Michigan State University

Other

Mid Michigan Research, LLC

Harold J Schock

Thomas R Stuecken

Guoming Zhu

Edward J Timm

Kevin David Moran

Daniel G Nocera

Fathi M Salam

Ahmed Mostafa Naguib

Ruby N Ghosh

Manoochehr M Koochesfahani

Elisa Toulson

Antonius Aditjandra

Barry Trosin

Jennifer Higel

Trevor Ruckle

Giles J Brereton

Gary Hunter

Guoming G Zhu

An internal combustion engine includes a camshaft operably adjusted by a phaser. Another aspect includes an internal combustion engine having an actuation system for an air valve. A further aspect provides a camshaft-in-camshaft system with a cam phaser located adjacent opposite ends. In another aspect, an internal combustion engine apparatus includes multiple nested camshafts with one of the camshafts having a cam configured to actuate an air intake valve associated with a turbulent jet ignition prechamber, and another of the camshafts having a cam configured to actuate an air valve of a main piston combustion chamber, the nested camshafts being independently rotatable by separate electromagnetic actuators.

Actuation system for an internal combustion engine

An internal combustion engine includes multiple fuel injections external to a pre-chamber. A further aspect provides an engine pre-chamber ignition apparatus which employs a pre-assembled and/or removable cartridge including an ignitor and a fresh air inlet but not a fuel inlet injector directly mounted thereto. Another aspect of a vehicular engine apparatus includes a fuel injector positioned externally to a pre-chamber which delivers an initial greater quantity of fuel for combustion and then a later and smaller quantity of fuel for pre-chamber ignition.

Internal combustion engine including multiple fuel injections external to a pre-chamber

An engine system employs a pre-assembled and/or removable cartridge. In another aspect, an ignitor, a fuel injector and an air inlet valve are all accessible from a top of a cartridge even after assembly of the cartridge to an engine cylinder head. A further aspect positions centerlines of an ignitor, a fuel injector and an air inlet valve angularly offset from each other and also angularly offset from a vertical centerline of a cartridge to which they are mounted.

Engine turbulent jet ignition system

A diesel engine employs a turbulent jet ignition system and method. In another aspect, diesel fuel and air are premixed prior to introduction of the mixture into a main engine combustion chamber. A further aspect employs a turbocharger compressor to boost air pressure into a main piston combustion chamber and/or an ignition pre-chamber for missing with a heavy fuel, such as diesel.

Diesel engine with turbulent jet ignition

A thermoelectric device () and a method for manufacturing and using the same are disclosed. The thermoelectric device () includes a hot shoe () and a cold shoe () disposed about the hot shoe. A heat conducting member () formed of a thermoelectric material extends between the hot shoe () and the cold shoe () and generates electricity in response to a temperature difference therebetween. The hot shoe () is heated and expands at a greater rate than the cold shoe () does during operation. The structural and spatial relationship of the hot shoe () and the cold shoe () maintains the thermoelectric material of the heat conducting member () in compression during operation of the thermoelectric device ().

Thermoelectric device and methods for manufacture and use

An internal combustion engine includes a pre-chamber. In another aspect, pressure within a pre-chamber is equal to or greater than pressure within a main combustion chamber at least prior to ignition in the main combustion chamber. In yet another aspect, internal combustion engine control software automatically controls pressure within a turbulent jet ignition pre-chamber, controls a valve-actuator to admit a fuel-air charge into the pre-chamber, and causes an igniter to initiate combustion in the pressurized pre-chamber. This also permits the rate of combustion to be controlled in the primary chamber regardless of the air-fuel ratio or the diluent fraction in the main chamber. Another aspect employs a pre-chamber purge pump with separate air and fuel injection.

Internal combustion engine

A mass air flow sensor for an internal combustion engine is provided. The sensor has a pair of opposed nozzles. A converging nozzle has a first conical throughbore having a first throughbore axis, the first throughbore has first and second apertures, the first aperture has a diameter greater than the second aperture. The diverging nozzle has a second conical throughbore having a second through axis. The throughbore has third and fourth apertures, with the third aperture having a diameter greater than the fourth aperture. A first hotwire sensor positioned within the first aperture. A second hotwire sensor positioned within the second aperture.

Mass air flow sensor having off axis converging and diverging nozzles

The present invention relates to a sensor for measuring the instantaneous rate of mass flow and the cumulative mass flow in steady or unsteady flows of single-phase liquids or gases in a duct. By measuring the shear stress or the streamwise pressure gradient at the duct wall, and relating it to mass flow through solutions to the Navier Stokes equations of fluid mechanics, information on mass flow through the entire duct cross sectional area is deduced.

Sensors and method for measurement of flow rates and cumulative flow in ducts

The performance of an internal combustion engine is optimized utilizing an electrically controlled driver which is located relative to the intake port to excite the intake charge at a selected frequency, duration and power level which depends on the engine operating condition. The purpose of this excitation is to control combustion by optimizing large scale recirculation patterns of the intake charge within the combustion chamber. In particular, this device will provide the effect of optimizing volumetric efficiency at wide open throttle and minimize fuel consumption and emissions at part throttle. An electronic engine controller varies the operation of the drive device as a function of engine operating conditions. The driver excites the intake charge at a frequency of about 5 to 1000 times of the engine speed.

Method and apparatus for active control of the combustion processes in

An apparatus (10) and method for removing hulls (152) from a nut mixture (150) is described. The apparatus includes a gravity feed bin (12), a conveyor (28) and removal units (38). The removal units are comprised of a drum (40), a position roller (50), a beater (56) and a brush (64) around all of which extends a fibrous mat (96). The fibrous mat has looped or curved fibers (96C) and is formed as a continuous belt in the removal unit. To operate the apparatus, the mixture is fed from the gravity feed bin onto the conveyor belt (30) of the conveyor. As the mixture moves along a horizontal path of the conveyor, the mixture comes in contact with the fibrous mat rotating in the removal units. The looped fibers of the mat contact and engage the projections (152A) on the outer surface of the hulls and secure the hulls to the mat. As the mat continues to rotate through the unit the hulls secured to the mat are removed from the mixture on the conveyor. The smooth outer surface of the meats (154) are not engaged by the looped fibers of the mat and are not picked up by the mat. As the mat moves around the unit, the beater of the unit contacts the fabric backing (96A) of the mat and acts to violently shake the mat thus, shaking off the attached hulls attached to the outer surface (96B).

Method for removing hulls from a nut mixture

An apparatus (10) and method for removing hulls (152) from a nut mixture (150) is described. The apparatus includes a gravity feed bin (12), a conveyor (28) and removal units (38). The removal units include a drum (40), a position roller (50), a beater (56) and a brush (64) around all of which extends a fibrous mat (96). The fibrous mat has looped or curved fibers (96C) and is formed as a continuous belt in the removal unit. The removal unit also includes a deflector (92) and a shield (93) to guide the removed hulls into an auger (78) to be removed from the apparatus. To operate the apparatus, the mixture is fed from the gravity feed bin onto the conveyor belt (30) of the conveyor. As the mixture moves along a horizontal path of the conveyor, the mixture comes in contact with the fibrous mat rotating in the removal units. The looped fibers of the mat contact and engage the projections (152A) on the outer surface of the hulls and secure the hulls to the mat. As the mat continues to rotate through the unit the hulls secured to the mat are removed from the mixture on the conveyor. The smooth outer surface of the meats (154) are not engaged by the looped fibers of the mat and are not picked up by the mat. As the mat moves around the unit, the beater of the unit contacts the fabric backing (96A) of the mat and acts to violently shake the mat thus, shaking off the attached hulls attached to the outer surface (96B). The removed hulls fall into the auger and are removed from the apparatus. After removal of the hulls, the mat is then fluffed by the fingers (64A) of the brush (64) in order to be ready for reuse.

Growing community of inventors

Brighton, MI, United States of America

Harold J Schock