Turbocharger for an internal combustion engine
First Claim
1. A turbocharger for an internal combustion engine, in which mechanical energy flow is generated from engine exhaust gas flow and is fed to provide intake airflow to the internal combustion engine, said turbocharger comprising:
- an exhaust gas turbine positioned for receiving engine exhaust gas from an externally-positioned internal combustion engine, wherein the exhaust gas turbine is operative for providing mechanical energy from the engine exhaust gas;
an intake airflow compressor positioned at an engine intake airflow conduit of the externally-positioned internal combustion engine for providing air under pressure to the externally-positioned internal combustion engine;
a mechanical energy converter connected between the exhaust gas turbine and the intake airflow compressor for receiving mechanical energy provided by the exhaust gas turbine and for providing mechanical energy to the intake airflow compressor; and
a rotatable electrical energy converter operatively connected with the mechanical energy converter for receiving mechanical energy from the exhaust gas turbine and for converting received mechanical energy output into electrical energy, wherein the electrical energy converter is operative for converting received electrical energy from an electrical energy accumulator into mechanical energy for supply to the mechanical energy converter and to the intake airflow compressor, whereby a flow of electrical energy from the electrical energy converter can be selectively branched to the electrical energy accumulator from a received flow of mechanical energy by the electric energy converter, and whereby a flow of electrical energy can be provided to the electrical energy converter from the electrical energy accumulator to drive the intake airflow compressor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A turbocharger for an internal combustion engine, in which a mechanical energy flow can be generated from an exhaust gas flow of the internal combustion engine for providing engine intake airfow under pressure. The turbocharger includes a mechanical energy converter connected between the exhaust gas flow and the intake airflow, by which converter the mechanical energy flow can be transferred and transmitted. The turbocharger also includes an electrical energy converter associated with the mechanical energy flow for converting mechanical energy into electrical energy, or vice versa, to enable improved intake airflow charging of an internal combustion engine. By means of the electrical energy converter, an electrical energy flow can be selectively branched off to a battery or fed into the mechanical energy flow.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A turbocharger for an internal combustion engine, in which mechanical energy flow is generated from engine exhaust gas flow and is fed to provide intake airflow to the internal combustion engine, said turbocharger comprising:
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an exhaust gas turbine positioned for receiving engine exhaust gas from an externally-positioned internal combustion engine, wherein the exhaust gas turbine is operative for providing mechanical energy from the engine exhaust gas; an intake airflow compressor positioned at an engine intake airflow conduit of the externally-positioned internal combustion engine for providing air under pressure to the externally-positioned internal combustion engine; a mechanical energy converter connected between the exhaust gas turbine and the intake airflow compressor for receiving mechanical energy provided by the exhaust gas turbine and for providing mechanical energy to the intake airflow compressor; and a rotatable electrical energy converter operatively connected with the mechanical energy converter for receiving mechanical energy from the exhaust gas turbine and for converting received mechanical energy output into electrical energy, wherein the electrical energy converter is operative for converting received electrical energy from an electrical energy accumulator into mechanical energy for supply to the mechanical energy converter and to the intake airflow compressor, whereby a flow of electrical energy from the electrical energy converter can be selectively branched to the electrical energy accumulator from a received flow of mechanical energy by the electric energy converter, and whereby a flow of electrical energy can be provided to the electrical energy converter from the electrical energy accumulator to drive the intake airflow compressor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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4. A method for operating a turbocharger for an internal combustion engine, the turbocharger including an exhaust gas turbine, an intake airflow compressor, a rotatable mechanical energy converter connected between the exhaust gas turbine and the intake airflow compressor, and an electrical energy converter operatively connected with the mechanical energy converter, said method comprising the steps of:
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operating the turbocharger from engine exhaust gas to rotate the exhaust gas turbine to generate mechanical energy; supplying mechanical energy generated by the exhaust gas turbine to the rotatable electrical energy converter for generating electrical energy by rotating the electrical energy converter; selectively branching off a flow of electrical energy from the electrical energy converter to an electrical energy accumulator during a first operating condition of the internal combustion engine; and selectively supplying electrical energy from the electrical energy accumulator to the rotatable electrical energy converter for rotating the electrical energy converter to provide to the intake airflow compressor mechanical energy to supplement mechanical energy generated by the exhaust gas turbine and for supplying supplemental rotational power input to the intake airfow compressor during a second operating condition of the internal combustion engine. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification