A dual fuel engine is designed to run on more than one fuel, for example, a liquefied gas-diesel mixture. The dual fuel engine may substitute one fuel for another depending upon the operating characteristics of the dual fuel engine. Generally, in such dual fuel engines, a relatively small quantity of injected liquid diesel fuel may be compression-ignited which, in turn, may ignite a relatively larger charge of natural gas. Combustion pertaining to substituted natural gas may be affected by many factors some of which include intake manifold air temperature (IMAT) and/or natural gas pressure supplied to the dual fuel engine, for instance. In other words, dual fuel engine combustion may be sensitive to IMAT and/or natural gas pressure supplied to the dual fuel engine, which, if not suitably controlled, may limit the amount of natural gas provided for the fuel mixture.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014/0046511, hereinafter the '511 publication, describes a system for controlling engine inlet air temperature that may comprise a compressor configured to increase pressure of air at an engine air inlet, and an aftercooler configured to reduce the engine inlet air temperature. According to the '511 publication, the system may also include a controller configured to determine a desired engine inlet air temperature based on signals indicative of sensed ambient air temperature and sensed ambient air pressure. The '511 publication describes that the controller may be configured to control operation of the aftercooler based on a desired engine air inlet temperature.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds