Patents by Inventor Calvin K. Koch

Calvin K. Koch 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: 10738655
    Abstract: A turbocharger for an internal combustion engine having a close coupled catalyst assembly includes a turbine housing having a toroidal-shaped low pressure exhaust gas chamber having a plurality of vanes disposed proximate the outer circumferential wall of the low pressure exhaust gas chamber. The vanes are arranged to disrupt the rotational flow of the exhaust gases as they exit the turbine housing to provide a more even flow though the catalyst element of the close coupled catalyst assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Calvin K. Koch, Marc L. Friedrich, Anil Yadav, John A. Schultz
  • Publication number: 20190360358
    Abstract: A turbocharger for an internal combustion engine having a close coupled catalyst assembly includes a turbine housing having a toroidal-shaped low pressure exhaust gas chamber having a plurality of vanes disposed proximate the outer circumferential wall of the low pressure exhaust gas chamber. The vanes are arranged to disrupt the rotational flow of the exhaust gases as they exit the turbine housing to provide a more even flow though the catalyst element of the close coupled catalyst assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2018
    Publication date: November 28, 2019
    Inventors: Calvin K. Koch, Marc L. Friedrich, Anil Yadav, John A. Schultz
  • Patent number: 10066564
    Abstract: An engine control system for a vehicle includes an oxygen mass flow rate module, an oxygen per cylinder module, and a fuel control module. The oxygen mass flow rate module generates a mass flow rate of oxygen flowing into an engine based on a mass air flow rate (MAF) into the engine and a percentage of oxygen by volume measured using an intake oxygen (IO) sensor in an intake system. The oxygen per cylinder module generates a mass of oxygen for a combustion event of a cylinder of the engine based on the mass flow rate of oxygen flowing into the engine. The fuel control module controls fueling to the cylinder for the combustion event based on the mass of oxygen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: B. Jerry Song, Ethan E. Bayer, Ben W. Moscherosch, Calvin K. Koch
  • Publication number: 20180078912
    Abstract: An assembly for mixing liquid within a gas flow includes a hollow conduit that is configured for containing a flow of gas and liquid droplets. The assembly includes a hollow conduit having an inner wall and configured for containing a flow of gas and liquid droplets. A first plurality of spaced blades is disposed in the conduit in a first plane. A second plurality of spaced blades are disposed in the conduit in a second plane disposed downstream of the first plane, the second plurality of spaced blades being circumferentially offset from the first plurality of spaced blades. A third plurality of spaced blades are disposed in the conduit in a third plane disposed downstream of the second plane, the third plurality of spaced blades being circumferentially offset from the second plurality of spaced blades.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Inventors: Anil YADAV, Jianwen LI, Calvin K. KOCH, Rahul MITAL
  • Patent number: 9046051
    Abstract: A spark-ignition, direct-injection internal combustion engine is coupled to an exhaust aftertreatment system including a three-way catalytic converter upstream of an NH3-SCR catalyst. A method for operating the engine includes operating the engine in a fuel cutoff mode and coincidentally executing a second fuel injection control scheme upon detecting an engine load that permits operation in the fuel cutoff mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Kushal Narayanaswamy, Calvin K. Koch, Paul M. Najt, Gerald A. Szekely, Jr., Joel G. Toner
  • Patent number: 8926926
    Abstract: A thin layer of low mean-pore-size filter material that permanently accommodates the accumulation of exhaust particulates (as soot or a soot cake) is carried on a porous ceramic support. The supported filter material is closely coupled with the exhaust manifold of the engine, for the purpose of passive regeneration of stored particulates, and removes particulate matter from the exhaust which is directed through the filter layer and ceramic support. The oxygen content of the exhaust oxidizes the particulate matter on the filter material. In a preferred embodiment, a thin layer of the filter material is supported on inlet channel walls of a wall flow-through ceramic filter body to remove the particles from the exhaust. The filter body comprises an upstream exhaust gas flow inlet face with openings to a plurality of inlet channels and a downstream face with a like plurality of openings from outlet channels. The inlet channels are closed at the downstream face and the outlet channels are closed at the inlet face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Calvin K. Koch, Paul M. Najt, Kushal Narayanaswamy, David L. Hilden
  • Patent number: 8920756
    Abstract: Ag/Al2O3 materials may be packaged in a suitable flow-through reactor, in combination with another material selected as a passive NOx adsorber material (PNA), both the silver material and the adsorber material being close coupled to the exhaust manifold of a diesel engine, and upstream of other catalytic devices, such as a diesel oxidation catalyst and a selective reduction catalyst for NOx. The silver catalyst material uses hydrogen in a cold-start engine exhaust and serves to oxidize NO to NO2 in the relatively low temperature, hydrocarbon-containing, exhaust during a short period following the engine cold start, and to temporarily store NOx during the start-up period. After the flowing exhaust gas stream has heated the PNA and the downstream catalytic devices, the silver yields its nitrogen oxides for conversion to nitrogen by the then-operating devices before NOx is discharged to the atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Calvin K. Koch, Gongshin Qi, Steven J. Schmieg, Wei Li
  • Patent number: 8906331
    Abstract: Ag/Al2O3 materials may be packaged in a suitable flow-through reactor, close coupled to the exhaust manifold of a diesel engine, and upstream of other exhaust gas treatment devices, such as a diesel oxidation catalyst and a selective reduction catalyst for NOx. The silver/alumina catalyst material uses hydrogen in a cold-start engine exhaust and serves to oxidize NO to NO2 in the relatively low temperature, hydrocarbon-containing, exhaust during a short period following the engine cold start, and to temporarily store NOx during the start-up period. After the exhaust has heated downstream catalytic devices, the silver yields its nitrogen oxides for conversion to nitrogen by the then-operating devices before NOx is discharged to the atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Calvin K. Koch, Gongshin Qi, Steven J. Schmieg, Wei Li
  • Publication number: 20130332050
    Abstract: An engine control system for a vehicle includes an oxygen mass flow rate module, an oxygen per cylinder module, and a fuel control module. The oxygen mass flow rate module generates a mass flow rate of oxygen flowing into an engine based on a mass air flow rate (MAF) into the engine and a percentage of oxygen by volume measured using an intake oxygen (IO) sensor in an intake system. The oxygen per cylinder module generates a mass of oxygen for a combustion event of a cylinder of the engine based on the mass flow rate of oxygen flowing into the engine. The fuel control module controls fueling to the cylinder for the combustion event based on the mass of oxygen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: B. Jerry Song, Ethan E. Bayer, Ben W. Moscherosch, Calvin K. Koch
  • Publication number: 20130294989
    Abstract: Ag/Al2O3 materials may be packaged in a suitable flow-through reactor, close coupled to the exhaust manifold of a diesel engine, and upstream of other exhaust gas treatment devices, such as a diesel oxidation catalyst and a selective reduction catalyst for NOx. The silver/alumina catalyst material uses hydrogen in a cold-start engine exhaust and serves to oxidize NO to NO2 in the relatively low temperature, hydrocarbon-containing, exhaust during a short period following the engine cold start, and to temporarily store NOx during the start-up period. After the exhaust has heated downstream catalytic devices, the silver yields its nitrogen oxides for conversion to nitrogen by the then-operating devices before NOx is discharged to the atmosphere.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: CALVIN K. KOCH, GONGSHIN QI, STEVEN J. SCHMIEG, WEI LI
  • Publication number: 20120316754
    Abstract: A spark-ignition, direct-injection internal combustion engine is coupled to an exhaust aftertreatment system including a three-way catalytic converter upstream of an NH3-SCR catalyst. A method for operating the engine includes operating the engine in a fuel cutoff mode and coincidentally executing a second fuel injection control scheme upon detecting an engine load that permits operation in the fuel cutoff mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Kushal Narayanaswamy, Calvin K. Koch, Paul M. Najt, Gerald A. Szekely, JR., Joel G. Toner
  • Patent number: 8001768
    Abstract: The disclosure sets forth operating a spark-ignition, direct-fuel injection internal combustion engine equipped with an exhaust aftertreatment system including a lean-NOx reduction catalyst upstream of a second converter element. The engine preferentially operates in one of a homogeneous charge combustion mode and a stratified charge combustion mode based upon temperature of the lean-NOx reduction catalyst. Exhaust gas flow is selectively diverted to the second converter element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: David J. Cleary, Calvin K. Koch, Wei Li
  • Publication number: 20110120089
    Abstract: A thin layer of low mean-pore-size filter material that permanently accommodates the accumulation of exhaust particulates (as soot or a soot cake) is carried on a porous ceramic support. The supported filter material is closely coupled with the exhaust manifold of the engine, for the purpose of passive regeneration of stored particulates, and removes particulate matter from the exhaust which is directed through the filter layer and ceramic support. The oxygen content of the exhaust oxidizes the particulate matter on the filter material. In a preferred embodiment, a thin layer of the filter material is supported on inlet channel walls of a wall flow-through ceramic filter body to remove the particles from the exhaust. The filter body comprises an upstream exhaust gas flow inlet face with openings to a plurality of inlet channels and a downstream face with a like plurality of openings from outlet channels. The inlet channels are closed at the downstream face and the outlet channels are closed at the inlet face.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2009
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Calvin K. Koch, Paul M. Najt, Kushal Narayanaswamy, David L. Hilden
  • Patent number: 7571602
    Abstract: The present invention is an aftertreatment system for lean burn internal combustion engines. The present invention provides a multiple branch lean NOx trap, or LNT, with a diverter valve operable to selectively direct lean exhaust flow to one portion of the LNT while another portion of the LNT regenerates in a low oxygen environment. Additionally, the present invention employees a continuously operating side stream exhaust fuel reformer that delivers a reductant, such as partially oxidized (POx) gas or reformate, to the LNT for regeneration. The present invention also provides a method of exhaust aftertreatment of a lean burn internal combustion engine utilizing the system provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventor: Calvin K. Koch
  • Publication number: 20090193792
    Abstract: The disclosure sets forth operating a spark-ignition, direct-fuel injection internal combustion engine equipped with an exhaust aftertreatment system including a lean-NOx reduction catalyst upstream of a second converter element. The engine preferentially operates in one of a homogeneous charge combustion mode and a stratified charge combustion mode based upon temperature of the lean-NOx reduction catalyst. Exhaust gas flow is selectively diverted to the second converter element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: David J. Cleary, Calvin K. Koch, Wei Li
  • Patent number: 7267697
    Abstract: A fuel reforming system includes an inlet device for a reactor having a housing defining a frustoconical interior region having an inlet opening and an outlet opening. A tube mixer having a helical divider may be optionally employed to transfer fluid into the inlet opening. A retention member is placed at each of the openings and a plurality of particles is contained within the frustoconical interior region between the retention members. An insulator placed between the outlet opening and the catalyst reaction surface minimizes temperature non-uniformities over the catalyst surface area, which preserves the catalyst contained within the reaction surface and prevents premature onset of the reaction prior to contact of a reactant mixture with the reaction surface. As a reactant fluid material passes through the inlet device it forms a homogenous reactant fluid material which then flows onto a catalytic reaction surface to form a reformate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Bart Viola, Changsoo Kim, Calvin K. Koch