VARIABLE EXHAUST BRAKE CONTROL VIA TURBINE VANE POSITIONING

• US 20100258080A1
• Filed: 04/14/2009
• Published: 10/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: ANDRASKO, STEVEN J., Caldwell, Brett R., Kluemper, Kevin L., Kresse, John P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,290,689 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/323
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 37/24 by using pumps or turbines with adjustable guide vanes
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2009/0242 Increasing exhaust brake effect
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 23/02 the engines being of fuel-injection type
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 9/06 Exhaust brakes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

A control system comprising a brake torque determination module that determines a desired brake torque and a vane position determination module that determines a vane position based on an engine speed and the desired brake torque, and that adjusts the vane position to a position between an open position and a closed position. A method comprising determining a desired brake torque, determining a vane position based on an engine speed and the desired brake torque, and adjusting the vane position to a position between an open position and a closed position.

Claims

1. A control system, comprising:

a brake torque determination module that determines a desired brake torque; and

a vane position determination module that determines a vane position based on an engine speed and said desired brake torque, and that adjusts said vane position to a position between an open position and a closed position.

2. The control system of claim 1 wherein said brake torque determination module determines said desired brake torque based on a desired vehicle speed and an actual vehicle speed.

3. The control system of claim 2 further comprising a barometric pressure sensor that detects a barometric pressure, wherein said vane position determination module determines said vane position further based on said barometric pressure.

4. The control system of claim 3 wherein said vane position determination module determines said vane position further based on a at least one of a reference table and a model calculation that provide a vane position output based on an engine speed input and a desired brake torque input.

5. The control system of claim 4 wherein said reference table includes a sea level reference table, a medium altitude reference table, and a high altitude reference table that each provide said vane position output.

6. The control system of claim 5 wherein said vane position module determines said vane position further based on a weighted average of said vane position output.

7. The control system of claim 6 wherein said vane position determination module determines a weight for said vane position output based on said barometric pressure.

8. The control system of claim 7 wherein said vane position module determines said vane position further based on said vane position output and said weight.

9. The control system of claim 3 further comprising a maximum brake torque determination module that determines a maximum brake torque based on said engine speed and said barometric pressure.

10. The control system of claim 9 further comprising a transmission shift position control module that controls a transmission shift position based on said maximum brake torque.

11. A method, comprising:

determining a desired brake torque;

determining a vane position based on an engine speed and said desired brake torque; and

adjusting said vane position to a position between an open position and a closed position.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising determining said desired brake torque based on a desired vehicle speed and an actual vehicle speed.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising detecting a barometric pressure and determining said vane position based on said barometric pressure.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising determining said vane position based on at least one of a reference table and a model calculation that provide a vane position output based on an engine speed input and a desired brake torque input.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said reference table includes a sea level reference table, a medium altitude reference table, and a high altitude reference table that each provide said vane position output.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising determining said vane position based on a weighted average of said vane position output.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising a weight for said vane position output based on said barometric pressure.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising said vane position based on said vane position output and said weight.

19. The method of claim 13 further comprising determining a maximum brake torque based on said engine speed and said barometric pressure.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising controlling a transmission shift position based on said maximum brake torque.