EGR apparatuses, systems, and methods

• US 8,176,736 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2008
• Issued: 05/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Inventors: Janssen, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trieu, Thai Ba
• Application Number:
  US12/077,946
• Publication Number:
  US 20090235661A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,516 Days
• Field of Search: 606/052, 606/12, 123/562
• US Class Current: 60/605.2
• 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: F02M 26/07 Mixed pressure loops, i.e. wherein recirculated exhaust gas is either taken out upstream of the turbine and reintroduced upstream of the compressor, or is taken out downstream of the turbine and reintroduced downstream of the compressor
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/28 with liquid-cooled heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/34 with compressors, turbines or the like in the recirculation passage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

One embodiment is a unique system which is operable to provide a mixture of charge air and exhaust to an internal combustion intake at a sub-ambient temperature. Further embodiments, forms, objects, features, advantages, aspects, and benefits shall become apparent from the following description and drawings.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

operating an internal combustion engine to output exhaust;

recirculating a portion of the exhaust;

cooling the recirculated exhaust with a first cooler;

compressing the recirculated exhaust;

cooling the recirculated exhaust with a second cooler;

expanding the recirculated exhaust effective to cool the recirculated exhaust to a sub-ambient temperature; and

providing the exhaust to an intake of the internal combustion engine.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the cooling the recirculated exhaust with a first cooler includes transferring heat from the recirculated exhaust to an engine coolant.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the compressing the recirculated exhaust includes passing the recirculated exhaust through a centrifugal compressor.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the cooling the recirculated exhaust with a second cooler includes dissipating heat to an ambient environment.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the expanding the recirculated exhaust includes passing the recirculated exhaust through an expansion turbine.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the providing the exhaust to an intake of the internal combustion engine includes mixing the exhaust with charge air and passing the mixture to an intake manifold.

7. A method comprising:

operating an internal combustion engine to generate exhaust;

recirculating a portion of the exhaust to provide recirculated exhaust;

intaking air to provide charge air;

passing the recirculated exhaust gas through a cooler;

passing the charge air through a cooler;

expanding at least one of the charge air and the recirculated exhaust; and

providing a mixture of the charge air and the recirculated exhaust gas to an intake of the internal combustion engine at a sub-ambient temperature.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein the expanding at least one of the charge air and the recirculated exhaust includes passing at least one of the charge air and the recirculated exhaust through an expansion turbine.

9. A method comprising:

operating an internal combustion engine to generate exhaust;

recirculating a portion of the exhaust to provide recirculated exhaust;

intaking air to provide charge air;

passing the recirculated exhaust gas through a cooler;

passing the charge air through a cooler;

expanding at least one of the charge air and the recirculated exhaust wherein the expanding at least one of the charge air and the recirculated exhaust includes passing a mixture of the charge air and the recirculated exhaust through an expansion turbine; and

providing the mixture of the charge air and the recirculated exhaust gas to an intake of the internal combustion engine at a sub-ambient temperature.

10. A system comprising:

engine means for generating exhaust;

valve means for recirculating the exhaust to provide recirculated exhaust;

compressor means for intaking air to provide charge air;

expander means for expanding a mixture of the charge air and the recirculated exhaust; and

manifold means for providing the mixture of the charge air, having been expanded, and the recirculated exhaust gas to an intake of an internal combustion engine at a sub-ambient temperature.

11. A system comprising:

an exhaust conduit flow coupled to an exhaust source;

a first EGR cooler flow coupled to the exhaust conduit and operable to cool exhaust received from the exhaust conduit;

a compressor flow coupled to the first EGR cooler and operable to compress exhaust received from the first EGR cooler;

a second EGR cooler flow coupled to the compressor and operable to cool exhaust received from the compressor; and

an expander flow coupled to the second EGR cooler and operable to cool exhaust received from the second EGR cooler to a sub-ambient temperature.

12. A system according to claim 11 wherein the first EGR cooler utilizes coolant circulating though the first EGR cooler to cool exhaust.

13. A system according to claim 11 wherein the second EGR cooler cools exhaust by dissipating heat to an ambient environment.

14. A system according to claim 11 wherein the compressor includes a compressor wheel.

15. A system according to claim 14 wherein the expander includes a turbine wheel coupled with the compressor wheel.

16. A system according to claim 11 further comprising an intake manifold flow coupled to the expander and operable to route exhaust and charge air to a plurality of intake ports.

17. A system according to claim 11 further comprising an exhaust manifold flow coupled to exhaust conduit and operable to route exhaust from a plurality of outlet ports to the exhaust conduit.

18. A system according to claim 11, wherein the expander is operable to expand exhaust in combination with charge air.

19. A system comprising:

an exhaust conduit flow coupled to an exhaust outlet of an internal combustion engine;

a first cooler flow coupled to the exhaust conduit and operable to cool exhaust received from the exhaust conduit;

a second cooler flow coupled to the first cooler and operable to cool exhaust received from the first cooler;

an expander operable to expand at least one of exhaust and charge air;

wherein the system is operable to provide a mixture of charge air and exhaust to the internal combustion engine intake at a sub-ambient temperature.

20. A system according to claim 19 wherein the expander is a rotatable turbine.

21. A system according to claim 19 wherein the expander is operable to expand exhaust.

22. A system according to claim 19 further comprising means for receiving work extracted from the expander.

23. A system comprising:

an exhaust conduit flow coupled to an exhaust source of an internal combustion engine;

a first cooler flow coupled to the exhaust conduit and operable to cool exhaust received from the exhaust conduit;

a second cooler flow coupled to the first cooler and operable to cool exhaust received from the first cooler;

an expander operable to expand charge air;

wherein the system is operable to provide a mixture of the charge air having been expanded by the expander and the exhaust to the internal combustion engine intake at a sub-ambient temperature.

24. A system comprising:

an exhaust conduit flow coupled to an exhaust source of an internal combustion engine;

a first cooler flow coupled to the exhaust conduit and operable to cool exhaust received from the exhaust conduit;

a second cooler flow coupled to the first cooler and operable to cool exhaust received from the first cooler;

an expander operable to expand a mixture of charge air and exhaust;

wherein the system is operable to provide the mixture of the charge air and the exhaust, having been expanded by the expander, to the internal combustion engine intake at a sub-ambient temperature.