Exhaust Gas Circulation (egc) Patents (Class 701/108)
  • Patent number: 9312723
    Abstract: A secondary-battery monitoring device capable of realizing highly reliable overcurrent detection and a battery pack having it are provided. When an overcurrent flowing to a secondary battery is to be detected by utilizing a current detection voltage generated via on-resistance of a discharge-control switch and a charge-control switch, a voltage correction circuit that generates a correction voltage having a characteristic varied by positive slope or negative slope along with increase in a power supply voltage is provided, and the correction voltage is added to the detection voltage or a reference power supply voltage with the polarity that cancels out the slope of voltage variation caused in the detection voltage, and then the voltage is input to a comparator circuit. In this manner, variation in the overcurrent determination current is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shogo Nagata, Yasuaki So, Takeshi Yamaguchi, Norihito Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 9211787
    Abstract: In a method for calibrating a measuring signal of an exhaust gas probe or a control signal of a fuel dosing device of a vehicle equipped with a hybrid drive including an internal combustion engine and at least one electric motor, the vehicle being able to be driven also by an electric motor exclusively, the gas transport for calibrating the signal of the exhaust gas probe or the fuel dosing device is induced by an engine drag operation of the vehicle, in which the internal combustion engine is dragged by the at least one electric motor while the fuel supply is deactivated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Bernhard Ledermann, Andreas Michalske, Christian Horn, Klaus Theiss, Bernhard Matrohs
  • Patent number: 9115672
    Abstract: This invention provides a control apparatus for an internal combustion engine that can accurately determine the existence or non-existence of an operational abnormality of a WGV in an internal combustion engine with a turbocharger that is equipped with an EGR system. The internal combustion engine includes a turbocharger, a WGV arranged in an exhaust bypass passage, an EGR valve arranged in an EGR passage, and a pressure sensor that acquires an intake pipe pressure of the internal combustion engine. The existence or non-existence of an operational abnormality of the WGV is determined based on a change in an intake pipe pressure when a valve opening request to the WGV is acquired. At such time, the EGR valve is controlled so as to enter a predetermined open state prior to the valve opening request to the WGV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shigeki Miyashita
  • Patent number: 9109505
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for reducing condensate accumulation at a charge air cooler (CAC) during cold ambient conditions. A wastegate may be held closed while a compressor recirculation valve is held open during an engine cold start so as to use compressor heating and increased compressor recirculation to expedite CAC heating. EGR delivery is delayed until the CAC is sufficiently warm to reduce the propensity for condensation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Norman Ulrey, Julia Helen Buckland
  • Patent number: 9086022
    Abstract: A gas engine includes a generator coupled to an output shaft thereof, an intake passage to which a low-concentration methane gas (VAM gas) derived from mine venting is supplied, and a gas mixing unit mixing a high-concentration methane gas (CMM gas) to the low-concentration methane gas midway along the intake passage, so that a gas mixture of the low-concentration methane gas and the high-concentration methane gas is supplied to and burnt in a combustion chamber. A turbocharger is provided in the intake passage upstream of the gas mixing unit, and in the intake passage upstream of the turbocharger, is provided a mixture ratio adjusting unit adjusting a mixture ratio of the low-concentration methane gas and the air. The temperature or flow rate of intake gas flowing into the turbocharger is kept in a constant range by an intake controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuuichi Shimizu, Hajime Suzuki, Hideki Nishio
  • Patent number: 9068523
    Abstract: A cylinder-inflow EGR gas quantity determining arrangement estimates or senses a value of a cylinder-inflow EGR gas quantity, which is a quantity of EGR gas that flows into a cylinder of an internal combustion engine. A misfire predicting arrangement predicts whether misfire occurs based on the value of the cylinder-inflow EGR gas quantity and an operational state of the internal combustion engine. A misfire-avoidance control arrangement executes at least one misfire-avoidance control operation to avoid the misfire when the misfire predicting arrangement predicts that the misfire occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keitarou Minami, Hideaki Ichihara, Hiroyuki Takezoe, Hiroshi Katsurahara
  • Patent number: 9038580
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for enabling engine dilution control. One or more engine diluents are combined to provide a desired engine dilution, the various diluents selected based on their respective combustion stability limits. A ratio of the various diluents used is further adjusted based on engine operating limitations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, Thomas G. Leone, Brad Alan VanDerWege, Christopher House, Michael Howard Shelby
  • Patent number: 9022009
    Abstract: A low pressure EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) system control apparatus of an internal combustion engine of a vehicle may include an atmosphere temperature detecting portion that detects atmosphere temperature of a driving region of the vehicle, an air conditioner switch that outputs ON/OFF signal of an air conditioner, a wiper switch outputting ON/OFF signal of a wiper, a control portion that uses the atmosphere temperature to determine a relative humidity and limits an operation of a low pressure EGR system such that condensate may be not formed therein, when the relative humidity may be higher than a predetermined humidity value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Jae Yoon Jung
  • Patent number: 9020739
    Abstract: Disclosed is a control device for an internal combustion engine that is used with an internal combustion engine having an EGR catalyst and an EGR valve in an EGR path for connecting an exhaust path to an intake path, and capable of preventing the purification performance of the EGR catalyst from being degraded during EGR stoppage and purifying exhaust gas in a preferred manner upon EGR resumption. When EGR is stopped with the EGR valve closed, the control device judges whether an EGR path air-fuel ratio is richer than a threshold value. If the EGR path air-fuel ratio is judged to be richer than the threshold value, the control device sets a target air-fuel ratio for the internal combustion engine to be leaner than a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masahiro Inoue
  • Patent number: 9016265
    Abstract: An exhaust gas recirculation valve for an internal combustion engine includes a housing comprising an exhaust gas inlet and an exhaust gas outlet, and a valve closing body fastened to a valve rod. The valve rod is movable. A valve seat is arranged between the exhaust gas inlet and the exhaust gas outlet. A guide bushing comprising a first section guides the valve rod in the housing. A sealing ring is arranged at an end of the guide bushing remote from the valve closing body. The valve closing body is lowered onto the valve seat by a movement of the valve rod and lifted from the valve closing body by an opposite movement of the valve rod. A circumferential gap is formed between the valve rod and the guide bushing in the first section of the guide bushing directed toward the sealing ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Pierburg GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Vitt, Osman Sari, Gérard Dietz
  • Patent number: 9014950
    Abstract: A control system for an internal combustion engine having a throttle valve disposed in an intake passage of the engine. A target intake air amount of the engine is calculated, and an intake pressure of the engine is estimated. A wide-open intake air amount is calculated according to the engine rotational speed, and a theoretical intake air amount is calculated according to the wide-open intake air amount and the intake pressure. The wide-open intake air amount is an intake air amount corresponding to a state where the throttle valve is fully opened, and the theoretical intake air amount is an intake air amount corresponding to a state where no exhaust gas of the engine is recirculated to a combustion chamber of the engine. further, an exhaust gas recirculation ratio is calculated using the theoretical intake air amount and the target intake air amount, and a target output torque of the engine is calculated using the target intake air amount and the exhaust gas recirculation ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yosuke Kosaka, Daisuke Shiomi, Jiro Takagi, Masaya Agata, Kentaro Onuma, Shinobu Ochiai
  • Patent number: 9010113
    Abstract: A control apparatus judges an abnormality of an internal combustion engine. The engine has an external EGR apparatus, including an exhaust gas recirculation passage that connects an exhaust passage with an intake passage, and an EGR valve that can increase and decrease an outside EGR flow quantity that flows back into the intake passage from said exhaust passage through the exhaust gas recirculation passage by being adjusted in its opening angle. The control apparatus acquires an output value of the engine and determines occurrence of abnormality in the external EGR apparatus according to a predetermined criterion based on a difference between an output of the engine in which a first EGR flow quantity is flown back and an output of the engine in which a second EGR flow quantity is flown back.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenji Harima
  • Patent number: 9008951
    Abstract: A fuel admission control unit controls a diesel engine and ensures compatibility between exhaust gas performance and engine speed response performance by considering residual oxygen in EGR gas. The control unit includes an estimation excess air ratio ?s computing unit that is an arithmetic section to compute an estimation excess air ratio ?s, from the quantity of the fuel injected by a fuel injection valve into a cylinder, the intake air flow rate, and the flow rate of the residual oxygen in the EGR gas that returns back into the intake air system. The control unit also includes a fuel admission control unit that controls the fuel flow rate under hard acceleration, based on the estimation excess air ratio ?s that is computed by the estimation excess air ratio ?s computing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazunari Ide, Satoshi Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 9002622
    Abstract: A device for controlling fuel injection in an internal combustion engine of an automobile, the internal combustion engine being connected at an inlet thereof to a fresh air intake pipe and at an outlet thereof to an exhaust gas discharge pipe including a catalytic converter, an exhaust gas partial recirculation circuit connecting the discharge pipe to the fresh air intake pipe. The device includes a mechanism determining the amount of unburned fuel in the exhaust gases, a mechanism determining the amount of fresh air taken into the internal combustion engine, and an electronic controller determining the amount of fuel to be injected depending on signals received of the determined amount of unburned fuel and the determined amount of fresh air taken in.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Renault SAS
    Inventors: Bruno Serra, Sylvain Hourlier
  • Patent number: 9002624
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adjusting cylinder valve timings to enable a group of cylinders to operate and combust while another group of cylinders on a second are selectively deactivated. Valve timing may be adjusted to allow flow of air through the inactive cylinders to be reduced, lowering catalyst regeneration requirements upon reactivation. The valve timing may alternatively be adjusted to enable exhaust gas to be recirculated to the active cylinders via the inactive cylinders, providing cooled EGR benefits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: James Michael Kerns, Stephen B. Smith, Adam Nathan Banker, Michael James Uhrich
  • Patent number: 9002625
    Abstract: Provided is a control device for an internal combustion engine equipped with a supercharger, including: operation state detection means for detecting an operation state of the internal combustion engine; overlap read means for reading a valve overlap period; collector pressure detection means for detecting a collector pressure; exhaust gas pressure estimation means for estimating an exhaust gas pressure on an upstream side of the supercharger; and scavenging amount estimation means for estimating a scavenging amount based on the operation state, the valve overlap period, the collector pressure, and the exhaust gas pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Tsuyuki, Naozumi Katou, Daisuke Takaki
  • Patent number: 8996281
    Abstract: A method of decreasing the light-off time of a catalytic exhaust aftertreatment device, using exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) in a turbocharged internal combustion engine. The engine has at least one “dedicated EGR cylinder”, whose entire exhaust is recirculated back to all the engine cylinders. The dedicated EGR cylinder(s) may be operated to produce a differently compositioned exhaust gas than the other cylinders. During light-off, EGR gas is optimized for heat, diverted from the EGR loop and routed to a point directly upstream the aftertreatment device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Jess W. Gingrich, Terrence F. Alger, II
  • Patent number: 8989990
    Abstract: A working gas circulation type engine includes a combustion chamber in which a working gas having a ratio of specific heats higher than that of air can be expanded by combustion of a fuel, a circulation path capable of circulating a gas containing the working gas from a gas exhaust side to a gas suction side of the combustion chamber and supplying the gas containing the working gas to the combustion chamber again, and a control device that changes a control parameter for controlling the combustion of the fuel based on a ratio of specific heats of the gas circulating in the circulation path. Therefore, there can be provided the working gas circulation type engine capable of obtaining a stable output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Rentaro Kuroki, Daisaku Sawada, Akira Kato
  • Patent number: 8978630
    Abstract: A low pressure EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) system control apparatus of an internal combustion engine of a vehicle may include an atmosphere temperature detecting portion that detects atmosphere temperature of a driving region of the vehicle, an air conditioner switch that outputs ON/OFF signal of an air conditioner, a wiper switch outputting ON/OFF signal of a wiper, a control portion that uses the atmosphere temperature to determine a relative humidity and limits an operation of a low pressure EGR system such that condensate may be not formed therein, when the relative humidity may be higher than a predetermined humidity value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Jae Yoon Jung
  • Patent number: 8977474
    Abstract: A diesel-gasoline dual fuel powered combustion engine system is provided with spark-assisted fouling free EGR system in which gasoline and air are homogeneously combined and supplied to cylinders and then a diesel fuel is injected and combusted together. The system may include: a plurality of cylinders each having a fuel injector; and an exhaust line through which flows an exhaust gas discharged as a fuel from each cylinder is combusted; wherein gasoline fuel combustion type is adapted to one or more cylinder of the plurality of the cylinders, and diesel-gasoline fuel pre-mixed combustion type is adapted to the other cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Dae Choi, Hyunsung Jung, Minyoung Ki, Hyeungwoo Lee
  • Publication number: 20150057910
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for indicating water at an oxygen sensor based on power consumption of a heating element of the oxygen sensor. In one example, water may be indicated at an oxygen sensor positioned in an intake of an engine responsive to power consumption of the heating element of the oxygen sensor increasing above a baseline level. Engine operating parameters may then be adjusted based on the water indication and the power consumption.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, Richard E. Soltis, Dan A. Makled, Timothy Joseph Clark
  • Publication number: 20150053177
    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: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Steven Wooldridge, Gopichandra Surnilla, Brad Alan Boyer, James Alfred Hilditch, Michael Howard Shelby, Chris Paul Glugla, Benjamin Richard Petersen
  • Publication number: 20150057911
    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: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Steven Wooldridge, Gopichandra Surnilla, Jianwen James Yi, Brad Alan Boyer, James Alfred Hilditch, Michael Howard Shelby, Benjamin Richard Petersen
  • Publication number: 20150051816
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for improving the performance of a variable displacement engine. Split injection and spark retard may be used in active cylinders during a VDE mode to heat an exhaust catalyst and extend the duration of VDE mode operation. Split injection and spark retard may also be used in reactivated cylinders at a time of cylinder reactivation to improve restart combsution stability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2013
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Chris Paul Glugla, Steven Schwochert, Ken Jahr
  • Patent number: 8955498
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adjusting cylinder valve timings to enable a group of cylinders to operate and combust while another group of cylinders on a second are selectively deactivated. Valve timing may be adjusted to allow flow of air through the inactive cylinders to be reduced, lowering catalyst regeneration requirements upon reactivation. The valve timing may alternatively be adjusted to enable exhaust gas to be recirculated to the active cylinders via the inactive cylinders, providing cooled EGR benefits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: James Michael Kerns, Stephen B. Smith, Adam Nathan Banker, Michael James Uhrich
  • Patent number: 8958971
    Abstract: By providing an electrically-controlled turbocharger (ECT) on a compression-ignition (CI) engine, the engine can be provided a desired lambda and a desired EGR fraction over the range of operating conditions. When lambda in the exhaust is leaner than the desired lambda, electrical energy to the electric motor of the ECT is reduced to bring actual lambda to desired lambda. Analogously, when lambda in the exhaust is richer than the desired lambda, electrical energy to the ECT is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: EcoMotors, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter Hofbauer
  • Patent number: 8950182
    Abstract: A method of adjusting an external exhaust gas recirculation mixture in response to engine knock of a spark-ignition turbocharged engine, and related products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventor: David B. Roth
  • Patent number: 8949004
    Abstract: A control system for an internal combustion engine where when the engine is decelerating the amount of intake air supplied to a combustion chamber is controlled. A target auxiliary intake air amount SAIRCMD necessary for preventing misfiring of the engine by supplying only an auxiliary intake air amount to a combustion chamber and a target intake air amount GAIRCMD which is a target value of the amount of intake air supplied to the combustion chamber are calculated according to the state NE, AP of the engine. When the engine is decelerating, and misfires, misfire avoidance control is executed controlling an auxiliary intake air amount control valve to be more opened such that the auxiliary intake air amount becomes the target auxiliary intake air amount SAIRCMD and a throttle valve to be more closed such that the amount of intake air supplied to the combustion chamber becomes the target intake air amount GAIRCMD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiharu Ishigami, Hajime Uto, Jun Kato, Naoki Inoue, Kenji Tsukahara
  • Patent number: 8944034
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods, apparatuses and systems to manage exhaust gas expelled from cylinders of an internal combustion engine. An exemplary system may comprise at least one cylinder of the engine configured to operate as a dedicated exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cylinder, and wherein substantially all exhaust gas expelled from the dedicated EGR cylinder is recirculated to an intake system of the engine. In one embodiment, the system may include a flow restrictor configured and arranged to restrict a flow of the recirculated exhaust gas to the dedicated EGR cylinder without restricting a flow of the recirculated exhaust gas to the remaining cylinders of the engine. In another embodiment, exhaust gas may be expelled from the dedicated EGR cylinder in pulsations, and the intake system may be configured to reduce an amplitude of the pulsations of the exhaust gas expelled from the dedicated EGR cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Jess W. Gingrich, Barrett W. Mangold, Steven H. Almaraz
  • Patent number: 8948997
    Abstract: In the case where a constraint condition related to an internal combustion engine is satisfied when a control amount of each of the control objects 35d, 52 is controlled in accordance with the operation amount determined based on initial target values TPcom and TRegr of respective control objects of an internal combustion engine 10, the control amount of each of the control objects is controlled in accordance with the operation amount determined based on the initial target values. In the case where the constraint condition is not satisfied, the initial target values are repeatedly corrected in accordance with a predetermined rule so as to satisfy the constraint condition, and the control amount of each of the control objects is controlled in accordance with the operation amount determined based on the corrected initial target values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hayato Nakada
  • Patent number: 8938961
    Abstract: A disclosed method of operating an engine may include discharging exhaust gas from at least one combustion chamber of the engine. The method may also include recirculating at least a portion of the exhaust gas to the at least one combustion chamber through an EGR system, including directing at least a portion of the exhaust gas through an EGR duct. Additionally, the method may include sensing pressure in a portion of the EGR duct by directing the pressure to a first pressure sensor via a first sensor passage having a first end connected to a portion of the EGR duct and a second end connected to the first pressure sensor, while maintaining a temperature of gas in the first sensor passage adjacent the second end at a bulk temperature of at least about 75 percent of a bulk temperature of gas in the first sensor passage at the first end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Edward Leustek, Justin Werner McMenamy, Jeffrey S. Morris, Matthew John Liening, Joseph John Stabnik, William Lyle Schell
  • Publication number: 20150025723
    Abstract: Systems and methods for improving operation of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, engine operation is adjusted in response to a change in engine operating conditions that result in a fractional amount of cylinder charge comprised of exhaust gas changing by more than a threshold percentage. The approaches describe may improve vehicle drivability and fuel economy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2013
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: Chris Paul Glugla, Michael Damian Czekala, Jeffrey Allen Doering
  • Patent number: 8915236
    Abstract: A control system for an engine includes first and second modules. The first module determines an oxygen concentration within an intake manifold of the engine. The second module regulates a flow of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) into the intake manifold based on the determined oxygen concentration. In a homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engine, the second module may also disable an HCCI combustion mode of the HCCI engine based on the oxygen concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Inventors: Vijay Ramappan, Darrell W. Burleigh, B. Jerry Song
  • Patent number: 8918269
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine having a throttle valve disposed in an intake passage of the engine is provided. A wide-open intake air amount, which is an intake air amount corresponding to a state where the throttle valve is fully opened, is calculated, and a theoretical intake air amount, which is an intake air amount corresponding to a state where no exhaust gas of the engine is recirculated to a combustion chamber of the engine, is calculated according to the wide-open intake air amount and the intake pressure. An air-fuel ratio correction amount and a learning value thereof are calculated according to the detected air-fuel ratio, and a reference intake air amount is calculated using the intake pressure, the engine rotational speed, the air-fuel ratio correction amount, and the learning value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiichiro Irie, Hisashi Ito, Hideharu Takamiya, Hirotaka Komatsu, Yasuhiro Motohashi
  • Patent number: 8915081
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine comprises a compressor disposed in an intake system configured to compress combustion air and deliver it to cylinders of the engine. A compressor inlet assembly has a combustion air inlet, in fluid communication with, and configured to receive combustion air from the intake system. A combustion air passage extends through the assembly to an outlet located downstream of the inlet and is configured for fluid communication with the compressor. An EGR mixing conduit is disposed within the compressor inlet assembly and has an EGR inlet configured for fluid communication with, and receipt of EGR from, an EGR supply conduit. An EGR passage extends from the EGR inlet to an EGR supply annulus disposed about the combustion air inlet opening and a plurality of EGR ports extend between the EGR supply annulus and the combustion air passage for delivery of EGR thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Alan W. Hayman, Rodney E. Baker
  • Publication number: 20140372011
    Abstract: A method for diagnosing an EGR system, includes: a first measuring step of measuring a pressure in an intake manifold; a second measuring step of measuring a pressure and a temperature between an EGR cooler and an EGR valve; a determining step of calculating and determining an opening area of the EGR valve for satisfying a target flow of EGR using a function of the target flow of EGR, the pressure in the intake manifold, and the temperature and the pressure between the EGR cooler and the EGR valve; and a diagnosing step of diagnosing whether the EGR cooler is abnormal by comparing the temperature measured between the EGR cooler and the EGR valve and a reference temperature with each other at the time of exhausting EGR gas at the determined opening area of the EGR valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicants: Kia Motors Corp., Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Seung Bum Kim
  • Publication number: 20140372009
    Abstract: An engine control system of a vehicle includes a first temperature module, a second temperature module, and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) control module. The first temperature module determines a temperature of gas within an intake manifold of an engine. The second temperature module determines a temperature of an EGR conduit that is coupled to the intake manifold. The EGR control module reduces opening of an EGR valve when the temperature of the gas and the temperature of the conduit is greater than a predetermined temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventors: B. Jerry Song, Gregory J. York, Jon C. Wasberg, Josef J. Correia, Timothy Ward Athan
  • Publication number: 20140372010
    Abstract: A method for diagnosing an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system includes: a setting step of setting a temperature map with respect to a temperature at an outlet side of an EGR line for an output value reflecting a driving state of a vehicle in a state in which an EGR valve is closed; a measuring step of measuring the temperature at the outlet side of the EGR line at the time of an operation of the EGR system; and a diagnosing step of diagnosing that a fault has been generated in an EGR system when the measured temperature at the outlet side of the EGR line is equal to or less than a reference value set in the temperature map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicants: Kia Motors Corp., Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Seung Hee Han
  • Patent number: 8914221
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for diagnosing an engine component condition in an exhaust gas recirculation system. In one example, a method includes selectively routing exhaust from a subset of engine cylinders to an exhaust passage via a first valve and to an intake passage via a second valve, and obtaining one or more of a pressure or temperature from the subset of engine cylinders. The method further includes indicating an engine component condition based on the one or more of the pressure or temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Eric David Peters, Shashi Kiran, Nicholas Hansen
  • Patent number: 8910476
    Abstract: An exhaust gas condensate control method includes selecting modeling objects from the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system, acquiring control factors from the modeling objects, such as mass, temperature, pressure, absolute humidity, relative humidity, partial water vapor pressure of the exhaust gas and a gas mixture, calculating an estimated relative humidity value, a desired relative humidity value from estimated relative humidity value, and an allowable relative humidity limit and a current relative humidity value of the EGR system, and precluding production of condensate in the EGR system by feedback-controlling the intake air flow rate of a mixing pipe line, the opening amount of an LP-EGR (low pressure) valve, and boost pressure by using an applied control value compensating the desired relative humidity value. An EGR system may be an LP-EGR type or an HP-EGR (high pressure)+LP-EGR type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Kihoon Nam, Jinsuk Kang
  • Patent number: 8904786
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine comprises a four stroke working cylinder, a four stroke EGR cylinder, an intake system for supplying a combustion air charge to the cylinders, a first exhaust system for removing exhaust gas from the four stroke working cylinder and to the atmosphere and a second exhaust system for removing exhaust from the four stroke EGR cylinder and to the intake system, wherein the combustion air charge is a combination of combustion air and exhaust gas from the four stroke EGR cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Alan W. Hayman
  • Patent number: 8909458
    Abstract: By means of an air model, an estimated quantity of an exhaust gas flowing into a cylinder and a target quantity of the exhaust gas are computed. A deviation between the estimated quantity and the target quantity is multiplied by a feedback gain to obtain a feedback correction quantity. A reference opening degree of an EGR valve is defined according to an engine driving condition and the feedback correction quantity is added to the reference opening degree to obtain a command opening degree of the EGR valve. According to the engine driving condition and the deviation between the estimated quantity and the target quantity, a feedback gain is established so that control accuracy and control stability of a feedback control can be ensured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Takezoe
  • Patent number: 8909460
    Abstract: A multi-cylinder internal combustion engine is provided with a system for the variable actuation of the intake valves. At least one part of the engine cylinders is deactivated, cutting off fuel supply to said cylinders, under operating conditions that do not require the maximum power of the engine and in which one wants to reduce fuel consumption. The intake valves of the deactivated cylinders are kept at least partly open during at least one part of the discharge stages in the deactivated cylinders, hence, in the deactivated cylinders, part of the burnt gases generated during the operation prior to the deactivation flows into the respective intake conduits during the discharge stage of each cylinder. The intake valves are closed after the discharge stage. The intake valves of the deactivated cylinders are further kept closed during the compression and expansion stages in each deactivated cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: C.R.F. Società Consortile per Azioni
    Inventors: Marco Lucatello, Fabio Borean
  • 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: 8903575
    Abstract: Various methods and systems for an engine driving an electrical power generation system are provided. In one embodiment, an example method for an engine driving an electrical power generation system includes adjusting an engine speed in response to a relationship between oxygen and fuel while maintaining a power transmitted to the electrical power generation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: James Robert Mischler, Jassin Marcel Fritz, Sebastian Walter Freund
  • Patent number: 8903633
    Abstract: A control system for an internal combustion engine, wherein in the control system, an in-cylinder oxygen amount is calculated and a compression end temperature, which is a temperature of the pressurized air-fuel mixture, is calculated according to an intake air temperature. A fuel injection parameter is determined according to the compression end temperature, the in-cylinder oxygen amount, and an engine rotational speed. The fuel injector is controlled based on the determined fuel injection parameter. By determining the fuel injection parameter according to the compression end temperature in addition to the in-cylinder oxygen amount, the combustion state is adjusted when the compression end temperature is low, thereby maintaining a stable combustion state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shizuo Sasaki, Jayant Sarlashkar, Gary D. Neely
  • Patent number: 8897994
    Abstract: An exhaust gas recirculation control device is provided with a feedback control unit and a feed-forward control unit, wherein the device is provided with: an adder which adds a feed-forward control command signal to a feedback control command signal; and a maximum selection function-section which compares an added value obtained by the adder with a feed-forward control command signal or a command signal from an EGR valve maximum opening map, and selects the command signal by which the valve opening of the EGR control valve is brought to a closed side, wherein the command signal by which the valve opening of the EGR control valve is brought to an opened side is not outputted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazunari Ide, Hiroyuki Endo
  • Patent number: 8893687
    Abstract: A method using exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) in an internal combustion engine. The engine has at least one “dedicated EGR cylinder”, whose entire exhaust is recirculated back to all the engine cylinders. The dedicated EGR cylinder is operated at a rich air-fuel ratio, and the other cylinders are operated stoichiometrically so that a conventional three way catalyst may be used to treat the exhaust. A fuel injector is used to inject fuel into the combustion chamber of the dedicated EGR cylinder after initiation of the main combustion event. This post injection method overcomes flammability limits of a dedicated EGR cylinder, and increases the hydrogen (H2) and carbon monoxide (CO) in its exhaust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Jess W. Gingrich, Terrence F. Alger, II, Raphael Gukelberger
  • Publication number: 20140343828
    Abstract: A method and a device for operating an exhaust gas recirculation of a self-ignition internal combustion engine, in particular of a motor vehicle, the internal combustion engine including an air system for controlling the air supply into at least one combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine, and it being provided in particular that a dynamic operating state of the internal combustion engine is detected and, in the event of a detected dynamic operating state, a corrective intervention in the air system of the internal combustion engine is carried out.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Horst MUELLER, Laurent SOMMACAL, Johannes ZELLER, Michael BACHNER