Fleetguard, Inc.

Other

Cummins Engine Company, Inc.

Robert C Yu

Rahul Mital

Bradlee J Stroia

Surya G Prakash

Julius P Perr

Michael J Cunningham

Amarjit S Ghuman

Scott Cole

Mike Nagel

Shyancherng C Huang

Eric Liang

Ming-Li Hsu Yu

In some aspects, the disclosure is directed to methods and systems for driving demand for services. An appointment platform operating on a server may identify, based on an appointment inventory of a service provider, an open appointment to be filled. The appointment platform may rank a plurality of users to which the open appointment may be offered. The appointment platform may rank a user of the plurality of users based on a current membership score of the user. The appointment platform may determine, based on the ranking, to offer the user the open appointment. The appointment platform may identify, based on the current membership score of the user, a type of incentive from a plurality of types of incentives, to offer to the user for filling the open appointment.

Optimized online marketing and scheduling systems and methods that are based on driving demand for services

The invention provides a NOx adsorber aftertreatment system for internal combustion engines which utilizes at least one precat operatively coupled to at least one NOx adsorber to aid in the regeneration of the NOx adsorber. Fuel is injected into a precat located upstream of a NOx absorber producing heat, HO, and reductants such as CO, HC, and volatile hydrocarbons, which are input into the NOx absorber. The combination of heat, water, and reductants help to efficiently regenerate the NOx Adsorber which in turn releases exhausts products such as COand N. Regeneration of a NOx adsorber can be performed during periods of reduced exhaust gas flow lowering the fuel penalty associated with NOx adsorber regeneration. The pre-cat, NOx adsorber regenerating aftertreatment system of the present invention may be used with any suitable control system.

Precat-NOx adsorber exhaust aftertreatment system for internal combustion engines

In an internal combustion engine a fuel-air mixture having compression temperatures and pressures sufficiently low as not to support auto ignition, ignition is achieved by injecting igniting active radicals into the air-fuel mixture. In one embodiment the active radicals are provided by withdrawing a portion of the mixture, treating it to produce active radicals in the portion and returning the portion to the mixture. Treatment of the portion typically includes simultaneously injecting, mixing, and compression of a predetermined amount of pilot fuel within the portion.

Active radical initiator for internal combustion engines

The invention provides a NOx adsorber aftertreatment system for internal combustion engines which utilizes a plasma fuel converter operatively coupled to at least one NOx adsorber to aid in the regeneration of the NOx adsorber. Fuel and engine exhaust is injected into a plasma fuel converter upstream of a NOx absorber producing reductant such as H, and CO, which are inlet into the NOx absorber. Reductants such as Hand CO acting along and together help to efficiently regenerate the NOx Adsorber which in turn releases exhausts products such as COand N. Using the reductants generated by the plasma fuel converter NOx adsorbers, catalytic soot filter, and the like can be regenerated at exhaust temperatures less than 250&#xb0; C. The plasma fuel converter, NOx adsorber regenerating aftertreatment system of the present invention may be used with any suitable control system.

Plasma fuel converter NOx adsorber system for exhaust aftertreatment

The present invention provides for a system and process for enhancing internal combustion engine aftertreatment applications by superheated fuel injection. The system includes a fuel supply upstream of a fuel injector of an aftertreatment application. The system also includes a heater for heating the fuel in the fuel supply. A temperature controller can be used to maintain the heated fuel in a liquid form. When liquid fuel in the pressurized fuel supply is heated, then upon exiting the injector the pressure of the fuel drops rapidly, resulting in atomization of the liquid. The vaporized fuel thereby produced is comprised of extremely small droplets and is elevated in temperature, which reduces the possibility of condensation on internal surfaces of the aftertreatment system. This fine droplet size and resistance to condensation enhances the NOx conversion efficiency of adsorbers. Problems related to premature aging of catalysts and fuel penalties can also be reduced.

System and method for enhancing internal combustion engine aftertreatment applications by superheated fuel injection

The present invention provides for adsorber catalysts arranged in parallel. The exhaust flow from the engine is divided in a predetermined ratio between the two catalysts during lean operation (e.g. 50-50). At a predetermined regeneration time (for example, when the adsorber catalyst is 20% full), the exhaust gas flow is reduced through the parallel leg that is to be regenerated (e.g. 20-80). A quantity of hydrocarbon is injected into the reduced-flow leg in order to make the mixture rich. Once the leg has been regenerated, the flow distribution between the parallel legs is reversed, and the other catalyst leg is regenerated while the other side (which is now clean) receives the majority of the exhaust flow. Once both catalyst legs have been regenerated, the exhaust flow is adjusted back to normal (e.g. 50-50) until the catalysts are again ready for regeneration and reduction. A catalytic soot filter is positioned downstream from the adsorber. The heat generated by the regenerating adsorber is transferred downstream to the soot filter, thereby heating the soot filter above the temperature required for regeneration. Additionally, any hydrocarbon that slips through the adsorber is burned in the catalytic soot filter, further raising the temperature. Such burning of the hydrocarbon slip in the catalytic soot filter obviates the need for a diesel oxidation catalyst, thereby reducing system cost and package size.

Adsorber aftertreatment system having downstream soot filter

Exhaust flow from an internal combustion engine is divided in a predetermined ratio between two adsorber catalysts arranged in parallel during lean operation. A regeneration cycle time is predetermined and regeneration is accomplished by injecting hydrocarbons into a catalyst leg having a reduced exhaust flow. Upon regeneration of the catalyst, the exhaust gas flow distribution is reversed and the opposite catalyst is regenerated while the regenerated catalyst bears the brunt of the exhaust flow. The exhaust flow then reverts to a normal (e.g. 50&mdash;50) flow distribution until another regeneration cycle is warranted. A catalytic soot filter placed upstream of each adsorber is also regenerated by hydrocarbon injection. The addition of the catalytic soot filter provides more time and surface area for the hydrocarbon to react with the oxygen. Some of the diesel fuel is reformulated into hydrogen and carbon monoxide for superior regeneration.

Adsorber aftertreatment system having dual soot filters

A pressure-responsive spring-biased cutoff valve for an open nozzle unit fuel injector in an internal combustion engine is provided allowing for the selective operation of a given number of cylinders during an engine low load or idling speed condition for improved white smoke control. The fuel injector of the present invention includes an injector body having a central bore with a reciprocating injector plunger positioned therein to form an injection chamber. The injection chamber is supplied with fuel from a supply passage through a metering orifice with the fuel cutoff valve located in the supply passage upstream of and adjacent to the metering orifice and in close proximity to the injection chamber for a substantial reduction in the entry of combustion gases and other unwanted substances into the fuel supply.

Fuel cutoff for better transient control

A cam for controlling the injection rate of fuel in a fuel injection system having a four part cam profile is disclosed. The first 120.degree. is the plunger advancement segment. The next 80.degree. is the advanced dwell segment. The next 100.degree. is the plunger retraction segment and the last 60.degree. is the retracted dwell segment. The plunger advancement segment is divided into three subsegments: pre-injection stroke, injection stroke, and overtravel stroke. The pre-injection subsegment achieves minimum velocity and acceleration at the start of injection. In the injection subsegment, the cam follower acceleration is achieved as rapidly as can Hertz stress permits to increase the injection pressure and to achieve the maximum injection rate. The overtravel subsegment achieves a sharp and clean end of injection. Preferably, this cam causes injection of less than 20 mm.sup.3 of fuel per stroke during the first ten cam angle degrees of cam rotation. The injection pressure and the amount of injection are reduced at the beginning of injection, timing is advanced, and optimal control over the rate of fuel injection is provided.

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Columbus, IN, United States of America

Robert C Yu