Exhaust Gas Used With The Combustible Mixture (e.g., Emission Control Exhaust Gas Recirculation (egr) Valve) Patents (Class 123/568.11)
  • Patent number: 11821389
    Abstract: A system for introducing a gaseous fuel to an internal combustion engine includes a fuel storage device, a compressor, and an air and fuel conduit in fluid communication with the fuel storage device and with the compressor. The air and fuel conduit includes a first passage and a second passage that includes a first portion and a second portion, the second portion being a venturi portion, the second passage being fluidly connected to the compressor in parallel with the first passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Matthew T. Wolk
  • Patent number: 11808238
    Abstract: A method for supplying hydrogen-operated internal combustion engines with oxygen, wherein an inert gas is cycled. An economical local supply of pure oxygen for a closed-cycle hydrogen engine with argon cycling is realized by separating the oxygen from the atmosphere without relying on the useful work of the engine. OSM ceramics and exhaust gas heat and low oxygen partial pressure of the exhaust gas are used to generate oxygen. Two reactors filled with OSM ceramics are used, these reactors being alternately purged with exhaust gas and regenerated with air. Losses of inert gases and the entry of atmospheric nitrogen are avoided by intermediate purging with steam. The steam is generated by the heat of the exhaust gas or exhaust air. A mixture of water vapor, inert gas and oxygen is formed during purging. Subsequently, the oxygen content in the gas phase is markedly increased since water vapor is condensed out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventor: Ralf Kriegel
  • Patent number: 11761407
    Abstract: An exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) mixer for use in a power generation system is provided. The EGR mixer includes a mixing chamber defining a flow direction and a working fluid inlet coupled with the mixing chamber for introducing a working fluid into the mixing chamber along the flow direction. The EGR mixer also includes exhaust gas injection ducts extending across the mixing chamber downstream from the working fluid inlet. Each of the exhaust gas injection ducts is oriented to receive exhaust gases being recirculated within the power generation system and to inject the exhaust gases into the mixing chamber in a direction that intersects the flow direction to generate a turbulent flow within the mixing chamber. The EGR mixer also includes an outlet coupled with the mixing chamber for directing a mixture of the exhaust gases and the working fluid to a compressor within the power generation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Laxmikant Merchant
  • Patent number: 11692499
    Abstract: An intake and exhaust system includes an engine, an intake air channel, an exhaust gas channel, an EGR channel, an EGR valve, and a control device. By adjusting an opening degree of the EGR valve, the control device executes EGR control processing to control a flowrate of a recirculating exhaust gas. An isolation valve is disposed in the EGR channel closer to the exhaust gas channel than the EGR valve is. An air admittance valve is disposed in the EGR channel closer to the exhaust gas channel than the EGR valve is and closer to the intake air channel than the isolation valve is. The control device executes learning processing to learn a relationship between an actual flowrate and a reference flowrate while the isolation valve is closed and the air admittance valve is opened. The control device executes the EGR control processing based on a learning processing result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomonori Kashiwadate, Susumu Shimura, Seita Nakano, Sotaro Yoshii, Kenta Hoshi
  • Patent number: 11585265
    Abstract: A surge suppression device for suppressing surge in an exhaust turbine-type turbocharger includes: a high-pressure tank configured to accumulate high-pressure gas with a higher pressure than atmospheric pressure; a high-pressure gas injection line connecting the high-pressure tank and an upstream intake passage on an upstream side of a compressor of the turbocharger; an on-off valve configured to open and close the high-pressure gas injection line; and a control device configured to control the on-off valve on the basis of a relationship between a pressure ratio of the compressor of the turbocharger and an intake flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES ENGINE & TURBOCHARGER, LTD.
    Inventors: Yutaka Fujita, Nobuhito Oka, Makoto Ozaki
  • Patent number: 11428151
    Abstract: A split cycle internal combustion engine comprising a compression cylinder accommodating a compression piston; a combustion cylinder accommodating a combustion piston; a crossover passage between the compression cylinder and the combustion cylinder arranged to provide working fluid to the combustion cylinder; a controller arranged to determine a peak temperature of combustion in the combustion cylinder based on a received indication of a peak temperature of combustion in the combustion cylinder; and a coolant system arranged to regulate a temperature of the working fluid supplied to the combustion cylinder; wherein, in response to determining that the peak temperature of combustion exceeds a selected threshold, the controller is configured to control the coolant system to regulate the temperature of the working fluid supplied to the combustion cylinder so that a peak temperature of combustion in the combustion cylinder is less than the selected threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Inventors: Richard Osborne, Ken Pendlebury, Matthew Keenan, Andrew Atkins, Andrew Ward, Robert Morgan
  • Patent number: 11391249
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine system includes an engine, an air intake system configured to provide intake air to the engine, and an exhaust system configured to receive exhaust gas from the engine. The engine system further includes a secondary air system including a pump, an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system, and a valve system operably associated with the secondary air system and the EGR system. The valve system is configured to operate in a secondary air mode where the pump is utilized to supply secondary air to the exhaust system, and an EGR mode where the pump is utilized to supply EGR to the air intake system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventors: Bogdan A Nitu, Fadi Estefanous, Luron Zhong
  • Patent number: 11359585
    Abstract: An engine system may include: an engine including cylinders that generate a driving torque by combusting fuel; a first intake manifold connected to an intake line through which flows intake air into some of the plurality of cylinders; a second intake manifold supplying the intake air to the other cylinders of the plurality of cylinders through the first intake manifold; a first exhaust manifold connected to some cylinders that are connected to the first intake manifold; a second exhaust manifold connected to some other cylinders that are connected to the second intake manifold; a recirculation line branched from the second exhaust manifold to be coupled to the second intake manifold; a recirculation inlet valve disposed at a point at which the recirculation line and the second exhaust manifold are joined; and a manifold connection valve disposed on an intake line between the first intake manifold and the second intake manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventors: Dong Hee Han, Jong Il Park, Hyun Jun Lim, Seungwoo Hong, Joowon Lee, Kwanhee Choi, Heechang Oh, Yeongseop Park, Dong Ho Chu, Hyungbok Lee
  • Patent number: 11359583
    Abstract: An EGR passage of an EGR device includes a plurality of EGR introduction passages and an EGR chamber. A plurality of cylinders include a first cylinder subset and a second cylinder subset, each of which is a pair of two cylinders positioned next to each other. An explosion interval between the two cylinders constituting the first cylinder subset is shorter than that of the second cylinder subset. A first total volume being the sum of volumes of two first EGR introduction passages associated with the first cylinder subset and a volume of a portion of the EGR chamber located between the two first EGR introduction passages is larger than a second total volume being the sum of volumes of two second EGR introduction passages associated with the second cylinder subset and a volume of a portion of the EGR chamber located between the two second EGR introduction passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shigeki Miyashita
  • Patent number: 11255299
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system in a vehicle. In one example, a system may include a cylinder head including an integrated exhaust manifold (IEM), an EGR cartridge including an EGR valve positioned in the cylinder head at a central collector region of the IEM, and a water jacket formed within the cylinder head, the water jacket including at least one cooling passage that extends around a circumference of the EGR cartridge. In this way, an EGR system is provided that has a reduced volume between an exhaust valve of a cylinder to the EGR valve, reducing packaging space and complexity of the EGR system while increasing engine performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Paul Thomas Reinhart, Chad Michael Strimpel, Justin Craft, Gianluca Mantovano, Jacob Andrew Pleshe
  • Patent number: 11255297
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for a vehicle system (100) comprising an internal combustion engine (10) having a turbocharger unit (110) connected thereto, a turbocompound unit (120) arranged to receive exhaust gas flowing from the turbocharger unit (110), and an exhaust gas recirculation system (130). The method comprises controlling the exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust gas recirculation system (130) by determining a pressure difference, and, if the determined pressure difference is above a predetermined threshold value directing the recirculated exhaust gas to an air intake line (160) downstream a charge air cooler (170), and, if the determined pressure difference is not above the predetermined threshold value directing the recirculated exhaust gas to a compressor (114) of the turbocharger unit (110).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Volvo Truck Corporation
    Inventor: Sebastian Krausche
  • Patent number: 11187164
    Abstract: An engine 1 includes an exhaust manifold, an intake manifold, and an EGR device configured to supply EGR gas from the exhaust manifold to the intake manifold. An upper end of the EGR cooler extended downward is attached to a downwardly extending attachment part provided to the exhaust manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: YANMAR POWER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yu Matsui, Masato Kishiura
  • Patent number: 11136944
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for split exhaust engine system including a blowdown exhaust manifold coupled to an exhaust passage and a scavenge exhaust manifold coupled to an intake passage. In one example, a turbine wastegate couples a single exhaust runner out of a plurality of exhaust runners of the blowdown exhaust manifold to an exhaust passage, downstream of a turbocharger turbine. Additionally, the turbine wastegate may couple the single exhaust runner to the exhaust passage, downstream of the turbocharger turbine arranged in the exhaust passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Ulrey, James Randall Leiby, Gregory McConville
  • Patent number: 11060488
    Abstract: An exhaust gas recirculation system comprises an exhaust gas cooler (1) downstream of which a condenser (2) is disposed through which flows fresh air (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Hanon Systems
    Inventors: Jiri Bazala, Guillaume Hebert, L'uboslav Kollár
  • Patent number: 11002227
    Abstract: A mixed-gas intake device of an engine comprises an air intake duct. A side wall of the air intake duct is provided with an exhaust inlet. The mixed-gas intake device is characterized in that the same also comprises blades disposed in the air intake duct and a flow control device used for adjusting the distance between two adjacent blades. The blades are arranged at an exhaust inlet end. The multiple blades are arranged in a ring. An exhaust intake space is formed between the side wall of the air intake duct and the blades. The mixed-gas intake device uses the flow control device to adjust the distance between two adjacent blades, so as to adjust the amount of input exhaust, thereby eliminating the need to install a dedicated valve. The multiple blades are arranged in a ring, such that exhaust is evenly mixed with air after entering the air intake duct, thereby eliminating the need to install a dedicated mixer, and effectively reducing the overall volume of the mixed-gas intake device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: WEICHAI POWER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuelan Zhong, Ziyang Dai
  • Patent number: 10874981
    Abstract: A dual filter (100) for removing one or more components from a fluid flow is provided. The dual filter (100) comprises a first filter media (112a) and a second filter media (112b) respectively disposed in a first conduit (114a) and a second conduit (114b), and at least one manifold (120, 130) coupled to a pair of openings (116a,b) of the conduits (114a, b) wherein the at least one manifold (120, 130) is adapted to monitor and control the fluid flow through one of the filter media (112a,b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Inventors: Hywel Ward Davies, Gary Kenneth Manning
  • Patent number: 10876501
    Abstract: An engine includes an EGR device and a water-cooled heat exchanger. The water-cooled heat exchanger is provided on a downstream side of an EGR gas-introduction portion of an intake passage into which EGR gas is to be introduced and exchanges heat with gas flowing in the intake passage. A control device is programmed to execute condensed water-suppression control that supplies coolant having a temperature higher than the temperature of the gas heat-exchanged in the water-cooled heat exchanger to the water-cooled heat exchanger while a hybrid vehicle is traveling in a state in which the engine is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Junya Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10837412
    Abstract: An engine system may include an engine including a plurality of combustion chambers for generating a driving force by combustion of fuel, an exhaust gas purification device mounted in an exhaust line through which exhaust gas discharged from the combustion chamber flows, an EGR gas collecting device configured for collecting a part of the exhaust gas from an exhaust manifold of the engine and supplying the exhaust gas to an intake manifold of the engine, and an EGR gas supply control valve provided between the EGR gas collecting device and the intake manifold and adapted to regulate a flow rate of EGR gas supplied to the intake manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Yeongseop Park, Jong Il Park, Seungwoo Hong, Heechang Oh, Dong Hee Han, Hyungbok Lee
  • Patent number: 10823120
    Abstract: Techniques for controlling a forced-induction engine having a low pressure exhaust gas recirculation (LPEGR) system comprise determining a desired differential pressure (dP) at an inlet of a boost device based on an engine mass air flow (MAF) and a speed of the engine, wherein the engine further comprises a dP valve disposed upstream from an EGR port and a throttle valve disposed downstream from the boost device, determining a desired EGR mass fraction based on at least the engine MAF and the engine speed, determining a maximum throttle inlet pressure (TIP) based on the engine speed, the desired EGR mass fraction, and a barometric pressure, and performing coordinated control of the dP valve and the throttle valve based on the desired dP and the maximum TIP, respectively, thereby extending EGR operability to additional engine speed/load regions and increasing engine efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventors: Tyler Tutton, William P Attard, Michael Barkey
  • Patent number: 10823121
    Abstract: A three-port turbo purge module, including a housing having a cavity, and two check valves. During a first mode of operation, the first check valve is open and the second check valve is closed by vacuum pressure generated in an intake manifold, such that purge vapor flows from an inlet port into the cavity, through the first check valve, and into a first port. During a second mode of operation, where the intake manifold is operating under positive pressure, the first check valve is closed such that pressurized air flowing into the first port is accelerated through a venturi device disposed in the cavity, and the second check valve is open such that purge vapor flows from the inlet port into the cavity, through the venturi device and mixes with the high-velocity air, through the second check valve into the second port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Continental Powertrain USA, LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin Dominick Manton Williams, Jaime Altes Sosa, David Rene Forgeron, Ravinder Singh Gill
  • Patent number: 10738723
    Abstract: An internal-combustion engine includes: a supercharger; an EGR passage connecting between an exhaust passage and an intake passage downstream of the supercharger; a control device controlling EGR; and an intake pressure sensor that detects a supercharge pressure being a gas pressure in the intake passage downstream of the supercharger. A comparison-target pressure is a higher one of a target supercharge pressure and an actual supercharge pressure detected by the intake pressure sensor. The control device compares the comparison-target pressure with an exhaust gas pressure in the exhaust passage. When the comparison-target pressure is higher than the exhaust gas pressure, the EGR is prohibited and an EGR valve is fully closed. When the comparison-target pressure is lower than the exhaust gas pressure, the EGR is permitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomohiro Nozaki
  • Patent number: 10724452
    Abstract: A cylinder head defines an EGR crossover tube integrally formed in the cylinder head. The EGR crossover tube includes a first end fluidly coupled to an exhaust port of an engine. A second end is fluidly coupled to an intake port of the engine. A Venturi tube configuration is positioned between the first and second ends. A first sensor port extends through the cylinder head to the EGR crossover tube. The first sensor port is positioned at a restriction of the Venturi tube configuration. A second sensor port extends through the cylinder head to the EGR crossover tube. The second sensor port is positioned proximate the first end. A differential pressure sensor includes a first pressure sensor positioned in the first sensor port and a second pressure sensor positioned in the second sensor port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: James A. Dods, John Jerl Purcell, John Peter Jones, John R. Anderson, Paul Andrew Leggott, Graham Dowson
  • Patent number: 10690072
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for regulating exhaust flow through an exhaust system of an engine. In one example, a method may include directing exhaust from downstream of a catalytic converter to a compressor storage tank in response to an engine air-fuel ratio deviating from stoichiometry. The stored exhaust may be released from the compressor storage tank to recirculate through the catalytic converter to atmosphere after adjusting an air-fuel ratio of the exhaust in the storage tank and when the catalytic converter is at a target operating temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Hassene Jammoussi, Imad Hassan Makki
  • Patent number: 10662844
    Abstract: The present application relates to a system and method to determine a total flow rate Qtot of a washing liquid at a washing liquid inlet of an exhaust gas cleaning unit installed in a marine vessel, the exhaust gas cleaning unit comprising a scrubber pipe and two or more spraying nozzles mounted at different height levels in the scrubber pipe, being adapted to spray washing liquid into the exhaust gas present in the scrubber pipe and being operated by a valve adapted to open and to close the respective spraying nozzle. The system comprises at least one pressure sensor arranged to measure the pressure P outside the scrubber pipe before the valve operating the uppermost active spraying nozzle, and a process controller calculating the total flow rate Qtot of the washing liquid at the exhaust gas inlet of the exhaust gas cleaning unit by summing up the flow rate Qind of the washing liquid flowing through each of the individual active spraying nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: YARA MARINE TECHNOLOGIES AS
    Inventors: Shyam Bahadur Thapa, Christoffer Ahlström
  • Patent number: 10619587
    Abstract: Provided is a control device for an internal combustion engine equipped with at least one cylinder, an EGR device, and an actuator that is used for control of an engine control parameter that affects the combustion stability. The control device is configured to: perform, if a condensed water occurrence condition is met, a particle size estimation processing that estimates the particle size of the condensed water that flows into the at least one cylinder from the intake channel; and perform, if the condensed water occurrence condition is met, a correction processing that corrects the engine control parameter so as to improve the combustion stability. In the correction processing, the control device more increases a correction amount of the engine control parameter when the particle size estimated by the particle size estimation processing is greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Haga, Kei Takachiho
  • Patent number: 10533504
    Abstract: A method of controlling an engine system may include: method of controlling an engine system including a continuous variable valve duration (CVVD) apparatus, the method including: detecting data for controlling the engine system; determining whether a speed of an engine is less than a predetermined speed; determining whether a position value of an accelerator pedal is greater than a predetermined position value when the rotation speed of the engine is less than the predetermined speed; operating the CVVD apparatus to increase a valve overlap when the position value of the accelerator pedal is greater than the predetermined position value; and performing a knock control after the valve overlap is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Seungbum Kim
  • Patent number: 10480435
    Abstract: A method of operating a dedicated-EGR engine includes providing a rich air-fuel mixture to a dedicated cylinder; combusting the rich air-fuel mixture in the dedicated cylinder; modeling the combustion of the rich air-fuel mixture in the dedicated cylinder; estimating the composition of the combustion products in the dedicated cylinder based on interpolation of chemical reaction models of stoichiometric and rich combustion. The method further includes mixing the combustion products from the dedicated cylinder with air to produce an intake mixture; estimating a mass fraction of reformate and a mass fraction of burned gas in the intake mixture; providing the intake mixture to the intake ports of all of the cylinders of the dedicated-EGR engine; combusting an air-fuel mixture in a non-dedicated cylinder of the engine; and controlling an engine control parameter based on the estimated mass fractions of reformate and burned gas in the intake mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Jun-mo Kang, Gregory P. Matthews, Martino A. Casetti
  • Patent number: 10450974
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes an intake passage of the internal combustion engine, an exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine, an EGR passage connecting the intake passage and the exhaust passage. The internal combustion engine further includes a throttle valve provided downstream of a connected part to the EGR passage in the intake passage, and configured to control a quantity of intake air flowing into the internal combustion engine, and an intake throttle valve provided upstream of the connected part to the EGR passage in the intake passage. A control device controls the internal combustion engine, in which device an opening degree of the intake throttle valve is determined on the basis of an intake air quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takayuki Hamamoto
  • Patent number: 10415513
    Abstract: An emissions control system for a gasoline engine having an exhaust gas conduit which can be connected to an exhaust manifold of the gasoline engine, having an inlet conduit which can be connected to an inlet manifold of the gasoline engine and having a turbine arranged in the exhaust gas conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: TENNECO GMBH
    Inventor: Michael Fischer
  • Patent number: 10385764
    Abstract: A turbocharger includes a waste gate valve, a compressor with a turbine, a turbine housing which houses the turbine, a bypass channel with an opening cross-section, a bypass channel portion formed in the turbine housing, an actuator housing with a separate coolant channel, an electric motor arranged in the actuator housing, a transmission with an output shaft, the transmission being arranged in the actuator housing and being provided as a worm wheel gear unit, and a control body coupled to the output shaft of the transmission. The bypass channel bypasses the turbine. The actuator housing is removably secured to the turbine housing. The control body controls the opening cross-section of the bypass channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: PIERBURG GMBH
    Inventors: Martin Nowak, Michael-Thomas Benra, Sven Nigrin, Stephan Zielberg
  • Patent number: 10352277
    Abstract: In an intake apparatus of an internal combustion engine, an EGR gas inlet port of each of plural EGR gas distribution pipes is provided at a position at which a volume of an intake port from a surge tank to the EGR gas inlet port is equal to or greater than a volume of an EGR gas introduced to an intake pipe from each of the EGR gas distribution pipes during one cycle of the internal combustion engine and at a position towards the surge tank relative to a center of the intake port in a flow direction thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Atsushi Ito
  • Patent number: 10240520
    Abstract: A split-cycle engine includes a compression cylinder having a first volume for a first working fluid and a second volume for a second working fluid, the first volume and second volume being separated by the compression piston, an expansion cylinder having a first volume for the first working fluid and a second volume for the second working fluid, the first volume and second volume being separated by the expansion piston, and a fluid coupling between the second volume of the compression cylinder and the second volume of the expansion cylinder, wherein the two second volumes and the fluid coupling provide a closed volume for the second working fluid, wherein the fluid coupling includes a regenerator arranged such that the two second volumes are thermally decoupled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Ricardo UK Limited
    Inventor: Neville Jackson
  • Patent number: 10227938
    Abstract: A method for controlling a supercharger of a vehicle includes: determining, at a first determination step, whether or not an engine operates in a cylinder deactivation (CDA) mode; calculating, at a second determination step, a difference value between a target boost pressure of a turbocharger and a current boost pressure of intake air boosted by the turbocharger, and determining whether or not the difference value is equal to or greater than a reference difference value; determining, at a third determination step, based on a current operating condition of the engine whether or not the supercharger is allowed to operate; determining, at a fourth determination step, a target rpm of the supercharger, and determining whether or not the target rpm is equal to or greater than a reference rpm; and operating the supercharger at an operating step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Seung Eun Yu, Hyo Sang Cho
  • Patent number: 10190474
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an exhaust bypass valve and a heat exchanger upstream of a three-way valve. In one example, a method may include flowing exhaust gas through one or more of an exhaust passage, bypass passage, recirculating passage, and EGR passage based on positions of a three-way valve and a bypass valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Xiaogang Zhang
  • Patent number: 10190543
    Abstract: A method of providing internal EGR to an engine having at least one dedicated EGR cylinder. The main (non dedicated) cylinders are operated with internal EGR, in addition to external EGR from the dedicated EGR cylinder. The dedicated EGR cylinder has separate valve control so that it need not be operated with internal EGR, thereby allowing it to be operated at a richer air-to-fuel ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventor: Cary A Henry
  • Patent number: 10161366
    Abstract: An air intake apparatus includes: an air intake apparatus body including first, second, third and fourth air intake passages respectively provided corresponding to first, second, third and fourth cylinders of a multi-cylinder engine which has one or a plurality of groups of four consecutive cylinders of the first, second, third and fourth cylinders, the multi-cylinder engine having an air intake sequence of the first cylinder, the third cylinder, the fourth cylinder, and the second cylinder; and a distribution passage through which external gas is distributed to the first, second, third and fourth air intake passages. The distribution passage includes an upstream distribution passage, first and second midstream distribution passages branched off from the upstream distribution passage, and first and second downstream distribution passages branched off from the first midstream distribution passage, and third and fourth downstream distribution passages branched off from the second midstream distribution passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Atsushi Ito
  • Patent number: 10041418
    Abstract: A flap device for an internal combustion engine includes a flap body comprising at least one end position, a shaft which has the flap body arranged thereon, a housing which has a flow duct formed therein, an actuator which rotates the shaft in the flow duct, a lever which includes a lever surface, the lever being attached to the shaft outside of the flow duct, and an abutment which has the lever bear thereon in the at least one end position of the flap body. The flow duct includes a throughflow cross section which is regulated by a rotation of the shaft. The lever surface which faces toward the abutment includes an abutment region which is formed so as to be inclined in a direction of the abutment with respect to a radially outwardly extending straight line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: PIERBURG GMBH
    Inventors: Lars Baumeister, Dirk Kamarys
  • Patent number: 10024275
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for condensate management in an EGR cooler of an engine system. In one example, an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system with an EGR cooler is coupled to an exhaust system and to an intake system of an engine. The EGR cooler includes an inlet coupled to the exhaust system, a first outlet coupled to the exhaust system, and a second outlet coupled to the intake system, the second outlet positioned vertically higher than the first outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Eric David Bramson, Steven Michael Cyr
  • Patent number: 10006414
    Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, condensed water generated upstream of a compressor can be caused to flow into a groove 44, and temporarily accumulated therein. The condensed water flowing into the groove 44 moves to a lower portion in a gravity direction (that is, to an ABV 38-side) in the groove 44. When the ABV 38 is opened, the condensed water accumulated in the groove 44 is blown away to a center portion of an inlet 46 on a flow of a return gas, and, together with an intake gas flowing through the center portion, the condensed water flows into a compressor 20 from a center portion 42b of a front end surface of an impeller 42. Since the center portion 42b has a lower circumferential speed than that of an outer peripheral portion 42a, occurrence of erosion by contact with the condensed water can be suppressed as compared to the outer peripheral portion 42a.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiki Ariizumi, Yusuke Aoyagi
  • Patent number: 9926839
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes an internal combustion engine main body, an intake passage, an exhaust passage, a supercharger, an intake circulation passage, an exhaust circulation passage, an intake circulation valve, an exhaust circulation valve and a controller. The supercharger is provided on the intake passage and the exhaust passage. The supercharger supplies compressed intake air to the internal combustion engine main body. The intake circulation passage connects the sections of the intake passage that are upstream and downstream of the supercharger. The exhaust circulation passage connects sections of the exhaust passage that are upstream and downstream of the supercharger. The intake circulation valve is provided in the intake circulation passage. The exhaust circulation valve is provided in the exhaust circulation passage. The controller is programmed to close the exhaust circulation valve in accordance with an opening degree of the intake circulation valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Arai, Kenji Suzuki, Mitsuhiko Kubota
  • Patent number: 9903262
    Abstract: A neat-fuel direct-injected compression ignition engine having a thermal barrier coated combustion chamber, an injection port injects fuel that satisfies a stoichiometric condition with respect to the intake air, a mechanical exhaust regenerator transfers energy from exhaust gas to intake compression stages, an exhaust O2 sensor inputs to a feedback control to deliver quantified fuel, a variable valve actuation (VVA) controls valve positions, an exhaust gas temperature sensor controls exhaust feedback by closing the exhaust valve early according to the VVA, or recirculated to the chamber with an exhaust-gas-recirculation (EGR), heat exchanger, and flow path connecting an air intake, a load command input, and a computer operates the EGR from sensors to input exhaust gas according exhaust temperature signals and changes VVA timing, the load control is by chamber exhaust gas, the computer operates a fuel injector to deliver fuel independent of exhaust gas by the O2 signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Christopher F. Edwards, Bernard H. Johnson, IV, Gregory B. Roberts
  • Patent number: 9890695
    Abstract: A method of operating a reciprocating engine comprises recirculating exhaust gas from a first cylinder of the engine to an intake stream or air-fuel mixture of a second cylinder of the engine such that a boost pressure of the first cylinder is greater than a boost pressure of the second cylinder. An engine retrofit system and two-cycle engine employing aspects of the method are also disclosed. The present invention has been described in terms of specific embodiment(s), and it is recognized that equivalents, alternatives, and modifications, aside from those expressly stated, are possible and within the scope of the appending claims.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Adam Edgar Klingbeil
  • Patent number: 9879628
    Abstract: In a failure diagnosis device of an emission control system that utilizes an electrode-based PM sensor to diagnose a failure of a particulate filter, some embodiments may be to suppress reduction of accuracy of diagnosis of a failure due to in-cylinder rich control. The failure diagnosis device of the emission control system performs a measurement process. The measurement process includes a sensor recovery process of removing PM depositing between the electrodes of the electrode-based PM sensor, a process of starting application of the predetermined voltage to the electrodes of the PM sensor after completion of the sensor recovery process, and a process of obtaining an output value of the PM sensor after elapse of a predetermined time period since the start of application of the predetermined voltage to the electrodes of the PM sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirokazu Nishijima, Toru Kidokoro, Kazuya Takaoka
  • Patent number: 9845747
    Abstract: A method of controlling fuel injection to the cylinders of an internal combustion engine, the engine having exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) from at least one dedicated EGR (D-EGR) cylinder, with the other cylinders being main cylinders. The D-EGR cylinder is run at a richer equivalence ratio than the main cylinders, with the goal of providing increased H2 and CO in the recirculated exhaust. The rich limit of the D-EGR cylinder is maximized by dividing the fuel injection into multiple fuel injection events, with each fuel injection event occurring during the intake valve lift period of the engine cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Bradley D. Denton, Raphael Gukelberger, Christopher J. Chadwell
  • Patent number: 9845751
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for improving combustion stability, in particular during transient operations such as tip-out to lower load conditions, when EGR is being purged. Until a desired LP-EGR rate is achieved, fuel may be delivered as a split injection with at least an intake stroke injection and a compression stroke injection. Subsequently, single fuel injection may be resumed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Steven Wooldridge, Gopichandra Surnilla, Jianwen James Yi, Brad Alan Boyer, James Alfred Hilditch, Michael Howard Shelby, Benjamin Richard Petersen
  • Patent number: 9840976
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for improving engine knock tolerance, in particular when rapidly ramping in LP-EGR from low levels of EGR. Until a desired LP-EGR rate is achieved, fuel may be delivered as a split injection with at least an intake stroke injection and a compression stroke injection to compensate for the transport delay in EGR filling the intake system. Subsequently, single fuel injection may be resumed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Steven Wooldridge, Gopichandra Surnilla, Brad Alan Boyer, James Alfred Hilditch, Michael Howard Shelby, Chris Paul Glugla, Benjamin Richard Petersen
  • Patent number: 9821819
    Abstract: A locomotive assembly including an auxiliary power unit and a method of providing auxiliary power to a locomotive are disclosed. The locomotive assembly includes a locomotive having a power bus, a primary power source electrically coupled to the power bus, and a locomotive controller programmed to control the primary power source and transmit a first command signal to a power unit that is electrically coupled to the power bus. The power unit includes an auxiliary engine-generator set, a power interface electrically coupling the auxiliary engine-generate set to the power bus, and an auxiliary controller electrically coupled to the locomotive controller. The auxiliary controller is programmed to receive the command signal from the locomotive controller indicating a desired amount of power, control the auxiliary engine-generator set to produce at least the desired amount of power, and control the power interface to deliver the desired amount of power to the power bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Bright Energy Storage Technologies, LLP
    Inventors: Scott Raymond Frazier, Kevin Pykkonen, Karl Ginter, Jeffrey Orion Pritchard
  • Patent number: 9822785
    Abstract: Recirculation systems for engine intake air are disclosed having a turbocharger compressor with an inlet and an outlet, a recirculation pathway connecting fluid flow from the outlet of the turbocharger compressor to fluid flow into the inlet of the turbocharger compressor, and a recirculation valve assembly controlling fluid flow through the recirculation pathway. The recirculation valve assembly includes an actuator operating a valve coupled to an aspirator assembly that produces vacuum when the fluid flows through the recirculation pathway from the inlet to the outlet and when fluid flows through the recirculation pathway from the outlet to the inlet. Fluid flows through the recirculation pathway from the outlet to the inlet when the turbocharger generates boost. The vacuum generated by the aspirator assembly is in fluid communication with the actuator to move the valve between two or more positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Dayco IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: David Fletcher, Brian M. Graichen, James H. Miller, Keith Hampton, Matt Gilmer, Rex Bravo, Andrew Niedert
  • Patent number: 9822739
    Abstract: In a vehicle provided with an engine, an EGR cooler for cooling EGR gas recirculated from an exhaust channel of the engine to an intake channel thereof by using a coolant, an electric pump for supplying the coolant to the EGR cooler, and a gas temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the EGR gas temperature at the downstream of the EGR cooler, an ECU acquires a first gas temperature in a normally stable state where the electric pump is rotating, thereafter performs a coolant amount suppressing process to suppress the rotational speed of the electric pump, acquires a second gas temperature in a suppressed stable state after a predefined time has elapsed from the start of the coolant amount suppressing process, and determines that the EGR cooler is abnormal if a difference between the first gas temperature and the second gas temperature is less than a threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Oda, Toshitake Sasaki, Kenji Kimura, Kazuya Miyaji
  • Patent number: 9771858
    Abstract: An engine system is mounted on a vehicle and includes an engine and a turbocharger. The engine system control apparatus includes: a driving state identifier that identifies a driving state of the vehicle from a plurality of driving states; a surge determiner that determines whether a surge condition as a condition under which a surge noise is generated is satisfied, based on the identified driving state of the vehicle and an operating state of the engine; and a variable nozzle controller that controls, based on the identified driving state of the vehicle and the operating state of the engine, an opening degree of a variable nozzle of the turbocharger to be varied in an open direction, upon determination by the surge determiner that the surge condition is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Subaru Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuro Masuma, Tazuki Watanabe, Hiroshi Kato