Patents by Inventor Alberto VASSALLO

Alberto VASSALLO has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9752519
    Abstract: A method of controlling an exhaust gas recirculation system of an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The engine includes a compressor, an intake manifold, an after-treatment system, a low pressure EGR system and a high pressure EGR system. The method temporarily adjusts a low pressure EGR ratio, keeping constant a total EGR rate, after verifying at least one among compressor parameters, after-treatment system parameters or intake manifold parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Alberto Vassallo, Stefano Pellegrino, Salvatore Sannino
  • Patent number: 9353670
    Abstract: An exhaust gas recirculation system for an internal combustion engine comprising an exhaust gas recirculation conduit fluidly connecting an exhaust manifold to an intake manifold of the internal combustion engine, first and second exhaust gas coolers located in series in the exhaust gas recirculation conduit, each of the first and second exhaust gas coolers comprising an inlet and an outlet fluidly connected to a first and a second coolant circuit respectively, wherein the second coolant circuit comprises a radiator having a coolant inlet in fluid communication with the coolant outlet of the second exhaust gas cooler, a pump having a coolant inlet in fluid communication with a coolant outlet of the radiator and a coolant outlet in fluid communication with the coolant inlet of the second exhaust gas cooler, and an additional conduit fluidly connecting the coolant outlet of the exhaust cooler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Alberto Vassallo, Hans H. Drangel
  • Publication number: 20150101583
    Abstract: A method of controlling an exhaust gas recirculation system of an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The engine includes a compressor, an intake manifold, an after-treatment system, a low pressure EGR system and a high pressure EGR system. The method temporarily adjusts a low pressure EGR ratio, keeping constant a total EGR rate, after verifying at least one among compressor parameters, after-treatment system parameters or intake manifold parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventors: Alberto VASSALLO, Stefano PELLEGRINO, Salvatore SANNINO
  • Patent number: 8967126
    Abstract: An exhaust gas recirculation cooler for an internal combustion engine is provided. The exhaust gas recirculation cooler includes an external casing with an inlet and an outlet for an exhaust gas flow. A first tube bundle and a second tube bundle, each with an inlet and an outlet for a coolant, are located inside the external casing so that the exhaust gas flow flows through the first tube bundle and the second tube bundle in series. A bypass passage conveys the exhaust gas flow from downstream the first tube bundle to the outlet of the external casing bypassing the second tube bundle. The bypass passage is located inside the external casing between the first tube bundle and the second tube bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Alberto Vassallo, Hans Drangel
  • Patent number: 8955310
    Abstract: A compression-ignition engine is coupled to an exhaust aftertreatment system including a particulate filter. A method of operating the compression-ignition engine includes executing a feed-forward control scheme to determine an amount of post-combustion fuel to achieve a preferred temperature in the exhaust gas feedstream at an inlet to the particulate filter. The amount of post-combustion fuel is a nominal post-combustion fuel amount adjusted for a biodiesel blend ratio of the fuel. The post-combustion fuel is injected upstream of the exhaust aftertreatment system in response to a command to regenerate the particulate filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Yue-Yun Wang, Ibrahim Haskara, Claudio Ciaravino, Alberto Vassallo
  • Publication number: 20140007851
    Abstract: A method is provided for controlling an internal combustion engine. The engine includes, but is not limited to a low pressure EGR cooler by-pass circuit, and a control valve. The method controls the opening of the EGR cooler by-pass circuit with the control valve, if enabling conditions are met.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Inventors: Alberto VASSALLO, Hans DRANGEL, Federico LUIGI GUGLIELMONE
  • Publication number: 20130298526
    Abstract: A compression-ignition engine is coupled to an exhaust aftertreatment system including a particulate filter. A method of operating the compression-ignition engine includes executing a feed-forward control scheme to determine an amount of post-combustion fuel to achieve a preferred temperature in the exhaust gas feedstream at an inlet to the particulate filter. The amount of post-combustion fuel is a nominal post-combustion fuel amount adjusted for a biodiesel blend ratio of the fuel. The post-combustion fuel is injected upstream of the exhaust aftertreatment system in response to a command to regenerate the particulate filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2012
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC.
    Inventors: Yue-Yun Wang, Ibrahim Haskara, Claudio Ciaravino, Alberto Vassallo
  • Publication number: 20130297181
    Abstract: A method for operating a compression-ignition engine includes controlling an engine fueling, a compressor boost pressure, and an EGR content in a cylinder charge to maintain engine operation in response to a biodiesel blend ratio of a biodiesel fuel blend.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOBY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Yue-Yun Wang, Ibrahim Haskara, Claudio Ciaravino, Alberto Vassallo
  • Patent number: 8543317
    Abstract: A method is provided for estimating the relative humidity in an intake line of an internal combustion engine provided with an intake manifold connected to the intake line, an exhaust line, and a Low Pressure EGR (LPE) conduit which fluidly connects the exhaust line to a connecting point of said intake line. The method includes, but is not limited to calculating specific humidity in the exhaust line, as a function of the O2 concentration in said exhaust line; determining ambient specific humidity; calculating specific humidity in a portion of the intake line comprised between said connecting point and said intake manifold, as a function of a flow of external air entering into said intake line, a flow of exhaust gases coming from said Low Pressure EGR (LPE) conduit, the specific humidity in said exhaust line and the ambient specific humidity; calculating the relative humidity in said portion of the intake line, as a function of the specific humidity thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Paolo Pasero, Alberto Vassallo, Federico Luigi Guglielmone
  • Publication number: 20130042841
    Abstract: An exhaust gas recirculation system for an internal combustion engine comprising an exhaust gas recirculation conduit fluidly connecting an exhaust manifold to an intake manifold of the internal combustion engine, first and second exhaust gas coolers located in series in the exhaust gas recirculation conduit, each of the first and second exhaust gas coolers comprising an inlet and an outlet fluidly connected to a first and a second coolant circuit respectively, wherein the second coolant circuit comprises a radiator having a coolant inlet in fluid communication with the coolant outlet of the second exhaust gas cooler, a pump having a coolant inlet in fluid communication with a coolant outlet of the radiator and a coolant outlet in fluid communication with the coolant inlet of the second exhaust gas cooler, and an additional conduit fluidly connecting the coolant outlet of the exhaust cooler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Alberto Vassallo, Hans H. Drangel
  • Publication number: 20130042842
    Abstract: An exhaust gas recirculation cooler for an internal combustion engine is provided. The exhaust gas recirculation cooler includes an external casing with an inlet and an outlet for an exhaust gas flow. A first tube bundle and a second tube bundle, each with an inlet and an outlet for a coolant, are located inside the external casing so that the exhaust gas flow flows through the first tube bundle and the second tube bundle in series. A bypass passage conveys the exhaust gas flow from downstream the first tube bundle to the outlet of the external casing bypassing the second tube bundle. The bypass passage is located inside the external casing between the first tube bundle and the second tube bundle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2012
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Alberto VASSALLO, Hans DRANGEL
  • Publication number: 20120143470
    Abstract: A method is provided for operating a variable displacement oil pump of an internal combustion engine, that includes, but is not limited to measuring a value of an engine metal temperature and of preventing the variable displacement oil pump to switch from an high displacement configuration to a low displacement configuration, as long as the measured value is greater than a first threshold value of the engine metal temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Alberto VASSALLO, Giovanni DAVID
  • Publication number: 20120024271
    Abstract: A method is provided for estimating the relative humidity in an intake line of an internal combustion engine provided with an intake manifold connected to the intake line, an exhaust line, and a Low Pressure EGR (LPE) conduit which fluidly connects the exhaust line to a connecting point of said intake line. The method includes, but is not limited to calculating specific humidity in the exhaust line, as a function of the O2 concentration in said exhaust line; determining ambient specific humidity; calculating specific humidity in a portion of the intake line comprised between said connecting point and said intake manifold, as a function of a flow of external air entering into said intake line, a flow of exhaust gases coming from said Low Pressure EGR (LPE) conduit, the specific humidity in said exhaust line and the ambient specific humidity; calculating the relative humidity in said portion of the intake line, as a function of the specific humidity thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Paolo PASERO, Alberto VASSALLO, Federico Luigi GUGLIELMONE
  • Publication number: 20110125383
    Abstract: A method is provided for biodiesel blending detection in an internal combustion engine that includes, but is not limited to a first evaluation of the relative air-to-fuel ratio (RAFR) by means of a first sensor whose output whose output is representative of the actual RAFR value, in order to use such first evaluation as a reference value, a second evaluation of the relative air-to-fuel ratio (RAFR) performed measuring mass air flow (MAF), injected fuel quantity (Qfuel) and stoichiometric air-to-fuel (A/F)ST ratio of petrodiesel and carrying out said second evaluation by means of the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) of the engine, and determining discrepancies of values obtained from the second evaluation compared with values obtained from the first evaluation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2010
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Alberto VASSALLO, Claudio CIARAVINO, Federico Luigi GUGLIELMONE
  • Publication number: 20110093181
    Abstract: A method for biodiesel blending detection in a internal combustion engine includes, but is not limited to a first evaluation of the internal mean effective pressure (IMEP) by means of measurements provided by a first sensor whose output is representative of the actual IMEP value, a second evaluation of the internal mean effective pressure (IMEP) performed measuring fuel conversion efficiency (FCE), injected fuel quantity (Qfuel) and lower heating value LHV and carrying out the evaluation by means of the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) of the engine, and determining discrepancies of values obtained from the second evaluation compared with values obtained from the first evaluation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2010
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Claudio CIARAVINO, Alberto VASSALLO, Federico Luigi GUGLIELMONE