Exhaust Gas Circulation (egc) Patents (Class 701/108)
  • Patent number: 8532912
    Abstract: An engine control system includes a unit which outputs a command for changing an air-fuel ratio of an exhaust gas, a unit which computes an in-cylinder oxygen concentration, a memory which stores a first value and a second value of parameters (ignition timing, injection pressure, pilot injection quantity). The first value is set in a case that the in-cylinder oxygen concentration is a first oxygen concentration. The second value is set in a case that the in-cylinder oxygen concentration is a second oxygen concentration which is higher than the first oxygen concentration. The values of the parameters are set in such a manner as to correlate to the in-cylinder oxygen concentration of during a transition period of the air-fuel ratio. The values of the parameters are obtained by an interpolation based on the first and the second value of the parameter and the in-cylinder oxygen concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Kawamura, Takahiro Ono
  • Publication number: 20130231844
    Abstract: A method for monitoring an exhaust gas sensor coupled in an engine exhaust is provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises indicating exhaust gas sensor degradation based on a time delay and line length of each sample of a set of exhaust gas sensor responses collected during a commanded change in air-fuel ratio. In this way, the exhaust gas sensor may be monitored utilizing robust parameters in a non-intrusive manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Michael James Uhrich, Adam Nathan Banker, James Michael Kerns, Imad Hassan Makki
  • Publication number: 20130231847
    Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring an exhaust gas sensor coupled in an engine exhaust are provided. In one example approach, a method comprises indicating exhaust gas sensor degradation based on a downstream exhaust gas sensor responding before the upstream exhaust gas sensor during a commanded change in air-fuel ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Michael James Uhrich, Adam Nathan Banker, James Michael Kerns, Imad Hassan Makki
  • Publication number: 20130231846
    Abstract: A method is provided for controlling an engine exhaust with an upstream sensor and a downstream sensor. The method comprises adjusting a set-point for the downstream sensor based on a rate of change of air mass flow upstream of the engine and adjusting fuel injection to control exhaust fuel-air ratio (FAR) at the downstream sensor to the adjusted set-point, and to control exhaust FAR at the upstream sensor to an upstream sensor set-point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen William Magner, Mrdjan J. Jankovic
  • Patent number: 8522756
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine defined as having an engine block for internal combustion, a high-pressure turbocharger for delivering pressurized intake air to the engine block, a low-pressure turbocharger for delivering pressurized intake air to the high-pressure turbocharger, a turbogenerator for recovering heat energy from the exhaust gas downstream of the low-pressure turbocharger to generate electricity, and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system comprising an EGR-pump drawing exhaust gas from an EGR inlet located between the low-pressure and high-pressure turbocharger turbines, wherein the EGR-pump controllably delivers exhaust gas to an EGR mixer in the pressurized intake air stream at a location between the low-pressure and high-pressure turbocharger compressors. An electronic control unit (ECU) is adapted to command the EGR-pump to deliver a desired EGR flow-rate to the engine block based on look-up tables and either open-loop and/or closed-loop control algorithms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Carl T. Vuk, Richard E. Winsor
  • Patent number: 8527185
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine and an exhaust system which ignites fuel from fuel injectors to purify exhaust gas. An air compressor delivers compressed intake air to the engine, and a turbine energizes the compressor. A controller calculates an engine thermal efficiency value using temperature and mass flow rate values from various sensors. The controller maintains a temperature of the exhaust gas downstream of the turbine using the thermal efficiency value. A control system includes the sensors and a host machine operable for maintaining the temperature of the exhaust gas above the threshold using the thermal efficiency value. A method for maintaining the temperature of the exhaust gas includes measuring the inlet and outlet temperatures of an air intake system, measuring the mass flow rate of compressed intake air, and using the host machine to maintain the temperature of the gas using the thermal efficiency value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Patrick Barasa
  • Patent number: 8522757
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine having an engine block for internal combustion, a high-pressure (HP) turbocharger for delivering pressurized intake air to the engine block, a low-pressure (LP) turbocharger for delivering pressurized intake air to the HP turbocharger, a turbogenerator for recovering heat energy from the exhaust gas downstream of the LP turbocharger to generate electricity, and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system comprising an EGR-pump drawing exhaust gas from an EGR inlet located downstream of the turbogenerator, wherein the EGR-pump controllably delivers exhaust gas to an EGR mixer in the pressurized intake air stream at a location between the LP turbocharger and HP turbocharger. An electronic control unit (ECU) is adapted to command the EGR-pump to deliver a desired EGR flow-rate to the engine block based on look-up tables and either open-loop and/or closed-loop control algorithms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventor: Carl T. Vuk
  • Publication number: 20130218442
    Abstract: When an engine is being cranked, a maximum slope value is set on the basis of a slope value of an output voltage of an air-fuel ratio sensor, a normalized maximum slope value is set by normalizing the set maximum slope value, and a learned value of a responsiveness of the air-fuel ratio sensor is calculated using the set normalized maximum slope value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2013
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Inventors: Kazuya Miyaji, Toshikazu Kato
  • Patent number: 8510020
    Abstract: Controlling a vehicle responsive to reductant conditions is provided. The method for controlling a vehicle having an engine with an exhaust, the exhaust having a reductant injection system including a reductant storage vessel, the engine further having a fuel system including a fuel storage vessel, may include under degraded reductant conditions, restricting vehicle motion in response to a fuel refill of the fuel storage vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John Paul Bogema, Bret Alan Zimmerman, Michiel J. Van Nieuwstadt, Ed Kulik, James Edwin Blatchford
  • Patent number: 8499748
    Abstract: A device for exhaust-gas recirculation for an internal combustion engine is provided that includes a flange for attaching to a cylinder head of the internal combustion engine. Combustion air flows from a passage region of the flange directly into at least one intake duct of a cylinder, and an inlet for an inflow of recirculated exhaust gas into the combustion air is provided. The inlet for the inflow of the recirculated exhaust gas is arranged on the flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Behr GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Viorel Braic, Georg Feldhaus, Tobias Fetzer, Chi-Duc Nguyen, Mark Schienemann
  • Patent number: 8504175
    Abstract: A method and system of predictive model control of a controlled system with one or more physical components using a model predictive control (MPC) model, determining an iterative, finite horizon optimization of a system model of the controlled system, in order to generate a manipulated value trajectory as part of a control process. At time t sampling a current state of the controlled system a cost function minimizing manipulated variables trajectories is computed with the MPC model for a relatively short time horizon in the future, wherein the MPC uses a quadratic programming (QP) algorithm to find the optimal solution, and wherein the QP algorithm is solved using an Active Sets solver (AS) class algorithm with simple constraints based on gradient projection and using Newton step projection. A move of the manipulated value trajectory is implemented and the control process is moved forward by continuing to shift the prediction horizon forward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Jaroslav Pekar, Gregory E. Stewart
  • Publication number: 20130192213
    Abstract: A control system for an internal combustion engine is provided, and includes an exhaust gas conduit, an oxidization catalyst (“OC”) device, a temperature sensor, an intake mass air flow sensor, an engine air intake mechanism, and a control module. The exhaust gas conduit is in fluid communication with, and is configured to receive an exhaust gas. The OC device is in fluid communication with the exhaust gas conduit. The OC device has an OC light-off temperature. The OC device is selectively activated to the light-off temperature to induce oxidization of the exhaust gas. The temperature sensor is situated in the exhaust stream upstream of the OC device. The temperature sensor monitors an exhaust gas temperature. The intake mass air flow sensor measures an air mass entering the internal combustion engine. The engine air intake mechanism is selectively activated to modulate the air mass entering the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Thomas LAROSE, JR., John A. CATALOGNA, Paul JASINKIEWICZ
  • Publication number: 20130197786
    Abstract: A control apparatus is provided for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine that includes a plurality of cylinders, an exhaust passage, and an exhaust gas recirculation device including passages through which a part of exhaust gas discharged into the exhaust passage is recirculated individually to the respective cylinders. The control apparatus includes a control unit configured to execute an air-fuel ratio feedback control for controlling an exhaust gas air-fuel ratio to a target air-fuel ratio through feedback using a feedback correction amount. The control unit is configured to identify the cylinder corresponding to the passage in which a clogging occurs, among the plurality of passages, in a case where the clogging occurs in the passage among the plurality of passages, and to set the target air-fuel ratio according to a deviation of the feedback correction amount, the deviation corresponding to the identified cylinder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Inventor: Takeshi Genko
  • Patent number: 8495874
    Abstract: A method for providing intake air to an engine in a vehicle comprises delivering compressed fresh air and EGR to the engine via first and second throttle valves coupled to an intake manifold of the engine. During a higher engine-load condition, an EGR exhaust flow is cooled in a heat exchanger and the cooled EGR exhaust flow is admitting to the intake manifold. During a lower engine-load condition, fresh air is warmed in the heat exchanger, and the warmed fresh air is admitted to the intake manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Allan J. Lippa, Ross Dykstra Pursifull, Allan J. Kotwicki
  • Patent number: 8494757
    Abstract: A method for controlling combustion in a direct injection internal combustion engine operable in a lean combustion mode includes monitoring in-cylinder pressure, utilizing a time-based filter to calculate an actual combustion noise based upon the monitored in-cylinder pressure, monitoring combustion control parameters utilized by the engine, determining an expected combustion noise based upon the monitored combustion control parameters, comparing the actual combustion noise to the expected combustion noise, and adjusting the combustion control parameters based upon the comparing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Ibrahim Haskara, Yue-Yun Wang, Chol-Bum M. Kweon, Frederic Anton Matekunas
  • Patent number: 8490610
    Abstract: An EG-ECU suspends fuel cutoff when the fuel cutoff is being carried out and the engine speed NE becomes lower than or equal to the resumption engine speed NErtn. The EG-ECU forcibly opens and closes an EGR valve when the fuel cutoff is being carried out, and performs abnormality diagnosis for an EGR device based on a change amount of pressure in an intake pipe caused by opening and closing the EGR valve. The EG-ECU suspends the diagnosis when the diagnosis is being carried out and the engine speed NE becomes lower than or equal to a forcible suspension engine speed NEoff. When the diagnosis is being performed, the EG-ECU sets the forcible suspension engine speed NEoff to a smaller value when the EGR valve is not in a forcibly opened state than when the EGR valve is in the forcibly opened state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshihiro Kato
  • Patent number: 8494742
    Abstract: An engine control system for a vehicle includes a coefficients determination module and a braking torque estimation module. The coefficients determination module determines first and second torque estimation coefficients that are set based on a braking torque versus air per cylinder (APC) line. The coefficients determination module determines third, fourth, and fifth torque estimation coefficients that are set based on a maximum braking torque (MBT) spark timing versus APC line. The braking torque estimation module estimates a braking torque of an engine based on APC, spark timing, and the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth torque estimation coefficients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Inventor: Prabjot Nanua
  • Patent number: 8484969
    Abstract: In an engine such as an engine for driving a pump or dynamo, in which a load increasing state does not appear as an accelerating state of rotation speed, it is intended to prevent the smoke emission in an abruptly load-increasing state, which might otherwise be caused by the suppression or interruption of an EGR quantity. The engine 10 comprises a supercharger 11 and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) device 12. The engine 10 makes an isochronous control or a droop control, when its rotation speed N is shifted from a no-load (idle) or light-load run to a high-load (load-increasing) state. In case it is detected, when the state of the engine 10 shifts to a load state, that the actual rotation speed N becomes lower by a predetermined rotation speed ?N than a target rotation speed Nm, an EGR valve 13 of the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) device 12 is either throttled to an opening smaller by a predetermined opening ?F than the ordinary set opening F corresponding to the load state or fully closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Yanmar Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Shiomi, Yasuhiro Ozaki, Takeshi Fujii
  • Patent number: 8489309
    Abstract: In a feedback control system in which a base gain having a constant value or a variable gain is set as a feedback gain in accordance with the state of the system and an input value is calculated based on a function having, as variables, a proportional term and an integral term, the integral term is recalculated when a discriminant value obtained by substituting a base proportional term calculated using the base gain for the proportional term and a normal integral term calculated using the feedback gain for the integral term in the function is larger than an upper limit value. The integral term is recalculated in such a way that a value obtained by substituting the base proportional term for the proportional term and the recalculated integral term for the integral term in the function becomes equal to or smaller than the upper limit value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shigeki Nakayama
  • Patent number: 8479716
    Abstract: An EGR control unit for enhancing the performance as to the EGR rate and the engine acceleration, the unit being configured so as to control the EGR valve and the intake air valve with a simple control command signal that makes both the valves be operated in a coupled mode, whereby the response performance as to the engine speed during acceleration as well as the EGR gas flow rate is enhanced by means of compensation regarding the dead zones inherent in the intake air throttle valve and the EGR valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazunari Ide, Satoshi Iwasaki
  • Publication number: 20130173140
    Abstract: The present invention is intended to provide a technique of improving exhaust emissions at the time of starting up of an internal combustion engine, without decreasing the performance of a catalyst at the time of the engine starting up. The present invention is provided with the catalyst that is arranged in an exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine in which a plurality of kinds of fuels are able to be used, and serves to adsorb and remove exhaust gas components discharged from the internal combustion engine, wherein in cases where among the plurality of kinds of fuels, a first fuel is used in which unburnt fuel components thereof are easily adsorbed to the catalyst, at the time when a request is made for stopping the internal combustion engine, said first fuel is changed to a second fuel thereby to operate said internal combustion engine until said internal combustion engine is stopped.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke Nakayama, Toru Kidokoro, Hiroshi Sawada
  • Patent number: 8474258
    Abstract: A stoichiometric compression ignition engine has a turbocharger coupled to it so that the exhaust from the engine feeds the turbine and the compressor provides combustion air past a throttle and intercooler to the engine intake manifold. An exhaust after treatment device is positioned before the exhaust of the engine. A power turbine is connected in parallel relation to the turbocharger turbine and is controlled by a valve to operate the power turbine whenever either the turbocharger compressor boost or the turbocharger turbine back pressure exceed given limits. The power turbine is connected by a power transmission device to either couple to the engine output or to an electrical generator. An EGR loop may be driven by a pump also connected to the power turbine to lower in cylinder pressures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Budhadeb Mahakul, Richard E. Winsor
  • Patent number: 8468824
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for improving vehicle performance by application of pneumatic boost to vehicle engines, including diesel engines having at least one turbocharger supplying air to the engine, in a manner which increases engine torque output while minimizing the potential for exceed various operating limits to the maximum practicable extent. The vehicle's pneumatic booster system controller implements strategies for shaping the rate of the air injection during a boost event, tailoring the air injection to obtain maximum engine torque output while respecting the operating limits, by controlling the timing, duration, quantity and/or injection pattern during a boost event to achieve a refined distribution of compressed air injection over the course of the boost event to provide desired engine torque output and fuel efficiency while minimizing the potential for exceeding a wide variety of operation limits, regulatory, engineering and passenger comfort limits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC
    Inventors: William J. Schaffeld, Nicholas Asmis, Mark W. McCollough, Richard Beyer
  • Publication number: 20130151124
    Abstract: An engine control system (32) apportions smoke and NOx in engine-out exhaust gas by a strategy (38) that corrects a target percentage for fresh air and a target percentage for exhaust gas to recalculate a set-point for fresh air mass flow. The target percentage for fresh air mass flow is calculated as a function of engine speed (N) and an engine output torque request (TQI_DRIV).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: Intemational Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC.
    Inventors: Matthew Joseph Seiberlich, Michael James McNulty
  • Patent number: 8459025
    Abstract: A device for controlling the exhaust-gas turbocharging of an internal combustion engine having an exhaust-gas turbocharging device, has an estimated value unit for determining a mass flow through a turbine system, a regulating unit for determining a regulating exhaust-gas back pressure as a function of a nominal charge pressure and an actual charge pressure, and also a unit for generating at least one actuating signal for at least one actuator of the turbine system as a function of the regulating exhaust-gas back pressure and of the mass flow through the turbine system, wherein the estimated value unit has a turbine system model for determining an estimated overall efficiency of the turbine system and a model for determining an estimated overall efficiency of a compressor system having at least two compressors, and wherein the regulating unit is set up to determine the regulating exhaust-gas back pressure using the estimated overall efficiencies
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Anselm Schwarte
  • Patent number: 8463531
    Abstract: A control system for an engine includes a feedback determination module, a feed-forward determination module, and a valve control module. The feedback determination module generates an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) feedback value based on engine speed and a difference between desired and measured combustion phasing. The feed-forward determination module generates an EGR feed-forward value based on a difference between desired and measured mass air flow (MAF) rates. The valve control module controls an EGR valve based on the EGR feedback and feed-forward values, an intake manifold absolute pressure (MAP), an engine speed, and an exhaust back pressure (EBP).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Inventors: Vijay Ramappan, Jun-Mo Kang, Hanho Yun, Chen-Fang Chang
  • Patent number: 8453446
    Abstract: An exhaust gas control system for an internal combustion engine includes a turbocharger that includes a compressor arranged in an intake passage, and a turbine arranged in an exhaust passage; a low-pressure EGR unit that recirculates a portion of exhaust gas back to the internal combustion engine through a low-pressure EGR passage that provides communication between the exhaust passage, at a portion downstream of the turbine, and the intake passage, at a portion upstream of the compressor; a low-pressure EGR valve that is provided in the low-pressure EGR passage, and that changes the flow passage area of the low-pressure EGR passage; and a valve control unit that executes an opening/closing control over the low-pressure EGR valve. When it is determined that the internal combustion engine is under a predetermined low-temperature environment, the low-pressure EGR valve is kept closed while the internal combustion engine is in the fuel-supply cutoff operation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomomi Onishi, Akio Matsunaga, Shigeki Nakayama
  • Patent number: 8457866
    Abstract: An ignition timing control system for an internal combustion engine is provided to ensure stable combustion without causing misfire or knocking, by properly setting ignition timing in the compression stroke injection mode, thereby improving drivability. The ignition timing control system for the engine, that directly injects fuel into the cylinders and that is operated by switching the fuel injection mode between an intake stroke injection mode and a compression stroke injection mode, includes a fuel injection timing-setting device for setting a fuel injection timing according to an engine speed of the engine and a fuel injection amount, a basic value-setting device for setting a basic value of ignition timing according to the engine speed of the engine and the fuel injection timing, and an ignition timing-setting device for setting ignition timing in the compression stroke injection mode by correcting the basic value according to a detected air-fuel ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chiho Itoga, Toru Kitamura, Toshinari Shinohara
  • Patent number: 8443601
    Abstract: A method for controlling the wastegate in a turbocharged internal combustion engine including the steps of: determining, during a design phase, a control law which provides an objective opening of a controlling actuator of the wastegate according to the supercharging pressure; determining an objective supercharging pressure; measuring an actual supercharging pressure; determining a first open loop contribution of an objective position of a controlling actuator of the wastegate by means of the control law and according to the objective supercharging pressure; determining a second closed loop contribution of the objective position of the controlling actuator of the wastegate; and calculating the objective position of the controlling actuator of the wastegate by adding the two contributions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Magneti Marelli S.p.A.
    Inventors: Marco Panciroli, Francesco Alunni, Stefano Sgatti
  • Patent number: 8447500
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for preferably controlling an internal combustion engine by precisely estimating a current value of a temperature of an exhaust device of an internal combustion engine provided with a variable valve, an exhaust turbo supercharger and the like, and controlling an affector of a temperature of an exhaust gas on the basis of a difference between a reference value of the exhaust device temperature and the current value of the exhaust device temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kunihiko Suzuki, Seiji Asano
  • Patent number: 8447499
    Abstract: A supercharged diesel engine is equipped with an electronically controlled hydraulic system for variable actuation of the intake valves of the engine. The cam that controls each intake valve has an additional lobe for causing an additional opening of the intake valve, during the expansion and exhaust strokes, so as to provide an exhaust-gas recirculation directly inside the engine. The aforesaid additional lobe has its descending stretch radiused to the main lobe with a stretch corresponding to a non-zero lift of the valve in such a way that the profile of the lift of the valve has a portion corresponding to a substantially non-zero value of the lift that radiuses the descending stretch of the profile of the additional lift to the ascending stretch of the profile of the main lift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: C.R.F. Società Consortile per Azioni
    Inventors: Luca Gentile, Francesco Vattaneo
  • Publication number: 20130124068
    Abstract: An apparatus for fresh airflow determination includes an operating conditions module that interprets a MAF value, a current operating condition and a charge flow value. The apparatus further includes a volume estimation module that determines an apparent plumbing volume of an air intake assembly in response to the MAF value, the current operating condition and the charge flow value. The apparatus further includes a volume reporting module that provides the apparent plumbing volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicant: Cummins Inc.
    Inventor: Cummins Inc.
  • Patent number: 8437943
    Abstract: A method of controlling a diesel engine connected to a load, the method including the steps of detecting an increased torque requirement and matching a fuel flow with an airflow. The detecting an increased torque requirement step detects an increased torque requirement for the engine, the increased torque requirement taking place during a period of time. The matching a fuel flow step matches a fuel flow with an airflow going to the engine during the increased torque requirement, the matching step keeps the airflow and the fuel flow during the period of time at a substantially stoichiometric level enabling the use of a three-way catalyst to reduce NOx emissions during transients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Richard E. Winsor, Erik L. Piper, Kirby J. Baumgard
  • Patent number: 8437946
    Abstract: an intake system control device includes: an acquisition section that acquires an operation condition of an engine; a steady-state value determination section that determines input and output steady-state values for an intake system of the engine based on the acquired operation condition; a gain determination section that determines a gain for a state space model; and a first input calculation section that calculates the intake system input from the acquired operation condition, the input steady-state value, the output steady-state value, and an intake system output by using the state space model having the determined gain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Transtron Inc.
    Inventors: Jun Sasaki, Keiji Shimotani
  • Patent number: 8433500
    Abstract: A control system for a homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engine includes a timing adjustment module and a combustion control module. The timing adjustment module, per combustion event, advances timings of N fuel injections and retards timings of M fuel injections and spark during a transition from HCCI combustion to mixed-mode combustion. The combustion control module subsequently retards the timings of the N fuel injections and advances the timings of the M fuel injections and the spark to desired timings, respectively, wherein the N fuel injections and the M fuel injections occur sequentially during each combustion event of the HCCI engine, and wherein N and M are integers greater than or equal to zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Inventors: Vijay Ramappan, Jun-Mo Kang, Hanho Yun
  • Patent number: 8428854
    Abstract: There is provided an internal EGR control system for an internal combustion engine, which is capable of ensuring an excellent combustion state by properly controlling an internal EGR amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshinari Shinohara, Toru Kitamura, Chiho Itoga
  • Patent number: 8428853
    Abstract: A malfunction diagnostic apparatus for intake air temperature sensors includes a coolant temperature sensor; a first determination portion that determines that a precondition for performing a malfunction diagnosis is satisfied when a process of starting an engine is started, if a detected coolant temperature is determined to be equal to an intake air temperature detected by an intake air temperature sensor provided at a portion that is likely to be cooled, and a decrease amount, by which the detected coolant temperature decreases, is equal to or larger than a preset value; a second determination portion that makes a tentative determination based on a difference between the detected intake air temperatures, if the precondition is satisfied; and a third determination portion that determines whether the tentative determination is an invalid determination or a valid determination, based on a change in the detected intake air temperatures during a given time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toyokazu Nakashima, Kohei Kowata
  • Publication number: 20130096807
    Abstract: In a method of controlling the combustion of a combustion engine from an estimation of the burnt gas mass fraction in the intake manifold, a measurement relative to a fresh air flow rate or to a burnt gas flow rate is performed upstream from the mixing space where fresh air and burnt gas mix. The burnt gas mass fraction present in the mixing space is then estimated from the measurement and from a model of the mixing dynamics in this space. A transport delay between the space and the intake manifold is estimated. The mass fraction of burnt gas in the intake manifold is then deduced in real time. Finally, combustion is controlled from the burnt gas mass fraction in the intake manifold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventor: IFP Energies nouvelles
  • Publication number: 20130096806
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of controlling a combustion engine (1) comprising at least one cylinder (2) and a manifold (3) and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) circuit including an EGR valve. The EGR valve (6) is controlled by carrying out the following stages: a) measuring a pressure difference ?P in a portion of the exhaust gas recirculation circuit including the EGR valve; b) selecting a burnt gas fraction set point BGRsp in the intake manifold (3); c) calculating an opening set point for the EGR valve (6) from a pressure drop relation applied in a portion of the exhaust gas recirculation circuit including the EGR valve, depending on difference ?P at the EGR valve and on the burnt gas fraction set point BGRsp in the intake manifold; and d) controlling the EGR valve (6) as a function of the opening set point of EGR valve (6).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventor: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
  • Patent number: 8423269
    Abstract: An exhaust gas recirculation system including an exhaust gas passageway which routes a flow of exhaust gas from an exhaust gas source to an intake manifold; an exhaust gas passageway valve which controls flow to the intake manifold; a cooling system coupled with the exhaust gas passageway positioned at a location upstream of the exhaust gas source and downstream of the intake manifold and operable to transfer heat from the flow of exhaust gas to a coolant in flow communication with the cooling system; a bypass passageway coupled with the exhaust gas passageway and bypassing the cooling system; a bypass valve operable to control flow through the bypass passageway; at least one valve operation sensor; and a controller operable to control the bypass valve to direct the flow of exhaust gas to the bypass passageway during exhaust gas recirculation based on a signal from the valve operation sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy Harden, T. Andy Craig, James M. Eickmeyer, Amit Ashok Surve, Timothy R Evans, Kerk B. McKeon, Scott Henry
  • Publication number: 20130090839
    Abstract: A control system for an internal combustion engine where when the engine is decelerating the amount of intake air supplied to a combustion chamber is controlled. A target auxiliary intake air amount SAIRCMD necessary for preventing misfiring of the engine by supplying only an auxiliary intake air amount to a combustion chamber and a target intake air amount GAIRCMD which is a target value of the amount of intake air supplied to the combustion chamber are calculated according to the state NE, AP of the engine. When the engine is decelerating, and misfires, misfire avoidance control is executed controlling an auxiliary intake air amount control valve to be more opened such that the auxiliary intake air amount becomes the target auxiliary intake air amount SAIRCMD and a throttle valve to be more closed such that the amount of intake air supplied to the combustion chamber becomes the target intake air amount GAIRCMD.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshiharu Ishigami, Hajime Uto, Jun Kato, Naoki Inoue, Kenji Tsukahara
  • Patent number: 8408189
    Abstract: Internal combustion petrol engine comprising an engine block (2) connected to an intake circuit (3) including a compressor (6) and an exhaust circuit (4) including a turbine (13) which drives the compressor, the internal combustion engine including an exhaust gas recirculation circuit (11) which is connected to the exhaust circuit downstream of the turbine and is connected to the intake circuit upstream of the compressor, the recirculation circuit comprising a cooler. Method of managing such an engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Valeo Systemes de Controle Moteur
    Inventors: Philippe Lutz, Sebastien Potteau, Laurent Albert
  • Patent number: 8412442
    Abstract: An engine starting method is disclosed. In one example, engine operation is adjusted to reduce catalyst light off time. Exhaust temperatures may be increased until a threshold engine temperature is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Eric Kurtz
  • Publication number: 20130080034
    Abstract: A system controlling an air handling system for an internal combustion engine. An EGR valve in-line with an EGR passageway fluidly coupled between exhaust and intake manifolds of the engine is controllable between fully closed open positions to control a flow rate of exhaust gas through the EGR passageway. A control circuit determines a pump enable value as a function of at least one of a target engine speed and a total fueling target, determines a maximum achievable flow rate of recirculated exhaust gas through the EGR passageway with the EGR valve in the fully open position, and activates an electric gas pump to increase the flow rate of exhaust gas through the EGR passageway if the pump enable value exceeds a threshold pump enable value and a target flow rate of recirculated exhaust gas through the EGR passageway is less than the maximum achievable flow rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Inventors: John N. Chi, John M. Mulloy, Sriram S. Popuri, Timothy R. Frazier, Martin T. Books, Divakar Rajamohan, Indranil Brahma
  • Patent number: 8397700
    Abstract: An abnormality diagnosis device for an exhaust gas recirculation device in an internal combustion engine is provided. The exhaust gas recirculation device has an exhaust gas recirculation valve that adjusts the amount of recirculation exhausts gas returned from an exhaust passage to an intake passage of the engine. The abnormality diagnosis device includes a control section that changes the exhaust gas recirculation valve to diagnose an abnormality in the exhaust gas recirculation device. When the abnormality diagnosis execution condition is met, the control section, prior to the execution of the valve closing operation, inhibits the opening degree adjustment and executes a valve opening process to increase the opening degree of the valve from the opening degree at the time to a second target opening degree greater than the first target opening degree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenichiro Kawase, Yousuke Hashimoto, Keisuke Yamashita
  • Patent number: 8393314
    Abstract: A circuit for cooling exhaust gas being recirculated through an EGR system (36) of an engine (10) from an exhaust system (20) successively through first and second heat exchangers (38, 40) to an intake system (16) for entrainment with intake air. Each heat exchanger has a respective coolant inlet through which liquid coolant enters and a respective coolant outlet through which liquid coolant exits after having absorbed heat from recirculated exhaust gas. The circuit has a third heat exchanger (32) to which coolant coming from the outlet of one of the first and second heat exchangers rejects heat, and parallel branches (84, 86) through which coolant enters the inlet of the other of the first and second heat exchangers. One of the parallel branches has a fourth heat exchanger (34) to which coolant flowing through that branch rejects heat, and one or more devices (50, 50A) for controlling the quantity of coolant flowing through each branch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC.
    Inventors: Bashar Melhem, Luis Carlos Cattani, Martin Zielke, Robert Rowells
  • Patent number: 8396646
    Abstract: There is provided an internal EGR control device for an internal combustion engine, which, even when a change in the actual valve timing of exhaust valves is caused by aging, is capable of properly controlling an internal EGR amount while compensating for an adverse influence caused by the change, and thereby properly controlling the temperature within the cylinder. The internal EGR control device 1 sets a target internal EGR amount EGRINCMD which serves a target of the internal EGR amount, according to detected operating conditions, NE and PMCMD, of the engine 3, and calculates internal energy QACT possessed by burned gases, which is determined according to the amount and temperature of the burned gases. Further, the target internal EGR amount EGRINCMD is corrected according to the calculated internal energy, and the valve-closing timing of the exhaust valve 9 is calculated according to the corrected internal EGR amount EGRIN.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chiho Itoga, Ken Ogawa, Toru Kitamura
  • Patent number: 8387593
    Abstract: An EGR flow rate control apparatus of an internal combustion engine is provided that can correct with high accuracy an EGR gas flow rate measured by a gas flow rate measurement apparatus in an EGR passage and control with high accuracy a gas flow rate regulating valve to reduce discharge amounts of PM and NOx in exhaust gases. An EGR flow rate control apparatus 10 of an internal combustion engine includes a gas flow rate correction unit 45 that corrects the EGR gas flow rate based on a first operating state parameter relating to pressure fluctuations of the intake pipe or exhaust pipe of the internal combustion engine and a second operating state parameter relating to a flow channel resistance of the EGR flow channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takanobu Ichihara, Kazuhiko Kanetoshi, Kouzou Katogi, Hiroaki Hoshika
  • Publication number: 20130054117
    Abstract: A method for regulating HCCI combustion of fuel in a reactor of an internal combustion engine is described in which a multivariable regulation is used, manipulated variable changes ?uk for the instantaneous regulating cycle k being determined on the basis of at least system deviations ?xk-1 and manipulated variable changes ?uk-1 of a preceding regulating cycle k?1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Inventors: Axel Loeffler, Wolfgang Fischer, Roland Karrelmeyer, Gerald Graf
  • Patent number: RE44452
    Abstract: Systems and methods for using pedal position and/or pedal change rate in the fuel side and/or air side control of an engine. By knowing the pedal position and/or pedal rate, an engine controller may anticipate future fuel and/or air needs of the engine, and adjust the fuel profile and/or air profile to meet those anticipated needs. This may help improve the responsiveness, performance and emissions of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Stewart, Syed M. Shahed, Francesco Borrelli, Gregory J. Hampson