In-line generation of pilot fuel for power systems

• Main Authors: Bardell, Michael, Montgomery, David T, Ginter, David M, Svensson, Kenth, Kim, Arnold
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 09.05.2023
• Subjects: BLASTING; COMBUSTION ENGINES; CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES; HEATING; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS; LIGHTING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL, WITH COMBUSTIBLEMIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF; WEAPONS

A system includes a fuel tank and a dehydration reactor that are configured to provide a primary fuel and a pilot fuel to a power system. The fuel tank is configured to store the primary fuel and is fluidly connected to a reactor feed line and a primary fuel line provide the primary fuel. The dehydration reactor is configured to receive the primary fuel via the reactor feed line and convert a portion of the primary fuel to the pilot fuel and a byproduct. The power system is configured to receive the pilot fuel from the dehydration reactor to initiate combustion of the primary fuel. The power system also includes a cylinder with an internal piston that receives the pilot fuel and the primary fuel, contains the combustion reaction, and generates power from the combustion reaction; and contains the combustion reaction. A pilot fuel injector provides the pilot fuel to the cylinder at a first time to initiate combustion and a primary fuel injector provides the pilot fuel to the cylinder at to generate power via the power system.