Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

University of Michigan

Rodney Brewer Rask

Paul M Najt

Tang-Wei Kuo

James A Eng

Zoran S Filipi

Dionissios N Assanis

Edward D Klomp

Orgun A Guralp

Roger B Krieger

Andreas M Lippert

Mark A Hoffman

Madhusudan Raghavan

Norman K Bucknor

Alan G Holmes

Bahram Khalighi

Zongxuan Sun

David J Cleary

Paul E Reinke

Sherif Hussein El Tahry

William B Rush, Ii

Arun S Solomon

Mark A Theobald

Gerald Andrew Szekely, Jr

Edward G Groff

Yangbing Zeng

David L Reuss

Robert A Bolton

Arun Sushilkumar Paulraj Solomon

Aristotelis Babajimopoulos

George Lavoie

A hybrid powertrain system includes reciprocating free-piston internal combustion engines, each including a linear alternator device configured to generate electric power. A control module determines mechanical and electrical power demands responsive to an operator torque request and a state of charge of an energy storage device. The control module operates the torque machine to generate an output torque responsive to the mechanical power demands and operates the reciprocating free-piston internal combustion engines to generate electric power responsive to the electrical power demands.

Hybrid powertrain system using free piston linear alternator engines

A powertrain is provided having an engine operable in a reverse direction so that a reverse mode is provided through an electrically variable transmission without relying on pure electric or series electric operation, and without the addition of a dedicated reverse gear. A method of controlling such a powertrain is also provided.

Hybrid powertrain with reversing engine and method of control

A method to control combustion in an HCCI engine, to mitigate effects of combustion chamber deposits is detailed. The method comprises applying a specific surface coating to a combustion chamber surface. The surface coating has thermal properties substantially similar to the combustion chamber deposits. The thermal properties preferably include a) thermal conductivity, b) heat capacity, and c) thermal diffusivity. Applying a surface coating results in a reduction of combustion variability due to variation in combustion chamber deposits, and an improvement on combustion stability at low loads due to reduced heat loss. A preferred thermally insulating surface coating includes thermal parameters of a heat capacity in a range of 0.03&#xd7;10J/m-K to 2.0&#xd7;10J/m-K; a thermal conductivity in a range of 0.25 W/m-K to 2.5 W/m-K; and, a thermal diffusivity in a range of 1&#xd7;10m/s to 8&#xd7;10m/s.

Method to improve combustion stability in a controlled auto-ignition combustion engine

A fuel injector has a spray nozzle with a plurality of spray discharge orifices, each of which has an elongated cross-section having a major axis orientable to a center electrode of a spark plug in the combustion chamber.

Fuel injector

A method to dynamically determine a parametric value for combustion chamber deposits (CCD), e.g. in a controlled auto-ignition engine, including in-situ evaluation of thickness of CCD, based on a sensor which monitors combustion in a homogeneous charge compression ignition engine. It includes a temperature sensor operative to monitor the combustion chamber, and a CCD parameter that is based upon a peak combustion temperature measured at a crank angle. A CCD parameter can also be determined utilizing an in-cylinder pressure monitor, wherein a combustion chamber deposit parameter is based upon crank angle location of a peak in-cylinder pressure parameter.

Method and apparatus to determine magnitude of combustion chamber deposits

A power system includes a device configured to store pressurized fuel. An air motor having an air motor output member is in fluid communication with the storage device, and is configured to transfer the mechanical energy of the fuel to the air motor output member. A chemical energy conversion system is in fluid communication with the air motor to receive fuel therefrom. The chemical energy conversion system is configured to convert the chemical energy of the fuel to another form of energy, such as mechanical energy or electrical energy. The power system of the invention recovers at least some of the energy expended in compressing fuel in the storage device

Energy recovery system

The invention comprises an engine system that is selectively operative in an auto-ignition combustion mode. A control module monitors engine operating states and control engine operation. A control subsystem controls engine operation based upon the monitored engine operating states. The control subsystem operates the engine in the auto-ignition combustion mode, and determines an effective temperature of the cylinder structure of the internal combustion engine based upon the engine operating conditions. An engine operating point is determined. A feed-forward control scheme is executed based upon the effective temperature of the cylinder structure and the engine operating point. The effective temperature of the cylinder structure is determined by monitoring engine power for an elapsed period of time.

Method and apparatus for engine control during auto-ignition combustion

A control system and method to dynamically determine a parametric value for combustion chamber deposits (CCD), e.g. in a controlled auto-ignition engine, including in-situ evaluation of thickness of CCD, based on a sensor which monitors combustion. It includes a temperature sensor operative to monitor the combustion chamber, and a CCD parameter that is based upon a peak combustion temperature measured at a crank angle. A CCD parameter can also be determined utilizing an in-cylinder pressure monitor, wherein a combustion chamber deposit parameter is based upon crank angle location of a peak in-cylinder pressure parameter.

A method and apparatus for controlling engine operation to compensate for effects of combustion chamber deposits (CCDs) on combustion in a controlled auto-ignition engine is presented. Control methodologies comprise operation of variable valve actuation, fuel injection, spark timing, and intake air and coolant temperature to dynamically compensate for the effect of CCDs. A sensitivity to core gas temperature and chamber wall thermal conditions is shown, which is correlatable to in-cylinder CCD formation. Intake charge or coolant temperature control can be used to compensate for CCD effects. An engine control scheme relies upon a parametric input that quantifies instantaneous CCD formation in the combustion chamber. The result is further applicable to control pre-ignition in a conventional spark-ignition engine.

Method and apparatus to operate a homogeneous charge compression-ignition engine

Electro-hydraulic engine valve actuation system providing an actuator and an actuator control system. The actuator includes primary and secondary actuation chambers, defined by a piston, connected to the engine valve, and characterized by increasing and correspondingly decreasing chamber volumes, as the piston is urged away from neutral position. A fluid inlet is connected to a flow control valve. A control valve includes an actuator, and has flow states for controlling flow between two fluid inlets and a fluid outlet. The control valve includes first and second opposed, control chambers, each connected to the actuator. There is a spring in the second control chamber. The actuator of the flow control valve is controlled to a first and second state, and there is an electrically uncontrolled third flow state. There is a pair of temperature-compensated orifices which create internal feedback, with the control chambers, between the engine valve motion and the control valve position.

Electro-hydraulic engine valve actuation

An engine employs a dual mode combustion process including a first combustion mode for light loads utilizing premixed charge forced auto ignition (PCFA) wherein a pulse jet of reacting fuel mixture from a prechamber mixes with an ultra dilute premixed fuel-air charge in a main chamber, causing rapidly expanding combustion that ignites the remaining ultra dilute mixture by compression ignition. This improves efficiency, allows combustion phasing control and reduced NOx emissions. For higher speeds and loads, a conventional second combustion mode is utilized wherein a strong premixed mixture is ignited conventionally with spark ignition and/or pulse jet ignition. Cylinder pressures which would result from compression ignition at the higher speeds and loads are thus reduced providing overall engine operation with reduced emissions, improved fuel economy, and reduced noise through improved control of the combustion process.

Dual mode engine combustion process

The present invention provides a fuel injector mounted on a side of a combustion chamber and delivers an ovalized fuel spray toward an oblong piston bowl of the chamber. The ovality of the spray is selected in relation to the oblong piston bowl and the motion of the combustion chamber air charge during the piston compression stroke to maintain the fuel charge within the piston bowl volume (including the space above the bowl) during compression and combustion of the fuel charge in the chamber. The shape of the oval spray may be adjusted as desired. In a specific embodiment, the ovality of the fuel spray indicated by the ratio of the major dimension to the minor dimension is in the range of about 2/1 to 4/1 for delivery into an oblong piston bowl with an ovality of about 1.2/1 to 1.5/1.

Spark ignition direct injection engine with oval fuel spray into oblong piston bowl

An internal combustion engine has a mechanism to control the compression ratio of the combustion chamber. The mechanism includes an eccentric journal bearing supporting each piston rod on the crankshaft of the engine. The journal bearing has a gear member secured thereto that meshes with an inner toothed profile of a ring gear which has an outer toothed profile that meshes with an engine-driven gear. The speed of the engine-driven gear is controllable through a differential gear mechanism to adjust the relative position of the eccentricity of the journal bearing relative to the crank throw on which it is supported. This will change the compression ratio of the combustion chamber of the engine. The mechanism, with a modification, can also be employed to control the maximum compression pressure or the maximum combustion pressure in the combustion chambers of engine.

Variable compression ratio control system for an internal combustion engine

Combinations of split and valved exhaust ports are provided in a ported two cycle engine with divided emission control system to provide better control of the division of exhaust gas flow to the two converters.

Two cycle engine catalytic emission control

A two cycle engine wherein the scavenging gas is heated at low loads to improve scavenging. The gas may be heated by passage through finned passages in heat exchange relation with the exhaust ports with valves to direct the flow through unheated passages during higher load operation.

Growing community of inventors

Grosse Pointe Woods, MI, United States of America

Rodney Brewer Rask