The invention involves a system and method for providing a liquid fuel or a liquid and gaseous fuel to a diesel or Otto cycle engine for operation of the engine. The system includes a primary electronic control module (ECM), which monitors engine sensors and contains a first three-dimensional fuel map for the liquid fuel. A second ECM is connected for bi-directional transfer of information to the first ECM, the second ECM contains a second three-dimensional fuel map for delivery of the gaseous fuel through a secondary gaseous fuel injection assembly. The bi-directional communication between the two ECMs while monitoring the engine sensors allows both ECMs to “learn” an efficient fuel map for delivery of both fuels in the same cycle for improved efficiency, reduction in slip and lower emissions.

A dual-fuel fuel injector, having: a first nozzle needle for discharge of liquid fuel via a first nozzle arrangement; and a multiplicity of second nozzle needles, arranged around the first nozzle needle and controlled in terms of axial stroke, for discharge of gaseous fuel via a second nozzle arrangement. Each of the second nozzle needles has for controlling the stroke thereof, a respective control chamber in the injector which can be charged with and relieved of pressure by a control fluid. The dual-fuel fuel injector has an annular duct which can be charged with and relieved of pressure by the control fluid. The dual-fuel fuel injector is designed such that, for controlling the stroke of the second nozzle needles, the control chambers for the second nozzle needles are charged with and relieved of pressure by the control fluid proceeding from the annular duct.

A dual-fuel fuel injector, having: a first nozzle needle for discharge of liquid fuel via a first nozzle arrangement; and a multiplicity of second nozzle needles, arranged around the first nozzle needle and controlled in terms of axial stroke, for discharge of gaseous fuel via a second nozzle arrangement. Each of the second nozzle needles has for controlling the stroke thereof, a respective control chamber in the injector which can be charged with and relieved of pressure by a control fluid. The dual-fuel fuel injector has an annular duct which can be charged with and relieved of pressure by the control fluid. The dual-fuel fuel injector is designed such that, for controlling the stroke of the second nozzle needles, the control chambers for the second nozzle needles are charged with and relieved of pressure by the control fluid proceeding from the annular duct.

A fuel valve includes a housing, a nozzle with nozzle holes opening to a volume inside the nozzle at the front end of the housing, a gaseous fuel inlet port in the housing connected to high pressure gaseous fuel, an axially displaceable valve needle received in a longitudinal bore in the housing, and rests on a valve seat in a closed position and has lift from the valve seat in an open position, the valve seat placed between a fuel chamber and an outlet port, the fuel chamber connected to the fuel inlet port, the outlet port connected to the volume in the nozzle, an actuator system for moving the needle between the closed and open positions, an ignition liquid inlet port connected to high pressure ignition liquid, and conduit connecting the ignition liquid inlet port to the fuel chamber, the conduit including a fixed flow restriction.

An apparatus and method for igniting a gaseous fuel directly introduced into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine comprises steps of heating a space near a fuel injector nozzle; introducing a pilot amount of the gaseous fuel in the combustion chamber during a first stage injection event; controlling residency of the pilot amount in the space such that a temperature of the pilot amount increases to an auto-ignition temperature of the gaseous fuel whereby ignition occurs; introducing a main amount of the gaseous fuel during a second stage injection event after the first stage injection event; and using heat from combustion of the pilot amount to ignite the main amount.

A uniflow scavenging 2-cycle engine includes a cylinder inside which a combustion chamber is formed; a piston which slides within the cylinder; a scavenge port which is provided on one end side in a stroke direction of the piston in the cylinder to suck an active gas into the combustion chamber in accordance with the sliding movement of the piston; and a fuel injection unit which has an injection port located on the outside of the cylinder, and injects the fuel gas into the active gas sucked into the scavenge port.

A uniflow scavenging 2-cycle engine includes a cylinder inside which a combustion chamber is formed; a piston which slides within the cylinder; a scavenge port which is provided on one end side in a stroke direction of the piston in the cylinder to suck an active gas into the combustion chamber in accordance with the sliding movement of the piston; and a fuel injection unit which has an injection port located on the outside of the cylinder, and injects the fuel gas into the active gas sucked into the scavenge port.

A method which develops a supercritical combustion chamber environment and combines fumigation and water conversion to superheated steam to effect greater fuel efficiency and reduce exhaust gas pollutants from a compression ignition engine. The invention utilizes the fumigant method by combining two gases (DME and heptane) which autoignite prior to the injection of the liquid water. This pre-combustion of the fumigant gases combined with the engine's compression of the combustion chamber gases is managed to attain a supercritical combustion chamber environment into which the liquid water is injected. This targeted supercritical combustion chamber environment causes the water to become a superheated steam, resulting in significantly greater efficiency and negligible exhaust gas pollutants resulting from the steam engine.

A fuel system for an internal combustion piston engine includes a first fuel section and a second fuel section in which the first fuel section has a first inlet line connecting respective inlets of the injectors to a tank, and the second fuel section has a second inlet line connecting respective inlets of the injectors to a fuel tank. The second fuel section is arranged to inject the fuel into the combustion chambers for igniting the first fuel, in which first fuel section the inlet line extends from a high pressure pump to the respective injectors, and a fuel return line of the first fuel section extends from each of the injectors to the tank. The fuel return line has a pressure increasing means arranged to the fuel return line of the first fuel section between the injectors and the tank.

A fuel system for an internal combustion piston engine includes a first fuel section and a second fuel section in which the first fuel section has a first inlet line connecting respective inlets of the injectors to a tank, and the second fuel section has a second inlet line connecting respective inlets of the injectors to a fuel tank. The second fuel section is arranged to inject the fuel into the combustion chambers for igniting the first fuel, in which first fuel section the inlet line extends from a high pressure pump to the respective injectors, and a fuel return line of the first fuel section extends from each of the injectors to the tank. The fuel return line has a pressure increasing means arranged to the fuel return line of the first fuel section between the injectors and the tank.