the fuel vaporization system is configured to control heating of the charge air or the second liquid fuel based on at least one of a flow rate of the second liquid fuel, or a fuel type.
6 . The engine system of claim 1 , wherein the fuel vaporization system is configured to heat the second liquid fuel using waste heat from at least one of an engine coolant, a return fuel, an exhaust gas, or the charge air.
7 . The engine system of claim 1 , wherein the fuel vaporization system includes a heated surface downstream of where the second liquid fuel is delivered to the charge air.
8 . The engine system of claim 1 , further comprising a turbocharger, wherein the fuel vaporization system comprises a controller configured to control operation of the turbocharger based on a fuel condition of the second liquid fuel to control heating of the charge air.
9 . The engine system of claim 1 , wherein the second fuel injection system is configured to inject the second liquid fuel into the charge air to generate an air-fuel charge, the fuel vaporization system comprising: a recirculation loop that is configured to recirculate exhaust gas back to the charge air and/or the air-fuel charge; and a controller configured to control operation of the recirculation loop based on a fuel condition of the second liquid fuel.
10 . The engine system of claim 1 , further comprising an aftercooler, wherein the fuel vaporization system comprises a controller that is configured to control operation of the aftercooler based on a fuel condition of the second liquid fuel.
11 . The engine system of claim 1 , wherein the first liquid fuel is a diesel fuel, and wherein the second liquid fuel is a biofuel.
12 . A fuel vaporization system comprising: a heating system configured to couple to an engine or a fuel injection system of a dual fuel engine system, the dual fuel engine system configured to operate using a combination of a first liquid fuel and a second liquid fuel, the heating system configured to control heating of the second liquid fuel; a sensor configured to generate sensor data indicative of a fuel condition of the second liquid fuel; and a controller communicably coupled to the heating system and the sensor, the controller configured to control operation of the heating system to heat the second liquid fuel prior to injection into the engine based on the fuel condition to enhance vaporization of the second liquid fuel and/or improve combustion characteristics of the engine.
13 . The fuel vaporization system of claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to: determine a charge temperature set point based on a latent heat of vaporization of the second liquid fuel; and control the heating system based on the charge temperature set point and the sensor data.
14 . The fuel vaporization system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the heating system so that a final temperature of an air-fuel charge entering the engine exceeds a dewpoint of water and a dewpoint of the second liquid fuel.
15 . The fuel vaporization system of claim 12 , wherein the heating system comprises an aftercooler of the dual fuel engine system, and wherein the controller is further configured to control a flow rate of fluid through the aftercooler based on the sensor data.
16 . The fuel vaporization system of claim 12 , wherein the heating system comprises a recirculation loop that is configured to recirculate exhaust gas back to an air intake system of the dual fuel engine system, and wherein the controller is further configured to control a flow rate of the exhaust gas through the recirculation loop based on the sensor data.
17 . The fuel vaporization system of claim 12 , wherein the heating system comprises a turbocharger, wherein the controller is further configured to control operation of the turbocharger based on the sensor data.
18 . A method for vaporizing a secondary liquid fuel, the method comprising: receive data that is indicative of a fuel condition of a second liquid fuel for a dual fuel engine system, the dual fuel engine system configured to operate using a combination of a first liquid fuel and the second liquid fuel; and control operation of a heating system that is coupled to an engine of the dual fuel engine system or a fuel injection system of the dual fuel engine system to heat the second liquid fuel prior to injection into the engine based on the fuel condition to enhance vaporization of the second liquid fuel and/or improve combustion characteristics of the engine.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein controlling operation of the heating system comprises heating charge air passing through an air intake system of the dual fuel engine system upstream of where the second liquid fuel is delivered to the charge air.
20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein controlling operation of the heating system comprises heating charge air passing through an air intake system of the dual fuel engine system downstream of where the second liquid fuel is delivered to the charge air.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 63/594,724, filed Oct. 31, 2023, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates generally to dual fuel internal combustion engine systems. BACKGROUND Dual fuel internal combustion engine systems include engines that can operate using a mixture of two different fuels. For example, the dual fuel engine may operate using a combination of diesel fuel and biofuel (or another low carbon fuel) such as ethanol or methanol. SUMMARY One embodiment of the present disclosure relates to an engine system. The engine system includes an engine, a first fuel injection system, a second fuel injection system, and a fuel vaporization system. The engine includes an intake manifold. The intake manifold is structured to receive charge air. The first fuel injection system is configured to inject a first liquid fuel into the engine. The second fuel injection system is configured to inject a second liquid fuel into the charge air. The second fuel is different from the first fuel. The fuel vaporization system is configured to heat at least one of (i) the charge air or (ii) the second liquid fuel upstream of where the second liquid fuel is injected into the charge air to enhance vaporization of the second liquid fuel. In various embodiments, the fuel vaporization system is configured to heat the charge air, or cool the air less, upstream of where the second liquid fuel is delivered to the engine. In other embodiments, the fuel vaporization system is configured to heat the charge air downstream of where the second liquid fuel is delivered to the engine. In some embodiments, the fuel vaporization system is configured to heat the second liquid fuel upstream of where the second liquid fuel is delivered to the engine. In some embodiments, the fuel vaporization system is configured to control the charge air temperature and/or the second liquid fuel based on: (i) a flow rate of the second liquid fuel, and (ii) a fuel type. In various embodiments, the fuel vaporization system is configured to heat the second liquid fuel using waste heat from at least one of: an engine coolant, a return fuel, and exhaust gas, or the charge air. In some embodiments, the first liquid fuel is a diesel fuel, and the second liquid fuel is a biofuel or another low carbon liquid fuel. Another embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a fuel vaporization system. The fuel vaporization system includes a heating system, a sensor, and a controller. The heating system is configured to couple to an engine or a fuel injection system of a dual fuel engine system that is configured to operate using a combination of a first liquid fuel and a second liquid fuel. The heating system is configured to control heating of the second liquid fuel. The sensor is configured to generate sensor data indicative of a fuel condition of the second liquid fuel. The controller is communicably coupled to the heating system and the sensor. The controller is configured to receive the sensor data from the sensor, and control operation of the heating system to heat the second liquid fuel prior to injection into the engine based on the fuel condition to enhance vaporization of the second liquid fuel and/or improve combustion characteristics of the engine. Yet another embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a method for vaporizing a secondary liquid fuel. The method includes receiving data that is indicative of a fuel condition of a second liquid fuel for a dual fuel engine system. The dual fuel engine system is configured to operate using a combination of a first liquid fuel and a second liquid fuel. The method also includes controlling operation of a heating system that is coupled to the dual fuel engine system to heat the second liquid fuel prior to injection into an engine of the dual fuel engine system based on the fuel condition to enhance vaporization of the second liquid fuel and/or improve combustion characteristics of the engine. It should be appreciated that all combinations of the foregoing concepts and additional concepts discussed in greater detail below are contemplated as being part of the subject matter disclosed herein. In particular, all combinations of claimed subject matter appended at the end of this disclosure are contemplated as being part of the subject matter disclosed herein. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The foregoing and other features of the present disclosure will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only several implementations in accordance with the disclosure and are therefore, not to be considered limiting of its scope, the disclosure will be described with additional specificity and detail through use of the accompanying dra