System and method for controlling operation of an engine

• US 9,631,569 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2014
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Klingbeil, Adam Edgar, Jackson, Jennifer Lynn, Mischler, James Robert, Fisher, Kevin Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Moulis, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): JIN, GEORGE C.
• Application Number:
  US14/450,493
• Publication Number:
  US 20160032859A1
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• Field of Search: 123198 F, 123481
• 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 17/02 Cutting-out cutting-out engines in multiple engine arrangements F02D25/04
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/061 by controlling fuel injectors
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/105 operating in a special mode, e.g. in a liquid fuel only mode for starting
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/1002 Output torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/101 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0025 Controlling engines characterised by use of non-liquid fuels, pluralities of fuels, or non-fuel substances added to the combustible mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0027 the fuel being gaseous non-electrical control F02D19/02
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0087 Selective cylinder activation, i.e. partial cylinder operation deceleration cut-off F02D41/123
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1454 the characteristics being an oxygen content or concentration or the air-fuel ratio
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/26 using computer, e.g. microprocessor
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/30 Controlling fuel injection F02D41/182, F02D41/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/3094 the fuel injection being effected by at least two different injectors, e.g. one in the intake manifold and one in the cylinder
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 43/00 Fuel-injection apparatus operating simultaneously on two or more fuels, or on a liquid fuel and another liquid, e.g. the other liquid being an anti-knock additive
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 43/04 Injectors peculiar thereto
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 15/02 Arrangements having two or more sparking plugs
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 5/1512 with particular means concerning an individual cylinder
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 9/00 Electric spark ignition control, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 9/002 Control of spark intensity, intensifying, lengthening, suppression by means of current control in the storage devices F02P3/05, F02P3/09, during starting F02P15/12
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels

Abstract

A method involves comparing a determined operating parameter of an engine, with a predefined operating parameter. The method further involves controlling a fuel source and an ignition source of the engine so as to operate at least one engine cylinder in a skip fire mode for at least one cycle of a crank shaft when the determined operating parameter is greater than the predefined operating parameter. The controlling involves transitioning the fuel source from a normal mode to the skip fire mode for the at least one cycle of the crank shaft either before transitioning the ignition source from the normal mode to the skip fire mode or when the ignition source is operated in the normal mode.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

comparing a determined operating parameter of an engine, with a predefined operating parameter; and

controlling a fuel source and an ignition source of the engine so as to operate at least one engine cylinder in a skip fire mode for at least one cycle of a crank shaft when the determined operating parameter is greater than the predefined operating parameter;

wherein the controlling comprises;

transitioning the fuel source from a normal mode to the skip fire mode for the at least one cycle of the crank shaft either before transitioning the ignition source from the normal mode to the skip fire mode or when the ignition source is operated in the normal mode, wherein the fuel source comprises a plurality of first fuel injectors, the ignition source comprises a plurality of second fuel injectors, and the engine is a dual fuel engine.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the determined operating parameter from a sensor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined operating parameter comprises a determined air-fuel ratio and the predefined operating parameter comprises a predefined air-fuel ratio.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined operating parameter comprises at least one of a determined engine speed and determined engine power and the predefined operating parameter comprises at least one of a predefined engine speed and predefined engine power.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling further comprises controlling the plurality of first fuel injectors for injecting a first fuel and one fuel injector from the plurality of second fuel injectors for skipping injection of a second fuel for the at least one cycle of the crank shaft when the determined operating parameter is greater than the predefined operating parameter.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the controlling further comprises controlling one fuel injector from the plurality of first fuel injectors for skipping injection of the first fuel and the one fuel injector from the plurality of second fuel injectors for skipping injection of the second fuel for another cycle after the at least one cycle of the crank shaft when the determined operating parameter is greater than the predefined operating parameter.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the controlling further comprises controlling one fuel injector from the plurality of first fuel injectors for skipping injection of the first fuel and the one fuel injector from the plurality of second fuel injectors for skipping injection of the second fuel for subsequent alternate cycles after the at least one cycle of the crank shaft when the determined operating parameter is greater than the predefined operating parameter.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the controlling further comprises controlling the plurality of first fuel injectors for injecting the first fuel and the one fuel injector from the plurality of second fuel injectors for skipping injection of the second fuel for alternate cycles of the crank shaft when the determined operating parameter is greater than the predefined operating parameter.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling further comprises controlling the plurality of first fuel injectors for injecting a first fuel and the plurality of second fuel injectors for injecting a second fuel during a transition from the normal mode to the skip fire mode.

10. A computer readable medium, having instructions stored thereon which, when executed, causes a controller for an engine to perform a method, the method comprising:

comparing a determined operating parameter of the engine with a predefined operating parameter; and

controlling a fuel source and an ignition source so as to operate at least one engine cylinder in a skip fire mode for at least one cycle of a crank shaft when the determined operating parameter is greater than the predefined operating parameter, wherein the controlling comprises;

transitioning the fuel source from a normal mode to the skip fire mode for the at least one cycle of the crank shaft either before transitioning the ignition source from the normal mode to the skip fire mode or when the ignition source is operated in the normal mode, wherein the fuel source comprises a plurality of first fuel injectors, the ignition source comprises a plurality of second fuel injectors; and

the engine is a dual fuel engine.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises receiving the determined operating parameter from a sensor.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the determined operating parameter comprises a determined air-fuel ratio and the predefined operating parameter comprises a predefined air-fuel ratio.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the determined operating parameter comprises at least one of a determined engine speed and determined engine power and the predefined operating parameter comprises at least one of a predefined speed and predefined power.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the controlling further comprises controlling the plurality of first fuel injectors for injecting a first fuel and one fuel injector from the plurality of second fuel injectors for skipping injection of a second fuel for the at least one cycle of the crank shaft when the determined operating parameter is greater than the predefined operating parameter.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the controlling further comprises controlling one fuel injector from the plurality of first fuel injectors for skipping injection of the first fuel and the one injector from the plurality of second fuel injectors for skipping injection of the second fuel for another cycle after the at least one cycle of the crank shaft when the determined operating parameter is greater than the predefined operating parameter.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the controlling further comprises controlling one fuel injector from the plurality of first fuel injectors for skipping injection of the first fuel and the one fuel injector from the plurality of second fuel injectors for skipping injection of the second fuel for subsequent alternate cycles after the at least one cycle of the crank shaft when the determined operating parameter is greater than the predefined operating parameter.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the controlling further comprises controlling the plurality of first fuel injectors for injecting the first fuel and the one fuel injector from the plurality of second fuel injectors for skipping injection of the second fuel for alternate cycles of the crank shaft when the determined operating parameter is greater than the predefined operating parameter.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the controlling further comprises controlling the plurality of first fuel injectors for injecting a first fuel and the plurality of second fuel injectors for injecting a second fuel during a transition from the normal mode to the skip fire mode.