Control apparatus for a turbocharged alcohol engine

• US 5,131,228 A
• Filed: 07/27/1990
• Issued: 07/21/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: Mochizuki, Kenji, Kashima, Takamitsu
• Primary Examiner(s): KOCZO JR, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US07/559,265
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 60/600-603, 60/611, 123/564, 123/416, 123/575
• US Class Current: 60/602
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 1/02 with positive ignition with non-timed positive ignition F02B9/06
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 1/04 with fuel-air mixture admission into cylinder
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 37/18 by bypassing exhaust from the inlet to the outlet of turbine or to the atmosphere
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0605 to adjust the fuel pressure or temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/084 Blends of gasoline and alcohols, e.g. E85
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/087 with determination of densities, viscosities, composition, concentration or mixture ratios of fuels
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0611 Fuel type, fuel composition or fuel quality
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/00 Electrical control of supply of combustible mixture or its constituents F02D43/00 takes precedence ; control of engine starters F02N11/08, electrical control of engine ignition timing F02P5/145
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0007 for control of turbo-charged or super-charged engines control of the pumps per se F02B37/12
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0025 Controlling engines characterised by use of non-liquid fuels, pluralities of fuels, or non-fuel substances added to the combustible mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 37/18 characterised by provision of main and auxiliary pumps
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels

Abstract

A control apparatus for an alcohol engine of a vehicle, the engine having an auxiliary equipment and using a fuel containing alcohol, comprising: an alcohol concentration sensor for outputting a detection signal corresponding to an alcohol concentration of the fuel; alcohol concentration calculating means responsive to said detection signal for calculating said alcohol concentration; determining means responsive to said alcohol concentration for computing an optimum condition to operate the auxiliary equipment; and driving means responsive to said optimum condition for driving the auxiliary equipment.

Claims

1. A control apparatus for an engine of a vehicle, said engine using a fuel containing alcohol and having supercharging means for supercharging intake air to the engine and actuating means for controlling a supercharging pressure supercharged by said supercharging means, comprising:

an alcohol concentration sensor for outputting a detection signal corresponding to an alcohol concentration of the fuel;

alcohol concentration calculating means responsive to said detection signal for calculating said alcohol concentration;

optimum supercharging pressure setting means for setting an optimum supercharging pressure with respect to said alcohol concentration; and

driving means responsive to data of said optimum supercharging pressure for driving said actuating means so as to control said supercharging pressure for the engine to said optimum supercharging pressure, thereby operating the engine efficiently in any alcohol concentration of the fuel.

2. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said supercharging means is a turbocharger with a waste gate valve for supercharging the intake air into the engine and said actuating means is adapted to operate said waste gate valve to control the supercharging pressure.

3. The control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said turbocharger comprises a turbine communicating with an exhaust pipe of the engine to be rotated by exhaust gas passing therethrough and a compressor coupled to said turbine and communicating with an intake pipe of the engine to compress intake air, and said waste gate valve is adapted to change the exhaust gas flow rate at said turbine to control the supercharging pressure.

4. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said optimum supercharging pressure setting means is adapted to increase said optimum supercharging pressure with increasing alcohol concentration.

5. The control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said optimum supercharging pressure setting means includes an optimum supercharging pressure map which stores a plurality of values of said optimum supercharging pressure with respect to said alcohol concentration.