Internal combustion engine for natural gas compressor operation

摘要

This application concerns systems and methods for compressing natural gas with an internal combustion engine. In a representative embodiment, a method is featured which includes placing a first cylinder of an internal combustion engine in a compressor mode, and compressing a gas within the first cylinder, using the cylinder as a reciprocating compressor. In some embodiments a compression check valve system is used to regulate pressure and flow within cylinders of the engine during a compression process.

主权项

1. An internal combustion engine, comprising:
a first bimodal cylinder operable in a first bimodal cylinder compression mode to compress fuel gas without combusting the fuel gas when fuel gas is received in the first bimodal cylinder from a fuel gas source, and operable in a first bimodal cylinder combustion mode to combust fuel gas; a second bimodal cylinder in fluid communication with the first bimodal cylinder and operable in a second bimodal cylinder compression mode and a second bimodal cylinder combustion mode; a fuel gas source conduit in fluid communication with the first bimodal cylinder and fluidly couplable to the fuel gas source to supply fuel gas to the first bimodal cylinder when the first bimodal cylinder is operating in the first bimodal cylinder compression mode; and a cylinder head including a valve system operable to regulate a flow of fuel gas into the first bimodal cylinder from the fuel gas source conduit and out of the first bimodal cylinder to the second bimodal cylinder when compressing fuel gas in the first bimodal cylinder.