Single Nozzle Injection of Gasoline and Anti-Knock Fuel

Abstract

Fuel management system of operation of a spark ignition engine. The system includes a source of gasoline and a source of anti-knock fuel. A proportioning valve receives the gasoline and the anti-knock fuel to discharge a mixture having a controlled gasoline/anti-knock fuel ratio. A single high pressure pump receives the mixture and delivers the mixture to an injector. A fuel management control system controls the proportioning valve and the injector for injection of the mixture into a cylinder of the engine to control knock. A preferred anti-knock fuel is ethanol.

1 . Fuel management system for operation of a spark ignition gasoline engine, comprising:
 a gasoline engine;   a source of liquid gasoline;   a source of liquid anti-knock fuel;   a proportioning valve receiving the gasoline and anti-knock fuel to discharge a liquid mixture through a first conduit having a controlled gasoline/anti-knock fuel ratio;   a high pressure pump receiving the mixture through the first conduit and delivering the mixture through a second conduit to an injector; and   a fuel management control system for controlling the proportioning valve and the injector for injection of the mixture into a cylinder of the engine to control knock.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the proportioning valve is drive by an actuator. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the proportioning valve is upstream of the high pressure pump. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the proportioning valve employs rotation or translation of elements to vary the gasoline/anti-knock fuel composition. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the proportioning valve allows an arbitrarily selected ratio of gasoline to anti-knock fuel including either all gasoline or all anti-knock fuel. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel downstream from the proportioning valve is purged for rapid modification of the fuel mixture when ethanol content demand increases because of transient to high torque. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 6 , where the purged fuel is returned to the main gasoline tank. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1 , further including a first low pressure pump for delivering the gasoline to the proportioning valve, and a second low pressure pump for delivering the anti-knock fuel to the proportioning valve. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the mixture is injected into the cylinder under pulse width modulation control. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the anti-knock fuel is ethanol or ethanol blends. 
   
   
       11 . Fuel management system for operation of a spark ignition engine, comprising:
 a gasoline engine;   a source of gasoline;   a source of anti-knock fuel;   a high pressure pump receiving the gasoline and anti-knock fuel and including two vanes for separate pressurization of the gasoline and anti-knock fuel;   a high pressure proportioning valve receiving the pressurized gasoline and anti-knock fuel to discharge a mixture having a controlled gasoline/anti-knock ratio;   an injector for receiving the mixture from the proportioning valve; and   a fuel management control system for controlling the proportioning valve and injector for injection of the mixture into a cylinder of an engine.   
   
   
       12 . Fuel management system for operation of a spark ignition gasoline engine, comprising:
 a gasoline engine;   a source of liquid gasoline;   a source of liquid anti-knock fluid;   a proportioning valve receiving the gasoline and anti-knock fluid to discharge a liquid mixture through a first conduit having a controlled gasoline/anti-knock fluid ratio;   a high pressure pump receiving the mixture through the first conduit and delivering the mixture through a second conduit to an injector; and   a fuel management control system for controlling the proportioning valve and the injector for injection of the mixture into a cylinder of the engine to control knock   wherein the volume within the first conduit, the high pressure pump and the second conduit is minimized to improve the transient response of the fuel management system.   
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the proportioning valve is drive by an actuator. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the proportioning valve is upstream of the high pressure pump. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the proportioning valve employs rotation or translation of elements to vary the gasoline/anti-knock fluid composition. 
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the proportioning valve allows an arbitrarily selected ratio of gasoline to anti-knock fluid including either all gasoline or all anti-knock fluid. 
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the fuel downstream from the proportioning valve is purged for rapid modification of the fuel mixture when anti-knock fluid content demand increases because of transient to high torque. 
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 17 , where the purged fuel is returned to the main gasoline tank. 
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 12 , further including a first low pressure pump for delivering the gasoline to the proportioning valve, and a second low pressure pump for delivering the anti-knock fluid to the proportioning valve. 
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the mixture is injected into the cylinder under pulse width modulation control. 
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the anti-knock fluid is ethanol or ethanol blends. 
   
   
       22 . Fuel management system for operation of a spark ignition engine, comprising:
 a gasoline engine;   a source of gasoline;   a source of anti-knock fluid;   a high pressure pump receiving the gasoline and anti-knock fluid and including two vanes for separate pressurization of the gasoline and anti-knock fluid;   a high pressure proportioning valve receiving the pressurized gasoline and anti-knock fluid to discharge a mixture having a controlled gasoline/anti-knock ratio;   an injector for receiving the mixture from the proportioning valve; and   a fuel management control system for controlling the proportioning valve and injector for injection of the mixture into a cylinder of an engine   wherein the volume of the mixture between the high pressure pump and the injector is minimized to improve transient response of the fuel management system.