Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Arun S Solomon

David P Sczomak

Ronald M Otto

Scott E Parrish

Robert Gallon

Andreas M Lippert

Yangbing Zeng

Stephen F De Nagel

Paul M Najt

Hanho Yun

Edward D Klomp

Robert S McAlpine

Kushal Narayanaswamy

Rodney Brewer Rask

Patrick G Szymkowicz

Wei Zeng

Cherian A Idicheria

Gerald Andrew Szekely, Jr

Jeremie Dernotte

Edward G Groff

William F Spruit

Ansis Upatnieks

A system includes a battery pack module and a control module. The battery pack module is configured to be implemented in a battery pack. The battery pack module includes cells and one or more force sensors configured to generate at least one force signal indicative of force on the cells within the battery pack module. The control module is configured to: receive the at least one force signal; based on the at least one force signal, detect a state of the cells; and based on the detected state of the cells, at least one of i) modify the state of the cells, ii) generate an alert message, and iii) perform a mitigation operation to address a detected abnormality of the cells.

Force based abnormality detection in battery pack modules

A direct-injection stratified charge internal combustion engine includes a combustion cylinder to receive an air-fuel mixture, and an air intake port to inlet air into the combustion cylinder. The direct-injection engine also includes a fuel injector configured to deliver fuel within the cylinder in a spray pattern substantially aligned to a cylinder central axis to create the air-fuel mixture. A spark igniter is located within a path of the spray pattern to ignite combustion of the air-fuel mixture. The direct-injection engine further includes a movable piston defining a lower boundary of the combustion cylinder to contain the combustion of the air-fuel mixture. The piston is configured to include a bowl portion having local geometric features located on an intake port side of the combustion cylinder to redirect fluid flow towards a vortex in fluid communication with a combustion location near the cylinder central axis.

Spark-ignited direct-injection engine combustion systems

A catalyst temperature control system of a vehicle includes a fuel control module configured to control fuel injection based on a target air/fuel ratio that is fuel lean relative to a stoichiometric air/fuel ratio and a target fuel injection start timing. An exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) control module is configured to control an EGR valve based on a target EGR opening. An adjustment module is configured to, when a temperature of a catalyst in an exhaust system is less than a sum of a predetermined light-out temperature of the catalyst and a predetermined temperature and the target air/fuel ratio is fuel lean relative to the stoichiometric air/fuel ratio, based on a comparison of an engine speed and a predetermined engine speed, selectively adjust at least one of: a target throttle opening, a target spark timing, the target fuel injection start timing, the target air/fuel ratio, and the target EGR opening.

Catalyst temperature maintenance systems and methods

An internal combustion engine includes a fuel injection system including a fuel injector disposed to inject fuel into the combustion chamber, and a plasma ignition system including a groundless barrier discharge plasma igniter that protrudes into the combustion chamber. A controller includes an executable instruction set to control the engine in a compression-ignition mode when the output torque request indicates a low load condition, including instructions to control a variable valve actuation system and control the plasma ignition system to execute plasma discharge events subsequent to controlling the fuel injection system to execute a fuel injection event, wherein the fuel injection event achieves a cylinder charge having a lean air/fuel ratio.

Method and apparatus for controlling operation of an internal combustion engine

A fuel control module controls fuel injection of an engine based on a predetermined lean air/fuel ratio. The predetermined lean air/fuel ratio is fuel lean relative to a stoichiometric air/fuel ratio for the fuel. A cylinder control module selectively deactivates opening of intake and exhaust valves of M cylinders of the engine to increase removal of nitrogen oxide (NOx) from exhaust. M is an integer greater than 0 and less than a total number of cylinders of the engine. The fuel control module further: disables fueling of the M cylinders while opening of the intake and exhaust valves of the M cylinders is deactivated; and, while fueling of the M cylinders is disabled and opening of the intake and exhaust valves of the M cylinders is deactivated, controls fuel injection of other cylinders based on a predetermined rich air/fuel ratio that is fuel rich relative to the stoichiometric air/fuel ratio.

Engine control systems and methods for nitrogen oxide reduction

A combustion system for use with one or more cylinder bores of an internal combustion engine includes at least one cylinder head defining first and second intake ports in fluid communication with the one or more cylinder bores. A flap is adjustably connected to the at least one cylinder head. The flap includes a first flap portion cooperating with the first intake port extending from an arm and a second flap portion cooperating with the second intake port extending from the arm and disposed adjacent the first flap portion. A controller in electrical communication with an actuator monitors the condition of the engine and actuates the flap to position the first and second flap portions between first and second positions to create a first combustion condition and a second combustion condition.

System and method for engine combustion

A fuel injection strategy and ignition timing for a spark-ignition direct fuel injection engine are selected in response to monitored engine load in relation to a plurality of load regions. This includes selecting a preferred ignition timing based upon the engine load, and selecting a first fuel injection event that is executed post-ignition, wherein the first fuel injection event delivers a set fuel mass at a preset timing relative to the preferred timing for the spark ignition event regardless of the engine load. A first pre-ignition fuel injection event is selected, and includes a second fuel mass being injected at a second fuel injection timing, wherein an end-of-injection timing of the first pre-ignition fuel injection event is at a preset timing relative to the preferred ignition timing regardless of the engine load, and wherein the second fuel mass is determined in relation to the engine load.

Method for controlling an internal combustion engine

A spark plug includes a center electrode substantially aligned with a longitudinal first axis and a surface-gap ground electrode radially aligned with the center electrode along a surface-gap electrode second axis substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal first axis and passing therethrough. The center electrode and the surface-gap ground electrode define a radial spark gap therebetween. The spark plug further includes a J-gap ground electrode radially aligned with the center electrode. The center electrode and the J-gap ground electrode define an axial spark gap therebetween. The J-gap ground electrode radial alignment has an angular separation from the surface-gap electrode second axis of no greater than about 30 degrees.

Direct-injection spark-ignition system

A fuel injector has a spray nozzle with a plurality of spray discharge orifices, each of which has an elongated cross-section having a major axis orientable to a center electrode of a spark plug in the combustion chamber.

Fuel injector

A method and article of manufacture are provided to operate a spray-guided, spark-ignition, direct fuel injection engine, including injecting a first fuel pulse during a combustion cycle, and initiating spark ignition by energizing a spark igniter. A second fuel pulse is injected during the combustion cycle effective to form an ignitable fuel-air mixture proximal to the spark igniter during a period in time whereat the spark igniter is energized. A preferred elapsed time between an end of the first fuel pulse and start of the spark ignition is determined based upon engine load.

Method and apparatus for operating a spark-ignited direct fuel injection engine

An injector for delivering a charge of fuel and air to an engine includes a central passage extending from an air inlet to a valve seat, a poppet valve secured on a valve stem extending through the central passage and engageable with the valve seat, a poppet valve engageable with a valve seat for controlling flow therethrough, a fuel nozzle opening into the air passage near the valve seat, apparatus for periodically metering fuel through the nozzle into the central passage to create a fuel-air charge in the central passage concentrated near the valve seat, and apparatus for periodically disengaging the poppet valve from the valve seat for delivering the fuel-air charge from the central passage.

Fuel injection

In an engine having direct fuel injection or injection at individual intake ports, the fuel injectors are of the positive displacement type and are equipped with plunger displacement sensors to yield a displacement signal representing the quantity of fuel injected. This signal is used as feedback to a closed loop PID control which compares the injected quantity to a demand quantity to determine an error and calculates a control pulsewidth which reduces the error eventually to zero. An open loop injector calibration of pulsewidth versus approximate fuel quantity is used as a base pulsewidth to which the closed loop adds a correction value.

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Rochester Hills, MI, United States of America

Arun S Solomon