CYLINDER CHARGE TEMPERATURE CONTROL FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE

• US 20110107986A1
• Filed: 09/14/2010
• Published: 05/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Winstead, Vincent J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,074,629 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/90.15
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 1/12 with compression ignition with fuel-air charge ignited by compression ignition of an additional fuel F02B7/00
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2075/125 Direct injection in the combustion chamber for spark ignition engines, i.e. not in pre-combustion chamber
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 13/0207 changing valve lift or valve lift and timing
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 13/0219 by shifting the phase, i.e. the opening periods of the valves are constant
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 13/0261 Controlling the valve overlap
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 13/06 Cutting-out cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/006 using internal EGR control of valve overlap for internal EGR F02D13/0261; arrangements for internal EGR F02M26/01
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/008 Controlling each cylinder individually
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0087 Selective cylinder activation, i.e. partial cylinder operation deceleration cut-off F02D41/123
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/3035 a mode being the premixed charge compression-ignition mode
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/01 Internal exhaust gas recirculation, i.e. wherein the residual exhaust gases are trapped in the cylinder or pushed back from the intake or the exhaust manifold into the combustion chamber without the use of additional passages
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/05 High pressure loops, i.e. wherein recirculated exhaust gas is taken out from the exhaust system upstream of the turbine and reintroduced into the intake system downstream of the compressor
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/43 in which exhaust from only one cylinder or only a group of cylinders is directed to the intake of the engine
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

A method of operating an engine is provided. The engine includes operating a cylinder with net exhaust flow from the exhaust manifold, through the cylinder, to the intake manifold. Concurrently, another cylinder may operate to carry out combustion with net flow from the intake to the exhaust. In this way, exhaust in the intake manifold may be adjusted by varying valve operation of the first cylinder.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method for an engine having an intake and exhaust manifold, comprising:

operating valves in a first cylinder to provide net gas flow from the exhaust to the intake manifold without combustion, while operating a second cylinder with combustion;

and

adjusting opening and closing timings of the valves to change torque pulsation timings from a first stroke to a second stroke of a 4-stroke-cycle and to change a number of torque pulsations in the 4-stroke-cycle.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the timing and number of torque pulsations is changed from providing two torque pulses during the 4-stroke-cycle to providing four torque pulses during the 4-stroke-cycle.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the opening and closing timings of the valves of the first cylinder are changed to vary a net braking torque generated by the first cylinder.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the opening and closing timing of an exhaust valve of the first cylinder is changed from a first piston downward stroke to a second, different, piston downward stroke of the 4-stroke-cycle.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the second cylinder operates with a net flow of gas from the intake to the exhaust manifold.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the timing of torque pulsations is changed in response to engine speed.

27. A method of operating an engine including at least one cylinder communicating with an intake manifold via an intake manifold valve and an exhaust manifold via an exhaust manifold valve, the cylinder including a piston arranged within the cylinder, wherein the piston is coupled to a crankshaft of the engine, the method comprising:

discontinuing combustion in the cylinder during a plurality of cycles of the engine;

during said plurality of cycles, operating the exhaust manifold valve and the intake manifold valve to provide a net flow of gases from the exhaust manifold to the intake manifold via the cylinder and adjusting a torque signature provided to the crankshaft during each cycle by the piston responsive to an operating condition, wherein the torque signature produced during a cycle of said plurality of cycles includes net zero torque over the cycle.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the exhaust manifold valve is operated to open and close while the piston is moving from top dead center to bottom dead center to admit gases from the exhaust manifold into the cylinder.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the intake manifold valve is operated to open and close while the piston is moving from bottom dead center to top dead center to reject gases from the cylinder into the intake manifold.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the torque signature includes a negative torque pulse and a positive torque pulse.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the negative torque pulse is produced by said piston compressing gases within the cylinder and the positive torque pulse is produced by expanding said compressed gases within the cylinder.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the negative torque pulse is produced by said piston expanding gases within the cylinder and the positive torque pulse is produced by compressing said expanded gases within the cylinder.

33. The method of claim 27, wherein the operating condition includes a number of cylinders of the engine carrying out combustion.

34. The method of claim 27, wherein the operating condition includes a position of the cylinder relative to other cylinders of the engine.

35. The method of claim 27, wherein the operating condition includes engine speed.

36. The method of claim 27, wherein the operating condition includes a level of torque produced by the engine.

37. The method of claim 27, further comprising, operating a second cylinder of the engine to provide a net flow from the intake manifold to the exhaust manifold, and performing combustion in the second cylinder by auto-ignition.

38. A method for engine cylinders having intake and exhaust manifolds, comprising:

operating valves in first and second cylinders to provide net gas flow from the exhaust to the intake via the first cylinder and from the intake to the exhaust via the second cylinder, the cylinders not combusting; and

adjusting valve opening and closing timings to change a timing of torque pulsations from a first to a second stroke of a 4-stroke-cycle with net zero torque.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the timing of torque pulsations is changed from providing two torque pulses during the 4-stroke cycle to providing four pulses during the 4-stroke-cycle.

40. The method of claim 38 wherein the opening and closing timing of an exhaust valve of the first cylinder is changed from a first piston downward stroke to a second, different, piston downward stroke of the 4-stroke-cycle, and wherein the timing of torque pulsations is changed in response to engine speed.