Method And Apparatus For Supplying A Gaseous Fuel To An Internal Combustion Engine

Abstract

A method for supplying gaseous fuel from a tender car to an internal combustion engine on a locomotive comprising storing the gaseous fuel at a cryogenic temperature in a cryogenic storage tank on the tender car; pumping the gaseous fuel to a first pressure from the cryogenic storage tank; vaporizing the gaseous fuel at the first pressure; and conveying the vaporized gaseous fuel to the internal combustion engine; whereby a pressure of the vaporized gaseous fuel is within a range between 310 bar and 575 bar.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of supplying gaseous fuel from a tender car to an internal combustion engine on a locomotive comprising:
 storing said gaseous fuel at a cryogenic temperature in a cryogenic storage tank on said tender car;   pumping said gaseous fuel to a first pressure from said cryogenic storage tank;   vaporizing said gaseous fuel at said first pressure; and   conveying said vaporized gaseous fuel to said internal combustion engine;   whereby a pressure of said vaporized gaseous fuel is within a range between 310 bar and 575 bar.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising accumulating said vaporized gaseous fuel whereby pressure fluctuations of said gaseous fuel due to changing operating conditions of said internal combustion engine are reduced. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein a mass flow rate of said internal combustion engine is within a range of 7 kilograms/hour and 600 kilograms/hour, and said accumulation of said vaporized gaseous fuel is within a range of 50 liters and 200 liters. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving advanced notice of upcoming changes in operating conditions of said internal combustion engine and proactively pumping said gaseous fuel to increase said pressure of said vaporized gaseous fuel. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving advanced notice of upcoming changes in operating conditions of said internal combustion engine and increasing a rate of pumping said gaseous fuel to increase said pressure of said vaporized gaseous fuel. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving advanced notice of upcoming changes in operating conditions of said internal combustion engine and decreasing a rate of pumping said gaseous fuel to reduce pressure fluctuations above a predetermined pressure threshold. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transferring waste heat from said internal combustion engine to said gaseous fuel at said first pressure whereby said gaseous fuel vaporizes. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said waste heat is transferred from an engine coolant to a heat exchange fluid, and said heat exchange fluid transfers heat to said gaseous fuel at said first pressure. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising heating said heat exchange fluid with a supplementary heat source. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said supplementary heat source is one of a gas boiler and an electric heater. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein when said supplementary heat source is said gas boiler, said gas boiler generates heat by combusting said gaseous fuel from said cryogenic storage tank. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said gaseous fuel is vent gas from said cryogenic storage tank. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising reducing conveyance of said vaporized gaseous to said internal combustion engine in response to a decrease in said pressure of said vaporized gaseous fuel below a predetermined pressure threshold. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said gaseous fuel is natural gas. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 delivering low pressure air from a compressed air supply on said locomotive to said tender car;   pressurizing said low pressure air to a high pressure;   delivering said high pressure air to said locomotive; and   forming a gaseous-fuel/air mixture by mixing said vaporized gaseous fuel and said high pressure air on said locomotive.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said gaseous-fuel/air mixture is directly introduced into combustion chambers in said internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said vaporized gaseous fuel is conveyed to said locomotive in the form of a gaseous-fuel/air mixture, the method further comprising:
 delivering low pressure air from a compressed air supply on said locomotive to said tender car;   pressurizing said low pressure air to a high pressure on said tender car; and   forming said gaseous-fuel/air mixture by mixing said vaporized gaseous fuel and said high pressure air on said tender car.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said gaseous-fuel/air mixture is directly introduced into combustion chambers in said internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 pressurizing low pressure air on said locomotive to a high pressure; and   forming a gaseous-fuel/air mixture by mixing said vaporized gaseous fuel and said high pressure air on said locomotive.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said gaseous-fuel/air mixture is directly introduced into combustion chambers in said internal combustion engine.