Exhaust Gas Temperature Or Pressure Repsonsive Patents (Class 123/676)
  • Publication number: 20150114374
    Abstract: A method for the fuel consumption reduction and/or power increase of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle is disclosed. A crank angle of a crankshaft is detected at which out of a cylinder the exhaust gases of a cylinder can be representatively measured on a lambda probe. The exhaust gas flow is measured on the lambda probe. A signal of the lambda probe is scanned at the time of the detection of the crank angle. A value indicated the detected angle and/or the scanned signal is sent to a computer. The value is corrected with the help of an exhaust gas pressure or exhaust gas back pressure model stored in the computer. An effective combustion lambda of the cylinder is calculated based on the sent values and a global lambda value stored in the computer and used to the control of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventor: Stefan Horst
  • Patent number: 9014947
    Abstract: A method for operating a boosted gasoline engine. The method includes diluting an intake air charge of the engine to a first level of dilution when operating at a stoichiometric air-to-fuel ratio. The method also includes, in response to a condition of excessive exhaust temperature downstream of the engine, diluting the intake air charge of the engine to a second, greater level of dilution while operating at an enriched air-to-fuel ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, Daniel Joseph Styles
  • 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: 8973563
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine control apparatus includes means that detects an inlet temperature that is a temperature in a vicinity of an inlet of a purification catalyst disposed in an exhaust path and means that detects a turbine temperature that is a temperature in a vicinity of an exhaust turbine of a turbo-supercharger disposed in the exhaust path, and also includes means that controls a valve overlap that is a state in which an intake valve and an exhaust valve of the internal combustion engine are open simultaneously. When the inlet temperature is lower than an inlet high temperature reference value, and the turbine temperature is higher than a turbine high temperature reference value that is higher than the inlet high temperature reference value, the valve overlap amount is increased so as to be greater than a turbine high temperature time reference amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akira Eiraku
  • Publication number: 20150033735
    Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for controlling an exhaust gas recirculation valve in an engine by determining errors in exhaust backpressure estimates and adapting EGR flow estimations based on these errors to meet target EGR dilutions in the engine. In one example approach, a method comprises adjusting valve position based on desired EGR flow and estimated EGR flow, where the estimated flow is based on estimated exhaust backpressure, and the estimated exhaust backpressure is updated based on errors between actual and desired intake oxygen concentration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Imad Hassan Makki, Timothy Joseph Clark
  • Publication number: 20140373822
    Abstract: This disclosure provides a system and method that eliminates the need for manually calibrating or adjusting a dual fuel internal combustion engine to compensate for variations in composition of a gaseous fuel or other variations, such as ambient or site conditions. The system and method functions by determining an engine load, determining an advantageous gaseous fuel substitution rate from the engine load and speed in addition to an actual gaseous fuel substitution rate, modifying the advantageous gaseous fuel substitution rate by a minimum liquid fuel flow rate, engine protection parameters, and oxidation catalyst protection parameters, and then determining an error term in response to the modified advantageous gaseous fuel substitution rate and the actual gaseous fuel substitution rate. The error term is used to adjust a gaseous fuel control valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Mark A. Rosswurm, Axel O. zur Loye
  • Patent number: 8903632
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for regenerating an exhaust gas recirculation cooler. One example method includes, initiating an EGR cooler regeneration mode, wherein the EGR cooler regeneration mode comprises changing a fuel distribution of a donor cylinder group relative to a non-donor cylinder group of an engine, and increasing at least one of engine speed or load of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Eric David Peters, Roy Primus, Paul Lloyd Flynn, John Stephen Roth, Franz-Joseph Foltz, James Robert Mischler, Luke Henry, Roshan Shekhar Kotian, Michael Easter, Stephen Mark Geyer
  • Patent number: 8903631
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for regenerating an exhaust gas recirculation cooler. One example method includes, routing exhaust gas from a donor cylinder group of an engine to an intake passage of the engine through the exhaust gas recirculation cooler, routing exhaust gas from a non-donor cylinder group of the engine to an exhaust passage of the engine, and adjusting fuel distribution among the donor cylinder group and the non-donor cylinder group responsive to a temperature of the exhaust gas recirculation cooler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Adam Klingbeil, Roy Primus, Michael Easter, Eric David Peters
  • Patent number: 8857411
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for operating a piston engine, more preferably of a motor vehicle, with a fresh air system for feeding fresh air to cylinders of the piston engine and with an exhaust system for discharging exhaust gas from the cylinders, wherein during a gas exchange by a positive pressure wave on the fresh air side the charging of the respective cylinder with fresh air and/or by a negative pressure wave on the exhaust gas side the discharging of exhaust gas from the respective cylinder is supported. An increased variability is obtained if the respective pressure wave is generated by at least one electroacoustic converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: J. Eberspaecher GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jan Krüger, Rolf Jebasinski
  • Patent number: 8831858
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for operating an internal combustion engine, the engine having a plurality of cylinders including one or more donor cylinders and one or more non-donor cylinders. In one example, a method includes, during an exhaust gas recirculation cooler heating mode, operating at least one of the donor cylinders at a cylinder load sufficient to increase an exhaust temperature for regenerating an exhaust gas recirculation cooler, and operating at least one of the non-donor cylinders in a low- or no-fuel mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Stephen Roth, Kyle Craig Stott, James Robert Mischler, Paul Flynn, Kirk Heywood, Daniel Allan Moser
  • Patent number: 8818691
    Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, an internal combustion engine includes a fuel system in fluid communication with a cylinder to direct a fuel flow to be mixed with air in the cylinder and an exhaust system in fluid communication with the cylinder to receive an exhaust gas produced by the combustion process, wherein the exhaust system includes an oxidation catalyst, a particulate filter downstream of the oxidation catalyst. The system also includes a control module that determines an amount of energy to be provided by at least one of: a post-injection process, hydrocarbon injector, and heating device, wherein the amount of energy is based on a desired temperature at a selected location in the exhaust system, an exhaust gas flow rate, a temperature of the received exhaust gas, a flow rate and temperature of the exhaust gas at the inlet of the oxidation catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Scot A. Douglas, Michael J. Paratore, Jr., Jason Daniel Mullins, Patrick Barasa
  • Patent number: 8798893
    Abstract: A fuel injection control for an internal combustion engine includes: estimating a convergence temperature of the exhaust gas catalytic converter; calculating an OTP boost value using the estimated convergence temperature; and estimating the convergence temperature on the assumption that the temperature decrement quantity of the exhaust gas catalytic converter which is caused by the power boosting is zero when both of the OTP boosting execution condition and the power boosting execution condition are met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiro Kachi, Yasuyuki Takama
  • Patent number: 8795512
    Abstract: A method for measuring and/or calibrating a gas sensor for determining oxygenic gas components in gas mixtures in exhaust gases of internal combustion engines. The gas sensor has one internal pump electrode IPE, one external pump electrode APE and one decomposition electrode NOE. The measurement and/or calibration may be carried out during the ongoing operation of the gas sensor by removing the gas component and/or oxygen from one of the chambers, by introducing oxygen in a controlled manner into one of the chambers with the aid of electrochemical pumping processes. The changes caused by the introduced oxygen are measured against an additional electrode and the gas sensor may be measured and/or calibrated using the measured values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Classen
  • Patent number: 8784264
    Abstract: A method and a system for improving operation of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, an engine exhaust after treatment device is cooled at an opportunistic time. The approach may provide improved cooling for exhaust after treatment devices and it may also improve vehicle emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alex O'Connor Gibson, Jeffrey Allen Doering, Dennis Graig Reed
  • Publication number: 20140196704
    Abstract: Controlling turbocharger boost pressure using exhaust pressure estimated from engine cylinder pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: BORGWARNER INC.
    Inventors: John Shutty, Wolfgang Wenzel
  • Publication number: 20140150761
    Abstract: A drive system for a motor vehicle, having an internal combustion engine, an air and exhaust gas system, which includes at least one throttle, an exhaust gas recirculation system, which is in fluidic connection with the air and exhaust gas system at two connecting points, and a measuring device, which is designed to detect an atmospheric pressure, to detect a gas pressure at a measuring point within the air and exhaust gas system, and to ascertain a differential pressure as a function of the gas pressure and the atmospheric pressure, the measuring point being fluidically situated between the throttle and the internal combustion engine and in a region of one of the connecting points.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Inventors: Wilhelm Blumendeller, Thomas Bleile
  • Publication number: 20140123968
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the operation of a turbocharged internal combustion engine 10 with an exhaust gas aftertreatment device 20, wherein the operation of a wastegate of the turbocharger is based upon the exhaust gas aftertreatment device temperature and at least one of engine speed, engine fuel injection quantity, coolant temperature, ambient temperature and barometric pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Inventors: Alistair Farman, Michael Smith, Anthony Rodman, Matthew Nicholson
  • Publication number: 20140121940
    Abstract: A method for operating a boosted gasoline engine. The method includes diluting an intake air charge of the engine to a first level of dilution when operating at a stoichiometric air-to-fuel ratio. The method also includes, in response to a condition of excessive exhaust temperature downstream of the engine, diluting the intake air charge of the engine to a second, greater level of dilution while operating at an enriched air-to-fuel ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, Daniel Joseph Styles
  • Patent number: 8682567
    Abstract: An intake air control apparatus for an internal-combustion engine includes an intake air adjusting device. An operating mode determination device is configured to determine whether the internal-combustion engine is in a predetermined high rotation speed and high load operation mode in which cooling is required by increasing an amount of fuel. An intake air reduction controller is configured to, if the operating mode determination device determines that the internal-combustion engine is in the predetermined high rotation speed and high load operation mode, control the intake air adjusting device so that an intake air amount is reduced in accordance with a rotation speed of the internal-combustion engine and an ignition timing in order to restrict a fuel injection quantity to be injected from a fuel injection valve so that the fuel injection quantity does not exceed a maximum fueling rate of the fuel injection valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Futoshi Nishioka, Hideharu Takamiya, Masayoshi Nishino
  • Publication number: 20140069380
    Abstract: Embodiments for controlling an exhaust back-pressure valve are provided. In one example, a method for operating an engine comprises closing an exhaust back-pressure valve in response to a component temperature, adjusting intake and/or exhaust valve operation in response to closing the exhaust back-pressure valve to reduce cylinder internal exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), and while the exhaust back-pressure valve is closing, indicating degradation of an exhaust back-pressure system if a designated engine operating parameter remains constant. In this way, degradation of the exhaust back-pressure system may be diagnosed while maintaining combustion stability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas G. Leone, Peter C. Moilanen
  • Patent number: 8656701
    Abstract: A control device applied to a system having an engine configured such that an expansion ratio can be changed is characterized to comprise an expansion ratio acquisition part for acquiring the expansion ratio, and a temperature estimation part for estimating a temperature of an exhaust gas discharged from the engine or a member positioned in a passage for the exhaust gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Daisuke Akihisa, Koichi Kimura, Fumito Chiba, Rentaro Kuroki, Yukihiro Nakasaka
  • Patent number: 8600608
    Abstract: A communication system for a vehicle includes: a plurality of controllers mounted on the vehicle; a data communication network for coupling the plurality of controllers with each other so that the controllers transmit data to and receive data from each other via the data communication network; a failure diagnosis device for diagnosing whether each controller is normal; a failure diagnosis activation device for activating the failure diagnosis device; and an avoiding condition setting device for setting an avoiding condition, which provides to avoid execution of the failure diagnosis when the failure diagnosis device is activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Inoue, Yuichi Ochiai, Tomohiro Kani, Ichiro Usami, Takashi Wada
  • Publication number: 20130291845
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a muffler configured to reduce exhaust gas noise. The muffler has a housing defining an interior and an exterior. A choke valve is configured to control a flow of air in a carburetor and a thermally responsive element is coupled with the choke valve and configured to move the choke valve in response to a temperature change in the thermally responsive element. A thermally conductive member has a first portion positioned in the interior of the muffler and extending through the muffler housing to the exterior of the muffler, and a second portion positioned exteriorly of the muffler and coupled to the thermally responsive element. The thermally conductive member is configured to conduct heat from exhaust gases within the muffler to the thermally responsive element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2013
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Inventors: Christopher J. Drew, David W. Branski, Chad J. Gartzke, William H. Mayer, Benjamin R. Miller, Dawn N. Traynor, Gene Zimmerman, Jean-Paul Benjamins
  • Patent number: 8572951
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for a vehicle with an engine. In one example, a method includes identifying an approaching tunnel. The method further includes, responsive to a particulate load of a particulate filter, the particulate filter disposed in an exhaust treatment system of an engine of the vehicle, initiating regeneration of the particulate filter at a selected distance before the tunnel such that regeneration is performed before the vehicle enters the tunnel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Shawn Michael Gallagher, James Robert Mischler, Luke Henry, Stephen Mark Geyer
  • Patent number: 8555831
    Abstract: A two-stroke engine (1) has a cylinder (2) defining a combustion chamber (3) delimited by a piston (5). The piston (5) drives a crankshaft (7) which is rotatably journalled in a crankcase (4). The crankcase (4) is connected to the combustion chamber (3) via a transfer channel (17) at at least one position of the piston. The two-stroke engine has an inlet (11) into the crankcase (4) and an outlet (19) from the combustion chamber. There is an arrangement to supply fuel, a control, and a device to determine the crankcase pressure (pKGH). A method to operate the two-stroke engine (1) includes determining the crankcase pressure (pKGH) during every engine cycle. The fluctuation in the crankcase pressure (pKGH) is determined and the fluctuation is compared to a limit value (?plimit) to determine whether a combustion occurs during every engine cycle. In this way, a determination can be reliably made as to whether the two-stroke engine is running in a four-stroke mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Andreas Stihl AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Andreas Paa, Michael Harrer
  • Patent number: 8560209
    Abstract: The present invention includes an automobile including an enrichment delivery system. The enrichment delivery system includes an engine, a catalytic converter, multiple sensors, a memory, and a control unit. The engine includes an enrichment delivery unit, which delivers base fuel and enrichment to the engine. The engine generates an output which can be received by the catalytic converter. Reactions occur within the catalytic converter, and are outputted by the catalytic converter. The sensors detect an air-fuel ratio from the output of the engine, and the output of a catalytic converter. The sensors detect temperature data for the catalytic converter. The memory stores an enrichment curve indicating that an amount of enrichment supplied to the engine should be gradually increased based on the enrichment curve until a target enrichment amount is reached, or a predetermined target enrichment time is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Heraldo F. Stefanon
  • Patent number: 8550060
    Abstract: Methods and systems for operating a glow plug are disclosed. In one example, current supplied to a glow plug can be controlled to promote combustion stability of a cylinder after an engine start. Engine feedgas hydrocarbons may be reduced during conditions where combustion stability may be otherwise reduced in order to reduce tailpipe emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Eric Kurtz, Paul Joseph Tennison, David A. May
  • Patent number: 8543312
    Abstract: A system for controlling a continuous variable valve lift actuator of a diesel engine and a method thereof stabilize exhaust gas and improve performance by variably controlling lift and timing of intake and exhaust valves based on combustion state and driving purpose. The method may include, recognizing a driving purpose and combustion state by detecting driving conditions, temperature of exhaust gas at predetermined locations on an exhaust pipe, and NOx concentration contained in the exhaust gas, determining target position and timing of intake and exhaust valves by applying the driving purpose and the combustion state to a predetermined map table, controlling position and timing of the intake and exhaust valves by actuating a CVVA, detecting combustion pressure in a combustion chamber, and modifying fuel injection amount according to the combustion pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Jong Won Lee
  • Patent number: 8543316
    Abstract: An air-fuel ratio control device comprising a fuel supply unit, engine operation state detector, air-fuel ratio information detector, and an electronic control unit is disclosed. The electronic control unit determines a fuel injection amount which realizes a target air-fuel ratio while using engine load information by the engine operation state detector on the basis of air-fuel ratio information by the air-fuel ratio information detector, and then outputs a driving signal to the fuel supply unit, to execute feedback control mainly at an excessively rich side air-fuel ratio, characterized in that the air-fuel ratio information detector is an exhaust gas temperature sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Nikki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Buso Takigawa, Umerujan Sawut, Tohti Gheyret
  • Patent number: 8495995
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a muffler configured to reduce exhaust gas noise, a choke valve configured to control a flow of air in a carburetor, a thermally responsive element coupled with the choke valve and configured to move the choke valve in response to a temperature change in the thermally responsive element, and a thermally conductive member. The muffler has a housing defining an interior and an exterior. The thermally conductive member has a first portion positioned in the interior of the muffler in direct contact with the exhaust gases and extends through the muffler housing to the exterior of the muffler. The thermally conductive member also has a second portion positioned exteriorly of the muffler and coupled to the thermally responsive element, the thermally conductive member configured to conduct heat from exhaust gases within the muffler to the thermally responsive element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Briggs and Stratton Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher J. Drew, David W. Branski, Chad J. Gartzke, William H. Mayer, Benjamin R. Miller, Dawn N. Traynor, Gene Zimmerman, Jean-Paul Benjamins
  • Patent number: 8495864
    Abstract: A method of operating an engine having an after-treatment system that treats exhaust gas from the engine with an oxidation catalyst includes adjusting the operation of the engine to increase the temperature of the exhaust gas, continuously sensing a cylinder pressure with a pressure sensor disposed at at least one cylinder of the engine to identify a unstable combustion event, i.e., an engine misfire, and adjusting the operation of the engine to prevent a future unstable combustion event when the unstable combustion event is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Thomas LaRose, Jr., Michael V. Taylor
  • Patent number: 8498798
    Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine comprising an exhaust gas cleaning system that includes a SCR catalyst. In conjunction with a cold start and/or a warm-up of the internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine is operated using a cold start engine operation method having predefineable values for predefineable operating parameters of the internal combustion engine. An amount of nitrogen oxides stored in the SCR catalyst is estimated, and the cold start engine operation method is activated when the estimation indicates that the nitrogen oxide storage amount exceeds a predefineable nitrogen oxide storage amount limit value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Thomas Koch, Alexander Massner, Anke Traebert
  • Patent number: 8494714
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are stability display apparatus and methods. One apparatus comprises a driving state detection unit configured to detect a driving state of a vehicle in operation; a controller comprising an instability estimation unit configured to estimate an instability index indicating driving instability of the vehicle based on the driving state of the vehicle detected by the driving state detection unit and configured to determine changes in the instability index; and a display unit configured to display the instability index estimated by the instability estimation unit in a display region within a range less than or equal to an upper limit that is a limit of display and configured to display in the display region a representation of the changes of the instability index when the instability index is beyond the upper limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Kuge, Takayuki Kondoh, Yoshiki Yasuno
  • Patent number: 8494753
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine can be operated by a fuel mixture consisting of a base fuel and an alternative fuel. Concentration values (ETH_PERC) of the alternative fuel are determined in at least two different ways for operating the internal combustion engine. A reliable concentration value of the alternative fuel is determined depending on the various determined concentration values (ETH_PERC).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Hacker, Gerhard Haft
  • Patent number: 8479718
    Abstract: A hydrogen fueled powerplant including an internal combustion engine that drives a motor-generator, and has a two-stage turbocharger, for an aircraft. A control system controls the operation of the motor-generator to maintain the engine at a speed selected based on controlling the engine equivalence ratio. The control system controls an afterburner, an intercooler and an aftercooler to maximize powerplant efficiency. The afterburner also adds power to the turbochargers during high-altitude restarts. The turbochargers also include motor-generators that extract excess power from the exhaust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: AeroVironment Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander Nelson Brooks, James Gallagher Daley
  • Publication number: 20130139504
    Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method for controlling exhaust gas temperature in an exhaust system includes determining a flow rate of an exhaust gas received by the exhaust system, determining a temperature of the exhaust gas and determining a specific heat for the exhaust gas. The method also includes determining an amount of energy required to attain a desired temperature for the exhaust gas entering an exhaust device, wherein the amount of energy is based on the determined flow rate, temperature and specific heat for the exhaust gas and communicating a signal to control at least one of a fuel flow rate or an air flow rate based on the determined amount of energy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Patrick Barasa
  • Publication number: 20130139786
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for addressing pre-ignition that may be induced in response to actions taken to mitigate a cylinder misfire. An amount of engine load limiting applied may be adjusted to reduce the likelihood pre-ignition while also addressing component over-temperature issues. By limiting an engine load while shutting off fuel in a misfiring cylinder, and while combusting a lean air-fuel mixture in the remaining cylinders, pre-ignition induced by the misfire-mitigating lean combustion conditions can be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Chris Paul Glugla, Paul Charles Mingo, Robert Sarow Baskins, Sue Kay Wagers
  • Patent number: 8447500
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for preferably controlling an internal combustion engine by precisely estimating a current value of a temperature of an exhaust device of an internal combustion engine provided with a variable valve, an exhaust turbo supercharger and the like, and controlling an affector of a temperature of an exhaust gas on the basis of a difference between a reference value of the exhaust device temperature and the current value of the exhaust device temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kunihiko Suzuki, Seiji Asano
  • Patent number: 8442744
    Abstract: To partially supplant the use of fossil fuels in diesel engines, oxygen-containing fuels, such as biodiesels, are proposed as blending agents in diesel fuel. Engine calibration coefficients to control EGR rate, timings and quantities of fuel injection pulses, turbocharger boost, etc, can be determined to compensate for the lower energy content of such oxygenate blends compared to diesel fuels. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the fuel quantity of each of multiple injection pulses is increased proportionally to compensate for the impact of oxygenates. An adjustment in the fuel injection quantity is performed in response to a new tank of fuel and the adjustment is applied for that tank of fuel. A fuel compensation factor (FCF) can be determined based on the actual amount of fuel injected compared to the expected amount of diesel fuel at the present operating condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Eric Kurtz, Douglas Glen Kuhel, Jianwen James Wi, Christian Winge Viglid
  • Publication number: 20130087122
    Abstract: Methods and systems for operating a glow plug are disclosed. In one example, current supplied to a glow plug can be controlled to promote combustion stability of a cylinder after an engine start. Engine feedgas hydrocarbons may be reduced during conditions where combustion stability may be otherwise reduced in order to reduce tailpipe emissions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Eric Kurtz, Paul Joseph Tennison, David A. May
  • Publication number: 20130087129
    Abstract: Methods and systems for operating a glow plug are disclosed. In one example, current supplied to a glow plug can be controlled to promote combustion stability of a cylinder after an engine start. Engine feedgas hydrocarbons may be reduced during conditions where combustion stability may be otherwise reduced to reduce tailpipe emissions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Eric Kurtz, Paul Joseph Tennison, David A. May
  • Patent number: 8402943
    Abstract: A system for filtering and oxidizing particulate matter produced by a gasoline direct injection engine is disclosed. In one embodiment, engine spark is controlled such that soot held by a particulate filter may be oxidized even during low engine loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Helmut Hans Ruhland, Moritz Klaus Springer, Thomas Lorenz, Georg Louven
  • Publication number: 20130047958
    Abstract: A control method of a spark ignition engine and a spark ignition engine capable of warming up an engine more promptly while promptly activating a catalyst are provided. Implemented is the control of igniting a mixture at an ignition timing that is set on a more lag side than an MBT, which is an ignition timing in which an output torque of the engine becomes maximum until the catalyst 62 is activated after the engine is started. After the catalyst 62 is activated, until the engine is warmed up control of increasing a ratio of burned gas contained in the mixture within the combustion chamber 14 to be more than the ratio of the burned gas in the mixture during a first period, and control of igniting the mixture containing more burned gas than the burned gas in the first period are implemented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahisa Yamakawa, Takashi Youso
  • Patent number: 8370049
    Abstract: A control system of an internal combustion engine in which as fuel, a first fuel of ammonia and a second fuel easier to burn than ammonia are used. These two types of fuel are burned in the combustion chamber. A basic ammonia ratio is set in accordance with an engine load and engine speed. The set basic ammonia ratio is corrected based on at least one of a combustion state, knocking strength, temperature of an exhaust gas or temperature of a catalyst arranged in an engine exhaust passage, NOx concentration in the exhaust gas, actual compression ratio, air-fuel ratio, and fuel properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Rio Shimizu, Yasuyuki Irisawa, Koji Aso, Tomojiro Sugimoto, Hiroshi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8362405
    Abstract: A reference heater energization delay time is established according to an engine conditions (shift range, cooling water temperature, intake-air temperature, ambient temperature, and oil temperature) during starting period. An extension delay time is established according to an engine condition after starting period. A final heater energization delay time is established by adding the extension delay time to the reference heater energization delay time. Until an elapsed time after starting period of engine reaches the final heater energization delay time, an energization of a heater of an exhaust gas sensor is inhibited. When the elapsed time after starting period of engine reaches the final heater energization delay time, the energization of the heater is started to heat a sensor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Jun Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 8352167
    Abstract: A method for reducing a temperature of an engine component is disclosed. In one example, an air-fuel ratio provided to an engine is adjusted to reduce a temperature of an engine component. The approach may be useful for controlling temperature and emissions from a turbocharged engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Stephen George Russ
  • Patent number: 8332128
    Abstract: An engine system may include an engine generating torque through a crankshaft, an exhaust line that exhaust gas of the engine flows, a diesel particulate filter disposed on the exhaust line to trap particulate matters of the exhaust gas, a first pressure difference sensor configured to detect a front/rear pressure difference of the diesel particulate filter, a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of exhaust gas flowing into the diesel particulate filter, and a control unit that detects signal form the temperature sensor and the first pressure difference sensor in a predetermined rotation cycle of the crankshaft, uses the detected signal to calculate a front/rear pressure difference of the diesel particulate filter, and calculates a temperature of exhaust gas flowing into the diesel particulate filter. A corresponding signal processing method is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Seungbum Kim
  • Patent number: 8322472
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle emission control method may include operating the hybrid vehicle in a first mode during which a combustion engine is off and an electric motor propels the hybrid vehicle. An electrically heated selective catalytic reduction catalyst (EHSCR) may be energized during the first mode. The vehicle may be operated in a second mode after the first mode during which the engine propels the hybrid vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Inventor: Eugene V. Gonze
  • Publication number: 20120298085
    Abstract: A fuel injection control apparatus for controlling an amount of fuel injection into a fuel injection port of an intake passage in an internal combustion engine, the fuel injection control apparatus including an exhaust air-fuel ratio sensor configured to detect an exhaust air-fuel ratio, an exhaust temperature sensor configured to detect an exhaust temperature, an intake air flow meter configured to detect an intake air amount in the intake passage, and a controller configured to estimate a wall flow amount of the fuel injection port based on the fuel injection amount, the exhaust air-fuel ratio, and the intake air amount, estimate a catalyst bed temperature of a catalyst provided in an exhaust passage based on the exhaust air-fuel ratio and the exhaust temperature and to correct the estimated catalyst bed temperature in accordance with the wall flow amount, and control the fuel injection amount based on the catalyst bed temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki NOSE, Satoshi NISHII, Manabu OKAMURA
  • Patent number: 8315776
    Abstract: Modeling catalyst exotherm due to blowthrough is provided. The method of advantageously utilizes catalyst temperature based on an amount of blowthrough air and a combustion air-fuel ratio generating a catalyst exotherm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Amey Y. Karnik, Michael John Cullen