System and method for smart system control for flowing fluid conditioners

• US 20070000247A1
• Filed: 11/18/2005
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael Perkins
• Original Assignee: Michael Perkins
• Inventors: Perkins, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,725,238 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/565
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 1/10 by utilising wheel movement for accumulating energy, e.g. driving air compressors
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 29/0418 the intake air cooler having a bypass or multiple flow paths within the heat exchanger to vary the effective heat transfer surface
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 29/0481 Intake air cooling by means others than heat exchangers, e.g. by rotating drum regenerators, cooling by expansion or by electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 29/0493 Controlling the air charge temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 33/443 Heating of charging air, e.g. for facilitating the starting
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

A method and system for temperature and boost control of engine intake air by use of an active conditioner control unit, which regulates relative amounts of electric current to at least one active conditioning device and an electrically driven booster motor. In one preferred embodiment it controls valves which optimally direct the path of airflow through a plurality of thermal conditioner storage chambers in response to signals from engine load level, temperature, and other sensors in order to optimally provide temperature conditioned air to the engine. This embodiment of the invention features immediate and efficient provision of conditioned and pressurized airflow to an internal combustion engine and removes parasitic power drains during low demand situations. This invention enhances cold start performance and operation with a pre-start thermal conditioner with warming capabilities. System increases flexibility for stationary operation and traffic restraints by supplementing heat sink transfers. System sensor array with advanced sensors monitoring combustion parameters to safely facilitate additional power output from host engines.

Claims

1. A control system for temperature conditioning, storage, and pressurization of incoming air, comprising:

a demand sensing means for determining level of load;

a flow diverter actuator control means for selecting from a plurality of pathways for incoming air;

a thermo sensing means for measuring the temperature of an insulated thermal storage core;

an engine load sensing means for measuring the amount of pressurization required;

a processing device capable of executing software for controlling the other modules and controlling memory storage,

a computer program adapted to run on said data processing device, said computer program being adapted to analyze said sensor data and compare to predetermined patterns in a lookup table for subsequent use action,

a current control means for regulating the amount of current driving a thermoelectric temperature conditioning device; and

a pulse width modulation means for regulating the amount of energy driving an electric boost motor.

2. The control system for an incoming air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the demand sensing means is an engine load determining means for sensing throttle setting or engine load.

3. The control system for an incoming air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the flow diverter actuator is an engine airflow diverter signal means for controlling actuator regulating pathway for engine aspiration.

4. The control system for an incoming air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric temperature-conditioning device is a thermoelectric cooler or thermo tunneling device.

(Advanced TED structures such as thermotunneling (CoolChips), superlattice structures (MIT'"'"'s Lincoln Labs), and TE unicouples (JPL) should be incorporated into ODBC when available).

12. A control system for an incoming air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein said processing device includes;

a display device capable of showing the user the current status of the device; and

a means for input control affording the user ability to select from a number of options shown on said display.

13. A control system for an incoming air conditioner according to claim 12, wherein said control system includes drivers for boosters with electric drive determined by dynamic sensors.

14. The control system for an incoming air conditioner according to claim 12 where means to monitor loads and temperatures are used to calculate the proper regulation of engine inlet conditioning and pressurization to achieve the best overall efficiency and therefore performance to reduce fuel consumption with retained power is facilitated.

15. The control system for an incoming air conditioner according to claim 12 where means to monitor loads and temperatures are used to calculate the proper regulation of engine inlet cooling during peak loads to reduce combustion temperature and raise air pressure thereby raising efficiency of engine resulting in lower emissions and power retained.

16. The control system for an incoming air conditioner according to claim 12 where means to sample super high sample rate exhaust wave sensor are used to sense observable conditions when abnormal events are about to occur in cylinders and calculate the proper regulation of engine inlet cooling and thereby adjust valves on the fly.

17. The control system for an incoming air conditioner according to claim 12 where means to monitor engine temperatures at inlet, cylinder, ambient, and exhaust thermal storage allows immediate calculation of wavefront signatures and immediate adjustment deploying thermal storage in intercooler.

18. The control system for an incoming air conditioner according to claim 12 where means to select and adjust diverter butterfly valves thereby allows selection between straight input cooling to engine or charging of intercooler is “

charged”

by system controller with the ability to cool and pressurize, (or warm) incoming air.

19. The control system for an incoming air conditioner according to claim 12 where means to monitor loads, temperatures, and super high sampling wave sensors and thereby observe unnatural disturbances in exhaust (or intake) wave fronts is used to calculate immediate thermal supplementation to avoid harmful side effects of pre-ignition.

20. The control system for an incoming air conditioner according to claim 12 where means to monitor a plurality of power sources allows the control system to avoid running down the power and control the recharging processes.

21. The control system for conditioning of incoming air according to claim 12 where a supplemental forced air heat exchanger for stationary operation is provided.

22. The control system for conditioning of incoming air according to claim 12 where pre-start thermal storage facilitates improved cold start and cold combustion and operation.

5. A control system for an incoming air conditioner, the system comprising:

an engine load determining means for sensing throttle setting or engine load;

an engine airflow diverter means for selecting pathway for engine aspiration;

a thermo sensing means for measuring the temperature of insulated thermally conductive core;

a back electromagnetic force sensing means for determining pressurization requirements;

a processing device capable of executing software for controlling the other modules and controlling memory storage,

a computer program adapted to run on said data processing device, said computer program being adapted to analyze said sensor data and compare to predetermined patterns in a lookup table for subsequent use action,

a current control means for regulating the amount of current driving thermoelectric heater; and

a pulse width modulation means for controlling the speed of an electric motor.

6. The control system for an incoming air conditioner according to claim 5, wherein the controller has an abnormal combustion determining means for determining among other conditions engine pre-ignition and detonation.

7. The control system for an incoming air conditioner according to claim 5, wherein the actuator controller selects between multiple air pathways.

8. A control system for an incoming air conditioner according to claim 5, where intake air temperature to an engine is reduced to maintain power under high load conditions.

9. A control system for an incoming air conditioner according to claim 5, where pre-ignition is anticipated and intake air temperature is reduced to avoid engine damage.

10. A control system for an incoming air conditioner according to claim 5, where a method is provided to compare historical data to anticipate high load conditions.

11. A control system for an incoming air conditioner according to claim 5, wherein a means is provided to collect conditional data and remedies to reduce system reaction time.