Method and system for fuel vapor management

• US 9,359,923 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2015
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Pursifull, Ross Dykstra, Ulrey, Joseph Norman, Brewer, Katherine Jane, Steadman, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): SOLIS, ERICK R
• Application Number:
  US14/793,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20150308310A1
• Time in Patent Office: 336 Days
• Field of Search: 123/520, 123562-566, 123/572, 123/574
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 13/00 Crankcase ventilating or breathing
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 13/02 by means of additional source of positive or negative pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 13/021 of negative pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 13/022 using engine inlet suction
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 13/023 Control valves in suction conduit
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 2013/027 with a turbo charger or compressor
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 37/162 by bypassing, e.g. partially, intake air from pump inlet to pump outlet
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 37/164 the bypassed air being used in an auxiliary apparatus, e.g. in an air turbine
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/003 Adding fuel vapours, e.g. drawn from engine fuel reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/08 adding fuel vapours drawn from engine fuel reservoir electrical control of purge system F02D41/003
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/10229 the intake system acting as a vacuum or overpressure source for auxiliary devices, e.g. brake systems; Vacuum chambers air storage chamber F02B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for ventilating a crankcase in an engine. In one example, when the engine is operating boosted under cruising conditions, fuel vapors from the crankcase may flow to each of a compressor inlet and an intake manifold of the engine. In this way, the crankcase may be effectively purged.

Claims

1. A method for a boosted engine, comprising:

during boosted conditions,

generating a vacuum at a first ejector using compressor bypass air flow; and

applying the vacuum to a crankcase to draw fuel vapors into the first ejector;

during cruising conditions and while drawing the fuel vapors to the first ejector,

flowing additional fuel vapors from the crankcase to an intake manifold via a crankcase ventilation valve and drawing the additional fuel vapors into a second elector, the second elector coupled across an intake throttle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein fuel vapors from the crankcase are drawn into the first ejector without flowing through the crankcase ventilation valve.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein cruising conditions include boosted conditions with intake manifold pressure lower than barometric pressure.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein during cruising conditions, a portion of the additional fuel vapors from the crankcase is routed to the intake manifold directly.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein drawing the additional fuel vapors into the second ejector includes using vacuum generated at the second ejector to draw the additional fuel vapors into the second ejector, the vacuum generated via throttle bypass flow through the second ejector.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein during the cruising conditions, the additional fuel vapors from the crankcase are routed to the intake manifold via the second ejector.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising during non-boosted conditions, enhancing intake manifold vacuum by drawing vacuum at the second ejector using intake throttle bypass flow, and applying the vacuum to the crankcase for drawing fuel vapors.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising during non-boosted conditions, not flowing fuel vapors from the crankcase into the first ejector.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising blocking air flow from the first ejector to the crankcase via a check valve.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the fuel vapors flowing to the first ejector and the additional fuel vapors flowing to the intake manifold exit the crankcase via a common outlet.

11. A method for an engine that is boosted, comprising:

when the engine is operating boosted, drawing a first portion of fuel vapors from a first port of a crankcase into a first aspirator coupled in a compressor bypass passage, the first portion of fuel vapors bypassing a crankcase ventilation (CV) valve; and

when pressure in an intake manifold is lower than barometric pressure while the engine is boosted,

using vacuum in the intake manifold to draw a second portion of fuel vapors from the first port of the crankcase directly into the intake manifold; and

drawing a third portion of fuel vapors from the first port of the crankcase into a second aspirator coupled in a throttle bypass passage, the third portion of fuel vapors flowing through the second aspirator into the intake manifold.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the second portion of fuel vapors does not flow through either the first aspirator or the second aspirator, and wherein each of the second portion of fuel vapors and third portion of fuel vapors flows through the CV valve.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first portion of fuel vapors flowing into the first aspirator is directed to a compressor inlet and then into the intake manifold, and wherein the second portion of fuel vapors and the third portion of fuel vapors enter the intake manifold without being directed to the compressor inlet.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein a vacuum is generated at the first aspirator by flowing air through the compressor bypass passage and through the first aspirator, and wherein, a vacuum is generated at the second aspirator by flowing air through the throttle bypass passage and through the second aspirator.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising when the engine is not boosted and the pressure in the intake manifold is lower than barometric pressure, not flowing the first portion of fuel vapors to the first aspirator, but continuing to flow the second portion of fuel vapors and third portion of fuel vapors from the crankcase.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising, during boosted conditions and when intake manifold pressure is higher than barometric pressure, not flowing fuel vapors or air through the CV valve.

17. A system, comprising:

an engine including an intake manifold;

a compressor positioned in an intake passage for providing a boosted aircharge;

a compressor bypass passage coupled around the compressor, the compressor bypass passage including a compressor bypass valve;

a first aspirator coupled to the compressor bypass passage;

a throttle coupled in the intake passage;

a throttle bypass passage coupled around the throttle, the throttle bypass passage including a throttle bypass valve;

a second aspirator coupled to the throttle bypass passage;

a crankcase;

an outlet port of the crankcase coupled fluidically to each of the first aspirator, the second aspirator, and the intake manifold;

a crankcase ventilation (CV) valve regulating flow between the outlet port of the crankcase and each of the second aspirator and the intake manifold, the CV valve not regulating flow of vapors between the outlet port of the crankcase and the first aspirator.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a controller configured with computer readable instructions stored on non-transitory memory for:

during a first condition,

flowing compressed air from downstream of the compressor to upstream of the compressor through the compressor bypass passage;

generating a vacuum at the first aspirator; and

using the vacuum to draw fuel vapors from the outlet port of the crankcase into the first aspirator; and

during a second condition,

flowing air from upstream of the throttle to downstream of the throttle via the throttle bypass passage;

generating a vacuum at the second aspirator; and

using the vacuum to draw supplementary fuel vapors from the outlet port of the crankcase into the second aspirator, and then into the intake manifold, while continuing to draw fuel vapors from the outlet port of the crankcase into the first aspirator.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the first condition includes boosted conditions and intake manifold pressure higher than barometric pressure, and wherein the second condition includes boosted conditions and intake manifold pressure lower than barometric pressure.