Abstract: A method of modeling and controlling a direct injection stratified charge (DISC) engine coupled to a lean NOx trap that is periodically purged. The method comprises the steps of receiving as inputs a plurality of engine operating parameters and generating an indicated engine torque value, feedgas emission values, and an exhaust gas temperature value. Each of the output values is generated in accordance with a respective hybrid DISC engine model including an engine torque model, a feedgas emissions model, and an exhaust gas temperature model. The feedgas emissions model and exhaust gas temperature models further include submodels for generating output values as a function of either stratified or homogeneous engine operation.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for generating engine attachment control boundary conditions and corresponding control signals for an exhaust system laboratory test fixture which accurately reproduce both the dynamic behavior of a vehicle powertrain during operation, and the dynamic behavior of the vehicle frame during operation in the area where the exhaust system is attached to the vehicle frame. Road load data is collected in vertical, lateral, and longitudinal directions on the vehicle frame during vehicle operation at each of the locations where the exhaust system attaches. In addition, temperature and thermal cycling data are also collected during operation of the vehicle. The road load data is used to determine a best fit rigid body model. Accelerometer locations and directions are determined from statistical analysis and ranking to find the measures best fitting the determined rigid body.

Abstract: An calibration optimization method for a direct injection spark ignition (DISI) engine with a lean NOx trap is disclosed. The method relies on a fixed structure optimization whereby reasonable powertrain operating policies are assumed and parametrized with a small number of variables with some of the variables playing the role of parameters for an inner loop optimization of an outer loop/inner loop two-stage optimization formulation. The values of the parameters are determined via a numerical solution of the resulting (outer loop) optimization to minimize the fuel consumption over the drive cycle subject to emission constraints.

Abstract: A homogeneous-charge, compression-ignition engine having engine coolant, an intake manifold and an exhaust manifold including a controller for advancing and retarding auto-ignition in the combustion chamber of the engine, the intake manifold providing a premixed combustible charge of air and fuel, the intake manifold having dual intake portions, one portion supplying unheated gas, and the other providing gas heated by engine coolant or exhaust gas, or both. A flow distributor valve in the intake manifold gas flow passages varies the intake temperature, thereby controlling auto-ignition timing and the combustion rate in the engine combustion chamber during the portion of the combustion cycle in which a homogeneous-charge, compression-ignition event occurs. The engine includes a spark ignition system for initiating combustion when the engine load, for a given speed, increases to a defined level and when the engine speed for a given load increases to a defined level.

Abstract: A system for controlling a flow of pressurized oil in an internal combustion engine includes a cylinder head having a first internal passage arranged to receive a supply of pressurized oil from the engine, wherein the first internal passage includes a flow restrictor; and a second internal passage connecting a section of the first internal passage upstream of the restrictor with a port formed in an external surface of the cylinder head to thereby define a pressurized oil outlet. The system further includes an oil flow control module including a pressurized oil inlet defined in a first surface thereof, and a spool valve operative to direct unrestricted oil flowing through the second passage within the cylinder head into one of a plurality of fluid lines operatively connected to the cam phaser unit, whereupon the spool valve is used to variably advance or retard engine cam timing.

Abstract: An air intake system for a multi-cylinder combustion engine comprising a left side plenum and a right side plenum is disclosed. Each of the plenums is connected to a plurality of air intake passages for passing air to a plurality of engine cylinders. A communication valve is provided for connecting the left side plenum with the right side plenum. A short balance plenum is connected between the communication valve and at least one of the plenums. A long balance plenum is connected between the communication valve and at least one of the plenums. The communication valve includes a valve body having an axis and a sealing section rotatable through 360 degrees around the valve body axis. The sealing section is disposed for selectively closing air flow from the short balance plenum and the long balance plenum.

Abstract: An exhaust treatment device for an internal combustion engine includes a generally cylindrical substrate and sealing system which are swaged in place within a one-piece housing. The one-piece housing includes segmented inlet and outlet gas shields and diffusers which are spun from a single piece of tubing which also contains the substrate. The spun inlet and outlet gas shields and diffusers have segmented configurations including multiple concave and convex sections produced by spin-forming of the housing. The exhaust treatment device is assembled without the need for welding or any other high temperature operation.

Abstract: A system for controlling a flow of pressurized oil in an internal combustion engine includes a cylinder head having a generally-flat external surface featuring a pressurized oil outlet and a pressurized oil inlet; and an oil flow control module including a generally-flat mating surface secured against the first surface of the cylinder head such that a first passage in the module places the outlet of the cylinder head in fluid communication with the inlet of the cylinder head. While the module's first passage minimally includes an oil restrictor, preferably, in a downstream portion thereof, the module preferably further includes a screen filter, and a spool valve operative to direct unrestricted oil flowing through the first passage into one of a plurality of fluid lines operatively connected to the cam phaser unit, whereupon the spool valve is used to variably advance or retard engine cam timing.

Abstract: A reciprocating engine having an engine housing defining a power cylinder, a power piston in the cylinder including a connecting rod extending through the engine housing, a motion transfer mechanism in the engine housing at the end of the connecting rod for translating reciprocating motion of the piston rod to rotary motion of a torque output shaft, and a displacement adjusting mechanism having portions that are common to the motion transmitting mechanism for adjusting the displacement of the engine to effect a variable compression ratio.

Abstract: An electronic throttle control system having a housing 22 with a motor 40, throttle valve 60, gear mechanism 100, and failsafe mechanism. A main spring member 130 positioned between the housing 22 and a gear mechanism 104, which in turn is attached to the throttle valve shaft 62, biases the throttle plate 60 towards the closed position. A spring-biased default mechanism 132, 134 biases the throttle plate 60 from its closed position to a default or “limp-home” position.

Abstract: A stratified-charge combustion chamber system for a direct-injection spark-ignited (DISI) engine with a swirl-type airflow. An asymmetrical combustion bowl design in the top wall of the piston provides a wide area on the downstream side of the swirl flow and a harbor area upstream of the swirl flow in a direction further away from the fuel injector. The edge of the combustion bowl is comprised of smoothly-connected curves with large radii, except for the curve connecting the wide and harbor areas, which has a small radius. The vertical cross-sections of the bowl also have large radii in order to guide the air-fuel mixture and rebounded fuel droplets toward the spark plug and prevent dead regions for the fuel. The precise position of the spark plug in the harbor area can be adjusted as desired within a certain range to improve ignitability of the air-fuel mixture.

Abstract: A fuel additive dosing method and system for adding additive to fuel in a vehicle monitors the fuel added into the fuel tank of the vehicle by using an onboard flow measuring device such as a turbine, a venturi, a rotary meter, or a thermal flow meter located at the inlet of the fuel tank. The fuel added into the fuel tank may also be monitored by receiving a signal indicative of the fuel added into the fuel tank from a fuel pump pumping the fuel into the fuel tank to the vehicle. The method and system use an electronic control unit (ECU) of the vehicle to monitor fuel consumption. The direct approaches for monitoring the fuel added to the vehicle in conjunction with monitoring fuel consumption enables the method and system to add a proper amount of additive to the fuel to maintain a desired fuel/additive ratio in the vehicle.

Abstract: An air/fuel mixture induction system for an internal combustion engine having a pair of intake valves, an intake air/fuel mixture flow passage communicating with each valve, a primary mask surrounding a portion of the perimeter of one of the intake valves, the air/fuel mixture being directed from the intake valve over the remaining peripheral portion thereof, thereby establishing a swirl motion in the combustion chamber, a secondary bridge mask partially surrounding the other of the pair of intake valves, the secondary bridge mask having an air/fuel mixture flow controlling surface that directs the swirl motion of the air/fuel mixture in the direction of the axis of the cylinder whereby swirl motion progresses in the direction of the axis of the cylinder throughout the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A multi-cylinder Otto cycle internal combustion direct compound engine for motor vehicles with an exhaust-gas turbocharger providing direct turbo compounding upon the engine control module receiving a speed signal indicating that the vehicle is traveling in a predetermined cruise-speed mode. Upon receipt of the signal the module turns-off each fuel injector feeding a second group of the cylinders, while maintaining fuel injection to a first group of cylinders and fully opening the electronic intake-air induction throttle. As a result the unfired second group of cylinder pistons are driven solely by compressed inlet-air pressure during the time the vehicle travels at or above a predetermined light-load cruising-speed, while positive pumping work occurs in all the cylinders. The engine thus conserves fuel during light load cruising speed while maintaining low pollutant emissions.

Abstract: A system and method of improving the control quality of a vehicle engine having a rotatable and positionable crankshaft by prioritizing tasks to be performed by a microprocessor preprogrammed with an inventory of foreground and background engine tasks affecting the efficiency and performance of the vehicle. The invention includes sensing the speed of rotation of the crankshaft to provide a first, second, or third signal indicative of respective low, medium, or high crankshaft speeds, sensing the position of the crankshaft to provide a fourth signal of the crankshaft position, and processing these signals. The foreground tasks are selected if the fourth signal is received. A first set of the foreground tasks are selected if the first signal is received. A second set of the foreground tasks are selected if the second signal is received. A third set of the foreground tasks are selected if the third signal is received.

Abstract: A control system and method for obtaining combustion stability in an internal combustion engine including an accelerometer mounted on the engine for detecting engine block vibrations and an engine controller for processing an accelerometer output signal indicating engine block vibration intensity to measure cylinder combustion energy, the energy measurement being correlated to other combustion parameters including indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP), the controller developing a control signal that may be used in a closed loop fashion to adjust engine variables including exhaust gas recirculation, air/fuel ratio, and spark advance, thereby adjusting the engine operating characteristics to achieve optimum combustion energy.

Abstract: A reciprocating internal combustion engine using poppet valves, valve timing control and fuel injection, cuts off fuel during engine deceleration and controls valve timing such that charge is trapped in the engine cylinders while the fuel is shut off. As such, catalytic after treatment devices are neither cooled nor saturated with oxygen and engine fuel economy is improved.

Abstract: A vehicle fuel system has on-board diagnostics for vapor integrity testing. The vapor integrity test includes evacuating the fuel system; closing the system and allowing pressure to rise due to air ingress and vapor generation (bleedup); making a series of pressure measurements at intervals during bleedup to give a series of timed pressure values; and calculating vapor rate from values derived from the pressure values. Vapor integrity may be calculated from the same values representing pressure gradient and the rate of change of pressure gradient or the vapor rate may be used as a correction to vapor integrity derived by other means.

Abstract: An engine exhaust aftertreatment system is described in which lean NOx, exhaust aftertreatment devices are employed. Because temperature in the exhaust line varies as a function of distance from the engine and engine operating condition, exhaust aftertreatment devices are situated along the exhaust line to ensure that at least one of said exhaust aftertreatment devices operates at a temperature of high NOx conversion efficiency. Reductant quantity is scheduled by the engine's control unit to be supplied to the exhaust aftertreatment devices based on available information provided by sensors or embedded engine control unit models, including: temperature in the exhaust aftertreatment devices, available reductant in the exhaust stream, reductant storage in the exhaust aftertreatment devices, maximum adsorption capacity of the exhaust aftertreatment devices, engine operating conditions, and NOx, concentration.

Abstract: An apparatus for predicting cylinder pressure for on-vehicle control of an internal combustion engine includes a piston sensor, a cylinder pressure sensor, and a controller. The piston sensor is coupled to a piston located in the engine. The piston sensor detects the piston position and generates a piston position signal. The cylinder pressure sensor is coupled to a cylinder located in the engine. The cylinder pressure sensor detects the cylinder pressure and generates a cylinder pressure signal. The controller receives both the piston position signal and the cylinder pressure signal. A neural network, located in the controller, uses this data to predict an undesirable cylinder pressure during a future combustion event. The controller then modifies the future combustion event in response to the predicted undesirable cylinder pressure.