METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OPERATING A DUAL FUEL INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE

摘要

An internal combustion engine is provided that can burn two fuels. There are conditions when the main fuel is unavailable either temporarily or until the system's store of main fuel is replenished. An apparatus is provided for determining when to fuel an internal combustion engine with main fuel and secondary fuel or secondary fuel alone. The apparatus comprises a main-fuel supply system comprising a main-fuel injection valve that is operable to introduce said main fuel into a combustion chamber of said engine; a secondary-fuel injection system comprising a secondary-fuel injection valve that is operable to introduce said secondary fuel directly into said combustion chamber; a pressure sensor associated with said main-fuel supply system for determining an available injection pressure inside said main-fuel injection valve; and, an electronic controller in communication with said pressure sensor and programmable to separately command actuation of said secondary-fuel injection valve and said main- fuel injection valve when said available injection pressure is greater than a predetermined threshold and to otherwise command actuation of said secondary-fuel injection valve and not said main-fuel injection valve.