Cummins Engine Company, Inc.

Jeff A Mahon

Ross C Berryhill

An air intake heating system and method for use in a diesel engine having a battery and alternator is provided for minimizing white smoke emissions without excessively depleting the engine battery at low engine speeds wherein the battery and not the alternator is the principal contributor of power to the air intake heater. The system generally comprises an electrically powered heater assembly for heating the intake air of the engine, a power regulation circuit electrically connected between the battery and the alternator of the engine and the heater assembly, a rotational speed sensor and a temperature sensor, and a CPU connected to the output of the speed and temperature sensors and the power regulation circuit for admitting a first, relatively low level of power to the heater assembly at low engine speeds where the battery is the primary source of power for the assembly, and a second, higher level of power when the engine speed is high enough so that the alternator becomes the principal contributor of power to the heater assembly.

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Columbus, IN, United States of America

Jeff A Mahon