Engine intake air temperature management system

• US 7,963,832 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2006
• Issued: 06/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Inventors: Bellinger, Steven M.
• Primary Examiner(s): McAllister; Steven B
• Assistant Examiner(s): TOWNS, BRITTANY E
• Application Number:
  US11/359,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20070197157A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,945 Days
• Field of Search: 454/69, 454/155, 237/12.3 A, 123/556, 123/552, 123/563, 123/179.21
• US Class Current: 454/155
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 29/0418 the intake air cooler having a bypass or multiple flow paths within the heat exchanger to vary the effective heat transfer surface
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 29/0493 Controlling the air charge temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0414 Air temperature
• 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 41/1446 the characteristics being exhaust temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 31/042 Combustion air
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

A system for managing engine intake air temperature may comprise a first air flow control device having an inlet coupled to an outlet of a turbocharger compressor and a first outlet coupled to an inlet of a charge air cooler. A second outlet is coupled via a bypass conduit to the air intake manifold. The first air flow control device may selectively control air flow from the compressor outlet to the charge air cooler and/or bypass conduit. The system may alternatively or additionally include a second air flow control device having a first inlet receiving air external to the engine compartment, a second inlet receiving air from within the engine compartment and surrounding the engine and an outlet providing air flow to the engine. The second air flow control device may selectively control air flow from the first and/or second inlets thereof to the engine.

Claims

1. A system for managing engine intake air temperature, comprising:

an internal combustion engine situated in an engine compartment of a vehicle and having an air intake manifold,

a turbocharger having a compressor defining an inlet and an outlet,

a charge air cooler having an inlet and an outlet fluidly coupled to the air intake manifold,

a first air flow control device having an inlet fluidly coupled to the outlet of the compressor, a first outlet fluidly coupled to the inlet of the charge air cooler and a second outlet, the first air flow control device responsive to a first control signal to selectively control a position the first air flow control device, the first air flow control device controllable between a fully open position in which the first air flow control device directs air from the outlet of the compressor only through first outlet of the first air flow control device and a fully closed position in which the first air flow control device directs air from the outlet of the compressor only through the second outlet of the first air flow control device, the first air flow control device selectively directing air from the outlet of the compressor through both of the first and second outlets of the first air flow control device in positions between the fully open and fully closed position thereof,

a bypass conduit having one end fluidly coupled to the second outlet of the first air flow control device and an opposite end fluidly coupled to the air intake manifold,

a second air flow control device having a first inlet, a second inlet and an outlet fluidly coupled to the inlet of the compressor, the second air flow control device responsive to a second control signal to selectively control a position the second air flow control device, the second air flow control device controllable between a fully open position in which the second air flow control device directs air from only the first inlet of the second air flow control device through the outlet of the second air flow control device and a fully closed position in which the second air flow control device directs air from only the second inlet of the second air flow control device through the outlet of the second air flow control device, the second air flow control device selectively directing air from both of the first and second inlets of the second air flow control device through the outlet of the second air flow control device in positions between the fully open and fully closed positions thereof,

a first air flow conduit having one end fluidly coupled to the first inlet of the second air flow control device and an opposite end arranged to receive therein air from outside of the engine compartment,

a second air flow conduit having one end fluidly coupled to the second inlet of the second air flow control device and an opposite end arranged inside of the engine compartment to receive therein air surrounding the engine,

a sensor producing a temperature signal indicative of an operating temperature associated with the engine, and

a processor including a memory having one or more software algorithms stored therein executable by the processor to selectively produce only the first control signal to adjust the position of the first air flow control device to maintain the operating temperature associated with the engine near a target operating temperature if the temperature signal indicates that a current operating temperature associated with the engine is less than the target operating temperature and the first air flow control device is not in the fully closed position thereof, and to selectively produce only the second control signal to adjust the position of the second air flow control device to maintain the operating temperature associated with the engine near the target operating temperature if the temperature signal indicates that the current operating temperature associated with the engine is less than the target operating temperature and the first air flow control device is in the fully closed position thereof.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more software algorithms stored in the memory include one or more software algorithms executable by the processor to selectively produce the first and second control signals to control the positions of the first and second air flow control devices to their fully closed positions if the temperature signal indicates that the current operating temperature associated with the engine is less than a low threshold temperature that is less than the target operating temperature.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising:

means responsive to a first heating signal for heating air passing through the bypass conduit, and

means responsive to a second heating signal for heating air passing through the second air flow conduit,

wherein the one or more software algorithms stored in the memory include one or more software algorithms executable by the processor to selectively produce the first and second heating signals if the temperature signal indicates that the current operating temperature associated with the engine is less than the low threshold temperature.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more software algorithms stored in the memory include one or more software algorithms executable by the processor to selectively produce the first and second control signals to control the positions of the first and second air flow control devices to their fully open positions if the temperature signal indicates that the current operating temperature associated with the engine is greater than a high threshold temperature that is greater than the target operating temperature.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

means responsive to a first heating signal for heating air passing through the bypass conduit, and

means responsive to a second heating signal for heating air passing through the second air flow conduit,

wherein the one or more software algorithms stored in the memory include one or more software algorithms executable by the processor to selectively produce at least one of the first and second heating signals to maintain the operating temperature associated with the engine near the target operating temperature if the temperature signal indicates that the current operating temperature associated with the engine is less than the target operating temperature and the second air flow control device is in the fully closed position thereof.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the temperature signal produced by the sensor is indicative of a temperature of air entering the engine via the intake manifold.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the engine further includes an exhaust manifold fluidly coupled to an exhaust gas conduit,

and wherein the temperature signal produced by the sensor is indicative of a temperature of exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust gas conduit.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the temperature signal produced by the sensor is indicative of ambient temperature outside of the engine compartment.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor includes the sensor in the form of at least one software algorithm executable by the processor to estimate the temperature signal as a function of one or more operating conditions different from the operating temperature.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the engine produces exhaust gas during operation thereof, and the exhaust gas exits the engine via an exhaust manifold fluidly coupled thereto, and wherein the system further comprises:

an exhaust gas conduit fluidly coupled at one end to the exhaust manifold,

an oxidation catalyst having an inlet fluidly coupled to an opposite end of the exhaust gas conduit and an outlet, and

a particulate filter having an inlet fluidly coupled to the outlet of the oxidation catalyst and an outlet fluidly coupled to ambient,

and wherein the memory has stored therein the target temperature in the form of a temperature value that correlates to a temperature of the exhaust gas at the inlet of the oxidation catalyst that is required to allow dosing the exhaust gas upstream of the oxidation catalyst with hydrocarbons, the oxidation catalyst being configured to be responsive to the dosing of hydrocarbons into the exhaust gas upstream thereof to produce exhaust gas temperatures at the outlet thereof that are sufficient to regenerate the particulate filter.

11. A system for managing engine intake air temperature, comprising:

an internal combustion engine situated in an engine compartment of a vehicle and having an air intake manifold,

a turbocharger having a compressor defining an inlet and an outlet,

a charge air cooler having an inlet and an outlet fluidly coupled to the air intake manifold,

a first air flow control device having an inlet fluidly coupled to the outlet of the compressor, a first outlet fluidly coupled to the inlet of the charge air cooler and a second outlet, the first air flow control device responsive to a first control signal to selectively control a position the first air flow control device, the first air flow control device controllable between a fully open position in which the first air flow control device directs air from the outlet of the compressor only through first outlet of the first air flow control device and a fully closed position in which the first air flow control device directs air from the outlet of the compressor only through the second outlet of the first air flow control device, the first air flow control device selectively directing air from the outlet of the compressor through both of the first and second outlets of the first air flow control device in positions between the fully open and fully closed position thereof,

a bypass conduit having one end fluidly coupled to the second outlet of the first air flow control device and an opposite end fluidly coupled to the air intake manifold,

a second air flow control device having a first inlet, a second inlet and an outlet fluidly coupled to the inlet of the compressor, the second air flow control device responsive to a second control signal to selectively control a position the second air flow control device, the second air flow control device controllable between a fully open position in which the second air flow control device directs air from only the first inlet of the second air flow control device through the outlet of the second air flow control device and a fully closed position in which the second air flow control device directs air from only the second inlet of the second air flow control device through the outlet of the second air flow control device, the second air flow control device selectively directing air from both of the first and second inlets of the second air flow control device through the outlet of the second air flow control device in positions between the fully open and fully closed positions thereof,

a first air flow conduit having one end fluidly coupled to the first inlet of the second air flow control device and an opposite end arranged to receive therein air from outside of the engine compartment,

a second air flow conduit having one end fluidly coupled to the second inlet of the second air flow control device and an opposite end arranged inside of the engine compartment to receive therein air surrounding the engine,

a sensor producing a temperature signal indicative of an operating temperature associated with the engine, and

a processor including a memory having one or more software algorithms stored therein executable by the processor to selectively produce only the second control signal to adjust the position of the second air flow control device to maintain the operating temperature associated with the engine near a target operating temperature if the temperature signal indicates that a current operating temperature associated with the engine is greater than the target operating temperature and the first air flow control device is not in the fully open position thereof, and to selectively produce only the first control signal to adjust the position of the first air flow control device to maintain the operating temperature associated with the engine near the target operating temperature if the temperature signal indicates that the current operating temperature associated with the engine is greater than the target operating temperature and the second air flow control device is in the fully open position thereof.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the one or more software algorithms stored in the memory include one or more software algorithms executable by the processor to selectively produce the first and second control signals to control the positions of the first and second air flow control devices to their fully closed positions if the temperature signal indicates that the current operating temperature associated with the engine is less than a low threshold temperature that is less than the target operating temperature.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising:

means responsive to a first heating signal for heating air passing through the bypass conduit, and

means responsive to a second heating signal for heating air passing through the second air flow conduit,

wherein the one or more software algorithms stored in the memory include one or more software algorithms executable by the processor to selectively produce the first and second heating signals if the temperature signal indicates that the current operating temperature associated with the engine is less than the low threshold temperature.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the one or more software algorithms stored in the memory include one or more software algorithms executable by the processor to selectively produce the first and second control signals to control the positions of the first and second air flow control devices to their fully open positions if the temperature signal indicates that the current operating temperature associated with the engine is greater than a high threshold temperature that is greater than the target operating temperature.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the temperature signal produced by the sensor is indicative of a temperature of air entering the engine via the intake manifold.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the engine further includes an exhaust manifold fluidly coupled to an exhaust gas conduit,

and wherein the temperature signal produced by the sensor is indicative of a temperature of exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust gas conduit.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein the temperature signal produced by the sensor is indicative of ambient temperature outside of the engine compartment.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein the processor includes the sensor in the form of at least one software algorithm executable by the processor to estimate the temperature signal as a function of one or more operating conditions different from the operating temperature.

19. The system of claim 11 wherein the engine produces exhaust gas during operation thereof, and the exhaust gas exits the engine via an exhaust manifold fluidly coupled thereto, and wherein the system further comprises:

an exhaust gas conduit fluidly coupled at one end to the exhaust manifold,

an oxidation catalyst having an inlet fluidly coupled to an opposite end of the exhaust gas conduit and an outlet, and

a particulate filter having an inlet fluidly coupled to the outlet of the oxidation catalyst and an outlet fluidly coupled to ambient,

and wherein the memory has stored therein the target temperature in the form of a temperature value that correlates to a temperature of the exhaust gas at the inlet of the oxidation catalyst that is required to allow dosing the exhaust gas upstream of the oxidation catalyst with hydrocarbons, the oxidation catalyst being configured to be responsive to the dosing of hydrocarbons into the exhaust gas upstream thereof to produce exhaust gas temperatures at the outlet thereof that are sufficient to regenerate the particulate filter.