Abstract: A control system for controlling the displacement of a variable displacement internal combustion engine including measuring a variable indicative of torque for the variable displacement internal combustion engine, generating a torque threshold that indicates a torque condition to vary the displacement of the variable displacement internal combustion engine, and characterizing driver behavior to determine the torque threshold.

Abstract: A control system for controlling the displacement of a variable displacement internal combustion engine including measuring a variable indicative of torque for the variable displacement internal combustion engine, generating a torque threshold that indicates a torque condition to vary the displacement of the variable displacement internal combustion engine, and characterizing driver behavior to determine the torque threshold.

Abstract: An improved method of “adaptive” control that optimizes NOx conversion efficiency while minimizing fuel consumption. This method limits the NOx level in the feedstream to a NOx catalyst to a level that the catalyst can process by adjusting certain engine parameters, namely exhaust gas recirculation percentage, air-to-fuel ratio, and spark ignition timing in a spark-ignition engine or fuel injection timing in a compression-ignition engine. This method results in improved fuel efficiency over previous methods of controlling NOx emissions by allowing longer periods of lean operations.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for initiating regeneration in a particulate trap including the steps of locating microwave-absorbing material in the particulate trap in areas that particulates build up, generating microwaves, absorbing microwaves with the microwave-absorbing material, and controlling the microwaves to initiate a burn-off of particulates.

Abstract: A method for controlling regeneration fuel supplied to an internal combustion engine operating with a lean fuel-air mixture during sequential rich mixture regeneration events of a NOx adsorber in which NOx emissions collected by the adsorber are purged to provide optimum emissions control and minimum fuel consumption. The method monitors the exhaust gases flowing out of the adsorber during the regeneration event to detect when fuel-air mixture to the engine is within an excessively lean or rich range. When the sensed exhaust gases contain an excessively lean fuel-air mixture, fuel is increased to the engine. Fuel is decreased when the sensed exhaust gases contain an excessively rich fuel-air mixture. The fuel can be increased or decreased by adjusting the duration or fuel rate of the regeneration event.

Abstract: Automotive internal combustion engine fuel volatility is estimated during cold start operations by stabilizing air admission to the engine and analyzing engine speed over a modeling period following an engine coldstart after engine speed has stabilized and prior to closed-loop engine operation. If engine speed deviates significantly away from an expected engine speed for the current engine intake air and fuel, a fuel volatility deviation is diagnosed. The magnitude of the fuel volatility deviation away from a nominal fuel volatility is determined as a function of the magnitude of the engine speed deviation. A fuel volatility correction value is updated as a function of the engine speed deviation and is applied throughout an ignition cycle, including during the modeling period to compensate for the fuel volatility deviation.

Abstract: An exhaust flow control valve operable over high temperature ranges, comprising: a cylindrical flow housing having a cylinder axis and defining a flow passage; a valve plate pivotably mounted within the cylindrical flow housing, wherein the valve plate has a first facing surface, a second facing surface and a perimeter surface and wherein the valve plate has a pivot axis perpendicular to cylinder axis; a first seat extending radially inward from a first approximate 180 degree portion of an inner perimeter of the cylindrical flow housing, wherein the first seat forms a first partial annular surface having a substantially constant width in a radial direction over an entire arcuate length of the first seat and wherein the first seat faces a first direction parallel to the cylinder axis; a second seat extending radially inward from a second approximate 180 degree portion of the inner perimeter of the cylindrical flow housing, wherein the second seat forms a second partial annular surface having a substantially co

Abstract: Internal combustion engine exhaust gas is combined with heat energy emitted by an exhaust gas heater in a staged manner through an interface that diverts portions of the exhaust gas into a number of mixing stages with the heat energy, so that exhaust gas temperature may be elevated to levels supporting exothermic oxidation of exhaust gas elements, contributing additional heat energy to that emitted by the heater to provide for rapid catalytic converter heating following a coldstart of the engine.

Abstract: An exhaust system for an internal combustion engine having a primary catalytic converter located downstream of the engine and a hydrocarbon adsorber located downstream of the primary converter. The adsorber comprises a ceramic wall-flow substrate having a zeolite coating, having the ability to selectively adsorb hydrocarbon molecules from exhaust gas, applied to the interior surfaces of the inlet passages of the substrate and a catalytic coating applied to the adjacent surfaces of the walls of the outlet passages of the substrate. The catalyst preferably has a light-off temperature below the desorption temperature of the zeolite. In operation, hydrocarbon is adsorbed by the zeolite following a cold engine start and is held until the zeolite reaches its desorption temperature at which time the hydrocarbon is released and passes through the porous walled substrate for conversion by the catalyst.

Abstract: When a preheater elevates internal combustion engine exhaust gas treatment means temperature above a threshold temperature and prior to and during engine cranking, supplemental air is provided to an internal combustion engine exhaust gas path at a controlled rate responsive to parameters indicating excess engine emission levels during an engine startup period.

Abstract: An exhaust gas burner reactor which comprises a burner apparatus having a combustor tube which extends axially in a spaced relationship to an exhaust gas conduit. The combustor tube has a first, base end having fuel and air inlets and a mixing chamber therein, and a second combustor end having a combustor chamber and outlets for ejecting burning fuel and air into the exhaust gas conduit. The combustor assembly is oriented so as to locate the burner outlets upstream of the first end so that heated exhaust gas/burner output mixture passes through an exhaust reactor defined between the combustor tube and the exhaust gas conduit. The reactor aids in the combustion of unreacted fuel components in the exhaust gas.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for detecting dissolved contaminants in an alcohol-gasoline mixture used for fueling an internal combustion engine and then indicating that the fuel mixture is of substandard quality when the degree of contamination reaches an unacceptable level. The resistivity of the fuel mixture, which varies as a function of the degree of contamination, is measured using a sensor positioned in the engine fuel supply line. When the measured resistivity of the fuel decreases below a threshold amount, an indication of substandard fuel quality is provided. The threshold amount may be a fixed constant, or its value may vary depending upon the proportion of alcohol to gasoline in the fuel mixture. The composition of the fuel mixture is determined by using a capacitive sensor to measuring the fuel dielectric constant.

Abstract: An apparatus for discriminating between different types of alcohol contained in alcohol-gasoline fuel mixtures, such as methanol or ethanol, and a fueling system for controlling the quantity of alcohol-gasoline fuel mixture delivered to an internal combustion engine in accordance with type of alcohol determined to be present in the fuel mixture are described. The resistivity of the fuel mixture delivered to the engine is measured using a fuel resistance sensor. Based upon the measured resistivity, the type of alcohol contained in the fuel mixture is determined and indicated. The fuel system then adjusts the quantity of the fuel mixture delivered to the engine based upon the indicated type of alcohol and the sensed alcohol concentration in the fuel mixture.

Abstract: A fuel injection system with precisioned cylinder to cylinder fuel control with computer controls for a normally closed solenoid fuel inlet control valve to a fuel distributor pump which features rapid response fuel cut off to terminate and precisely control and vary fuel pulse width to the separate cylinders of an internal combustion engine as computed to optimize engine operation for improved cylinder torque balance, idle speed control, cylinder cut out, and fuel control for improved particulate regeneration. In this system the solenoid valve is opened before the rotor inlet fuel ports hydraulically communicate to reduce solenoid pull in response and repeatably requirements while assuring fuel fill between the solenoid valve and rotor fill ports.

Abstract: A method of accurately determining the location of each cylinder top dead center position of an engine relative to a reference pulse whose location is not precisely known.

Abstract: An engine idle speed control system is described having an integral adjustment of engine idle speed for maintaining a constant engine idle speed independent of load and having load dependent gain characteristics with the integrator adjustment being a measure of engine load.

Abstract: The timing of the injection of fuel to the cylinders of a diesel engine is normally determined in accordance timing values obtained from an empirically derived steady state timing schedule but is modified during transient engine operation by an amount determined in accordance with the cylinder-to-cylinder change in requested fuel amount. In light to moderate engine acceleration, the steady state timing value is modified by a correction amount which serves to retard the start of injection for effecting a reduction in engine noise and exhaust emissions. In periods of heavy engine acceleration, the steady state timing value is modified by a correction amount which serves to advance the start of injection to improve the engine performance. When the cylinder-to-cylinder change in requested fuel quantity indicates a return to substantially steady state engine operation, the correction amount is reduced in relation to the correction amount magnitude and the cylinder firing frequency.

Abstract: An otherwise conventional fuel supply system of the type that includes an engine driven distributor type fuel injection pump operatively connected to a diesel engine is modified so as to include a normally closed solenoid actuated valve means operatively associated with the inlet passage means of the pump in a location between the transfer pump of the pump and the injection pump means of the pump; an adaptive torque balancing electronic controlled electric power source being connected to the solenoid actuated valve means, whereby the solenoid actuated valve means is operative to supplement the metering valve control of fuel flow from the transfer pump to the injection pump means whereby the fuel flow to the injection pump means and from the injection pump means to each of the respective injection nozzles for each of the cylinders is controlled as a function of engine operation and the incremental speed difference per preselected degrees of movement among the respective cylinders of the engine.

Abstract: A fuel control system for an internal combustion engine in which the idle fuel quantity is adjusted to maintain a predetermined desired idle speed and in which the transition between the idle fuel quantity and a scheduled off-idle fuel quantity is blended to provide for smooth engine operation.

Abstract: A distributor diesel fuel injection pump of the spill-inject-spill type has a two-piece valve moveable relative to a valve seat to the spill-inject-spill cycles with this valve being actuated by the armature of a push type solenoid. At least the tip portion of the valve is made of steel, the remainder of the valve being formed of a compliant material so as to substantially reduce valve bounce and to permit sufficient bending of the valve to allow the armature to contact the pole surface of the solenoid.