Premixed charge compression ignition engine with optimal combustion control

• US 20040103860A1
• Filed: 10/15/2003
• Published: 06/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Inventors: Akinyemi, Omowoleola C., Wright, John F., Hunter, Gary L., Moore, Greg A., Durrett, Russ P., zur Loye, Axel O., Wagner, Julie A., Mudd, Jackie M., Muntean, George G., Flynn, Patrick F.
• Granted Patent: US 6,915,776 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/27R
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 1/12 with compression ignition with fuel-air charge ignited by compression ignition of an additional fuel F02B7/00
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 19/14 with compression ignition
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2075/025 two
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2275/32 Miller cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 29/0406 Layout of the intake air cooling or coolant circuit
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 3/06 with compression ignition compression ignition engines using air or gas for blowing fuel into compressed air in cylinder F02B13/02
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 37/04 Engines with exhaust drive and other drive of pumps, e.g. with exhaust-driven pump and mechanically-driven second pump
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 37/18 by bypassing exhaust from the inlet to the outlet of turbine or to the atmosphere
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 13/0203 Variable control of intake and exhaust valves
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 13/0215 changing the valve timing only
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 13/0234 changing the valve timing only
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 13/0265 Negative valve overlap for temporarily storing residual gas in the cylinder
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 13/0269 Controlling the valves to perform a Miller-Atkinson cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 13/028 for two-stroke engines
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 15/04 by alteration of volume of compression space without changing piston stroke
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0605 to adjust the fuel pressure or temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0649 Liquid fuels having different boiling temperatures, volatilities, densities, viscosities, cetane or octane numbers
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0665 Tanks, e.g. multiple tanks
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/081 Adjusting the fuel composition or mixing ratio; Transitioning from one fuel to the other
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2013/0292 in the start-up phase, e.g. for warming-up cold engine or catalyst
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 35/023 : by determining the cylinder pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 35/028 : by determining the combustion timing or phasing
• 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 41/0087 : Selective cylinder activation, i.e. partial cylinder operation deceleration cut-off F02D41/123
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/3029 : further comprising a homogeneous charge spark-ignited mode
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/3035 : a mode being the premixed charge compression-ignition mode
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/3041 : with means for triggering compression ignition, e.g. spark plug
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/3076 : with special conditions for selecting a mode of combustion, e.g. for starting, for diagnosing
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/38 : of the high pressure type
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/01 : Internal exhaust gas recirculation, i.e. wherein the residual exhaust gases are trapped in the cylinder or pushed back from the intake or the exhaust manifold into the combustion chamber without the use of additional passages
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/04 : with a single turbocharger
• 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 26/08 : for engines having two or more intake charge compressors or exhaust gas turbines, e.g. a turbocharger combined with an additional compressor
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/23 : Layout, e.g. schematics
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/28 : with liquid-cooled heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/33 : controlling the temperature of the recirculated gases
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/43 : in which exhaust from only one cylinder or only a group of cylinders is directed to the intake of the engine
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 31/02 : for heating F02M31/005 takes precedence; for purifying liquid fuel F02M37/30
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 31/20 : for cooling F02M31/005 takes precedence; use of cold F02M17/52; cooling of charging-air or of scavenging-air F02B29/04
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 19/00 : Incandescent ignition, e.g. during starting of internal combustion engines; Combination of incandescent and spark ignition
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 : Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 : Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 : Engine management systems

Abstract

A premixed charge compression ignition engine, and a control system, is provided which effectively initiates combustion by compression ignition and maintains stable combustion while achieving extremely low nitrous oxide emissions, good overall efficiency and acceptable combustion noise and cylinder pressures. The present engine and control system effectively controls the combustion history, that is, the time at which combustion occurs, the rate of combustion, the duration of combustion and/or the completeness of combustion, by controlling the operation of certain control variables providing temperature control, pressure control, control of the mixture'"'"'s autoignition properties and equivalence ratio control. The combustion control system provides active feedback control of the combustion event and includes a sensor, e.g. pressure sensor, for detecting an engine operating condition indicative of the combustion history, e.g. the start of combustion, and generating an associated engine operating condition signal. A processor receives the signal and generates control signals based on the engine operating condition signal for controlling various engine components to control the temperature, pressure, equivalence ratio and/or autoignition properties so as to variably control the combustion history of future combustion events to achieve stable, low emission combustion in each cylinder and combustion balancing between the cylinders.

Claims

1. A premixed charge compression ignition internal combustion engine, comprising:

an engine body;

a combustion chamber formed in the engine body;

an intake air system for delivering intake air, including at least one of air and a mixture of air and fuel, to said combustion chamber;

combustion history control system for controlling a combustion history of future combustion events to reduce emissions and optimize efficiency, said combustion history control system including a mixture autoignition property control system for varying an autoignition property of the mixture, said mixture autoignition property control system including a first fuel supply for supplying a first fuel to the engine and a second fuel supply connected to at least one of said intake air system and said combustion chamber for supplying a second fuel to the engine, said first fuel having a first autoignition property and said second fuel having a second autoignition property different from said first autoignition property; and

a processor adapted to control an amount of said second fuel delivered to said at least one of said intake air system and said combustion chamber to optimize engine operation.