Southwest Research Institute

Terrence F Alger, Iii

Jess Witman Gingrich

Manfred Amann

Christopher James Chadwell

Charles Edward Roberts, Jr

Yilun Luo

Raphael Gukelberger

Scott R Hotz

Daniel William Stewart

Gordon J J Bartley

Shinhyuk Joo

Ronnie E Randolph

Stephen F Hahne

A system and method for generating microwaves for microwave enhanced combustion (MEC) input to an MEC antenna of an internal combustion engine. The system uses a directional coupler to deliver the MEC input signal to the MEC antenna and to receive a reflected power signal from the MEC antenna. A feedback path determines a desired frequency, based on the reflected power and using an impedance-matching controller that matches the reflected power to a desired frequency value. Additional inputs, such as various engine conditions, can also be used to determine the desired frequency.

Microwave enhanced combustion with feedback frequency control for dynamic impedance matching

A cooling system and method of using a cooling system for an engine equipped with an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system. A pump provides pressure for circulating liquid through the cooling system. The cooling system has two loops: an engine cooling loop and an EGR cooling loop. The engine cooling loop cools the engine in a conventional manner. The EGR cooling loop goes first to an EGR cooler and next to an oil cooler. The heat exchange at the EGR cooler results in warmed coolant being delivered to the oil cooler, where it warms engine oil. Warm-up time for engine oil is thereby decreased.

System and method to decrease warmup time of coolant and engine oil in engine equipped with cooled EGR

The present disclosure is directed at a ruthenium based catalyst for NOx reduction. More specifically, ruthenium based catalysts are used for NOx reduction in an internal combustion engine to reduce NOto nitrogen, at relatively high conversion and selectivity, using carbon monoxide and hydrogen as reductants. The ruthenium based catalyst has particular utility in exhaust gas recirculation such as in dedicated exhaust gas recirculation (D-EGR) systems.

Ruthenium based catalysts for NOx reduction

A method for improving ignition of a spark ignited internal combustion engine by controlling the composition of recirculated exhaust gas. It is assumed that the engine has a spark ignition system and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) loop such that at least one of the combustion cylinders is an EGR cylinder that generates an EGR stream carried by the EGR loop. Thus, the combustion charge is a mixture of air, fuel and recirculated exhaust. A first step is receiving combustibility data representing the current ignitability of the charge. It is then determined whether the energy of the ignition system is sufficient to ignite the charge. If not, the amount of hydrogen in the EGR stream is increased, which increases the ignitability of the charge.

Ignition and knock tolerance in internal combustion engine by controlling EGR composition

A method of providing exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) to an air-boosted internal combustion engine. The engine has both a high pressure EGR loop and a low pressure EGR loop. Each EGR loop has a valve that controls the amount of EGR that is delivered to the engine intake from that loop. During low-speed engine conditions, more EGR is delivered to the engine intake from the low pressure EGR loop than from the high pressure EGR loop. During high-speed engine conditions, more EGR is delivered to the engine intake from the high pressure EGR loop than from the low pressure EGR loop.

Dual path (low pressure loop and high pressure loop) EGR for improved air boosting efficiency

Various methods and systems may be used to provide recirculated engine exhaust to an engine of a hybrid powertrain. It is assumed that the engine is equipped with a dedicated EGR loop. At least one cylinder is operated as a dedicated exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cylinder, such that all exhaust of that cylinder is recirculated to the fresh air intake of the engine via the EGR loop. One or more cylinders are operated as main cylinders, such that exhaust from those cylinders exits the engine to the atmosphere. The engine itself is operable for at least part of its operation in a decoupled mode in which the dedicated EGR cylinder is mechanically decoupled from the engine crankshaft. During this decoupled mode, the dedicated EGR cylinder powers a generator. The main cylinders are operable exclusively to provide power to the crankshaft.

Powertrain for hybrid vehicle having dedicated EGR

Methods and a related system of preventing a pre-ignition event in a spark ignition engine. Unusual crankcase pressure fluctuations often occur prior to a Low-Speed Pre-Ignition (LSPI) event. A high speed high resolution pressure transducer () attached to the crankcase () of an engine () takes a plurality of engine crankcase pressure measurements and relays these measurements to an engine control module (). The pressure measurements are analyzed to determine if unusual pressure fluctuations within the crankcase are occurring. If so, one or more engine control parameters are adjusted in order to mitigate a LSPI event. Various engine control parameters may be adjusted including fuel injection, engine load and combustion timing.

Method and related system of using crankcase pressure to to detect pre-ignition in spark ignition engine

A method of decreasing the light-off time of a catalytic exhaust aftertreatment device, using exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) in a turbocharged internal combustion engine. The engine has at least one 'dedicated EGR cylinder', whose entire exhaust is recirculated back to all the engine cylinders. The dedicated EGR cylinder(s) may be operated to produce a differently compositioned exhaust gas than the other cylinders. During light-off, EGR gas is optimized for heat, diverted from the EGR loop and routed to a point directly upstream the aftertreatment device.

Catalyst light-off for turbocharged internal combustion engine having dedicated EGR cylinder(s)

A method of improving the combustion of a spark-ignition internal combustion engine. Such engines have at least one cylinder, each cylinder having a compression chamber and operated such that an air-fuel mixture introduced into the combustion chamber is ignited to cause a combustion event. An antenna is placed within the combustion chamber, and is used to apply electromagnetic energy to the combustion.

Enhanced combustion for spark ignition engine using electromagnetic energy coupling

A method using exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) in an internal combustion engine. The engine has at least one 'dedicated EGR cylinder', whose entire exhaust is recirculated back to all the engine cylinders. The dedicated EGR cylinder is operated at a rich air-fuel ratio, and the other cylinders are operated stoichiometrically so that a conventional three way catalyst may be used to treat the exhaust. A fuel injector is used to inject fuel into the combustion chamber of the dedicated EGR cylinder after initiation of the main combustion event. This post injection method overcomes flammability limits of a dedicated EGR cylinder, and increases the hydrogen (H2) and carbon monoxide (CO) in its exhaust.

Fuel injection strategy for internal combustion engine having dedicated EGR cylinders

A method and system for controlling recirculated exhaust gas composition and quantity provided to an internal combustion engine, which has one or more separately controllable combustion cylinders, a main exhaust line and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) loop. A first exhaust valve is connected to the main exhaust line, and a second exhaust valve is connected to the EGR loop. The operation of the exhaust valves is controlled such that exhaust does not flow through both exhaust valves at the same time. Control of the exhaust valves is coordinated with the main fueling event used to control the exhaust composition exiting each valve for every cylinder on every cycle. During each engine cycle, a post-combustion fuel injection event is also used to add fuel to the exhaust in-cylinder, which flows only through the second (EGR) exhaust valve.

EGR control in engine equipped with cylinders having dual exhaust valves

The disclosure provides a method of detecting and inhibiting an abnormal combustion event in an internal combustion engine, comprising operating the internal combustion engine to produce exhaust gas from the cylinder at a break mean effective pressure greater than or equal to 10 bars at a speed less than or equal to 2,000 revolutions per minute; monitoring the exhaust gas from the cylinder with an oxygen sensor while the internal combustion engine undergoes a pre-ignition combustion event; obtaining an output from the oxygen sensor, the output from the oxygen sensor providing an indicator of the pre-ignition combustion event; and adjusting at least one operating parameter of the internal combustion engine in response to the output of the oxygen sensor, wherein the at least one operating parameter is adjusted to inhibit an occurrence of a subsequent pre-ignition combustion event.

Methods and apparatus to detect and inhibit low-speed pre-ignition in an engine

A system and method for controlling the viscosity of liquid fuel delivered from a fuel tank to the fuel injectors of an internal combustion engine. A viscosity sensor is placed in the fuel line, or in a bypass fuel line, in close proximity downstream the fuel injectors. A heat exchanger is placed on the fuel line downstream the sensor. The sensor is a rotating cylinder having a nominal rotation velocity, and is configured to rotate such that the nominal rotation velocity increases or decreases in response to fuel viscosity. The sensor delivers a measurement signal to a control unit, which performs a closed loop algorithm to adjust the heat provided by the heat exchanger until the measured rotation matches a target rotation.

Closed loop control of fuel viscosity in multi-fuel engine

The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for the evaluation of non-fuel components within a selected fuel with respect to engine knock performance. A non-fuel component such as a lubricant oil is now evaluated to determine onset of engine knock relative to baseline oil formulations that indicate relative low reactivity and optimum engine performance and those engine oils that exhibit relatively high reactivity and sub-optimum engine performance.

Evaluation of non-fuel components on engine knock performance

A method for identifying a lubricant composition that reduces the propensity for knock in an engine. The lubricant composition is mixed with a solvent to reduce the viscosity of the lubricant composition, thereby forming a lubricant-solvent mixture having a viscosity similar to or less than that of engine fuel. A sample of a lubricant-solvent mixture is then subjected to a constant volume combustion test to determine the reactivity associated with the lubricant-solvent mixture. The test is repeated for a range of lubricant-solvent ratios, and statistical methods are used to calculate the reactivity of the lubricant composition without solvent.

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San Antonio, TX, United States of America

Terrence F Alger, Iii