Southwest Research Institute

Yelir, Inc.

John Craig Hedrick

Steven G Fritz

Robert Wayne Burrahm

Gary D Bourn

Michael B Riley

David Pratt Branyon

Ryan C Roecker

David W Naegeli

Garrett L Anderson

Jeremy D Eubanks

John Thomas Kubesh

Kevin D Beaty

Timothy Joseph Callahan

David P Meyers

Larry W Wolter

Michael Glenn Ross

Randy R McDonnell

William K Capshaw

A method of raising exhaust gas temperatures of a two-cycle uniflow scavenged engine at lower loads. At lower loads, the exhaust valves are activated with a frequency that is less frequent than every engine cycle. This exhaust valve deactivation may be combined with additional engine operating strategies, such as by using fewer than all cylinders as combusting cylinders, adjusting fueling to combusting cylinders, and reducing compressor output.

Exhaust gas temperature assist for two-cycle uniflow scavenged diesel engines at lower engine loads with various engine operating schemes

A method of raising exhaust gas temperatures of a two-cycle uniflow scavenged engine at lower loads. At lower loads, the exhaust valves are activated with a frequency that is less frequent than every engine cycle. This retains exhaust within the cylinder for one or more cycles, and when the exhaust valves are again activated, the exhaust temperature will be elevated. For engines having a means for controlling intake manifold pressure, such as a compressor having variable speed or a means for bleeding off compressor output, intake manifold pressure can be reduced at low loads, which also has the effect of elevating exhaust temperatures.

Exhaust gas temperature assist for two-cycle uniflow scavenged diesel engine at lower engine loads

An air boost system for a two-cycle engine, such as an EMD engine, which operates with one or more roots blowers, or for similar engines that use gear-driven roots blowers or centrifugal blowers. At least one of the roots blowers is equipped with a variable transmission, which allows airflow into the engine to be varied in accordance with load or other engine operating conditions.

Intake air boost system for two-cycle engine having roots blowers

A system and method for particulate matter reduction. A diesel particulate filtration system includes an inlet, an outlet, an exhaust path between the inlet and the outlet, a diesel particulate filter positioned in the exhaust path between the inlet and the outlet, and a bypass valve, wherein the diesel particulate filtration system is configured to have a diesel engine operatively coupled to the inlet. The bypass valve being configured to open when a maximum allowable engine backpressure is exceeded. When the bypass valve is closed, exhaust gas including particulate matter passes through the diesel particulate filter. When the bypass valve is open, a portion of the exhaust gas passes through the diesel particulate filter and the remainder of the exhaust gas passes through the bypass valve and at least 40 percent of said particulate matter is removed from said exhaust gas.

Partial-flow diesel particulate filter using pressure regulated bypass

An air boost system for a two-cycle engine, such as an EMD engine, which operates with a gear-driven turbo-supercharger. The turbo-supercharger is undersized for the engine, such that it is insufficient to provide air flow for a target air-fuel ratio above a pre-determined mid-load threshold. An additional turbocharger is installed in parallel with the turbo-supercharger, such that the intake manifold may receive air intake from only the turbo-supercharger or from both the turbo-supercharger and the turbocharger. In operation, the turbocharger is active only at loads above the predetermined load threshold.

Intake air boost system for two-cycle engine having turbo-supercharger

A method, used with dual-fuel engine, of controlling the amount of gaseous fuel delivered to the engine. At operating conditions that result in an equivalence ratio below a predetermined threshold (which typically occur at mid or part loads), it is determined whether better performance and/or lower emissions can be achieved by reducing gaseous fuel to some cylinders and increasing gaseous fuel to others. Typically, the gaseous fuel is reduced to zero to a number of cylinders and increased to others, with the increase resulting in an equivalence ratio that will provide improved emissions and efficiency and the desired engine output.

Dual-fuel diesel engine with cylinder fueling control of gaseous fueling at less than full loads

A locomotive engine having an engine cooling system, a compressor for compressing engine intake air, and an aftercooler for cooling the compressed intake air prior to introduction into an intake manifold of the engine. The locomotive also has a dynamic brake system that includes a dynamic brake grid and one or more cooling fans. The engine cooling system includes an engine cooling circuit having coolant passages internally disposed in the engine, and a radiator and radiator fans configured to receive coolant exiting the engine and return cooled coolant to the engine. An enhanced aftercooler cooling circuit is disposed in fluid communication with the engine cooling circuit and includes a heat exchanger arranged to receive coolant exiting the engine coolant passages, cool the coolant passing therethrough, and return cooled coolant to the aftercooler. The heat exchanger is advantageously positioned in a manner whereby the dynamic brake grid cooling fan is operatively associated with both the dynamic brake grid and the heat exchanger.

Locomotive engine charge air cooling system and method for cooling the engine

A fuel injector timing tool has an elongated tubular member on which a measurement device may be mounted. A lower end of the tubular member is attached to a base member disposed perpendicularly to the tubular member and has an open end that only partially circumscribes a plunger follower slidably disposed on a retainer element of the fuel injector. The timing tool permits ready access to an adjustable ball stud and associated lock nut mounted in a plunger actuator end of an injector rocker arm so that accurate plunger position can be set while the timing tool remains in place on the retainer element of the fuel injector.

Fuel injector timing tool

An on-board fuel vapor recovery system draws vapors from a fuel tank, compresses the vapors, and then cools the compressed vapors to form a condensate liquid fuel which is stored in an auxiliary condensate tank for introduction to an engine for enhanced cold start operation.

On-board fuel vapor collection, condensation, storage and distribution system for a vehicle

Two pistons are reciprocatively disposed in each cylinder of an engine thereby forming combustion chambers at each end of the cylinder that operate in a four-stroke cycle, and a third combustion chamber formed between the pistons that selectively operates in a two-stroke mode. The combustion chambers at the ends of the cylinders have heads in which intake and exhaust valves are disposed, and the third chamber between the pair of pistons is ported to provide scavenged flow. The third chamber is not fueled and remains inactive except when maximum power is needed.

Opposed piston engine with reserve power capacity

An electronically controlled unit injector for internal combustion engine. The unit injector is mounted on a cylinder and has a plunger that extends into the combustion chamber. Fuel flow through the unit injector is accomplished by the plunger, which moves upward into the unit injector in response to upward motion of the piston. This motion displaces fuel and pressurizes a fuel path within the unit injector, including a pressure void at the tip of the needle. The pressurized fuel lifts the needle, which permits fuel to exit through injection spray holes into the combustion chamber.

Plunger-activated unit injector for internal combustion engines

A method of operating a two-cycle internal combustion engine under low load conditions. A throttle is placed at the intake air system to reduce air intake into the engine cylinders. A pump is placed in the exhaust system, such that it creates reduced pressure downstream of the exhaust valves. In this manner, when the air intake ports close, the exhaust is evacuated and the air trapped in the cylinder is reduced. This permits fuel to be reduced so that the engine may operate in a low load state without losing combustion.

Method of operating uni-flow two-cycle engine during reduced load

A standard diesel injection system and a mechanical direct-gas injection system are selectively operable, in combination with a continuous pilot injection system, to provide a combustion system that is capable of operating in either a conventional diesel mode or a dual-fuel mode. Operation between convention diesel or dual-fuel combustion modes is mechanically controlled by a two-position, four-way control valve. The mechanical direct-gas injection system is actuated by pulsed diesel fuel directed to the actuation chamber of a gas injector by the same injection pump used to provide diesel fuel to the combustion chamber during conventional diesel operation.

Growing community of inventors

Boerne, TX, United States of America

John Craig Hedrick