Supercharger for an engine

• US 8,141,357 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2008
• Issued: 03/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Yamagata, Naoyuki, Fujii, Mikihito, Masuyama, Susumu
• Primary Examiner(s): Denion, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Carton, Michael
• Application Number:
  US12/247,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20090094978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,266 Days
• Field of Search: 606/01, 606/02, 606/051
• US Class Current: 60/602
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/107 More than one exhaust manifold or exhaust collector
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2240/36 an exhaust flap
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 37/004 with exhaust drives arranged in series
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 37/04 Engines with exhaust drive and other drive of pumps, e.g. with exhaust-driven pump and mechanically-driven second pump
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 39/10 electric
• 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 9/04 concerning exhaust conduits throttle valves, or arrangements thereof in conduits F02D9/08
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 9/101 Special flap shapes, ribs, bores or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 9/103 the rotation axis being located at an edge
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 9/1035 Details of the valve housing
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 9/1065 Mechanical control linkage between an actuator and the flap, e.g. including levers, gears, springs, clutches, limit stops of the like
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

An engine system with a turbocharger is provided. The system may include an exhaust manifold having plural independent exhaust passages, each of the exhaust passages being connected to an exhaust port of a corresponding engine cylinder. The system may further include a collective part formed by gathering said independent exhaust passages in said exhaust manifold or on a downstream side of said exhaust manifold. The system may further include an exhaust turbocharger connected to a downstream side of said collective part. The system may further include a variable exhaust valve for changing each passage cross-sectional area of said independent exhaust passage at an upstream side of said collective part. The system may further include a controller for controlling said variable exhaust valve, wherein said controller is configured to perform independent exhaust throttle control for reducing a passage cross-sectional area of at least one of said independent exhaust passages.

Claims

1. An engine system with turbocharger comprising:

an exhaust manifold having plural independent exhaust passages, each of the exhaust passages being connected to an exhaust port of a corresponding engine cylinder;

a collective part formed by gathering said independent exhaust passages in said exhaust manifold or on a downstream side of said exhaust manifold;

an exhaust turbocharger connected to a downstream side of said collective part;

a variable exhaust valve for changing each passage cross-sectional area of said independent exhaust passages at an upstream side of said collective part;

an exhaust valve timing changing mechanism; and

a controller for controlling said variable exhaust valve;

wherein said controller is configured to perform independent exhaust throttle control for reducing a passage cross-sectional area of at least one of said independent exhaust passages below a maximum area with said variable exhaust valve at least in a predetermined low engine speed range in a supercharging operation range of said engine;

wherein said predetermined low engine speed range is a range where an engine speed is lower than a predetermined engine speed at which a waste gate valve of said exhaust turbocharger begins to open;

wherein said controller is further configured to decrease said passage cross-sectional area as the engine speed becomes lower during said independent exhaust throttle control; and

wherein said controller is further configured to retard an exhaust valve opening timing via said exhaust valve timing changing mechanism such that an exhaust valve opening timing at which said independent exhaust throttle control is performed, is later than an exhaust valve opening timing at which said independent exhaust throttle control is not performed, delay of the exhaust valve opening timing being limited to immediately before the exhaust bottom dead center.

2. The engine system with turbocharger of claim 1,

wherein the a valve timing changing mechanism is capable of changing an overlap period wherein both of an intake and an exhaust valve are opened by changing at least one of intake and exhaust valve opening or closing timing,

wherein said controller is configured to enlarge said overlap period via said valve timing changing mechanism such that an overlap period at which said independent exhaust throttle control is performed is larger than an overlap period at which said independent exhaust throttle control is not performed.

3. The engine system with turbocharger of claim 2,

wherein said controller is further configured to perform said independent exhaust throttle control in a naturally-aspirated range of said engine,

and to enlarge said overlap period via said valve timing changing mechanism when said independent exhaust throttle control is performed such that an overlap period at which said independent exhaust throttle control is performed in said naturally-aspirated range is larger than an overlap period at which said independent exhaust throttle control is not performed in said naturally-aspirated range.

4. The engine system with turbocharger of claim 1,

wherein the system further comprises the valve timing changing mechanism is capable of changing at least one of intake and exhaust valve opening or closing timing, and a fuel injector capable of changing an injected fuel amount to change an air-fuel ratio of a mixture provided in a combustion chamber of said engine,

wherein said controller is further configured to perform an afterburning mode when said independent exhaust throttle control is performed, in which said controller controls said fuel injector to increase the air-fuel ratio in said combustion chamber to a richer than stoichiometric value and controls said valve timing changing mechanism to enlarge an overlap period wherein both of an intake valve and the exhaust valve are opened to or above a predetermined range such that an unburned fuel is exhausted from said engine and combusted at an upstream side of said exhaust turbocharger.

5. The engine system with turbocharger of claim 4,

wherein the system further comprises an electric supercharger provided in an air intake passage of said engine,

wherein said controller is configured to activate said electric supercharger when said overlap period is within torque stationary range in said afterburning mode.

6. The engine system with turbocharger of claim 4, wherein said controller is configured to adjust said overlap period to more than a ninety-degree crank angle in said afterburning mode.