Fuel rail assembly including fuel separation membrane
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
F02B-013/00
F02M-037/00
출원번호
US-0962683
(2007-12-21)
등록번호
US-8550058
(2013-10-08)
발명자
/ 주소
Pursifull, Ross Dykstra
Dearth, Mark Allen
Leone, Tom G.
출원인 / 주소
Ford Global Technologies, LLC
대리인 / 주소
Voutyras, Julia
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
12인용 특허 :
164
초록▼
As one example, a fuel rail assembly for supplying pressurized fuel to a plurality of cylinders of an engine is provided. The fuel rail assembly includes a fuel rail housing defining an internal fuel rail volume having at least a first region and a second region; a fuel separation membrane element d
As one example, a fuel rail assembly for supplying pressurized fuel to a plurality of cylinders of an engine is provided. The fuel rail assembly includes a fuel rail housing defining an internal fuel rail volume having at least a first region and a second region; a fuel separation membrane element disposed within the fuel rail housing that segregates the first region from the second region. The membrane element can be configured to pass a first component of a fuel mixture such as an alcohol through the membrane element from the first region to the second region at a higher rate than a second component of the fuel mixture such as a hydrocarbon. The separated alcohol and hydrocarbon components can be provided to the engine in varying relative amounts based on operating conditions.
대표청구항▼
1. A fuel rail assembly for supplying pressurized fuel to a plurality of cylinders of an engine, comprising: fuel rail housing defining an internal fuel rail volume having at least a first region and a second region;a fuel separation membrane element disposed within the fuel rail housing and segrega
1. A fuel rail assembly for supplying pressurized fuel to a plurality of cylinders of an engine, comprising: fuel rail housing defining an internal fuel rail volume having at least a first region and a second region;a fuel separation membrane element disposed within the fuel rail housing and segregating the first region from the second region, said membrane element configured to pass a first component of a fuel mixture through the membrane element from the first region to the second region at a higher rate than a second component of the fuel mixture;a fuel inlet disposed on the fuel rail housing, said fuel inlet configured to admit the fuel mixture to the first region;a plurality of fuel outlets disposed on the fuel rail housing, wherein each of said fuel outlets are configured to supply at least a portion of the fuel mixture from the first region to a respective one of said plurality of engine cylinders; andat least one membrane outlet disposed on the fuel rail housing and configured to supply at least a portion of the first component that has passed through the membrane element from the second region to a location external the fuel rail housing. 2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the membrane element is shaped to be loaded in compression when the first region is pressurized with the fuel mixture. 3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the first region substantially surrounds the second region within the fuel rail housing. 4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the fuel rail housing forms a first tube and the membrane element forms a second tube internal the first tube. 5. The assembly of claim 4, wherein the first and second tubes each have an annular cross-section as viewed through a plane that is orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the fuel rail assembly. 6. The assembly of claim 4, wherein the membrane element includes a membrane coating and a membrane substrate that supports the membrane coating, said coating forming an outer surface of the second tube. 7. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the coating utilizes at least one of molecule size exclusion and chemical selectivity to at least partially separate the first component from the second component of the fuel mixture. 8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the coating includes a polymer material. 9. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the substrate includes a porous ceramic material. 10. The assembly of claim 9, wherein the ceramic material includes zirconia. 11. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first component includes an alcohol and the second component includes a hydrocarbon. 12. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising, at least a second fuel separation membrane element disposed within the fuel rail housing and segregating the first region of the fuel rail volume from a third region of the fuel rail volume, said second membrane element configured to pass the first component through the second membrane element from the first region to the third region at a higher rate than the second component. 13. The assembly of claim 12, further comprising, at least a second membrane element outlet disposed on the fuel rail housing and configured to supply from the third region of the fuel rail volume, at least a portion of the first component of the fuel mixture that has passed through the second membrane element; and wherein the second region is segregated by the third region by at least said second membrane element. 14. A method of operating a fuel system for an internal combustion engine, comprising: supplying a pressurized fuel mixture to a first fuel rail, said fuel mixture including a hydrocarbon component and an alcohol component;separating at least a portion of the alcohol component from the fuel mixture by passing at least said portion of the alcohol component through a fuel separation membrane element disposed within the first fuel rail to obtain an alcohol reduced fuel mixture;delivering the alcohol reduced fuel mixture from the first fuel rail to at least a cylinder of the engine via a first fuel injector fluidly coupled with the first fuel rail;supplying the separated alcohol component from the first fuel rail to a second fuel rail; anddelivering the separated alcohol component from the second fuel rail to the cylinder via a second fuel injector fluidly coupled with the second fuel rail. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second fuel injector is configured as a direct in-cylinder fuel injector and wherein said delivering the alcohol fuel component to the cylinder includes directly injecting the alcohol fuel component into the cylinder via the second fuel injector. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first fuel injector is configured as a direct in-cylinder fuel injector and wherein said delivering the alcohol reduced fuel mixture to the cylinder includes directly injecting the alcohol reduced fuel mixture into the cylinder via the first fuel injector. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein said supplying a pressurized fuel mixture to the first fuel rail is performed via at least a first lower pressure fuel pump that is powered by an electric motor and a second higher pressure fuel pump that is powered by a mechanical output of the engine. 18. The method of claim 14, wherein said supplying a pressurized fuel mixture to the first fuel rail is performed via at least a first fuel pump; and wherein said supplying the separated alcohol component from the first fuel rail to the second fuel rail further comprises increasing pressurization of the separated alcohol component via a second fuel pump. 19. The method of claim 14, wherein said supplying the separated alcohol component from the first fuel rail to the second fuel rail further comprises condensing a vapor phase portion of the separated alcohol component to a liquid phase at a condensation tank before the separated alcohol component is supplied to the second fuel rail in the liquid phase. 20. The method of claim 14, further comprising: increasing intake air pressure supplied to the cylinder by boosting said intake air via a compression device; and increasing an amount of the alcohol component delivered to the cylinder relative to the hydrocarbon component in response to an increase of the intake air pressure supplied to the cylinder via the compression device. 21. The method of claim 14, further comprising, heating the first fuel rail with heat generated by the engine, and where the alcohol reduced component is delivered to a plurality of cylinders. 22. An engine system for a vehicle, comprising: an internal combustion engine including a plurality of combustion chambers;a fuel storage tank;a first fuel rail defining an internal volume that includes a first region and a second region, said first fuel rail including a fuel inlet that communicates with the first region and a plurality of fuel outlets, wherein at least a first fuel outlet and a second fuel outlet of the first fuel rail each communicate with the first region, and at least a third fuel outlet of the first fuel rail communicates with the second region;a fuel separation membrane element disposed within the first fuel rail and segregating the first region from the second region, said membrane element configured to pass a first component of a mixed fuel from the first region to the second region at a higher rate than a second component of the fuel mixture;a first fuel passage fluidly coupling the fuel storage tank with the first region via the fuel inlet of the first fuel rail;a first fuel pump arranged along the first fuel passage, said first fuel pump configured to pressurize the first region with the mixed fuel;a first fuel injector fluidly coupled with the first region via the first fuel outlet of the first fuel rail, said first fuel injector configured to supply at least a portion of the mixed fuel to a first combustion chamber of the engine;a second fuel injector fluidly coupled with the second region via the second fuel outlet of the first fuel rail, said second fuel injector configured to supply at least a portion of the mixed fuel to a second combustion chamber of the engine;a second fuel rail including a fuel inlet and a plurality of fuel outlets;a second fuel passage fluidly coupling the second region of the first fuel rail via the third fuel outlet to the fuel inlet of the second fuel rail; andat least a third fuel injector fluidly coupled with a first outlet of the second fuel rail, said third fuel injector configured to supply at least a portion of the first component that has passed through the membrane to the first combustion chamber of the engine. 23. The system of claim 22, further comprising a second fuel pump arranged along the second fuel passage. 24. The system of claim 23, further comprising a condensation system arranged along the second fuel passage upstream of the second fuel pump, said condensation system configured to condense a vapor phase of at least the first fuel component that passes through the membrane into the second region into a liquid phase, wherein the condensation system includes a vapor condenser and a heat exchanger arranged downstream of the vapor condenser; and a second fuel storage tank arranged along the second fuel passage between the condensation system and the second fuel pump. 25. The system of claim 23, further comprising a third fuel pump arranged along the first fuel passage downstream of the first fuel pump, wherein the first fuel pump is an electrically powered lower pressure pump and the third fuel pump is an engine driven higher pressure pump. 26. The system of claim 22, further comprising a control system configured to adjust an amount of the first component that is supplied to the engine relative to the second component in response to engine load by varying a pulse width of at least one of the first and the third injectors; and wherein the first component is an alcohol and the second component is a hydrocarbon. 27. The system of claim 22, further comprising a boosting device fluidly coupled within an air intake passage of the engine and where an operating condition further includes a boost pressure provided to the engine by the boosting device. 28. The system of claim 22, wherein the first fuel rail and the second fuel rail are mounted on the engine. 29. A method of operating a fuel system for an internal combustion engine, comprising: supplying a pressurized fuel mixture to a fuel rail, said fuel mixture including a hydrocarbon component and an alcohol component;separating at least a portion of the alcohol component from the fuel mixture by passing at least said portion of the alcohol component through a fuel separation membrane element disposed within the fuel rail to obtain an alcohol reduced fuel mixture;delivering the alcohol reduced fuel mixture from the fuel rail to at least a plurality of cylinders of the engine via injectors fluidly coupled with the first fuel rail;supplying the separated alcohol component to the engine. 30. The method of claim 29 where the separated alcohol component is delivered in a vapor phase to the engine. 31. The method of claim 29 where the separated alcohol component is delivered in a pressurized liquid phase to the engine. 32. The method of claim 29 where the injectors are coupled directly to the fuel rail. 33. The method of claim 29 further comprising pressurizing the fuel mixture with a high pressure fuel pump. 34. The method of claim 29 where a pressure of the pressurized fuel mixture is adjusted responsive to an exhaust gas oxygen amount. 35. A method of operating a fuel system for an internal combustion engine, comprising: supplying a pressurized fuel mixture to a fuel rail, said fuel mixture including a hydrocarbon component and an alcohol component;separating at least a portion of the alcohol component from the fuel mixture by passing at least said portion of the alcohol component through a fuel separation membrane element disposed within the fuel rail to obtain an alcohol reduced fuel mixture;delivering at least a portion of the alcohol reduced fuel mixture from the fuel rail to at least a plurality of cylinders of the engine via injectors fluidly coupled with the first fuel rail;supplying at least a portion of the separated alcohol component to the engine; andadjusting at least one of the delivery of the alcohol reduced fuel mixture and the supply of the separated alcohol component responsive to variation in engine operating conditions. 36. The method of claim 35 further comprising adjusting the delivery of the alcohol reduced fuel mixture responsive to exhaust air-fuel ratio. 37. The method of claim 35 further comprising adjusting supply of the separated alcohol component responsive to exhaust air-fuel ratio. 38. The method of claim 35 further comprising at least partially condensing the portion of separated alcohol component before supplying it to the engine, where the condensing is adjusted responsive to an operating condition.
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