CONTROL SYSTEM FOR AN ENGINE SYSTEM

• US 3,696,618 A
• Filed: 04/19/1971
• Issued: 10/10/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Clarence G. Gerhold, David M. Boyd
• Original Assignee: Clarence G. Gerhold, David M. Boyd
• Inventors: Boyd, David M., Gerhold, Clarence G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hart, Douglas
• Application Number:
  US05/135,199
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: 60/276,285,289 123/119R,102 23/232E,254E,255E,288F,2E
• US Class Current: 60/276
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 11/002 the diagnostic devices measuring or estimating temperature or pressure in, or downstream of the exhaust apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2390/02 using electric components only
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2430/06 by varying fuel-air ratio, e.g. by enriching fuel-air mixture
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2550/02 Catalytic activity of catalytic converters
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/22 Control of additional air supply only, e.g. using by-passes or variable air pump drives
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/30 Arrangements for supply of additional air control, e.g. using by-passes or variable air pump drives, F01N3/22
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 35/0038 by means of air pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1446 the characteristics being exhaust temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 7/11 Altering float-chamber pressure enriching the fuel-air mixture during starting by depressing float to flood carburettor F02M1/18
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

A control system for an engine system which has means for optimizing the performance of the converter in the engine system by regulating a set point of a controller. In one embodiment, secondary air flow to the converter is the variable utilized to control the performance of the converter and is regulated in response to the ratio of gas flow in respect to the engine of the system to secondary gas flow to the converter. In another embodiment the air to fuel ratio to the engine is utilized as a variable to control the performance of the converter.

Claims

1. In an engine system wherein fuel and air are admixed and passed in an engine and the resulting exhaust gases containing harmful components are passed through a catalytic converter to be converted to generally harmless components, a control system comprising in combination:

a. analyzing means connected to said converter for producing a signal indicative of the performance of the converter;

b. control means connected to said engine system for varying the character of the input gases to the converter, said control means including a regulatable set point; and

c. optimizer means connected to the analyzing means and to the control means for optimizing the performance of the converter, said optimizer means including means for establishing an output signal for regulating the aforesaid set point and computer means for analyzing the signal indicative of the performance of the converter to determine an output signal necessary to approach an optimum performance of the converter.

2. The control system of claim 1 further characterized in that said analyzing means includes means for measuring the temperature difference between the gases entering the converter and a representative temperature of the converter, the temperature difference thereof indicating the performance of the converter.

3. The control system of claim 1 further characterized in that said analyzing means includes means for measuring the ratio of combustible material to oxygen entering the converter, the ratio thereof indicating the performance of the converter.

4. The control system of claim 1 further characterized in that said control means includes means for introducing secondary air into said converter and means for regulating the amounts of secondary air to be introduced therein.

5. The control system of claim 4 further characterized in that said regulatable set point comprises the volumetric flow rate ratio of:

gas flow in respect to the engine;

to secondary air flow to the converter; and

in that ratio analyzing means is provided for producing a signal representing the actual volumetric ratio thereof.

6. The control system of claim 5 further characterized in thaT said ratio analyzing means includes means for establishing a first signal representing inlet manifold pressure of the engine, means for establishing a second signal representing the speed of the engine, and means for multiplying the first signal by the second signal in a manner to produce a signal responsive to gas flow in respect to said engine.

7. The control system of claim 5 further characterized in that said ratio analyzing means includes means for establishing a signal representing the volumetric exhaust gas flow rate from the engine to produce a signal responsive to gas flow in respect to said engine.

8. The control system of claim 1 further characterized in that said control means includes means for varying the air to fuel ratio of the engine.

9. The control system of claim 8 further characterized in that the aforesaid means for varying the air to fuel ratio to said engine includes pressure regulating means connected to the float bowl chamber of the engine system for regulating the pressure in the float bowl chamber.

10. The control system of claim 9 further characterized in that said pressure regulating means comprises a self-regulating back pressure valve connected to a tension spring means having regulatable tension for establishing the regulatable set point of said control system.

11. A method of controlling an engine system wherein fuel and air are admixed and passed into an engine and the resulting exhaust gases containing harmful components are passed through a catalytic converter to be converted to generally harmless components comprising the steps of:

a. analyzing the converter to produce a signal indicative of the performance of said converter;

b. controlling the character of input gases to the converter responsive to a regulatable set point; and

, c. optimizing the performance of the converter by regulating the aforesaid set point in response to the signal indicative of the performance of the converter.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the converter is analyzed by measuring the temperature difference between the gases entering the converter and a representative temperature of the converter.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the character of input gases to the converter is controlled by introducing secondary air into the exhaust gases.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said regulatable set point comprises the flow rate ratio of:

gas flow in respect to the engine;

to secondary air flow to the converter.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the character of input gases to the converter is controlled by varying the air to fuel ratio to the engine.