Southwest Research Institute

Other

Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Rudolf Hermann Stanglmaier

Charles Edward Roberts, Jr

Lee Gene Dodge

Daniel William Stewart

Thomas W Ryan, Iii

Daniel W Dickey

Darius Mehta

Ryan C Roecker

David Pratt Branyon

George Carver Davis

Christopher James Chadwell

Robert Wayne Burrahm

Ronald D Matthews

John Thomas Kubesh

Jimell Erwin

Wengang Dai

Timothy Joseph Callahan

Andrew C Matheaus

James Corwin Snyder

Charles E Roberts

Jeffrey A Leet

Matthew E Schulman

A fuel for a homogeneous charge compression ignition engine having a 95 V % distilled temperature by boiling point measurement in the range of about 35.degree. C. to about 350.degree. C., a cetane number in the range of about 2 to about 120, and an octane number in the range of 10 to about 110. The invention also relates to a method of operating a homogeneous charge compression ignition engine of mixing a fuel with air and feeding the fuel into a combustion chamber.

Fuels for homogenous charge compression ignition engines

A system and method for providing exhaust gas to an EGR-equipped lean burn diesel engine (the primary engine). The exhaust gas is provided by a secondary internal combustion device, whose configuration, thermal cycle, and operating conditions may be different from that of the primary engine. The secondary internal combustion device may receive recirculated exhaust gas, fresh air, or some combination of both.

Secondary internal combustion device for providing exhaust gas to EGR-equipped engine

A method for controlling the temperature and/or space velocity of exhaust gas provides control of the maximum temperature of the exhaust gas to prevent thermal damage to the Diesel engine components and associated aftertreatment devices during regeneration of the aftertreatment devices. The method includes controlling intake and/or exhaust valve opening timing and duration, either singly or in combination with selective individual cylinder cutout, in response to sensed engine operating parameters.

Method for controlling exhaust gas temperature and space velocity during regeneration to protect temperature sensitive diesel engine components and aftertreatment devices

Fuel temperature management is used to control the penetration distance of liquid-phase fuel into the combustion chamber of direct injection engines. Fuel temperature management enables the alteration of liquid-phase penetration distance to compensate for real-time changes in fuel composition, injector geometry, injection pressure, combustion mode, or combustion chamber thermodynamic conditions during engine operation. Alteration of the liquid-phase penetration distance prevents or reduces undesirable liquid fuel impingement on combustion chamber surfaces.

Method and apparatus for controlling liquid-phase fuel penetration distance in a direct-fuel injected engine

A method applicable to lean-burn combustion engines uses excess air from previous engine cycles in a reburning process to provide exhaust gases characteristic of stoichiometric combustion. Stoichiometric combustion products are particularly useful for use by conventional emissions aftertreatment devices to reduce NO, CO, and unburned hydrocarbons carried in the exhaust stream.

In-cylinder reburn method for emissions reduction

A heavy-duty flame propagation engine has control systems and exhaust aftertreatment systems adapted to provide ultra-low emissions relative to Diesel engines while achieving comparable fuel consumption at reduced emission levels. The control systems include exhaust gas circulation, variable valve actuation, cylinder deactivation, pilot fuel injection, high energy ignition systems and combinations thereof to provide substantially stoichiometric combustion conditions over an entire load range of the engine. In one embodiment, the engine has direct in-cylinder fuel injection, is adapted for lean air-fuel mixture operation, and includes an oxidation catalyst and a lean NOx adsorber.

High-efficiency, low emission gasoline engines for heavy-duty applications

A method for controlling the temperature and/or space velocity of exhaust gas passing through an aftertreatment device disposed in the exhaust system of a diesel engine provides an optimal environment for efficient conversion of NOx and undesirable emissions during transient and steady state engine operation. The method includes controlling intake and/or exhaust valve timing, either singly or in combination with fuel injection timing and selective individual cylinder cutout, in response to sensed engine operating parameters.

Use of a variable valve actuation system to control the exhaust gas temperature and space velocity of aftertreatment system feedgas

A very high efficiency NO aftertreatment system is provided for use in lean burn engines. A lean NO adsorber is synergistically combined with a selective catalytic reduction catalyst to use the ammonia formed within the NO adsorber, during regeneration of the NO adsorber while periodically operating the engine in a fuel-rich combustion mode, to reduce NO remaining in the exhaust gas stream after passage through the NO adsorber during normal operation of the engine in a lean burn combustion mode.

NOx aftertreatment system and method for internal combustion engines

A method and apparatus for operating a diesel engine under stoichiometric or slightly fuel-rich conditions, as is often necessary to maintain effective operation of certain post-combustion emission reduction devices, such as Lean NOx Traps, includes a readily vaporizable fuel injection nozzle disposed in the intake manifold system in communication with a combustion chamber of the diesel engine. The readily vaporizable fuel mixes with the intake air and produces a mixture of pre-mixed air and fuel when introduced into the combustion chamber. A diesel fuel, which is directly injected into the combustion chamber through a conventional diesel fuel injection nozzle. Combustion of the pre-mixed air and readily vaporizable fuel, with controlled injected of the diesel fuel, reduces the particulate matter (soot) emissions when operating the engine under the necessary stoichiometric or slightly fuel-rich conditions.

Method and apparatus for operating a diesel engine under stoichiometric or slightly fuel-rich conditions

Timing of the combustion event in an homogenous-charge compression-ignition engine is controlled by adjusting the reactivity of the fuel, or of the fuel/air mixture inducted into the combustion chamber of the engine, thereby providing a means of controlling the combustion phasing. When the mixture is made more reactive, combustion occurs earlier in the cycle, and when the mixture reactivity is decreased, the reaction phasing is retarded. In the present invention, the reactivity of the intake charge is regulated in one embodiment by using a catalytic reaction in the intake system to partially, oxidize the intake mixture. In another embodiment, fuel reactivity is adjusted by passing a portion of the fuel through a catalyst or a non-thermal plasma generator prior to injection into the engine. In still another illustrated embodiment, an additive is controllably added to the fuel prior to injection into the engine to increase or decrease fuel reactivity.

Method and apparatus for controlling combustion timing in an homogenous-charge compression-ignition engine

A fuel injection system and method to reduce NOx and smoke emissions from a compression ignition engine by co-injecting water and an oxygenated fuel during steady state and transient engine conditions.

Oxygenated fuel plus water injection for emissions control in compression ignition engines

A high efficiency compression ignition after-treatment system of a combustion engine includes a first combustion chamber adapted to reciprocatably receive a first piston assembly and a second combustion chamber adapted to reciprocatably receive a second piston assembly. A combustion exhaust passage is coupled between the first and the second combustion chambers. A fuel passage may be connected to the first combustion chamber, and a fuel passage connected to the second combustion chamber. A processed exhaust passage is coupled to the second combustion chamber for receiving the processed exhaust therethrough. A fuel injector is coupled to the second combustion chamber. A three-way catalyst has an inlet coupled to the processed exhaust passage and an outlet coupled to an exhaust passage. An exhaust gas oxygen sensor is connected to the processed exhaust passage. A fuel controller is coupled to the fuel injector and the exhaust gas oxygen sensor.

High efficiency compression ignition aftertreatment devices for combined use of lean-burn combustion systems and three-way catalysts

Engine operating parameters are monitored during each combustion cycle of a diesel engine, and changes in engine load demand are sensed. In response to sensing a change in engine load demand, an engine operating condition indicative of either a high smoke or a high NOx condition, or both, is determined, and water is co-injected with fuel during the transient period in which there is a high smoke or high NOx condition, or both. The co-injection of water and fuel is terminated when it is determined that there is no longer an engine operating condition during the transient period indicative of either a high smoke or a high NOx condition.

Method of water/fuel co-injection for emissions control during transient operating conditions of a diesel engine

At least two separate fuels, having different volatility characteristics, are used to control the combustion phasing in a compression ignition engine. Desirably, the separate fuels are produced by distillation by which a parent fuel is separated into separate fractions having different reactivity. The provision multiple fuels by distillation and the control method embodying the present invention are particularly useful in controlling the combustion phasing of homogenous charge compression ignition combustion processes.

Method for controlling compression ignition combustion

Hydrocarbon emissions from direct injected spark ignition engines are reduced as a result of post-flame oxidation by a catalytic material deposited on the top of a piston disposed in the engine.

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San Antonio, TX, United States of America

Rudolf Hermann Stanglmaier