Within the scope of the invention, a device for monitoring the quality of a fuel stored in a fuel tank has been developed. The main field of application is diesel-operated vehicles. The fuel is therefore preferably diesel fuel. The device is defined by the fact that means for determining the boiling point of the fuel are provided. Furthermore, a method for monitoring the quality of a fuel stored in a fuel tank has also been developed within the scope of the invention. The main field of application is diesel-operated vehicles. The fuel is therefore preferably diesel fuel. The method is defined by the fact that the boiling point of the fuel or a deviation of this boiling point from a normal value is measured. During the analysis of real injection pumps which have failed it has been detected that an excessively low boiling point of the fuel can cause the fuel to outgas. As a result, bubbles in which the necessary lubrication is no longer provided locally form in the injection pump. Furthermore, the lubricating effect is dependent on the fuel having a certain minimum viscosity. A low boiling point is also correlated with a low viscosity. Therefore, overall, the boiling point (initial boiling point, IBP) is a particularly good indicator especially of those deviations from standard values for the fuel which entail particularly costly damage.

Methods and systems are provided for accurately determining the composition of a knock control fluid using sensors already present in the engine system. An intake or an exhaust oxygen sensor is used to estimate the water and the alcohol content of a knock control fluid that is direct injected into an engine cylinder responsive to an indication of abnormal combustion. A change in the pumping current of the oxygen sensor due to the water content of the knock control fluid is distinguished from a change in the pumping current of the oxygen sensor due to the alcohol content of the knock control fluid.

An internal combustion engine control device for a dual-injection internal combustion engine acquires first and second increase values, which are fuel increase ratios according to respective alcohol concentrations of a fuel injected by cylinder injection and a fuel injected by port injection. The control device determines a basic total injection amount of fuel that should be supplied to each cylinder in the case where the alcohol concentration of the fuel is zero. An amount of fuel injected from a cylinder injection valve is determined as if the alcohol concentration of the fuel were zero. A total injection amount is to correspond to an amount in accordance with the basic total injection amount and both, the first increase value and the second increase value, so that the increase in injected fuel amount is borne by port injection.

A fuel gas blending system for internal combustion engines combines two or more gas streams to achieve a blended fuel gas having a suitable heating value (HV) for a given engine. A relatively high HV gas, for example gas produced from an oil and/or gas well, or containerized propane, is blended with a relatively low HV gas, for example nitrogen. The blended gas achieves a fuel gas with a suitable HV. Suitable means for combining the gas streams, analyzing the blended gas stream for HV and other properties, and adjusting the blend as needed are all provided. The system permits use of available gaseous fuel sources, even if not suitable in an unblended state, to efficiently fuel internal combustion engines.

A control system for a spark-ignited gaseous fuel engine includes a fuel quality sensing mechanism, and a control device structured to receive data produced by the fuel quality sensing mechanism indicative of a change in energy content of a stream of gaseous fuel and air, and to vary an amount of an augmenting fuel that is injected into the stream of gaseous fuel and air based on the data. The strategy has application to low energy gaseous fuel and air mixtures such as are produced in mine ventilation.

A bi-fuel internal combustion engine system includes a first fuel system, a second fuel system, and a bi-fuel internal combustion engine. The bi-fuel internal combustion engine is configured to selectively consume one of a first fuel received from the first fuel system and a second fuel received from the second fuel system. The bi-fuel internal combustion engine includes a camshaft and a valve assembly. The camshaft has a cam. The valve assembly is positioned adjacent the camshaft and configured to interface with the cam. The valve assembly is selectively repositionable between a first position and a second position. The bi-fuel internal combustion engine has a first dynamic compression ratio when the valve assembly is in the first position and a second dynamic compression ratio when the valve assembly is in the second position. The second dynamic compression ratio is greater than the first dynamic compression ratio.

Methods and systems are provided for accurately determining the composition of a knock control fluid using sensors already present in the engine system. An intake or an exhaust oxygen sensor is used to estimate the water and the alcohol content of a knock control fluid that is direct injected into an engine cylinder responsive to an indication of abnormal combustion. A change in the pumping current of the oxygen sensor due to the water content of the knock control fluid is distinguished from a change in the pumping current of the oxygen sensor due to the alcohol content of the knock control fluid.

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.

The present disclosure provides a method for predicting a fluid type, comprising sensing, by a first sensor, mass flow data of a fluid in an engine, wherein the first sensor operates based on a first fluid property; sensing, by a second sensor, mass flow data of the fluid, wherein the second sensor operates based on a second fluid property; and detecting, by a logic circuit of a controller, a percent difference in the mass flow data provided by the first and second sensors, the percent difference indicating that the fluid is comprised of at least a first fluid type.

A Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) mitigation system employs a combination of technologies coupling VOC laden exhaust with a reciprocating engine and generator system (Combined Heat & Power (CHP) System) with heat recovery to destroy the VOC emissions and generate electric power and useful thermal energy.