Patents Assigned to AI ALPINE US BIDCO INC
  • Patent number: 11761398
    Abstract: Systems and methods for estimating an engine event location are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a control system is configured to receive feedback from at least one vibration sensor coupled to a reciprocating engine, estimate an engine parameter based at least on the feedback and an Empirical Transform Function (ETF), estimate a location of an engine event based on the engine parameter, and adjust operation of the reciprocating engine based at least on the location of the engine event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: AI Alpine US Bidco Inc.
    Inventors: Marco Guerriero, Jeffrey Jacob Bizub, Brett Alexander Matthews
  • Patent number: 11643991
    Abstract: A power cylinder system for a reciprocating engine includes a piston configured to move within a cylinder of the reciprocating engine. The system also includes a groove extending circumferentially about the piston and configured to support a ring. An axially-facing surface of the groove has circumferential undulations at ambient temperatures that are configured to compensate for distortions to the groove caused by operation of the reciprocating engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: AI ALPINE US BIDCO INC
    Inventors: Richard John Donahue, James Richard Zurlo
  • Patent number: 11592014
    Abstract: A method of controlling a gas compression system includes comparing an engine load of an engine of the gas compression system during operation to a load threshold and controlling a suction valve coupled to an intake of a reciprocating compressor. The suction valve is controlled based at least in part on the comparison of the engine load to the load threshold. Controlling the suction valve includes incrementing the suction valve toward a closed position to reduce flow of a gas into the intake when the engine load is greater than or equal to the load threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: AI ALPINE US BIDCO INC.
    Inventors: Ryan Thomas Smith, Eshang Saini, James Zurlo
  • Patent number: 11326484
    Abstract: A system includes an engine head that mounts to an engine block of a reciprocating engine, and the engine head includes an intake flow path, an exhaust flow path, a coolant flow path, and first and second sealing registers disposed on opposite sides of the coolant flow path. In addition, the first and second sealing registers are configured to receive a valve guide that supports a valve stem of an exhaust valve. Moreover, the first sealing register is disposed in a wall separating the exhaust flow path and the coolant flow path. Also, a first wall portion of the wall extends between the first sealing register and an exhaust valve seat configured to receive a valve head of the exhaust valve, and a second wall portion of the wall extends from the first sealing register away from the first wall portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: AI ALPINE US BIDCO INC.
    Inventors: Michael Feldner, Ryan Michael Peters, Amy Lindblad
  • Patent number: 11313750
    Abstract: A method of monitoring an operating event of a combustion engine includes receiving a noise signal sensed by a knock sensor disposed in or proximate to the combustion engine, correlating the noise signal with a musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) fingerprint having at least an ADSR envelope indicative of the operating event, and detecting if the operating event has occurred based on the correlating of the noise signal with the fingerprint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: AI ALPINE US BIDCO INC
    Inventors: Jeffrey Jacob Bizub, Rajesh Katta
  • Patent number: 11199127
    Abstract: A reciprocating engine system includes a turbocharger system including a mechanically driven compressor, an electrically driven compressor, and a compressor bypass valve. A control system is programmed for generating control signals for: under nominal full load operating conditions, minimizing gas flow through the compressor bypass valve and compressing gas within the electrically driven compressor to maintain a speed set point or a full load power set point of the reciprocating engine system, under off nominal full load operating conditions wherein an efficiency of the mechanically driven compressor is reduced, compressing gas within the electrically driven compressor to compensate for the reduced efficiency of the mechanically driven compressor and to maintain the speed set point or the full load power set point of the reciprocating engine system, and under partial load operating conditions, partially diverting the gas flow through the compressor bypass valve in response to the reduced load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: AI ALPINE US BIDCO INC
    Inventors: Jassin Marcel Fritz, Hang Lu
  • Patent number: 11041414
    Abstract: A system includes an engine head that mounts to an engine block of a reciprocating engine, and the engine head includes an intake flow path, an exhaust flow path, a coolant flow path, and first and second sealing registers disposed on opposite sides of the coolant flow path. In addition, the first and second sealing registers are configured to receive a valve guide that supports a valve stem of an exhaust valve. Moreover, the first sealing register is disposed in a wall separating the exhaust flow path and the coolant flow path. Also, a first wall portion of the wall extends between the first sealing register and an exhaust valve seat configured to receive a valve head of the exhaust valve, and a second wall portion of the wall extends from the first sealing register away from the first wall portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: AI ALPINE US BIDCO INC
    Inventors: Michael Feldner, Ryan Michael Peters, Amy Lindblad
  • Patent number: 10961942
    Abstract: Systems and methods for estimating an engine event location are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a control system is configured to receive feedback from at least one knock sensor coupled to a reciprocating engine, estimate an engine parameter based at least on the feedback and an Empirical Transform Function (ETF), estimate a location of an engine event based on the engine parameter, and adjust operation of the reciprocating engine based at least on the location of the engine event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: AI ALPINE US BIDCO INC
    Inventors: Marco Guerriero, Jeffrey Jacob Bizub, Brett Alexander Matthews
  • Patent number: 10883435
    Abstract: A method for diagnosing a waste gate valve malfunction in a power generation system is presented. The method includes determining an actual pressure differential across a throttle valve. The method further includes determining an estimated pressure differential across the throttle valve based on one or more first operating parameters of the power generation system. Furthermore, the method includes determining an absolute difference between the actual pressure differential and the estimated pressure differential. Moreover, the method also includes comparing the absolute difference with a threshold value and if the absolute difference is greater than the threshold value, determining an operating condition of the throttle valve. Additionally, the method includes determining whether the waste gate valve has malfunctioned based on the determined operating condition of the throttle valve. An engine controller and a power generation system employing the method are also presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: AI ALPINE US BIDCO INC
    Inventors: Dipankar Deb, Sharath Sridhar Aramanekoppa, Prashant Srinivasan, Maruthi Narasinga Rao Devarakonda
  • Patent number: 10876927
    Abstract: A method (60, 90) includes executing a wear protocol to derive a start-stop (SS) wear, a steady-state operating hours (OH) wear, or a combination thereof, of a test journal bearing system (10). The method (60, 90) further includes observing operations of an engine (8) via one or more sensors to determine a number of start-stops, steady-state operating hours, or a combination thereof. The method (60, 90) also includes determining a determined journal bearing system wear (114) based on applying a physics-based model (94) of a journal bearing system (10) and the transfer function to the number of start-stops, the steady-state operating hours, or to the combination thereof. The method (60, 90) additionally includes executing one or more actionable items (116) on the engine (8) based on the determined journal bearing system wear (114).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: AI ALPINE US BIDCO INC
    Inventors: Souvik Math, Hombe Gowda, Krishnanand Venkatasubramanian
  • Patent number: 10865734
    Abstract: The present application provides a piston assembly. The piston assembly may include a cylinder bore extending from a thrust side to an antithrust side and a piston positioned within the cylinder bore. The piston may include a top land, a second land, and a skirt with an axis extending therethrough. The piston may include a tight land profile with an offset about the axis of the skirt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: AI ALPINE US BIDCO INC
    Inventors: Richard John Donahue, Lorne Eugene Nix, Kenneth Edward Neuman
  • Patent number: 10859031
    Abstract: A thermally compensated bore guide system for a shaft, the shaft configured to translate along a longitudinal axis, is provided. The thermally compensated bore guide system includes an inner bore defined within a component. The inner bore is configured to circumferentially surround at least a portion of the shaft, wherein the inner bore is non-linear in response to the thermally compensated bore guide system being at a first thermal condition and wherein the inner bore is configured to be linear and to define a bore axis substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis in response to the thermally compensated bore guide system being at a second thermal condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: AI ALPINE US BIDCO INC
    Inventors: Julian R. Knudsen, Wayne G. Seaberg
  • Patent number: 10794266
    Abstract: A system includes an air source, an internal combustion engine, a first turbocharger, a second turbocharger, and a third turbocharger. The first turbocharger includes a first turbine and a first compressor, the second turbocharger includes a second turbine and a second compressor, and the third turbocharger includes a third turbine and a third compressor. The third compressor is fluidly coupled to the air source and is fluidly coupled to one of the first compressor and the second compressor. The first compressor is fluidly coupled upstream of the second compressor, and the second compressor is fluidly coupled upstream of the third turbine. The third turbine is fluidly coupled upstream of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: AI ALPINE US BIDCO INC
    Inventors: Rodrigo Rodriguez Erdmenger, Jassin Marcel Fritz
  • Patent number: 10753312
    Abstract: A power cylinder system for a reciprocating engine includes a piston configured to move within a cylinder of the reciprocating engine. The system also includes a groove extending circumferentially about the piston and configured to support a ring. An axially-facing surface of the groove has circumferential undulations at ambient temperatures that are configured to compensate for distortions to the groove caused by operation of the reciprocating engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: AI ALPINE US BIDCO INC
    Inventors: Richard John Donahue, James Richard Zurlo
  • Patent number: 10731524
    Abstract: A system includes an engine head that mounts to an engine block of a reciprocating engine, and the engine head includes an intake flow path, an exhaust flow path, a coolant flow path, and first and second sealing registers disposed on opposite sides of the coolant flow path. In addition, the first and second sealing registers are configured to receive a valve guide that supports a valve stem of an exhaust valve. Moreover, the first sealing register is disposed in a wall separating the exhaust flow path and the coolant flow path. Also, a first wall portion of the wall extends between the first sealing register and an exhaust valve seat configured to receive a valve head of the exhaust valve, and a second wall portion of the wall extends from the first sealing register away from the first wall portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: AI ALPINE US BIDCO INC
    Inventors: Michael Feldner, Ryan Michael Peters, Amy Lindblad
  • Patent number: 10557434
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method is provided. The method includes receiving a signal representative of an engine vibration transmitted via a knock sensor, wherein the knock sensor is disposed in an engine. The method additionally includes deriving a valve wear measurement during operation of the engine based on the signal. The method further includes communicating the valve wear measure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: AI ALPINE US BIDCO INC
    Inventors: James Richard Zurlo, Stephan Laiminger
  • Patent number: 10526947
    Abstract: The present application provides an aftertreatment system for treating an exhaust stream of an engine. The aftertreatment system may include a selective catalyst reduction system positioned downstream of the engine, a secondary catalyst positioned downstream of the selective catalyst reduction system, a first gas sensor positioned between the engine and the selective catalyst reduction system, a second gas sensor positioned between the selective catalyst reduction system and the secondary catalyst, and a third gas sensor positioned downstream of the secondary catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: AI ALPINE US BIDCO INC
    Inventors: Maruthi Narasinga Rao Devarakonda, Srinivas Kandasamy, Michael Url, Herbert Kopecek
  • Patent number: 10393609
    Abstract: A system includes a cylinder, a piston, a sensor configured to detect vibrations of the cylinder, piston, or both that correspond with varying pressures within the cylinder, and a controller coupled to the sensor. The controller is configured to receive a first signal from the sensor corresponding with first vibrations of the cylinder and to deduce from the first signal a first operating value of a parameter indicative of peak firing pressure at a first time, to compare the first operating value with a baseline value of the parameter indicative of peak firing pressure to detect a change in peak firing pressure, to receive a second signal from the sensor corresponding with second vibrations of the cylinder and to deduce from the second signal a second operating value of the parameter indicative of peak firing pressure at a second time, and to compare the second operating value with the baseline value to confirm the change in peak firing pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: AI ALPINE US BIDCO INC.
    Inventors: Pavan Chakravarthy Nandigama, Sujith Mohan, Amit Shrivastava, Chandan Kumar, Jeffrey Jacob Bizub
  • Patent number: 10393050
    Abstract: A reciprocating engine system includes a cylinder, a piston disposed within the cylinder, a knock sensor disposed proximate to the cylinder and configured to detect vibrations of the cylinder, piston, or both, a crankshaft sensor configured to sense a crank angle of a crankshaft, and a controller communicatively coupled to the knock sensor and the crankshaft sensor. The controller is configured to receive a raw knock signal from the knock sensor and a crank angle signal from the crankshaft sensor corresponding to vibrations of the cylinder, piston, or both relative to the crank angle of the crankshaft, convert the raw knock signal into a digital value signal, and at least one of a crank angle for a start of combustion, a peak firing pressure, a percentage of fuel mass fraction burn, or a combination thereof, based on the digital value signal and the crank angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: AI ALPINE US BIDCO INC.
    Inventors: Sharad Nagappa, Rahul Srinivas Prabhu, Adam Edgar Klingbeil, Prashanth D'Souza
  • Patent number: 10385794
    Abstract: A method for diagnosing a waste gate valve malfunction in a power generation system is presented. The method includes determining an actual pressure differential across a throttle valve. The method further includes determining an estimated pressure differential across the throttle valve based on one or more first operating parameters of the power generation system. Furthermore, the method includes determining an absolute difference between the actual pressure differential and the estimated pressure differential. Moreover, the method also includes comparing the absolute difference with a threshold value and if the absolute difference is greater than the threshold value, determining an operating condition of the throttle valve. Additionally, the method includes determining whether the waste gate valve has malfunctioned based on the determined operating condition of the throttle valve. An engine controller and a power generation system employing the method are also presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: AI Alpine US Bidco Inc.
    Inventors: Dipankar Deb, Sharath Sridhar Aramanekoppa, Prashant Srinivasan, Maruthi Narasinga Rao Devarakonda