Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Christian Thomas Goralski, Jr

Gopichandra Surnilla

Stephen B Smith

Shane Elwart

Joseph Robert Theis

Hungwen Jen

Harendra S Gandhi

Justin Anthony Ura

Mark Allen Dearth

George Wade Graham

Michael John Cullen

Robert Walter McCabe

William L Watkins

John H Li

Gopichandra Sumilla

James Patrick O'Neill

David Karl Bidner

Jeff Doering

Eva Thanasiu

Garry Anthony Zawacki

Richard E Soltis

Robert Joseph Jerger

Grant Alan Ingram

Andrew A Adamczyk

Philip J Johnson

Andrew George Bellis

William P Boone

Joseph Patterson

Thomas Joseph Luley

Gregory Scott Horne

Gary Zawacki

Systems and methods are provided for extracting components of a mixed fuel into at least one substantially non-polar component and at least one polar fuel component. In one example approach, a volume of a mixed fuel is added to an extractor and a polar solvent is used to extract components of the mixed fuel. The extracted components may be selectively provided to an engine in a ratio based upon engine operating conditions.

Apparatus with mixed fuel separator and method of separating a mixed fuel

A method is described for identifying fuel composition from an index ratio of oxygen sensors upstream and downstream of a catalyst of the engine. Different index ratios are achieved for different fuel compositions, and thus it is possible to identify fuel composition, such as fuel alcohol content, based on changes in the index ratio.

Controlled air-fuel ratio modulation air fuel sensor input

An engine having a first and second bank of cylinders is disclosed. The engine may have improved fuel economy and emission as compared to other similar engines. In one example, engine cylinders may be deactivated.

Emission control device

Performance characteristics of a catalytic device are determined based on a particle size of a particulate component of the catalytic device. In this way, aging of a catalytic device can be accounted for in the calculation of performance characteristics.

[object Object]

The present invention provides a thermally stable catalyst for treating automobile exhaust by-products is provided. The catalyst of the invention comprises a first section that includes a precious metal present in a first concentration and a second section that includes a precious metal present in a second concentration. The catalyst of the invention is characterized by a unique precious metal concentration profile in which the first concentration of the precious metal is lower than the second concentration of the precious metal. When placed with an automobile exhaust system, the second section is positioned downstream of the first section. The present invention also provides a lean NOtrap utilizing the unique precious metal concentration profile. The NOtrap is found to possess improved NOconversion performance relative to a NOtrap with the same total amount of precious metal deposited uniformly over the volume of the trap.

A lean NOtrap composition. The lean NOtrap composition utilizes ruthenium in place of higher cost metals such as platinum. The lean NOtrap composition provides high NOstorage efficiency and high NOconversion efficiency when incorporated in a lean NOtrap. A method of removing harmful gases using the lean NOtrap composition is also described.

A mechanical apparatus including a combustion engine, a conduit for transporting an exhaust stream away from the engine, a first catalytic NOstorage and conversion region disposed along the conduit, and a second catalytic NOstorage and conversion region disposed along the conduit at a location downstream from the first catalytic NOstorage and conversion region is disclosed. Each of the first catalytic NOstorage and conversion region and the second catalytic NOstorage and conversion region includes at least one catalytic metal configured to convert NOto NOwhen the engine is supplied a lean air/fuel mixture, and at least one NOadsorbing compound configured to adsorb NOfor storage when the engine is supplied a lean air/fuel mixture, and wherein the one of the first and the second catalytic NOstorage and conversion regions has a lower concentration of catalytic metal than the other of the first and second catalytic NOstorage and conversion regions.

In an apparatus having an internal combustion engine, a method of operating the engine is disclosed, comprising providing a mixed fuel from a fuel tank to a separator, separating at least a portion of the hydrocarbon fuel component from the mixed fuel by transporting a hydrocarbon fuel component through a material in the separator that selectively transports the hydrocarbon fuel component, thereby forming a first oxygenated fuel component-enriched fuel fraction and a second hydrocarbon-enriched fuel fraction, and providing fuel from the first fuel fraction and fuel from the second fuel fraction to the engine in a ratio based on an engine operating condition.

In an apparatus comprising a fuel tank, an internal combustion engine, and a separator positioned fluidically between the fuel tank and the internal combustion engine, a method of operating the apparatus is disclosed, wherein the method comprises inputting a mixed fuel containing a hydrocarbon component and an oxygenated component into the separator, separating the fuel in the separator into a hydrocarbon-enriched fuel fraction and an oxygenated fuel component-enriched fuel fraction, and controlling an amount of the hydrocarbon-enriched fuel fraction and an amount of the oxygenated fuel component-enriched fuel fraction provided to the engine based upon an engine operating condition.

Various systems and methods are disclosed for carrying out combustion in a fuel-cut operation in some or all of the engine cylinders of a vehicle. Further, various subsystems are considered, such as fuel vapor purging, air-fuel ratio control, engine torque control, catalyst design, and exhaust system design.

System and method for controlling valve timing of an engine with cylinder deactivation

A system for an engine is shown that includes an upstream emission control device and a downstream emission control device. The upstream device has a washcoat having a predetermined amount of precious metal disassociated with NOx storage material. In one example, the upstream emission control device located in a close-coupled location receiving untreated exhaust gasses from the engine. A controller is utilized for adjusting parameters of the engine. For example, the controller operates the engine lean, with periodic rich operation to purge stored NOx during at least a portion of low engine airflow and low exhaust temperature conditions. The controller also operates the engine near stoichiometry during at least a portion of other conditions.

Device and method for internal combustion engine control

Engine system and method for efficient emission control device purging

A method of desulfating a catalytic NOstorage and conversion device is disclosed, wherein the method includes determining an amount of sulfur stored in the catalytic NOstorage and conversion device; determining an interval for exposing the catalytic NOstorage and conversion device to a rich exhaust stream based upon the determined amount of sulfur stored, wherein the interval is longer for lower amounts of sulfur stored and shorter for higher amounts of sulfur stored; and exposing the catalytic NOstorage and conversion device to the rich exhaust stream for the determined interval.

Growing community of inventors

Ypsilanti, MI, United States of America

Christian Thomas Goralski, Jr