US 11,746,693 B2
Natural gas engine
Micky Warren, Salt Lake City, UT (US); Christopher Fleming, Salt Lake City, UT (US); Michael Smith, Salt Lake City, UT (US); and John De La Hunt, Salt Lake City, UT (US)
Assigned to SMITH POWER PRODUCTS, INC., Salt Lake City, UT (US)
Filed by SMITH POWER PRODUCTS, INC., Salt Lake City, UT (US)
Filed on Mar. 4, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/653,618.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/264,778, filed on Dec. 1, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0167765 A1, Jun. 1, 2023
Int. Cl. F02B 65/00 (2006.01); F02B 43/10 (2006.01)
CPC F02B 65/00 (2013.01) [F02B 43/10 (2013.01); F02B 2043/103 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
a natural gas engine;
a hydrodynamic device configured to convert mechanical energy of the natural gas engine into heat in a working fluid within the hydrodynamic device, an amount of fluid in the hydrodynamic device controlled by an electronically controllable valve, the amount of fluid in the hydrodynamic device controlling a resistive force of the hydrodynamic device;
a controller in communication with the natural gas engine and the hydrodynamic device, the controller configured to automatically adjust the electronically controllable valve to maintain a working load on the natural gas engine at or above a threshold load; and
a transmission for changing between gears of the natural gas engine, and wherein the controller is configured to adjust the electronically controllable valve to increase the working load on the natural gas engine when the transmission down-shifts the natural gas engine; and
a second driveline located on a second side of the natural gas engine opposite from a first side of the natural gas engine, the first side associated with the hydrodynamic device, the transmission interfacing with the natural gas engine at the second side.