System and methods for improving efficiency in internal combustion engines
First Claim
1. A system for improving efficiency of an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders, each cylinder being capable of operating in a succession of combustion cycles, wherein at least one of the plurality of cylinders is a controllable cylinder, and wherein the at least one controllable cylinder can be deactivated to selectively shut intake and exhaust valves, the system for improving efficiency of an internal combustion engine comprising:
- a fuel processor configured to receive instructions for a first desired engine output, and generate, based upon the first desired engine output, at least one of a cylinder firing pattern and an operational state, wherein the fuel processor is further configured to;
substantially disable fuel flow to and air flow to a subset of deactivated cylinders while the engine is in the first operational state corresponding to the first desired output, wherein disabling air flow includes shutting the intake and exhaust valves of the deactivated cylinders;
substantially disable fuel flow to and firing of to a subset of passive cylinders while the engine is in the first operational state corresponding to the first desired output;
substantially regulate fuel flow to, air flow to and firing of a subset of working cylinders during each of their respective combustion cycles while the engine is in the first operational state corresponding to the first desired output; and
substantially modulate the regulation of fuel flow to, air flow to and firing of at least one of the subset of working cylinders during some of the at least one of the subset of working cylinder'"'"'s combustion cycles while the engine is in the first operational state corresponding to the first desired output, wherein the modulated regulation of fuel flow to and firing of the at least one of the subset of working cylinders is dynamically determined during operation of the engine on a combustion cycle by combustion cycle basis, of the at least one of the subset of working cylinders, to provide the first desired output for the engine while the engine is in the first operational state corresponding to the first desired output.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to system and methods for improving efficiency of an internal combustion engine. This system may include a fuel processor. The system receives instructions for a desired engine output and operating conditions. The system may then determine an operational state corresponding to the desired output. The operational state includes designating the cylinders into one of three categories: working, deactivated and passive. The number of working cylinders is calculated by dividing the desired output by the power provided by one cylinder operating at substantially optimal efficiency. Then the system substantially disables fuel flow to and air flow to the deactivated cylinders, substantially disables fuel flow to and firing of the passive cylinders, and substantially regulates fuel flow to, air flow to and firing of the working cylinders. Firing of the working cylinders is synchronized with engine speed to reduce unwanted engine vibrations. The number of working, passive and deactivated cylinders may be continually altered in response to changes in desired output or operating conditions.
158 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A system for improving efficiency of an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders, each cylinder being capable of operating in a succession of combustion cycles, wherein at least one of the plurality of cylinders is a controllable cylinder, and wherein the at least one controllable cylinder can be deactivated to selectively shut intake and exhaust valves, the system for improving efficiency of an internal combustion engine comprising:
a fuel processor configured to receive instructions for a first desired engine output, and generate, based upon the first desired engine output, at least one of a cylinder firing pattern and an operational state, wherein the fuel processor is further configured to; substantially disable fuel flow to and air flow to a subset of deactivated cylinders while the engine is in the first operational state corresponding to the first desired output, wherein disabling air flow includes shutting the intake and exhaust valves of the deactivated cylinders; substantially disable fuel flow to and firing of to a subset of passive cylinders while the engine is in the first operational state corresponding to the first desired output; substantially regulate fuel flow to, air flow to and firing of a subset of working cylinders during each of their respective combustion cycles while the engine is in the first operational state corresponding to the first desired output; and substantially modulate the regulation of fuel flow to, air flow to and firing of at least one of the subset of working cylinders during some of the at least one of the subset of working cylinder'"'"'s combustion cycles while the engine is in the first operational state corresponding to the first desired output, wherein the modulated regulation of fuel flow to and firing of the at least one of the subset of working cylinders is dynamically determined during operation of the engine on a combustion cycle by combustion cycle basis, of the at least one of the subset of working cylinders, to provide the first desired output for the engine while the engine is in the first operational state corresponding to the first desired output. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for improving efficiency of an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders, each cylinder being capable of operating in a succession of combustion cycles, wherein at least one of the plurality of cylinders is a controllable cylinder, and wherein the at least one controllable cylinder can be deactivated to selectively shut intake and exhaust valves, the method comprising:
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receiving instructions for a first desired engine output; substantially disabling fuel flow to and air flow to a subset of deactivated cylinders while the engine is in a first operational state corresponding to the first desired output, wherein disabling air flow includes shutting the intake and exhaust valves of the deactivated cylinders; substantially disabling fuel flow to and firing of to a subset of passive cylinders while the engine is in the first operational state corresponding to the first desired output; substantially regulating fuel flow to, air flow to and firing of a subset of working cylinders during each of their respective combustion cycles while the engine is in the first operational state corresponding to the first desired output; and substantially modulating the regulation of fuel flow to, air flow to and firing of at least one of the subset of working cylinders during some of the at least one of the subset of working cylinder'"'"'s combustion cycles while the engine is in the first operational state corresponding to the first desired output, wherein the modulated regulation of fuel flow to and firing of the at least one of the subset of working cylinders is dynamically determined during operation of the engine on a combustion cycle by combustion cycle basis, of the at least one of the subset of working cylinders, to provide the first desired output for the engine while the engine is in the first operational state corresponding to the first desired output. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A system for improving efficiency of an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders and more than one segregated exhaust manifold, each cylinder being capable of operating in a succession of combustion cycles, the system comprising:
a fuel processor configured to perform the steps of; receiving instructions for a desired engine output; calculating a number of required cylinders between one and all of the plurality of cylinders, wherein the number of required cylinders, when operating at substantially optimal efficiency, provide the desired output; selecting an operational state, wherein the operational state includes assigning each of the plurality of cylinders to one of a subset of working cylinders, a subset of deactivated cylinders and a subset of passive cylinders, wherein the operational state corresponds to the desired output, and wherein; the number of cylinders assigned to the subset of working cylinders is equal to the calculated number of required cylinders; cylinders assigned to the subset of working cylinders vent to some of the more than one segregated exhaust manifolds and cylinders assigned to the subset of passive cylinders vent to others of the more than one segregated exhaust manifolds, such that exhaust output from the subset of the working cylinders does not combine with airflow from the subset of passive cylinders; substantially regulating fuel flow to, air flow to and firing of the subset of the working cylinders while the engine is in the operational state corresponding to the desired output; substantially disabling fuel flow to the subset of passive cylinders while the engine is in the operational state corresponding to the desired output, wherein air flow is continually provided to the subset of passive cylinders; and substantially disabling fuel flow to and air flow to the subset of deactivated cylinders while the engine is in the operational state corresponding to the desired output.
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28. A method for improving efficiency of an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders and more than one segregated exhaust manifold, each cylinder being capable of operating in a succession of combustion cycles, the method comprising:
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receiving instructions for a desired engine output; calculating a number of required cylinders between one and all of the plurality of cylinders, wherein the number of required cylinders, when operating at substantially optimal efficiency, provide the desired output; selecting an operational state, wherein the operational state includes assigning each of the plurality of cylinders to one of a subset of working cylinders, a subset of deactivated cylinders and a subset of passive cylinders, wherein the operational state corresponds to the desired output, and wherein; the number of cylinders assigned to the subset of working cylinders is equal to the calculated number of required cylinders; cylinders assigned to the subset of working cylinders vent to some of the more than one segregated exhaust manifolds and cylinders assigned to the subset of passive cylinders vent to others of the more than one segregated exhaust manifolds, such that exhaust output from the subset of the working cylinders does not combine with airflow from the subset of passive cylinders; substantially regulating fuel flow to, air flow to and firing of the subset of the working cylinders while the engine is in the operational state corresponding to the desired output; substantially disabling fuel flow to the subset of passive cylinders while the engine is in the operational state corresponding to the desired output, wherein air flow is continually provided to the subset of passive cylinders; and substantially disabling fuel flow to and air flow to the subset of deactivated cylinders while the engine is in the operational state corresponding to the desired output.
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Specification