Exhaust Gas Circulation (egc) Patents (Class 701/108)
  • Patent number: 8706385
    Abstract: An exhaust gas recirculation device of an internal combustion engine (1) including a low-pressure EGR passage (20), a high-pressure EGR passage (21), a low-pressure EGR valve (23) and a high-pressure EGR valve (24) further includes an air-fuel ratio sensor (12) that is disposed in the exhaust passage (4) upstream of the position of its connection with the low-pressure EGR passage (20). In the case where a predetermined fuel-cut condition is satisfied, an ECU (30) estimates the flow amounts of exhaust gas flowing in the low-pressure EGR passage (20) and the high-pressure EGR passage (21), on the basis of the oxygen concentrations acquired by the air-fuel ratio sensor (12) at timings at which the exhaust gases recirculated into the intake passage (3) via the low-pressure EGR passage (20) and via the high-pressure EGR passage (21) reach the air-fuel ratio sensor (12), respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigeki Nakayama, Akio Matsunaga, Tomomi Onishi, Akiyuki Iemura
  • Publication number: 20140107909
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an internal combustion engine, an air-fuel ratio sensor provided in an exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine, and a controller. The controller is configured to diagnose a responsiveness of the air-fuel ratio sensor on the basis of an output voltage of the air-fuel ratio sensor in a predefined period. The period is a period over which exhaust gas goes through the air-fuel ratio sensor during the internal combustion engine is rotating without fuel injection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takeshi GENKO
  • Patent number: 8700360
    Abstract: A closed-loop system having a controllable variable is monitored to detect the off-nominal behavior and raise an alert when fault is detected. The faults show up in such a way that the tracking error signal is impacted and this impact manifests itself as a change in the frequency components. A filter isolates a band of frequency components of the tracking error signal that are more impacted than others by deviation caused by a fault to be detected. The filter can effectively amplify the section of the error tracking signal that contains the frequency components having impact. In addition, the filter will also have the characteristics to attenuate the impact of other frequency components. An accumulated error signal is generated from the filtered tracking error signal, compared with a predetermined fault threshold characteristic, and a fault alert is provided if a predetermined threshold is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Cummins Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Phanindra Garimella, Howard Bishop
  • Patent number: 8700291
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for adjusting a mass flow of an exhaust gas return of an internal combustion engine, taking into consideration a NOx behavior, wherein a controlling system provides a coupling of a virtual NOx determination with a real NOx control. Furthermore, an internal combustion engine with appropriate controlling means is proposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Fev Motorentechink GmbH
    Inventor: Olaf Erik Herrmann
  • Publication number: 20140100760
    Abstract: Various embodiments related to controlling EGR in an engine are disclosed. In one embodiment, a first EGR amount is supplied to a cylinder at a first temperature and a first engine speed and load. Further, at the first engine speed and load, as engine temperature increases from the first temperature to a second temperature, a first fuel amount is injected after exhaust valve closing and before intake valve opening while a second EGR amount is supplied to the cylinder that is greater than the first EGR amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Jianwen James Yi, Steven Wooldridge, Brad Alan VanDerWege, Shiyou Yang, Thomas A. McCarthy
  • Publication number: 20140081558
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for draining water separated from diesel fuel into an EGR system. In response to the water volume in the fuel system and EGR flow at pre-determined levels, water may be introduced into the EGR system. EGR flow may also be controlled in response to introducing water into the EGR system and engine operating conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2012
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Brien Lloyd Fulton, Carlos Armesto, Larry Castleberry, Brad Allen Brown, Armando Chacon
  • Patent number: 8670918
    Abstract: This disclosure provides a method of controlling a diesel engine, which includes executing a premix combustion pattern fuel injection containing one or more injections at a first timing, while introducing an amount of EGR gas according to an operating condition of the engine into a cylinder, when an engine load is low, to operate in a premix combustion mode, executing a diffusion combustion pattern fuel injection containing one or more injections at a second timing that is later than the first timing, when the engine load is high, to operate in a diffusion combustion mode, and executing a diffusion combustion pattern fuel injection at a third timing that is later than the second timing, while introducing the amount of EGR gas according to the operating condition of the engine into the cylinder, when shifting from the diffusion combustion mode to the premix combustion mode with a decrease in engine load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichi Morinaga, Daisuke Shimo, Hiroshi Hayashibara, Kenji Tanimura
  • Publication number: 20140067236
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for lowering exhaust gas temperature. In one embodiment, a method comprises increasing an air-to-fuel ratio of an engine in response to an exhaust gas temperature exceeding a threshold temperature value to lower the exhaust gas temperature to a temperature below the threshold temperature value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Inventors: Luke Henry, Daniel Edward Loringer, James Robert Mischler, Neil Xavier Blythe, Matthew John Malone, Greg Thomas Polkus
  • Patent number: 8666640
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes phase change means (60) for advancing or retarding phases of an opening timing and a closing timing of an intake valve (62); duration change means (60) for increasing or decreasing a duration of the intake valve (62); and EGR gas amount increase means (50) for increasing an amount of EGR gas, based on an operating state of an internal combustion engine. The control apparatus further includes intake-valve closing timing advancing means (50) for advancing the intake-valve closing timing when the amount of EGR gas is increased. The intake-valve closing timing advancing means (50) advances the intake-valve closing timing by performing a first operation that advances the phases using the phase change means (60), and performing a second operation that decreases the duration using the duration change means (60), and makes a timing at which the second operation is started later than a timing at which the first operation is started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koichiro Nakatani, Terutoshi Tomoda, Shinobu Ishiyama, Michio Furuhashi, Tomoyuki Ono, Tomoyuki Kogo, Yoshihiro Hisataka
  • Patent number: 8656715
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for operating a turbocharged engine including a particulate filter positioned upstream of a turbocharger turbine, a catalyst positioned downstream of the turbine, and an EGR passage coupled between an engine exhaust and engine intake. In one example, the method comprises, diverting exhaust gas from downstream of the filter to the engine intake via the EGR passage, and adjusting an amount of diverted exhaust gas based on filter operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey Scott Hepburn, William Charles Ruona, Brien Lloyd Fulton, Gopichandra Surnilla, Eric Matthew Kurtz
  • Patent number: 8655573
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine is provided that can successfully achieve a desired acceleration by avoiding an absence of torque of the internal combustion engine due to an influence of EGR gas when the torque increases toward a required torque. A required throttle valve opening degree TAreq is set based on a required torque TQreq in accordance with a required throttle valve opening degree map that defines a relation between the required torque TQreq and the required throttle valve opening degree TAreq. In addition, a required EGR valve opening degree EGRreq is set based on a required load factor KLreq in accordance with a required EGR valve opening degree map that defines a relation between the required load factor KLreq and the required EGR valve opening degree EGRreq.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Hokuto
  • Publication number: 20140046576
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for detecting hydrocarbon ingestion into an engine based on the simultaneous monitoring of cylinder imbalance and an elevated exhaust exotherm. Crankshaft acceleration data is monitored during steady-state and transient engine conditions while exhaust temperatures are estimated during non-regeneration conditions. Engine speed and load is limited to reduce further hydrocarbon ingestion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2012
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Gopal Krishna Chamarthi, John G. Fraser, Arnold Kromberg, Anil Shah, Thomas C. Erickson, Brien Lloyd Fulton, Scott Eeley
  • Publication number: 20140046575
    Abstract: In a method for controlling operation of an engine in which an EGR system is incorporated therein, when the engine is in a pressure-accumulable operational state in which EGR gas can be pressure-accumulated in an EGR passage between an EGR control valve and an on-off valve, these valves are brought into a full closed state, respectively. In addition, when an intake pressure transmitted from an air intake passage to the engine becomes more than or equal to a target value of the intake pressure set based on an operational state of the engine, the on-off valve is switched to a full open state, and then the on-off valve is switched to the full closed state again after elapse of a predetermined time, and high-pressure EGR gas of a low oxygen concentration is temporarily stored in the EGR passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2011
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naruto Yamane
  • Patent number: 8649961
    Abstract: A method to operate an electronic controlled internal combustion engine to perform on board NOx emissions level diagnostics. In one embodiment, the method may include operating the engine to maintain a predetermined temperature for a predetermined period of time, determining whether the engine operating status is stable for one of cruise control, idle engine speed, engine torque, or high idle regeneration for a predetermined period of time, cycling the EGR valve between a first position for a predetermined period of time and then in a second position for a predetermined period of time, a determining a change in engine out NOx levels to determine whether an engine component or system is malfunctioning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Detroit Diesel Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffery Scott Hawkins, Marc Christian Allain, Justin R. Kollien
  • Patent number: 8640679
    Abstract: A method to control an exhaust gas recirculation and a manifold air pressure in an engine includes utilizing a decoupling matrix within a multiple input and multiple output controller to determine an exhaust gas recirculation command and a manifold air pressure command, wherein the decoupling matrix is configured based upon a diagonally dominant model of the engine compensated by the determined exhaust gas recirculation command and the manifold air pressure command. The exhaust gas recirculation and manifold air pressure are controlled based upon the determined exhaust gas recirculation command and the determined manifold air pressure command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Yue-Yun Wang, Ibrahim Haskara, Donald Terry French
  • Patent number: 8640457
    Abstract: A method includes substantially reducing specific fuel consumption and exhaust emissions of an engine by adjusting an exhaust flow from a set of predetermined cylinders among a plurality of cylinders of the engine through an exhaust gas recirculation system to an intake manifold, by adjusting a temperature of a cooler of the exhaust gas recirculation system, and by adjusting a fuel injection timing, in response to variance in a plurality of parameters of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Manoj Prakash Gokhale, Nilesh Vinayak Deshpande
  • Publication number: 20140032083
    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: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: James Michael Kerns, Stephen B. Smith, Adam Nathan Banker, Michael James Uhrich
  • Publication number: 20140026874
    Abstract: A method of controlling engine internal exhaust gas recirculation may include estimating a flow restriction through a diesel particulate filter in an exhaust system of an engine assembly and adjusting a backpressure control valve in the exhaust system downstream of the diesel particulate filter based on the flow restriction. A controlled amount of internal exhaust gas recirculation may be provided to the engine assembly based on adjusting the backpressure control valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Charles Dean, Manuel Angel Gonzalez Delgado, Michael J. Lucido
  • Patent number: 8635993
    Abstract: The invention relates to an air-fuel ratio control device of an internal combustion engine, comprising a plurality of means for independently introducing into each combustion chamber an exhaust gas discharged from combustion chambers to an exhaust passage. When at least one exhaust gas introduction means is under an exhaust gas introduction shortage state, a target value of an air-fuel ratio of a mixture gas is changed depending on whether an exhaust gas introduction control for introducing the exhaust gas into the combustion chamber by the exhaust gas introduction means is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeshi Genko, Kenya Maruyama, Tsukasa Abe, Yousuke Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20140025280
    Abstract: An engine control system and method for determining if an exhaust gas recirculation EGR runner between an EGR valve and a cylinder inlet is obstructed using a single exhaust gas sensor and individual cylinder fuel control (ICFC). A controller determines an off-state value based on an off-state air/fuel combustion ratio of a particular cylinder indicated by the single exhaust gas sensor while the EGR valve is operated to the off-state and while the engine is operating at a first speed-load condition, and determines an on-state value based on an on-state air/fuel combustion ratio of the particular cylinder indicated by the single exhaust gas sensor while the EGR valve is operated to the on-state and while the engine is operating at a second speed-load condition. The controller then determines if the EGR runner associated with the particular cylinder is obstructed based on the off-state value and the on-state value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: JAMES P. WATERS, JAMES F. BURKHARD
  • Patent number: 8630787
    Abstract: Methods and products for controlling exhaust gas recirculation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: John Shutty, Volker Joergl, Volker Mueller, David B. Roth
  • Patent number: 8627648
    Abstract: An engine control system for an engine equipped with a catalyst that purifies exhaust gas includes: a catalyst temperature acquisition section that acquires the temperature of the catalyst; and a control section that controls an engine such that a rate of increase in engine output speed is changed in accordance with the temperature of the catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideaki Goda
  • Patent number: 8621864
    Abstract: A method for controlling charge flow in an internal combustion engine includes operating an engine having a VGT. The method includes determining a target and current charge flow and EGR flow. The method further includes determining an error term for the charge flow and the EGR flow, and determining an exhaust pressure feedback command in response to the error terms. The exhaust pressure feedback command is combined with an exhaust pressure feedforward command, and the VGT is controlled in response to the exhaust pressure feedback command. The method additionally includes determining the exhaust pressure feedback command in response to a current EGR valve position. The method further includes controlling an EGR flow rate with the EGR valve at relatively closed EGR valve positions, and controlling the EGR flow rate with exhaust pressure at relatively open EGR valve positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew W. Osburn, Mert Geveci, Martin T. Books
  • Patent number: 8616187
    Abstract: A waste heat recovering and cooling apparatus for an engine includes a water pump that ejects cooling water of an engine; an EGR cooler that cools EGR gas introduced into an intake pipe from an exhaust pipe of the engine by using some of the cooling water ejected from the water pump; an EGR valve that opens and closes the channel of the EGR gas passing through the EGR cooler; and a transmission warmer that heats lubricating oil of a transmission by the cooling water passing through the EGR cooler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinobu Yamazaki, Suguru Matsumoto, Junichi Toyoda, Shinya Kurasawa
  • Patent number: 8620499
    Abstract: After completion of warm-up of an engine, upon satisfaction of an exhaust gas recirculation condition by setting the drive mode of a hybrid vehicle to a normal mode according to the driver's accelerator operation, when a power difference ?Pe representing a decrease rate of a power demand Pe* required for the engine is less than a preset reference value ?, the engine and motors MG1 and MG2 are controlled to ensure output of a power equivalent to the power demand Pe* from the engine with prohibition for exhaust gas recirculation via an EGR valve and to ensure output of a torque equivalent to a torque demand Tr* to a ring gear shaft or an axle (steps S300 to S330 and step S390).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Mamoru Tomatsuri, Takeshi Harada
  • Patent number: 8615997
    Abstract: A dynamic feedforward amount to realize a predetermined transient response characteristic by compensating a transient response characteristic of an engine having a Variable Nozzle Turbo (VNT) and an Exhaust Gas Recirculator (EGR) is calculated for a nozzle opening degree of the VNT and a valve opening degree of the EGR. The transient response characteristic of the engine responds to a setting value of an injection quantity or the like. Then, command values of the nozzle opening degree of the VNT and the valve opening degree of the EGR are calculated by using the dynamic feedforward amount. In the transient state, the followingness to the target value is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignees: Fujitsu Limited, Transtron Inc.
    Inventors: Arata Ejiri, Jun Sasaki
  • Patent number: 8613274
    Abstract: A spark ignition type internal combustion engine of the present invention comprises a variable closing timing mechanism able to change a closing timing of an intake valve after intake bottom dead center and an EGR mechanism making a part of the exhaust gas flow again into a combustion chamber as EGR gas. The EGR mechanism is controlled so that the amount of EGR gas is reduced when the closing timing of the intake valve is at a retarded side, compared with when it is at an advanced side. Due to this, occurrence of variation among cylinders in the air-fuel ratio and intake resistance along with blowback of intake gas can be suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Mamoru Yoshioka
  • Publication number: 20130338907
    Abstract: A method for the adaptive lambda control of an internal combustion engine involves a controller limiting lambda control by a maximum control stroke. A lambda variable is a controlled variable, a metering variable of a metering device is a manipulated variable, and a lambda setpoint variable is a setpoint variable. In addition, an adapter carries out a lambda adaptation, which is limited by a maximum adaptation speed. A control speed of the lambda control is greater than the maximum adaptation speed. The maximum control stroke and/or the maximum adaptation speed is/are a function of a deviation of the lambda variable from the lambda setpoint value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2011
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: Daimler AG
    Inventor: Tobias Erbes
  • Patent number: 8607564
    Abstract: An automobile-mount diesel engine with a turbocharger is provided, which includes an engine body with the turbocharger, the engine body being mounted in the automobile and supplied with fuel containing diesel fuel as its main component, a fuel injection valve arranged in the engine body so as to be oriented toward a cylinder of the engine body and for directly injecting the fuel into the cylinder, an injection control module for controlling a mode of injecting the fuel into the cylinder through the fuel injection valve, and an EGR amount control module for adjusting an amount of EGR gas introduced into the cylinder. EGR and fuel injection are adjusted based on speed-load conditions of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Keiji Maruyama, Masaki Ushitani
  • Patent number: 8612121
    Abstract: An EGR device for an internal combustion engine returns an EGR gas from an exhaust passage to an intake passage of an engine. The EGR device is configured to determine a target EGR ratio from an engine rotation number and an engine load and calculate an estimate EGR ratio from an intake air amount to the engine and a cylinder intake gas amount to detect a response delay of the EGR gas from a difference between the target and estimate EGR ratios.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Hino Motors, Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsuyuki Nagoshi
  • Patent number: 8601813
    Abstract: One embodiment may include a method of controlling exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) in a turbocharged compression-ignition engine system including a high pressure (HP) EGR path and a low pressure (LP) EGR path. The method may include determining a target total EGR fraction for compliance with exhaust emissions criteria, and determining a target HP/LP EGR ratio to optimize other engine system criteria within the constraints of the determined target total EGR fraction. The determining of the target HP/LP EGR ratio may include using at least engine speed and load as input to a base model to output a base EGR value, using at least one other engine system parameter as input to at least one adjustment model to output at least one EGR adjustment value, and adjusting the base EGR value with the at least one EGR adjustment value to generate at least one adjusted EGR value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: John Shutty, Volker Joergl
  • Patent number: 8602007
    Abstract: An intake system for an internal combustion engine comprises an exhaust driven turbocharger configured to deliver compressed intake charge, comprising exhaust gas from the exhaust system and ambient air, through an intake charge conduit and to cylinders of the internal combustion engine. An intake charge cooler is in fluid communication with the intake charge conduit. A cooling system, independent of the cooling system for the internal combustion engine, is in fluid communication with the intake charge cooler through a cooling system conduit. A coolant pump delivers a low temperature cooling medium from the cooling system to and through the intake charge cooler for the transfer of heat from the compressed intake charge thereto. A low temperature cooler receives the heated cooling medium through the cooling system conduit for the transfer of heat therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Gm Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Ko-Jen Wu
  • 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
  • Patent number: 8594910
    Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and method for preventing the inflow of exhaust gas of a vehicle. The apparatus includes a mode door provided in an air conditioner of a vehicle in such a manner as to close an air inlet, being in air-close mode, so that only inside air is circulated, or to open the air inlet, being in air-open mode, so that outer air is introduced, and a controller designed, in the air-close mode and above a certain vehicle speed, to control the mode door to tilt and open at a certain angle towards the air-open mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corp.
    Inventors: Chang Gyun Seo, Moo Yong Kim, Ho Gyu Choi
  • Patent number: 8594914
    Abstract: A control system includes an error module, a selection module, a control module, and a hysteresis module. The error module determines an error value based on a difference between a desired position and a measured position of one of a throttle valve and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve of a vehicle. The selection module sets a control value equal to one of the error value and zero based on a comparison of the error value and a hysteresis value. The control module generates a control signal based on the desired position and the control value and actuates the one of the throttle valve and the EGR valve using the control signal. The hysteresis module selectively varies the hysteresis value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Inventors: Paul A. Bauerle, James L. Worthing
  • Patent number: 8594909
    Abstract: A method of stoichiometrically operating a diesel-fueled internal combustion engine. A control unit is provide with stored data representing, within a range of exhaust valve timing or event modifications, an amount of fresh air flow and exhaust gas residuals resulting from each modification. During operation of the engine, the control unit is used to determine a desired amount of exhaust gas residuals for a given engine load; to access the stored data to determine a modification that will provide the desired amount of exhaust gas residuals; and to generate a control signal that will result in the desired modification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Chad P. Koci, Darius Mehta, Charles E. Roberts, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8594908
    Abstract: An intake system for an internal combustion engine includes an intake passage connected with an intake port of the internal combustion engine; an EGR passage merged with the intake passage at a junction portion; a gas sensor attached to the intake passage and configured to detect a concentration of specific gas; and a control section configured to control the internal combustion engine on the basis of an output signal of the gas sensor. A diameter-enlarged portion having an inner diameter larger than an inner diameter of the junction portion is formed at a portion of the intake passage which is located on a downstream side of the junction portion. The gas sensor is located downstream from the diameter-enlarged portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takaya Yoshikawa, Tomohiro Tajima, Masao Tsuzuki
  • Publication number: 20130311070
    Abstract: A controller includes an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system for performing EGR control, the system including an EGR passage for recirculating exhaust gas per cylinder and an EGR device for controlling a flow rate of the exhaust gas to be recirculated. The controller is arranged to perform internal combustion engine by learning control of an air-fuel ratio (A/F) during the EGR control. This controller includes a blocking determination section including first and second determination sections to determine blocking of the EGR passage in a specified cylinder. The blocking determination section is configured so that the first determination section makes preliminary determination of blocking of the EGR passage and the second determination section makes main determination of blocking of the EGR passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shigemichi UJIIE, Takahiro ARIIE, Ikuo ANDO, Toshitake SASAKI
  • Publication number: 20130311071
    Abstract: A method of controlling a charging pressure of an internal combustion engine having a particle filter for the treatment of exhaust gases, wherein the charging pressure is controlled to achieve a nominal charging pressure value and wherein the nominal charging pressure value is set as a function of operating parameters, wherein there is determined a first value for a charging pressure minimising a fuel consumption, taking into account a direct influence of the charging pressure on the fuel consumption of an internal combustion engine; as well as an internal combustion engine having a particle filter for the treatment of exhaust gases, using such a control method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2011
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: FEV GmbH
    Inventors: Thorsten Schnorbus, Joschka Schaub
  • Patent number: 8589054
    Abstract: Method for controlling the power plant of a motor vehicle with partial exhaust gas recirculation in which the fresh air flow rate and the partially recirculated gases flow rate are regulated either on a rich mixture control structure or on a lean mixture control structure and in which the flow rates are set, on the rich mixture control structure, to the setpoint values equal to the flow rate setpoint values of the lean mixture control structure during a transition from a rich mixture control structure to a lean mixture control structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Renault S.A.S.
    Inventors: Emmanuel Buis, Yohann Petillon
  • Publication number: 20130304357
    Abstract: A method for controlling emissions in the exhaust gas of a diesel engine, the engine having an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system. The engine's exhaust aftertreatment system need have only an oxidation catalyst and a particulate filter (with no NOx reduction or adsorption device). In “normal” engine conditions, the engine is operated with a lean air-fuel ratio, with “normal” engine conditions being engine conditions other than transient load increase engine conditions. Also, during normal engine conditions, the EGR system is used to reduce engine-out NOx. During transient load increase engine conditions, the engine is operated stoichiometrically or near stoichiometrically and the use of EGR is interrupted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Chad P. Koci, Vlad L.C. Ulmet, Stefan Simescu, Magdi K. Khair, Gary D. Neely
  • Patent number: 8577568
    Abstract: This disclosure provides a thermal management system and method that can recommend operational behavior to an operator of an engine system to optimize fuel economy over a period of time in which a components of the engine system is in a warm up and/or regeneration state. In one representative embodiment, the expected temperature change of the engine component at a later time is determined based on inefficient operation of the engine, such as a transmission down shift resulting in higher engine speed and lower engine torque, and the expected temperature change of the engine component resulting from operating the engine under current conditions or expected conditions at that later time is determined. A determination is made as to whether the inefficient engine operation is the optimal operation in view of fuel economy and a recommendation is generated for the operator based if optimal operation is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Cummins Intellectual Property, Inc.
    Inventors: Vivek A. Sujan, Phani Vajapeyazula, Kenneth Follen, An Wu, Barty L. Moffett
  • Publication number: 20130289852
    Abstract: A system for controlling a diesel internal combustion engine including a circuit for partially recirculating exhaust gases, including a mechanism estimating set values of intake-air parameters; a mechanism estimating richness of the exhaust gas; a mechanism determining a set value of the intake richness according to set values of the intake-air parameters; and a mechanism correcting at least one of the set values of the intake-air parameters according to the estimation of the richness of the exhaust gas and the richness set value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: RENAULT s.a.s
    Inventors: Laurent Fontvieille, Yohann Petillon, Philippe Moulin, Olivier Grondin
  • Patent number: 8567370
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for controlling exhaust emissions by adjusting a fuel injection into an engine cylinder from a plurality of fuel injectors based on the fuel type of the injected fuel and further based on the soot load of the engine. Soot generated from direct fuel injection is reduced by decreasing an amount of direct injection into a cylinder as the engine soot load increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: David Karl Bidner, Ralph Wayne Cunningham, Stephen G. Russ, James Hilditch, John Eric Rollinger
  • Patent number: 8571785
    Abstract: A fuel control system of an engine system comprises a pre-catalyst exhaust gas oxygen (EGO) sensor, a setpoint generator module, a sensor offset module, and a control module. The pre-catalyst EGO sensor generates a pre-catalyst EGO signal based on an air-fuel ratio of an exhaust gas. The setpoint generator module generates a desired pre-catalyst equivalence ratio (EQR) signal based on a desired EQR of the exhaust gas. The sensor offset module determines an offset value of the pre-catalyst EGO sensor. The control module generates an expected pre-catalyst EGO signal based on the desired pre-catalyst EQR signal and the offset value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Inventors: Sai S. V. Rajagopalan, Kenneth P. Dudek, Sharon Liu, Stephen Yurkovich, Shawn W. Midlam-Mohler, Yann G. Guezennec, Yiran Hu
  • Publication number: 20130275030
    Abstract: Embodiments for estimating intake air humidity in an engine are provided. In one example, an engine method comprises adjusting an engine parameter in response to intake air humidity estimated based on a concentration of one or more engine-out emissions. In this way, one or more exhaust emission sensors may be used to estimate intake air humidity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2012
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Yong-Wha Kim, In Kwang Yoo, Michiel J. Van Nieuwstadt, Brien Lloyd Fulton
  • Patent number: 8560213
    Abstract: An exhaust gas recirculation device of an engine (10) of the invention comprises a first exhaust gas recirculation passage (50) for connecting an exhaust passage (40) and an intake passage (30) to each other and introducing into the intake passage an exhaust gas discharged from a combustion chamber (21) to the exhaust passage, and a second exhaust gas recirculation passage (55) for connecting the exhaust passage upstream of a part of the exhaust passage connected to the first exhaust gas recirculation passage and the intake passage downstream of a part of the intake passage connected to the first exhaust gas recirculation passage to each other and introducing into the intake passage the exhaust gas discharged from the combustion chamber to the exhaust passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomomi Onishi, Tomihisa Oda, Bungo Kawaguchi, Masaaki Satou, Satoshi Kobayakawa, Takeru Shirasawa
  • Patent number: 8549855
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for supplying a compressor in an internal combustion engine with compressed air. The method has the following steps: determination of operating parameters of the internal combustion engine to identify operating states of the internal combustion engine; production of compressed air by the internal combustion engine using the determined operating parameter in an operating state without combustion and backing up of the compressed air using a throttle; and removal of the produced compressed air to supply the compressor. The invention also relates to a corresponding device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: KNORR-BREMSE Systeme fuer Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH
    Inventor: Mathias Mayr
  • Patent number: 8543317
    Abstract: A method is provided for estimating the relative humidity in an intake line of an internal combustion engine provided with an intake manifold connected to the intake line, an exhaust line, and a Low Pressure EGR (LPE) conduit which fluidly connects the exhaust line to a connecting point of said intake line. The method includes, but is not limited to calculating specific humidity in the exhaust line, as a function of the O2 concentration in said exhaust line; determining ambient specific humidity; calculating specific humidity in a portion of the intake line comprised between said connecting point and said intake manifold, as a function of a flow of external air entering into said intake line, a flow of exhaust gases coming from said Low Pressure EGR (LPE) conduit, the specific humidity in said exhaust line and the ambient specific humidity; calculating the relative humidity in said portion of the intake line, as a function of the specific humidity thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Paolo Pasero, Alberto Vassallo, Federico Luigi Guglielmone
  • Publication number: 20130245922
    Abstract: A control system 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 according to the engine rotational speed, 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 intake air amount of the engine is detected or estimated, and an amount of the evaporative fuel/air mixture supplied through the evaporative fuel passage to the intake passage is calculated. An intake gas amount is calculated by correcting the intake air amount using the evaporative fuel/air mixture amount, and an exhaust gas recirculation ratio is calculated using the theoretical intake air amount and the intake gas amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seiichiro Irie, Hiroshi Kubo, Yoshitomo Kono, Hiroaki Tone, Toshifumi Hiraboshi, Junpei Yamamoto, Hirotaka Komatsu