Fuel mixture system and assembly

Abstract

A system and attendant structural assembly operative to establish a coordinated mixture of gaseous and distillate fuels for an engine including an electronic control unit (ECU) operative to monitor predetermined engine data determinative of engine fuel requirements and structured to regulate ratios of the gaseous and distillate fuel of an operative fuel mixture for the engine. The system and assembly includes at least one mixing assembly comprising an integrated throttle body and air gas mixer directly connected to one another, wherein the throttle body is disposed in fluid communication with a pressurized gaseous fuel supply and the air gas mixer is disposed in fluid communication with a flow of intake air to a combustion section of the engine. In use, the throttle body is structured to direct a variable gaseous fuel flow directly to the air gas mixer for dispensing into the intake air flow to the combustion section.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A control system for establishing gaseous fuel input for a compression ignition engine operative on a variable mixture of gaseous and distillate fuels, said control system comprising:
 an electronic control module (ECU) operative to regulate a concentration of gaseous fuel within an intake air flow to a combustion section of the CI engine,   a mass air flow measuring assembly comprising at least one mass air flow (MAF) sensor disposed in monitoring relation to the intake air flow,   said one MAF sensor operatively connected to said ECU and structured to transfer data signals to said ECU indicative of a mass flow rate of the intake air flow,   a throttle assembly structured to deliver variable quantities of gaseous fuel to the intake air flow dependent at least on the mass flow rate of intake air, and   said throttle assembly cooperatively structured with said ECU and operative therewith to establish a sufficient concentration of gaseous fuel delivered to the intake air flow to comply with predetermined operating parameters of the CI engine.   
     
     
         2 . A control system as recited in  claim 1  wherein said predetermined operating parameters comprise a maximum gaseous fuel input of 4.5% by volume of the mass flow rate of intake air. 
     
     
         3 . A control system as recited in  claim 2  wherein said predetermined operating parameters further comprise a sufficient input of gaseous fuel to restrict the occurrence of engine knocking. 
     
     
         4 . A control system as recited in  claim 1  wherein said predetermined operating parameters comprise an input of a sufficiently reduced quantity of gaseous fuel to restrict the occurrence of engine knocking. 
     
     
         5 . A control system as recited in  claim 4  further comprising a knock sensor assembly operatively disposed relative to the combustion section and structured to determine an occurrence of engine knock therein. 
     
     
         6 . A control system as recited in  claim 5  wherein said knock sensor assembly is operatively connected to said ECU and structured to signal said ECU of an occurrence of engine knock in the combustion section. 
     
     
         7 . A control system as recited in  claim 6  wherein said ECU is cooperatively structured with said throttle assembly to regulate delivery of gaseous fuel to the intake air based on the determination of engine knock by said knock sensor assembly. 
     
     
         8 . A control system as recited in  claim 6  wherein said ECU is cooperatively structured with said throttle assembly to deliver a diminished quantity of gaseous fuel to the intake air flow upon a determination of engine knock by said knock sensor assembly. 
     
     
         9 . A control system as recited in  claim 8  wherein said diminished quantity of gaseous fuel comprises an amount sufficiently less than 4.5% by volume of the mass flow rate of intake air to restrict engine knock in the combustion section. 
     
     
         10 . A control system as recited in  claim 9  wherein said predetermined operating parameters comprise a maximum gaseous fuel input of 4.5% by volume of the mass flow rate of intake air. 
     
     
         11 . A control system as recited in  claim 1  wherein said one MAF sensor comprises a hot-wire MAF sensor. 
     
     
         12 . A control system as recited in  claim 1  further comprising a gaseous fuel supply structured to retain and deliver the gaseous fuel under a positive pressure; said throttle assembly and said gaseous fuel supply being cooperatively structured to direct the variable gaseous fuel flow from the throttle assembly to the intake air at a positive pressure. 
     
     
         13 . A control system as recited in  claim 12  wherein said predetermined operating parameters comprise a maximum gaseous fuel input of 4.5% by volume of the mass flow rate of intake air. 
     
     
         14 . A control system as recited in  claim 1  further including at least one mixing assembly comprising an air gas mixer structurally integrated with said throttle assembly, said throttle assembly disposed in fluid communication with said gaseous fuel supply and said air gas mixer disposed in gaseous fuel delivering relation with the intake air flow to the combustion section. 
     
     
         15 . A control system as recited in  claim 14  further comprising a gaseous fuel supply structured to retain and deliver the gaseous fuel under a positive pressure; said throttle assembly structured to direct a variable gaseous fuel flow under said positive pressure directly to said integrated air gas mixer there from to the intake air flow. 
     
     
         16 . A control system for establishing gaseous fuel input for a compression ignition engine operative on a variable mixture of gaseous and distillate fuels, said control system comprising:
 an electronic control module (ECU) operative to regulate a concentration of gaseous fuel within intake air flow to a combustion section of the CI engine,   a mass air flow measuring assembly comprising at least one mass air flow (MAF) sensor disposed in monitoring relation to the intake air flow,   said one MAF sensor operatively connected to said ECU and structured to transfer data signals to said ECU indicative of a mass flow rate of the intake air flow,   a gaseous fuel supply structured to retain and dispense the gaseous fuel under a positive pressure,   at least one mixing assembly comprising a structurally integrated throttle body and air gas mixer,   said throttle body structured to direct a variable gaseous fuel flow under the positive pressure directly to said integrated air gas mixer and there from to the intake air, and   said throttle body cooperatively structured with said ECU and operative therewith to establish a sufficient concentration of gaseous fuel delivered to said integrated air gas mixer and the intake air flow to comply with predetermined operating parameters of the CI engine.   
     
     
         17 . A control system as recited in  claim 16  wherein said predetermined operating parameters further comprise an input of a quantity of gaseous fuel sufficient to restrict the occurrence of engine knock. 
     
     
         18 . A control system as recited in  claim 17  further comprising a knock sensor assembly operatively disposed relative to the combustion section and structured to determine an occurrence of engine knock therein. 
     
     
         19 . A control system as recited in  claim 18  wherein said predetermined operating parameters comprise a maximum gaseous fuel input of 4.5% by volume of the mass flow rate of intake air. 
     
     
         20 . A control system as recited in  claim 19  wherein said ECU is cooperatively structured with said throttle body to deliver a diminished quantity of gaseous fuel to the intake air flow upon a determination of engine knock by said knock sensor assembly. 
     
     
         21 . A control system as recited in  claim 20  wherein said diminished quantity of gaseous fuel comprises an amount sufficiently less than 4.5% by volume of the mass flow rate of intake air to restrict engine knock in the combustion section. 
     
     
         22 . A control system as recited in  claim 1  wherein said one MAF sensor comprises a hot-wire MAF sensor.