Internal combustion engine for natural gas compressor operation
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
F02F-001/42
F02B-033/22
F02M-021/02
F02D-017/02
F02F-001/24
출원번호
US-0676725
(2015-04-01)
등록번호
US-9528465
(2016-12-27)
발명자
/ 주소
Hagen, Christopher
Babbitt, Guy
출원인 / 주소
Oregon State University
대리인 / 주소
Klarquist Sparkman, LLP
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
16
초록▼
This application concerns systems and methods for compressing natural gas with an internal combustion engine. In a representative embodiment, a method is featured which includes placing a first cylinder of an internal combustion engine in a compressor mode, and compressing a gas within the first cyl
This application concerns systems and methods for compressing natural gas with an internal combustion engine. In a representative embodiment, a method is featured which includes placing a first cylinder of an internal combustion engine in a compressor mode, and compressing a gas within the first cylinder, using the cylinder as a reciprocating compressor. In some embodiments a compression check valve system is used to regulate pressure and flow within cylinders of the engine during a compression process.
대표청구항▼
1. An internal combustion engine, comprising: a first bimodal cylinder operable in a first bimodal cylinder compression mode to compress fuel gas without combusting the fuel gas when fuel gas is received in the first bimodal cylinder from a fuel gas source, and operable in a first bimodal cylinder c
1. An internal combustion engine, comprising: a first bimodal cylinder operable in a first bimodal cylinder compression mode to compress fuel gas without combusting the fuel gas when fuel gas is received in the first bimodal cylinder from a fuel gas source, and operable in a first bimodal cylinder combustion mode to combust fuel gas;a second bimodal cylinder in fluid communication with the first bimodal cylinder and operable in a second bimodal cylinder compression mode and a second bimodal cylinder combustion mode;a fuel gas source conduit in fluid communication with the first bimodal cylinder and fluidly couplable to the fuel gas source to supply fuel gas to the first bimodal cylinder when the first bimodal cylinder is operating in the first bimodal cylinder compression mode; anda cylinder head including a valve system operable to regulate a flow of fuel gas into the first bimodal cylinder from the fuel gas source conduit and out of the first bimodal cylinder to the second bimodal cylinder when compressing fuel gas in the first bimodal cylinder. 2. The internal combustion engine of claim 1, further comprising at least one cylinder operable in a combustion mode to drive the first bimodal cylinder when compressing fuel gas in the first bimodal cylinder, the at least one cylinder and the first bimodal cylinder being coupled to a common crankshaft. 3. The internal combustion engine of claim 1, wherein the first and second bimodal cylinders are in fluid communication via a conduit defined in the cylinder head. 4. The internal combustion engine of claim 3, wherein the valve system comprises at least one check valve. 5. The internal combustion engine of claim 4, wherein the at least one check valve is associated with the first bimodal cylinder, the at least one check valve being actuated by changing pressure within the first bimodal cylinder when the first bimodal cylinder is operating in the first bimodal cylinder compression mode. 6. The internal combustion engine of claim 5, wherein the at least one check valve is lockable in a closed position when the first bimodal cylinder is operated in the first bimodal cylinder combustion mode. 7. The internal combustion engine of claim 1, wherein: the first bimodal cylinder compresses fuel gas to a first pressure; andthe second bimodal cylinder receives fuel gas from the first bimodal cylinder and compresses the fuel gas to a second pressure greater than the first pressure. 8. The internal combustion engine of claim 7, wherein: the first bimodal cylinder and a third bimodal cylinder both compress fuel gas to the first pressure; andthe second bimodal cylinder receives fuel gas from the first and third bimodal cylinders and compresses the fuel gas to the second pressure. 9. The internal combustion engine of claim 1, wherein the valve system further comprises an inlet valve configured to open inwardly into the first bimodal cylinder and an outlet valve configured to open outwardly away from the first bimodal cylinder. 10. The internal combustion engine of claim 1, wherein the cylinder head further comprises inlet and outlet channels operable during operation of the first bimodal cylinder in the first bimodal cylinder combustion mode. 11. The internal combustion engine of claim 1, further comprising a booster compressor in fluid communication with the fuel gas source and the first bimodal cylinder. 12. A vehicle including the internal combustion engine of claim 1. 13. A method, comprising making an internal combustion engine including a first bimodal cylinder operable in a first bimodal cylinder compression mode to compress fuel gas without combusting the fuel gas when fuel gas is received in the first bimodal cylinder from a fuel gas source and operable in a first bimodal cylinder combustion mode to combust fuel gas, the internal combustion engine further comprising a second bimodal cylinder in fluid communication with the first bimodal cylinder and operable in a second bimodal cylinder compression mode and a second bimodal cylinder combustion mode, the internal combustion engine further comprising a fuel gas source conduit in fluid communication with the first bimodal cylinder and fluidly couplable to the fuel gas source to supply fuel gas to the first bimodal cylinder when the first bimodal cylinder is operating in the first bimodal cylinder compression mode, the internal combustion engine further comprising a cylinder head including a valve system operable to regulate a flow of fuel gas into the first bimodal cylinder from the fuel gas source conduit and out of the first bimodal cylinder to the second bimodal cylinder when compressing fuel gas in the first bimodal cylinder. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein making the internal combustion engine further comprises making at least one cylinder operable in a combustion mode to drive the first and second bimodal cylinders when compressing fuel gas in the first and second bimodal cylinders. 15. The method of claim 13, wherein making the internal combustion engine further comprises making a conduit in the cylinder head to fluidly couple the first and second bimodal cylinders. 16. The method of claim 13, wherein making the internal combustion engine further comprises: making the valve system operable with the first bimodal cylinder to compress fuel gas to a first pressure; andmaking the valve system operable with the second bimodal cylinder to receive fuel gas from the first bimodal cylinder and compress the fuel gas to a second pressure. 17. The method of claim 13, further comprising incorporating the internal combustion engine into a vehicle. 18. A method, comprising operating a vehicle having an internal combustion engine including a first bimodal cylinder operable in a first bimodal cylinder compression mode to compress fuel gas without combusting the fuel gas when fuel gas is received in the first bimodal cylinder from a fuel gas source and operable in a first bimodal cylinder combustion mode to combust fuel gas, the internal combustion engine further comprising a second bimodal cylinder in fluid communication with the first bimodal cylinder and operable in a second bimodal cylinder compression mode and a second bimodal cylinder combustion mode, the internal combustion engine further comprising a fuel gas source conduit in fluid communication with the first bimodal cylinder and fluidly couplable to the fuel gas source to supply fuel gas to the first bimodal cylinder when the first bimodal cylinder is operating in the first bimodal cylinder compression mode, the internal combustion engine further comprising a cylinder head including a valve system operable to regulate a flow of fuel gas into the first bimodal cylinder from the fuel gas source conduit and out of the first bimodal cylinder to the second bimodal cylinder when compressing fuel gas in the first bimodal cylinder, the first and second bimodal cylinders being operable as reciprocating compressors to compress gas when operating in the first bimodal cylinder compression mode and the second bimodal cylinder compression mode, respectively. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein operating the vehicle further comprises actuating a controller to place the first bimodal cylinder in the first bimodal cylinder compression mode and the second bimodal cylinder in the second bimodal cylinder compression mode, and compressing fuel gas within the first and second bimodal cylinders using the first and second bimodal cylinders as reciprocating compressors, or transmitting control signals to place the first bimodal cylinder in the first bimodal cylinder compression mode and the second bimodal cylinder in the second bimodal cylinder compression mode, and transmitting control signals to compress fuel gas within the first and second bimodal cylinders using the first and second bimodal cylinders as reciprocating compressors. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein operating the vehicle further comprises activating one or more check valves of the valve system in fluid communication with the first bimodal cylinder so that the one or more check valves can be opened or closed by changing pressure in the first bimodal cylinder to receive fuel gas from the fuel gas source conduit into the first bimodal cylinder and to allow fuel gas compressed by the first bimodal cylinder to flow to the second bimodal cylinder, or transmitting control signals to activate the one or more check valves so that the one or more check valves can be opened or closed by changing pressure in the first bimodal cylinder. 21. The method of claim 18, wherein: the internal combustion engine further comprises at least one cylinder operable in a combustion mode; andoperating the vehicle further comprises operating the at least one cylinder in the combustion mode to drive the first bimodal cylinder in the first bimodal cylinder compression mode and the second bimodal cylinder in the second bimodal cylinder compression mode, or transmitting control signals to operate the at least one cylinder in the combustion mode to drive the first bimodal cylinder in the first bimodal cylinder compression mode and the second bimodal cylinder in the second bimodal cylinder compression mode. 22. The method of claim 18, wherein operating the vehicle further comprises fueling the vehicle with fuel gas from the fuel gas source, the fuel gas being compressed by the first and second bimodal cylinders. 23. The method of claim 22, wherein operating the vehicle further comprises actuating an onboard booster compressor to boost a pressure of fuel gas received from the fuel gas source before the fuel gas is compressed by the first bimodal cylinder, or transmitting control signals to the onboard booster compressor to boost the pressure of fuel gas received from the fuel gas source before the fuel gas is compressed by the first bimodal cylinder. 24. The method of claim 18, wherein operating the vehicle further comprises ceasing operation of the first bimodal cylinder in the first bimodal cylinder compression mode and ceasing operation of the second bimodal cylinder in the second bimodal cylinder compression mode when a pressure in a storage tank onboard the vehicle that receives fuel gas compressed by the first and second bimodal cylinders reaches a predetermined pressure, or transmitting control signals to cease operation of the first bimodal cylinder in the first bimodal cylinder compression mode and cease operation of the second bimodal cylinder in the second bimodal cylinder compression mode when the pressure in the storage tank reaches the predetermined pressure. 25. The method of claim 24, wherein operating the vehicle further comprises operating the first bimodal cylinder in the first bimodal cylinder combustion mode and the second bimodal cylinder in the second bimodal cylinder combustion mode using compressed fuel gas from the storage tank as fuel, or transmitting control signals to operate the first bimodal cylinder in the first bimodal cylinder combustion mode and the second bimodal cylinder in the second bimodal cylinder combustion mode using compressed fuel gas from the storage tank as fuel. 26. One or more non-transitory, computer-readable storage media storing computer executable instructions for causing a computer to perform the method of claim 18. 27. A method, comprising: receiving fuel gas from a fuel gas source in a first bimodal cylinder of an internal combustion engine, the first bimodal cylinder being operable in a first bimodal cylinder compression mode to compress fuel gas without combusting the fuel gas, and operable in a first bimodal cylinder combustion mode to combust fuel gas in the first bimodal cylinder as fuel;compressing fuel gas received from the fuel gas source in the first bimodal cylinder to a first pressure;supplying compressed fuel gas from the first bimodal cylinder to a second bimodal cylinder in fluid communication with the first bimodal cylinder, the second bimodal cylinder being operable in a second bimodal cylinder compression mode and a second bimodal cylinder combustion mode;compressing compressed fuel gas received from the first bimodal cylinder in the second bimodal cylinder to a second pressure; andsupplying compressed fuel gas from the second bimodal cylinder to a fuel gas storage volume in fluid communication with the second bimodal cylinder. 28. The method of claim 27, further comprising operating one or more cylinders of the internal combustion engine in a combustion mode to drive the first and second bimodal cylinders when the first bimodal cylinder is operating in the first bimodal cylinder compression mode and the second bimodal cylinder is operating in the second bimodal cylinder compression mode. 29. The method of claim 27, further comprising activating one or more check valves in fluid communication with the first bimodal cylinder so that the one or more check valves can be opened and closed by changing pressure in the first bimodal cylinder to receive fuel gas from the fuel gas source into the first bimodal cylinder and to allow fuel gas compressed by the first bimodal cylinder to flow to the second bimodal cylinder. 30. The method of claim 27, further comprising: switching the first bimodal cylinder from the first bimodal cylinder compression mode to the first bimodal cylinder combustion mode;switching the second bimodal cylinder from the second bimodal cylinder compression mode to the second bimodal cylinder combustion mode; andsupplying fuel gas to the first and second bimodal cylinders from the fuel gas storage volume for combustion in the first and second bimodal cylinders as fuel.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (16)
Fong, Danielle A.; Crane, Stephen E.; Berlin, Jr., Edwin P., Compressed air energy storage system utilizing two-phase flow to facilitate heat exchange.
McBride, Troy O.; Bollinger, Benjamin R.; Bessette, Jon; Bell, Alexander; Kepshire, Dax; La Ven, Arne; Rauwerdink, Adam, Systems and methods for efficient two-phase heat transfer in compressed-air energy storage systems.
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