Methods and systems for variable displacement engine control

• US 9,297,348 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2014
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kerns, James Michael, Uhrich, Michael James, Smith, Stephen B., Banker, Adam Nathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Denion, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEON JR, JORGE LUIS
• Application Number:
  US14/570,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20150096534A1
• Time in Patent Office: 470 Days
• Field of Search: 602/74, 602/78, 602/80, 602/85, 602/86, 602/95, 123/198.F, 123/481, 123/406.16, 123/406.21
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/011 having two or more purifying devices arranged in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/107 More than one exhaust manifold or exhaust collector
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2430/02 by cutting out a part of engine cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 37/00 Engines characterised by provision of pumps driven at least for part of the time by exhaust
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0802 Temperature of the exhaust gas treatment apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 35/027 using knock sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0087 Selective cylinder activation, i.e. partial cylinder operation deceleration cut-off F02D41/123
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/027 to purge or regenerate the exhaust gas treating apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 5/152 dependent on pinking detecting or indicating knocks in internal-combustion engines G01L23/22
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for selecting a group of cylinders for selective deactivation, in a variable displacement engine system, based at least on a regeneration state of an exhaust catalyst. The position of one or more valves and throttles may be adjusted based on the selective deactivation to reduce back-flow through the disabled cylinders while also maintaining conditions of a downstream exhaust catalyst. Pre-ignition and knock detection windows and thresholds may also be adjusted based on the deactivation to improve the efficiency of knock and pre-ignition detection.

Claims

1. A method of operating an engine with selectively deactivatable cylinders carried out by a processor communicating with the engine, comprising:

boosting air to the engine with twin turbochargers;

deactivating a determined number of cylinders;

adjusting a crank angle window range and a threshold based on the number of deactivated cylinders; and

indicating cylinder pre-ignition based on a sensed signal only in the crank angle window range relative to the threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, further controlling a throttle to provide an amount of boost.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the throttle is installed upstream of a branch point of parallel intake passages.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the adjustment includes widening the crank angle window range as the number of deactivated cylinders increases, the method further comprising taking pre-ignition mitigating action in response to pre-ignition detected in the adjusted crank angle window range.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the adjustment further includes increasing the threshold as the number of deactivated cylinders increases.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting a crank angle window range and a threshold for knock detection based on the number of deactivated cylinders.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the crank angle window range for knock detection and the crank angle window range for pre-ignition detection are partially overlapping, and wherein an amount of overlap between the window ranges is increased as the number of deactivated cylinders increases.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the engine includes a first group of cylinders coupled to a first catalyst and a second group of cylinders coupled to a second catalyst, and wherein the number of deactivated cylinders is based on a regeneration state of the first catalyst relative to the second catalyst.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the number of deactivated cylinders is further based on a temperature of the first catalyst relative to the second catalyst.

10. A method of operating a boosted engine, the method carried out by a processor communicating with the engine, comprising:

boosting the engine via a twin turbocharger;

direct injecting fuel to engine cylinders;

selecting one of a first and a second group of cylinders for deactivation based on a regeneration state of a first catalyst relative to a second catalyst;

deactivating one or more cylinders of the selected group of cylinders;

determining a number of deactivated cylinders;

adjusting a first crank angle window range, a second crank angle window range, a first threshold, and a second threshold based on the number of deactivated cylinders; and

indicating cylinder pre-ignition and knock based on sensed information only in respective the first crank angle window range relative to the first threshold, and knock based on sensed information only in the second crank angle window range relative to the second threshold.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the deactivation includes turning off fuel injectors and continuing to open or close intake and exhaust valves to pump air through the selected group of cylinders.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the selection includes selecting the first group of cylinders if the first catalyst is less regenerated than the second catalyst, and selecting the second group of cylinders if the second catalyst is less regenerated than the first catalyst.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the adjustment includes increasing the first and second window ranges for each of pre-ignition and knock as the number of deactivated cylinders increases.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first window range partially overlaps the second window range, and wherein increasing the first and second window ranges includes increasing an overlap between the first and second window ranges.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the adjustment further includes increasing the first and second threshold as the number of deactivated cylinders increases.

16. An engine system, comprising,

an engine;

twin turbochargers configured to provide a boosted intake aircharge to the engine;

a first group of cylinders coupled to a first catalyst;

a second group of cylinders coupled to a second catalyst;

one or more knock sensors; and

a control system with computer readable instructions for,

selecting one of the first or the second group of cylinders for deactivation based on an operating condition of the first catalyst relative to the second catalyst;

estimating an output of the one or more knock sensors relative to a first knock threshold in a first knock window, and relative to a second pre-ignition threshold in a second pre-ignition window, the first and second windows and the first and second thresholds adjusted based on the deactivation; and

indicating cylinder knock and/or pre-ignition based on the estimation.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the first group of cylinders is coupled with a first turbocharger and the second group of cylinders is coupled with a second turbocharger.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the selection includes selecting the first group of cylinders for deactivation when the first catalyst is less regenerated than the second catalyst, and selecting the second group of cylinders for deactivation when the second catalyst is less regenerated than the first catalyst.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the deactivation includes turning off fuel injectors while continuing valve operation of one or more cylinders in the selected group of cylinders.