Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Ford Motor Company Limited

Robert Jay Natkin

William Francis Stockhausen

Joseph Robert Theis

Siamak Hashemi

Xiaoguo Tang

Lowell A Reams

Bret Allen Oltmans

Gopichandra Surnilla

David Karl Bidner

Shane Elwart

Brad Alan Boyer

V Durga Rao

Daniel M Kabat

Walt Joseph Ortmann

Thomas John Heater

Adam Denlinger

August Thomas Vaught

John Edmond Allison

Arun Jaura

Jaswant-Jas S Dhillon

Yin Chen

Douglas David Cantrell, Jr

Grant K Tappen

Tony Grabowski

Edward Jih

Steve Szwabowski

Joy Adair Hines

Dietmar Peiskammer

Donald Cameron Bingham

Gregory E Schafer

Systems and methods for converting engine heat energy to electricity using a thermoelectric conversion device are provided herein. One example system may include an engine heat source, a thermoelectric conversion device for converting heat into electricity, and a heat pipe. The heat pipe is positioned so that when the temperature of the engine exhaust is too high, the excess heat may be transferred away from the thermoelectric conversion device to the heat sink via the heat pipe.

Engine exhaust system having a thermoelectric conversion device and a heat pipe

A hydrogen-powered hybrid powertrain system includes a hydrogen-fuelled internal combustion engine operating at a lean air/fuel mixture, and a supercharger for boosting a primary drive torque produced by the engine primarily over a high operating speed range. An electric motor/generator generates a secondary drive torque for the vehicle, such that the secondary drive torque complements the boosted primary drive torque over at least a low operating speed range of the powertrain. A disconnect clutch disposed between the engine and the motor/generator engages and disengages the engine from the motor/generator, and serves to transfer the boosted primary driver torque through the motor/generator and to a power transmission system. The input at the power transmission is thus a combination of the boosted primary drive torque and the secondary drive torque having an enhanced torque characteristic over at least the low operating speed range.

Hydrogen fuelled hybrid powertrain and vehicle

A crank shaft support assembly for increasing stiffness and reducing thermal mismatch distortion in a crank shaft bore of an engine comprising different materials. A cylinder block comprises a first material and at least two crank journal inserts are insert-molded into respective crank journal regions of the cylinder block and comprise a second material having greater stiffness and a lower thermal coefficient of expansion that the first material. At least two bearing caps are bolted to the respective crank journal inserts and define, along with the crank journal inserts, at least two crank shaft support rings defining a crank shaft bore coaxially aligned with a crank shaft axis. The bearing caps comprise a material having higher stiffness and a lower thermal coefficient of expansion than the first material and are supported on the respective crank journal inserts independently of any direct connection to the cylinder block.

Crank shaft support assembly

A system and method for limiting HC, CO, CO, and NOemissions in an internal combustion engine is provided. According to one aspect of the disclosure, a substantially carbon-free fuel, such as hydrogen (H), is used to fuel combustion in an internal combustion engine. The internal combustion engine is operated, at least some of the time, at an equivalence ratio less than 1 and a boost pressure ratio greater than 1.

Boost control for internal combustion engine using substantially carbon-free fuel

A hydrogen fueled reciprocating spark ignition engine includes a fuel system for providing gaseous hydrogen to the cylinders of the engine and a lean NOx trap coupled to the engine for treating the engine's exhaust. A controller determines when to purge the lean NOx trap and provides gaseous hydrogen to the lean NOx trap during purging by operating the engine fuel rich or injecting hydrogen upstream of the lean NOx trap.

Hydrogen fueled spark ignition engine

A hydrogen fueled reciprocating spark ignition engine includes a fuel system for providing gaseous hydrogen to the cylinders of the engine and a lean NOx trap coupled to the engine for treating the engine's exhaust. An EGR system provides recirculated exhaust gas to the engine, and a controller operates the fuel system and EGR system during periodic purging of the lean NOx trap such that the engine is operated fuel rich, with the mass of EGR approximating 40%-80% of the mass of air and fuel.

An automotive engine has a charge air conditioning system, including a charge booster, and a first intercooler for transferring heat from charge air flowing from the booster. The first intercooler transfers heat from the charge air to ambient air, and a second intercooler downstream from the first intercooler further reduces the heat content of the charge air by transferring heat from the charge air to a refrigerated fluid. An engine control module controls the engine's spark timing and fuel charge as a function of at least the amount of air charge cooling provided by the second intercooler. The present engine is particularly well adapted to operate on gaseous hydrogen fuel.

Engine charge air conditioning system with multiple intercoolers

A crankcase ventilation system for an internal combustion engine includes a first valve for controlling air flow into the engine's crankcase, a second valve for controlling air flow out of the crankcase, and a separator for receiving air flowing from the second valve and for removing oil entrained in the air. The first and second valves may be spring-operated valves, such as reed valves.

Crankcase ventilation system for a hydrogen fueled engine

A system for an automobile has a compressed fuel source ( ) having a first fuel pressure. An expansion device ( ) is coupled to the compressed fuel source ( ) and reduces the first pressure to a second pressure lower than the first pressure. The expansion device ( ) generates a first quantity of work and forms a reduced pressure fuel. A chemical energy conversion engine ( ) is coupled to the expansion device ( ) and receives a reduced pressure fuel. The chemical energy conversion engine ( ) generates a second quantity of work in response to the decompressed fuel. In one aspect of the invention, the first quantity of work and the second quantity of work may be coupled to an output shaft ( ) such as the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine. In another aspect of the invention, the first quantity of work may be coupled to an accessory ( ) either directly or indirectly. Indirect coupling may, for example, be performed using an accessory drive belt of the internal combustion engine.

Hydrogen engine apparatus with energy recovery

A ventilation system ( ) is provided to prevent the buildup of gaseous fuel within the vehicle upon degradation of the performance of the various parts within the fuel distribution system. The vehicle ( ) has a combustible gas fuel source within the vehicle. The ventilation system includes a fuel line ( ) coupling the engine ( ) and the gas source. A vent line ( ) is coupled to a vent. A pressure regulator ( ) and pressure relief valve ( ) are coupled between fuel line ( ) and vent line. When either or both the pressure regulator ( ) or relief valve ( ) become inoperable, gaseous fuel is coupled to the vent line.

Vent system for gaseous fueled vehicle

An automotive type engine valvetrain rocker arm is constructed with a hydraulic lash adjusting assembly, with the mass of the adjusting assembly being closely adjacent the pivot axis of the rocker arm to minimize the rotational moment of inertia of the rocker arm.

Low inertia rocker arm with lash adjuster and engine valve

A valve lifter of the roller type formed of a lightweight metal preferably aluminum or magnesium alloy. A roller formed of a wear resistant ceramic material is rotatably secured to the valve lifter. The wear/bearing surfaces of the valve lifter are impregnated with a solid film lubricant to provide reduced friction during operation.

Valve lifter

A valve timing device for an internal combustion engine includes a hub with an internal helical groove which engages a tracking post extending from a cylindrical surface of a crankshaft. A locking cap is placed at the outer end of the crankshaft spaced apart from the hub with a compression spring wrapped about the crankshaft between the hub and the locking cap. A sprocket is keyed onto the hub and trained about a chain which is drivingly trained about a conventional camshaft. As the crankshaft speed is increased, inertial loads of the camshaft causes the sprocket and hub to rotate relative to the crankshaft which axially moves the hub a predetermined amount along the crankshaft to compress the spring until the resilient forces of the spring counterbalances the inertia forces of the camshaft. As the hub is angularly positioned, the camshaft becomes angularly retarded relative to the crankshaft such that the valve operation is delayed with respect to the piston operation as the engine speed increases.

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Canton, MI, United States of America

Robert Jay Natkin