| CPC F02D 19/0671 (2013.01) [F02B 51/02 (2013.01); F02D 19/0647 (2013.01); F02D 19/0655 (2013.01); F02D 19/081 (2013.01); F02M 21/0227 (2013.01); F02M 27/02 (2013.01); F02D 19/0642 (2013.01); F02D 41/403 (2013.01); F02D 2200/0606 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |
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1. A system comprising:
an internal combustion engine that consumes a primary fuel and a pilot fuel;
a primary fuel tank providing the primary fuel to a primary fuel rail for use by the internal combustion engine;
a pilot fuel system configured to generate the pilot fuel from the primary fuel, the pilot fuel system including:
a pilot fuel pump fluidically connected to the primary fuel tank, the pilot fuel pump configured to pump the primary fuel from the primary fuel tank to a reactor of the pilot fuel system;
the reactor that receives the primary fuel from the pilot fuel pump, the reactor configured to convert the primary fuel received from the pilot fuel pump from an alcohol to an ether, wherein a product of the reactor comprises the pilot fuel, unreacted primary fuel, and water;
a condenser that receives the product of the reactor, the condenser configured to condense the unreacted primary fuel and the water in the product received from the reactor into liquified unreacted primary fuel and water;
a separator that receives the liquified unreacted primary fuel and water and pilot fuel, the separator configured to separate the pilot fuel from the liquified unreacted primary fuel and water;
a waste pump that receives the liquified unreacted primary fuel and water from the separator, the waste pump configured to pump the liquified unreacted primary fuel and water to the primary fuel rail;
a product pump that receives the pilot fuel from the separator, the product pump configured to pump the pilot fuel converted from the primary fuel to an accumulator for use by the internal combustion engine;
a heater that receives the primary fuel, the heater configured to heat the primary fuel pumped into the pilot fuel system to an operational temperature of the reactor using engine waste heat; and
a controller to maintain a level of the pilot fuel stored in the accumulator within an operational range.
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