Patents by Inventor Timothy P. Lutz

Timothy P. Lutz 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: 9988991
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling operation of dual fuel internal combustion engines in response to cylinder pressure based determinations are disclosed. The techniques control fueling contributions from a first fuel source and a second fuel source to achieve desired operational outcomes in response to the cylinder pressure based determinations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Axel Otto zur Loye, Geomy George, Timothy P. Lutz, J. Steven Kolhouse, C. Larry Bruner
  • Publication number: 20180135507
    Abstract: Internal combustion engine apparatuses, systems and methods. The internal combustion engine system includes a cylinder block including a cylinder bore and a piston movably positioned in the cylinder bore. The piston is configured to slide in an axial direction within the cylinder bore. The piston includes a piston crown and a turbulence induction protuberance extending in an axial direction from the piston crown. The turbulence induction protuberance is positioned radially intermediate an axial center of the piston and a circumferential portion of the piston. The turbulence induction protuberance is configured to cause turbulence in a propagating flame propagating from a central region of the cylinder bore to cause the propagating flame to extend to a circumferential portion of the cylinder bore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Applicant: CUMMINS INC.
    Inventors: Feng Tao, Timothy P. Lutz
  • Publication number: 20180010515
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to dual fuel internal combustion engines with multiple cylinder banks and/or cylinder subsets, and exhaust aftertreatment systems associated therewith. Systems and methods are disclosed that relate to engine operations involving fuelling control for fuel cutout of one or more of the cylinder banks and/or cylinder subsets in response to a fuel cutout event to increase gaseous fuel substitution on the other cylinder banks and/or cylinder subsets to satisfy the torque request and thermal management conditions of the aftertreatment system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Inventors: J. Steven Kolhouse, Timothy P. Lutz, C. Larry Bruner, Christopher Pollitt
  • Publication number: 20170234245
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus for controlling operation of dual fuel engines are disclosed that regulate the fuelling amounts provided by a first fuel and a second fuel during operation of the engine. The first fuel can be a liquid fuel and the second fuel can be a gaseous fuel. The fuelling amounts are controlled to improve operational outcomes of the duel fuel engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: C. Larry Bruner, Phanindra V. Garimella, Geomy George, Timothy P. Lutz, J. Steven Kolhouse, Edmund P. Hodzen, Robert Charles Borregard, Mark A. Rosswurm, Axel Otto zur Loye
  • Publication number: 20170226973
    Abstract: A method of reducing carbonaceous deposits on a fuel injector is provided in which a first fuel composition is supplied to the fuel injector in a dual fuel engine, the first fuel composition comprising natural gas fuel and a first percentage of diesel fuel; and a second fuel composition is supplied to the fuel injector in a dual fuel engine, the second fuel composition comprising a second percentage of diesel fuel that is greater than the first percentage of diesel fuel to cause cavitation to occur within the fuel injector, thereby reducing carbonaceous deposits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Inventors: Norman C. Blizard, Timothy P. Lutz, David B. Snyder
  • Publication number: 20170218837
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus for controlling operation of an engine structured to combust gaseous fuel such as a dual fuel engine, including an estimation of key parameters dependent on natural gas quality, are disclosed. The natural gas quality parameters are estimated from natural gas properties obtained from various sensed parameters associated with the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Jinghua Zhong, C. Larry Bruner, Timothy P. Lutz
  • Publication number: 20170122226
    Abstract: A method includes supplying a first quantity of a first fuel to an engine and supplying a charge including a second fuel and air to the engine. The first fuel is different from the second fuel. The method further includes mixing the first fuel with the charge, supplying a second quantity of the first fuel to the engine, and igniting at least a portion of the first and second fuels in response to supplying the second quantity of the first fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2016
    Publication date: May 4, 2017
    Inventor: Timothy P. Lutz
  • Publication number: 20170089273
    Abstract: Apparatuses, methods and systems for controlling operation of dual fuel engines are disclosed. One embodiment is a method for controlling operation of a dual fuel engine based upon a combustion index value. The combustion index may be empirically determined to provide desired engine operation at a plurality of ratios of gaseous fuel and liquid fuel. The desired engine operation may include a number of criteria including, for examiner an engine knock criterion and/or an exhaust emissions criterion. The combustion index value may be determined during operation of the engine based upon measured, estimated or predicted engine operating parameters. The combustion index value may be utilized to interpolate between a first engine operating map for a first ratio of gaseous fuel and liquid fuel and a second engine operating map for a second ratio of gaseous fuel and liquid fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: Robert J. Thomas, Axel Otto Zur Loye, Timothy P. Lutz, Christopher Pollitt, Phanindra V. Garimella
  • Publication number: 20170051713
    Abstract: An injector combustion shield assembly comprising a bore configured to receive a fuel injector, the bore including a fluid opening in fluid communication with a fluid jacket and a fluid outlet positioned within an annular wall of the bore; and a valve positioned between the fluid jacket and the fluid opening and configured to selectively permit a fluid from the fluid jacket to enter the bore, the valve being movable between an open configuration to permit fluid flow from the fluid jacket into the bore via the fluid opening and a closed configuration to prevent fluid flow from the fluid jacket into the bore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2016
    Publication date: February 23, 2017
    Inventors: Lester L. Peters, David L. Buchanan, Timothy P. Lutz, David B. Snyder, Derek G. Weiler, Clayton R. Westerfeld, Julie Anne Colin, Akintomide K. Akinola, Joseph Eric Parlow, Steven J. Kolhouse
  • Publication number: 20170009671
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling operation of dual fuel internal combustion engines in response to cylinder pressure based determinations are disclosed. The techniques control fueling contributions from a first fuel source and a second fuel source to achieve desired operational outcomes in response to the cylinder pressure based determinations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Inventors: Axel Otto zur Loye, Geomy George, Timothy P. Lutz, J. Steven Kolhouse, C. Larry Bruner
  • Patent number: 9464583
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling operation of dual fuel internal combustion engines in response to cylinder pressure based determinations are disclosed. The techniques control fuelling contributions from a first fuel source and a second fuel source to achieve desired operational outcomes in response to the cylinder pressure based determinations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Axel Otto zur Loye, Geomy George, Timothy P. Lutz, Steven J. Kolhouse, C. Larry Bruner
  • Publication number: 20160281619
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for desulfating an oxidation catalyst in an aftertreatment system of a multifuel internal combustion engine. The oxidation catalyst can be desulfated in response to one or more desulfation triggering events. The desulfation process includes providing hydrocarbons from one or all of the multiple fuel sources to an upstream oxidation catalyst. The hydrocarbons react with the exhaust gas within the upstream oxidation catalyst to deplete oxygen in the exhaust flow to thereby reduce the desulfation temperature of the oxidation catalyst while elevating a temperature of the exhaust gas to a desulfation temperature range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Inventors: Prachetas A. Kale, Timothy P. Lutz, Junhui Li, Ashok Kumar, Krishna Kamasamudram, C. Larry Bruner
  • Patent number: 9410490
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling operation of dual fuel internal combustion engines are disclosed. The control techniques provide for override of a dual fuel mode of operation of the engine by selection of a diesel only fuelling mode in response to one or more operating conditions of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Cummins, Inc.
    Inventors: J. Steven Kolhouse, Timothy P. Lutz, C. Larry Bruner
  • Publication number: 20160186672
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an engine load module structured to detect an engine operating state of the engine and generate an engine status report; a timing module structured to receive the engine status report and generate a cylinder request after the engine has been in a certain engine operating state for a certain period of time; and a cylinder module structured to receive the cylinder request and generate a cylinder command to be sent to the engine to deactivate a portion of combustion cylinders based on the engine operating state existing for the certain period of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Inventors: Abhishek Mehrotra, Ward R. Edwards, Timothy P. Lutz, Colin L. Norris, David Joseph Reynolds, George E. Bentley, Amit Goje, Balakrishnan Ramamoorthy, Jagdeep I. Singh, Olusola Afolabi
  • Publication number: 20160061129
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for regenerating an oxidation catalyst used in an aftertreatment system of a multifuel internal combustion engine. According to at least one aspect of the present disclosure, recirculated exhaust gas is employed to enable recovery periods in which the engine generates oxygen-depleted exhaust to desulfate and deoxidize the oxidation catalyst. In certain embodiments, the system may include an exhaust gas recirculation system with a cooler and regulation valve to introduce exhaust gas into the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Timothy P. Lutz, Axel Otto zur Loye
  • Patent number: 9228536
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling operation of dual fuel internal combustion engines in response to a load shedding event are disclosed. The control techniques mitigate the amount of uncombusted gaseous fuel passing into the exhaust and/or aftertreatment system and reduce the rate at which uncombusted gaseous fuel enters the cylinders to reduce engine torque output and/or speed in response to the load shedding event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Axel Otto zur Loye, Timothy P. Lutz
  • Publication number: 20150354472
    Abstract: The system comprises a fuel description module structured to provide a first signal, and a control circuit operable to receive the first signal. The fuel description module comprises a fuel consumption detection package. The fuel consumption detection package an intake manifold temperature sensor and an exhaust temperature sensor, wherein the first signal corresponds to a difference between the exhaust manifold temperature (EMT) and the intake manifold temperature (IMT). The control circuit is responsive to the first signal to produce a second signal indicating a total energy content (Efuel) of fuel supplied to the dual-fuel engine. The Efuel value indicating the total energy content provided to the engine from a first fuel and a second fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventors: Junghua Zhong, C. Larry Bruner, John F. Wright, Timothy P. Lutz, Phanindra Garimella, Jacob A. Brown
  • Publication number: 20150354484
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus for managing combustion in an internal combustion engine that includes an operating condition module configured to determine an operating load of an internal combustion engine. The internal combustion engine can includes multiple banks of cylinders. The apparatus further includes a cylinder bank control module configured to select at least one bank of cylinders of the multiple banks of cylinders to be operational based on the determined operating load of the engine. The apparatus also includes a cylinder bank command module configured to generate a cylinder bank command based on a cylinder bank control instruction received from the cylinder bank control module, the cylinder bank control instruction comprising the selection of the at least one operational bank of cylinders.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2014
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Applicant: CUMMINS IP, INC.
    Inventors: Axel O. Zur Loye, Colin L. Norris, Timothy P. Lutz, Richard J. Ancimer, Abhishek Mehrotra
  • Publication number: 20150219027
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling operation of dual fuel internal combustion engines in response to cylinder pressure based determinations are disclosed. The techniques control fuelling contributions from a first fuel source and a second fuel source to achieve desired operational outcomes in response to the cylinder pressure based determinations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Applicant: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Axel Otto zur Loye, Geomy George, Timothy P. Lutz, Steven J. Kolhouse, C. Larry Bruner
  • Publication number: 20150219023
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling operation of dual fuel internal combustion engines are disclosed. The control techniques provide for override of a dual fuel mode of operation of the engine by selection of a diesel only fuelling mode in response to one or more operating conditions of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Applicant: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Steven J. Kolhouse, Timothy P. Lutz, C. Larry Bruner