A fuel separation system includes a fuel separator configured to receive a fuel stream and separate the fuel stream, based on a volatility of the fuel stream, into a vapor stream defined by a first auto-ignition characteristic value and a first liquid stream defined by a second auto-ignition characteristic value, the second auto-ignition characteristic value greater than the first auto-ignition characteristic value; and a heat exchanger fluidly coupled between a fuel input of the fuel stream and the fuel separator, the heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from the vapor stream to the fuel stream, and output a heated fuel stream to the fuel separator and a second liquid stream defined by the first auto-ignition characteristic value.

A supplemental fuel system includes a supplemental fuel tank, an electronic lock off valve, a temperature sensor, and a controller. The supplemental fuel tank is configured to store a supplemental fuel. The supplemental fuel is configured to supplement a primary fuel used by an engine. The electronic lock off valve is configured to be positioned between the supplemental fuel tank and an air supply system for the engine. The temperature sensor is configured to acquire temperature data regarding a temperature of exhaust gas output by the engine. The controller is configured to control the electronic lock off valve such that the electronic lock off valve is (i) closed in response to the temperature being greater than a temperature threshold and (ii) open or openable in response to the temperature being less than the temperature threshold.

The present invention relates to a system for coping with a malfunction of an ethanol sensor of a FFV. The present invention provides a system for coping with a malfunction of an ethanol sensor of a FFV, the system including: a driving condition detector configured to determine whether a driving condition of the FFV is satisfied; an air-fuel ratio control condition detector configured to determine whether an air-fuel ratio control condition is satisfied; a timer unit configured to calculate a timer value by measuring time when an ethanol content value measured in the ethanol sensor is constant and when the driving condition and the air-fuel ratio control condition are satisfied; and a controller configured to synchronize an ethanol-content learned value with the ethanol content value measured in the ethanol sensor when it is determined that the timer value calculated in the timer unit is higher than a preset critical value.

An internal combustion engine in which a fuel reforming operation in a fuel reformation cylinder is not executed when a gas temperature of a fuel reformation chamber at a time point when a piston in the fuel reformation cylinder reaches a compression top dead point is estimated to fall short of a reforming operation allowable lower limit gas temperature set based on a lower limit value of a reforming reaction enabling temperature. For example, fuel is supplied from an injector so that an equivalence ratio in the fuel reformation chamber is less than 1. Alternatively, the fuel supply from an injector is stopped. This way, a supply of non-reformed fuel from the fuel reformation cylinder to an output cylinder can be avoided, and knocking in the output cylinder can be avoided.

The present disclosure relates to a vehicle, system, and method for on-board catalytic upgrading of hydrocarbon fuels. In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, a vehicle may include, amongst other things, an internal combustion engine configured to provide motive force to the vehicle, an unreformed fuel subsystem, a reformed fuel subsystem, and a fuel system control architecture. The unreformed fuel subsystem may be structurally configured to transfer unreformed hydrocarbon fuel from the on-board point-of-sale fuel tank to the internal combustion engine. The reformed fuel subsystem may be structurally configured to reform hydrocarbon fuel from the on-board point-of-sale fuel tank and transfer reformed fuel to the internal combustion engine along a reformed fuel supply pathway separated from the unreformed fuel supply pathway. The fuel system control architecture may include a reformate flow control device and a cetane rating controller. The cetane rating controller and the reformate flow control device may cooperate to deliver an upgraded hydrocarbon fuel to a combustion zone of the internal combustion engine.

A method of controlling a dual fuel engine system includes adjusting a phasing control parameter such as air-fuel ratio (AFR), based on a phasing signal to limit an error in a phasing of combustion of gaseous fuel. The cylinder is switched to a dual fuel liquid pilot-ignited mode by commanding direct injection of an early pilot shot of liquid fuel, based on the adjustment to the phasing control parameter, and production of a spark to ignite gaseous fuel in the cylinder. Switching the cylinder to the dual fuel liquid pilot-ignited mode is completed by commanding direct injection of an early pilot shot and a second pilot shot of liquid fuel to ignite gaseous fuel in response to combustion of the early and second pilot shots in the cylinder.

A fuel control system can operate an internal combustion engine to selectively combust a first fuel, such as diesel, during a single fuel mode and to combust the first fuel and a second fuel, such natural gas, during a fuel substitution mode. An in-cylinder parameter sensor is in communication with the combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine to measure an in-cylinder parameter such as, for example, the indicated mean effective pressure, during combustion of the first fuel during the single fuel mode. The fuel control system utilizes the in-cylinder parameter to determine a first fuel quantity error and can adjust delivery of the first fuel to correct for the first fuel quantity error during the single fuel and fuel substitution modes. The fuel control system can also use the first fuel quantity error to determine and adjust for a second fuel quantity error.

Internal combustion engine, preferably a gas engine, comprising a pre-chamber having a pre-chamber intake system and a main combustion chamber having a main combustion chamber intake system, wherein by use of the intake systems a predetermined amount of energy of fuel can be supplied to the main combustion chamber for a combustion, wherein a control unit is configured to control the intake systems according to the following operation modes: a first operation mode, in which a majority of a fuel energy amount for the combustion in the main combustion chamber is supplied directly to the main combustion chamber by use of the main combustion chamber intake system, and a second operation mode, in which a majority of the fuel energy amount for the combustion in the main combustion chamber is supplied via the pre-chamber to the main combustion chamber by use of the pre-chamber intake system.

An internal combustion engine in which a required reformed-fuel heat generation quantity (required output cylinder heat generation quantity) is calculated based on a required engine power and the thermal efficiency of an output cylinder. An estimated reformed fuel heat generation quantity is calculated based on the molar number of reformed fuel, mole fraction of each gas component in the reformed fuel, and heat generation quantity of each gas component in the reformed fuel. When a value resulting from subtracting the estimated reformed fuel heat generation quantity from the required reformed-fuel heat generation quantity is negative, a fuel reforming operation is not executed, assuming that there is a possibility that surplus reformed fuel may be generated. For example, a fuel supply from an injector to a fuel reformation chamber is stopped.

Methods and systems are provided for a fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine system, in particular of a motor vehicle, having at least one liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tank for storing an LPG fuel and at least one direct injection unit, which has a direct injection fuel distributor and direct injection valves that can be supplied with fuel via said distributor. In order to improve supply of the internal combustion engine system with LPG fuel, the fuel supply system includes a booster pump inserted between the LPG tank and the direct injection fuel distributor. A discharge side of the booster pump is connected directly to the direct injection fuel distributor by at least one line, and the direct injection valves each have a closure part that rises outward from a valve seat to open the respective direct injection valve.