Engine system having improved efficiency

• US 7,426,910 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2006
• Issued: 09/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Elwart, Shane
• Primary Examiner(s): Cronin; Stephen K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEUNG, KA CHUN A
• Application Number:
  US11/554,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20080098972A1
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 123/46.E, 123/46.R, 123/142.5 R, 123/142.5 E, 180/65.2, 180/65.3, 136203-205
• US Class Current: 123/46.00E
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 13/04 concerning exhaust collecting exhaust gases with central suction systems not forming part of vehicles, e.g. in workshops or tunnels B08B15/002, otherwise along carriageways E01C1/005; extensions for melting snow on roads E01H5/00, E01H6/00; exhaust or silencing apparatus for internal combustion engines per se F01N; pipes, joints or supports therefor F16L
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/24 characterised by the combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/28 characterised by the electric energy storing means, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/02 to electric heating circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2009 for braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/443 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/445 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/12 of exhaust
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0023 Detecting, eliminating, remedying or compensating for drive train abnormalities, e.g. failures within the drive train
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/12 for vehicles propelled by dc motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 : including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 : Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/068 : Engine exhaust temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 5/025 : the device being thermoelectric generators
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/503 : Battery correction, i.e. corrections as a function of the state of the battery, its output or its type
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0087 : Selective cylinder activation, i.e. partial cylinder operation deceleration cut-off F02D41/123
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/021 : Introducing corrections for particular conditions exterior to the engine conjoint control of vehicle sub-units for propelling the vehicle B60W30/18
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/3076 : with special conditions for selecting a mode of combustion, e.g. for starting, for diagnosing
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0814 : comprising means for controlling automatic idle-start-stop
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0818 : Conditions for starting or stopping the engine or for deactivating the idle-start-stop mode
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 19/02 : Aiding engine start by thermal means, e.g. using lighted wicks
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/10 : operating with only the Peltier or Seebeck effects
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 : Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 : Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 : having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

A propulsion system for a vehicle, comprising of an internal combustion engine, a thermoelectric device in thermal communication with the engine, and a control system for controlling the engine and the thermoelectric device during a first mode, supply electrical energy to the thermoelectric device to cause the thermoelectric device to produce at least some heat, and during a second mode, operate the engine to produce at least some heat, where the thermoelectric device is operated to convert a temperature gradient at the thermoelectric device to electrical energy.

Claims

1. A hybrid propulsion system for a vehicle, comprising:

a fuel burning engine for producing at least some heat;

a thermoelectric device for generating electrical energy from a thermal gradient caused by the heat produced by the engine;

an energy storage device for storing electrical energy;

an electric motor for at least partially propelling the vehicle in response to an amount of electrical energy supplied to the motor; and

a control system for varying an amount of heat produced by the engine in response to a temperature of the thermoelectric device.

2. The propulsion system of claim 1, wherein the amount of heat produced by the engine is varied by adjusting at least one of an amount of fuel supplied to the engine, a timing of fuel delivery, a spark timing, a valve timing, and a flow rate of an engine coolant.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the amount of heat produced by the engine is varied to limit the temperature of the thermoelectric device to less than a threshold temperature;

and wherein the amount of heat produced by the engine is varied during operation of the engine by adjusting at least one of the amount of fuel supplied to the engine, the timing of fuel delivery, the spark timing, and the valve timing.

4. The propulsion system of claim 1, wherein the condition of the engine includes an operating state of the engine and the condition of the thermoelectric device includes an amount of electrical energy generated by the thermoelectric device, wherein the control system causes the engine to shut-off when a first amount of electrical energy is generated by the thermoelectric device and the control system causes the engine to operate when a second amount less than said first amount of electrical energy is generated by the thermoelectric device.

5. The propulsion system of claim 1, wherein the engine is a free-piston engine and the propulsion system further comprises an induction machine for converting movement of a free-piston of the engine to electrical energy;

and wherein the control system is configured to further vary a condition of the engine in response to a level of electrical energy stored by the energy storage device.

17. The propulsion system of claim 1, wherein the operating condition of the engine includes at least one of an amount of fuel supplied to the cylinder, a fuel injection timing, a spark timing, a valve timing, and a flow rate of an engine coolant.

6. A propulsion system for a vehicle, comprising:

an internal combustion engine;

a thermoelectric device in thermal communication with the engine; and

a control system configured to;

during a first mode, supply electrical energy to the thermoelectric device from at least an energy supply external the vehicle to cause the thermoelectric device to produce at least some heat; and

during a second mode, operate the engine to produce at least some heat, where the thermoelectric device is operated to convert a temperature gradient at the thermoelectric device to electrical energy and wherein the control system is further configured to adjust an operating condition of the engine in response to a thermoelectric device temperature of the thermoelectric device.

7. The propulsion system of claim 6, wherein during the first mode, at least a portion of the heat produced by the thermoelectric device is used to heat the internal combustion engine.

8. The propulsion system of claim 7, wherein said thermoelectric device is arranged between said engine and a cooling sleeve of said engine, wherein said cooling sleeve includes a heat transferring fluid.

9. The propulsion system of claim 7, wherein the first mode is performed when the engine is at a lower temperature and the second mode is performed when the engine is at a higher temperature.

10. The propulsion system of claim 9, wherein the first mode is performed during at least one of before start-up of the engine and during warm-up of the engine, and wherein the second mode is performed during at least one of after warm-up of the engine and after shut-off of the engine.

11. The propulsion system of claim 9, wherein the higher temperature is greater than ambient air temperature.

12. The propulsion system of claim 6, wherein said thermoelectric device is arranged along an exhaust passage downstream of said engine, where during the first mode, at least a portion of the heat produced by the thermoelectric device is used to heat the exhaust passage.

13. The propulsion system of claim 12, wherein said thermoelectric device is in thermal communication with a catalyst of the exhaust system of the engine, where during the first mode, at least a portion of the heat produced by the thermoelectric device is used to heat the catalyst, wherein the first mode is performed at least during a warm-up of the engine.

14. The propulsion system of claim 6, further comprising an energy storage device, wherein during the second mode, at least a portion of the electrical energy converted by the thermoelectric device is stored by the energy storage device.

15. The propulsion system of claim 6, wherein during the first mode, at least a portion of said electrical energy is supplied to the thermoelectric device from an energy storage device.

16. The propulsion system of claim 6, further comprising an electric motor for propelling the vehicle, wherein during the second mode, at least a portion of the electrical energy from the conversion performed by thermoelectric device is used to operate the motor.

18. The propulsion system of claim 6, wherein said thermoelectric device is coupled to at least one of a radiator or a cooling passage of the engine.

19. The propulsion system of claim 6, wherein the engine is a free-piston engine and includes an induction device for converting motion of at least one free-piston of the engine to electrical energy.

20. The system of claim 6, further comprising an energy storage device;

and wherein the control system is further configured to, during the first mode, supply electrical energy to the energy storage device from the energy supply external the vehicle to recharge the energy storage device.

21. A hybrid propulsion system for a vehicle, comprising:

a free-piston engine having at least one moveable piston, said engine producing heat;

an induction machine for converting movement of the piston to electrical energy,

a thermoelectric device arranged between a combustion chamber of the engine and a cooling sleeve of the engine for generating electrical energy from a thermal gradient between the combustion chamber and the cooling sleeve caused by heat produced by operation of the engine;

an energy storage device for storing electrical energy;

an electric motor for propelling the vehicle in response to an amount of electrical energy supplied to the motor; and

a control system for varying a condition of the engine in response to an amount of electrical energy generated by the thermoelectric device and a thermoelectric device temperature.