A system comprising

a distribution grid (2) for a fuel,

combustion engines (3), which are coupled with the distribution grid (2) and are configured to combust the fuel, and

a computer system (4) comprising data connections (5) to the combustion engines (3) and a data storage device (6), wherein the computer system (4) is configured to receive engine operation parameters stemming from an operation of the combustion engines (3) at a first time and/or during a first time period via the data connections (5) and geographical data of the combustion engines (3) are stored in the data storage device (6), wherein

the computer system (4) has a processor (7) which is configured to compute a prediction for at least one characteristic parameter of the fuel at a second time and/or during a second time period later than the first time and/or the first time period and with respect to a geographical location, and

the computation of the prediction being based on the geographical data and the engine operation parameters of the combustion engines (3).

A system and method for dynamically controlling an aggregate load on a generator is described. Fuel change data for a gaseous fuel for the generator is identified. The fuel change data indicates a change in fuel type for the generator. A controller identifies at least one load portion from the aggregate load associated with the change in fuel type and generates a switch command for a switch coupled to the at least one load in response to the change in fuel type.

A system and method for self-adjusting engine performance parameters in response to fuel quality variations that includes an exhaust sensor for measuring a level of carbon dioxide present in an exhaust manifold, at least one of a knock sensor and a cylinder pressure transducer for determining a location of peak pressure and a centroid, respectively, a controller in communication with the exhaust sensor and the at least one of the knock sensor and the cylinder pressure transducer, the controller correlating a methane number of the fuel used by the engine to a brake specific carbon dioxide value calculated using the level of carbon dioxide measured by the exhaust sensor and the at least one of the centroid and the location of peak pressure, and an adjusting mechanism, wherein the adjusting mechanism adjusts an engine performance parameter based on the determined methane number.

A fuel estimation apparatus includes a combustion characteristic acquisition portion and a mixing ratio estimation portion. The combustion characteristic acquisition portion acquiring a combustion characteristic value indicating a physical amount relating to a combustion of an internal combustion engine acquires the combustion characteristic values of the combustions executed in different combustion conditions. The mixing ratio estimation portion estimates the mixing ratios of various components included in a fuel, based on the combustion characteristic values acquired by the combustion characteristic acquisition portion.

A combustion system controller controls an operation of a combustion system including an internal combustion engine. The combustion system controller includes a mixing ratio acquisition portion and a control portion. The mixing ratio acquisition portion acquires the mixing ratios of various components included in a fuel. The control portion controls the operation of the combustion system based on the mixing ratios acquired by the mixing ratio acquisition portion.

A controller for an internal combustion engine is configured, when the speed of combustion of a fuel in a cylinder changes as the property of the fuel injected from a fuel injection valve changes, to change a combustion limit excess air ratio that is a target value of a fuel injection amount feedforward control according to a first relationship that the combustion limit excess air ratio increases as the speed of combustion of the fuel in the cylinder increases. The controller is also configured, when the speed of combustion of the fuel in the cylinder changes as the property of the fuel injected from the fuel injection valve changes, to change the value of a combustion limit combustion speed parameter that is the target value of a fuel injection amount feedback control according to a second relationship that the speed of combustion of the fuel in the cylinder corresponding to a combustion limit increases as the speed of combustion of the fuel in the cylinder increases.

A method of determining the cetane number of a fuel in an internal combustion engine comprising, during running of the engine, i) with respect to one cylinder, performing a routine including a series of injections such that for each injection a quantity of fuel is injected into the cylinder, and during the routine varying the angle at which the injections takes place with respect to crankshaft angle; ii) measuring engine speed at intervals during the series of injections and determining values for changes in engine speed consequent to the injections; iii) determining cetane number from a pre-stored relationship relating the cetane number to changes in engine speed consequent to changes in the test injection angle.

Fuel management system for enhanced operation of a spark ignition gasoline engine. Injectors inject an anti-knock agent such as ethanol directly into a cylinder. It is preferred that the direct injection occur after the inlet valve is closed. It is also preferred that stoichiometric operation with a three way catalyst be used to minimize emissions. In addition, it is also preferred that the anti-knock agents have a heat of vaporization per unit of combustion energy that is at least three times that of gasoline.

Systems, methods and apparatus for controlling operation of an engine structured to combust gaseous fuel such as a dual fuel engine, including an estimation of key parameters dependent on natural gas quality, are disclosed. The natural gas quality parameters are estimated from natural gas properties obtained from various sensed parameters associated with the engine.

A method for operating an internal combustion engine, having of the following steps: operating the internal combustion engine with a gas fuel; detecting a lambda value in the exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine; determining at least one variable from the detected lambda value, characterizing the quality of the gaseous fuel; and controlling the internal combustion engine based on the at least one variable