Abstract: A microturbine system for a vehicle and method of operating the microturbine system. The microturbine system is an automotive range extender that includes a generator to provide power to a battery pack of the vehicle. A compressor is operably coupled to the generator and a burner is operably coupled downstream of the compressor to burn fuel and heat compressed charge air from the compressor to form an exhaust. An aftertreatment device is operably coupled downstream of the burner to change a composition of the exhaust from the burner to form a treated exhaust. A turbine is operably coupled downstream of the aftertreatment device and operably coupled to the compressor. The turbine is configured such that a flow of the treated exhaust drives the turbine and the compressor to power the generator.

Abstract: A two-stage turbocharged engine system is provided. The two-stage turbocharged engine system includes an internal combustion engine, a high-pressure turbocharger having a high-pressure turbine for rotating a high-pressure compressor through a connecting shaft, and a low-pressure turbocharger having a low-pressure turbine for rotating a low-pressure compressor by a connecting shaft. The two-stage turbocharged engine system also includes a low-pressure intake line for fluidly connecting the outlet of low-pressure compressor to the inlet of high-pressure compressor, a high-pressure intake line for fluidly connecting the outlet of high-pressure compressor to an air cooler, and a bypass device for selectively fluidly connecting a first branching point located in low-pressure intake line to a second branching point located in high-pressure intake line to thereby bypass the high-pressure compressor. The bypass device is located closer to the low-pressure compressor than to the high-pressure compressor.

Abstract: A Two-stage turbocharged engine system includes, but is not limited to an internal combustion engine, a high-pressure turbocharger having a high-pressure turbine for rotating a high-pressure compressor through a connecting shaft, a low-pressure turbocharger having a low-pressure turbine for rotating a low-pressure compressor by means of a connecting shaft, a low-pressure intake line for fluidly connecting the outlet of low-pressure compressor to the inlet of high-pressure compressor, an high-pressure intake line for fluidly connecting the outlet of high-pressure compressor to an air cooler, and a bypass device for selectively fluidly connecting a first branching point located in low-pressure intake line to a second branching point located in high-pressure intake line, to thereby bypassing the high-pressure compressor; said bypass device being located closer to the low-pressure compressor than to the high-pressure compressor.

Abstract: A filtering body is obtained for particulate of diesel engines, consisting of a ceramic foam that is produced, starting from a ceramic-material powder-based suspension (slurry), by preparing a perform of polymeric foam material and impregnating the said perform with the ceramic-powder slurry so as to distribute the slurry evenly on the perform, and by then subjecting the body thus obtained to a thermal cycle of sintering in such a way as to pyrolyze the polymeric material and obtain a high-porosity ceramic material. The ceramic-material powder is chosen from among mullite powder, alumina powder, zirconia powder, and mixtures thereof, having very high purity, controlled grain-size, and a high specific surface.

Abstract: A method of determining the amount of particulate accumulated in a particulate filter, is based on determining possible variations in the spatial distribution and/or physical-chemical properties of the particulate as a function of engine operating conditions and past particulate accumulation in the particulate filter. A number of reference values defining a relationship between the amount of particulate accumulated in the particulate filter and the pressure drop across the particulate filter are mapped, each of the reference values relating to a respective steady engine operating condition in which particulate is accumulated in the particulate filter. In a given engine operating condition, an operating value of the parameter is then determined as a function of the reference value of the parameter relative to the same steady engine operating condition, and of past particulate accumulation in the particulate filter.

Abstract: A particulate filter for diesel engines comprises a metal shell or casing inside which is set a filtering body made of ceramic foam. The filtering body is made up of a plurality of separate elements made of ceramic foam and having a substantially plane and elongated shape, which are set about a longitudinal axis of the shell in such a way as to define, inside the shell, an inner chamber (B) set inside the array of filtering elements and at least one outer chamber (A) set outside the array. The said chambers respectively communicate with the intake pipe and with the outlet pipe, or vice versa, in such a way that, during use, the flow of the engine exhaust gases that traverses the shell passing from the intake pipe to the outlet pipe (or vice versa) is forced to traverse the aforesaid filtering elements, thus assuming a component of radial velocity with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shell.

Abstract: There is described a method of determining the amount of particulate accumulated in a particulate filter, based on determining possible variations in the spatial distribution and/or physical-chemical properties of the particulate as a function of engine operating conditions and past particulate accumulation in the particulate filter. More specifically, to begin with, there are determined and memorized in map form a number of reference values of a parameter defining a relationship between the amount of particulate accumulated in the particulate filter and the pressure drop across the particulate filter, each of the reference values relating to a respective steady engine operating condition in which particulate is accumulated in the particulate filter.

Abstract: A filtering body is obtained for particulate of diesel engines, consisting of a ceramic foam that is produced, starting from a ceramic-material powder-based suspension (slurry), by preparing a preform of polymeric foam material and impregnating the said preform with the ceramic-powder slurry so as to distribute the slurry evenly on the preform, and by then subjecting the body thus obtained to a thermal cycle of sintering in such a way as to pyrolyze the polymeric material and obtain a high-porosity ceramic material. The ceramic-material powder is chosen from among mullite powder, alumina powder, zirconia powder, and mixtures thereof, having very high purity, controlled grain-size, and a high specific surface.

Abstract: A particulate filter for diesel engines comprises a metal shell or casing inside which is set a filtering body made of ceramic foam. The filtering body is made up of a plurality of separate elements made of ceramic foam and having a substantially plane and elongated shape, which are set about a longitudinal axis of the shell in such a way as to define, inside the shell, an inner chamber (B) set inside the array of filtering elements and at least one outer chamber (A) set outside the array. The said chambers respectively communicate with the intake pipe and with the outlet pipe, or vice versa, in such a way that, during use, the flow of the engine exhaust gases that traverses the shell passing from the intake pipe to the outlet pipe (or vice versa) is forced to traverse the aforesaid filtering elements, thus assuming a component of radial velocity with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shell.