Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Ford Global Technologies, Llc, a Subsidary of Ford Motor Company

Ulrich Kramer

Bernd Steiner

Klemens Grieser

Patrick Phlips

Klemens Greiser

Ross Dykstra Pursifull

Oliver Berkemeier

Harald Stoffels

Martin Wirth

Torsten Sude

Michael Damian Czekala

Helmut Ruhland

Georg Louven

Carsten Weber

Albert Breuer

Markus Lemmen

Rolf Klein

Ulla Weimann Macdonald

Klaus Badke

Diana Zimmermann

Karl Walder

This disclosure relates to an energy storage arrangement for a vehicle. In particular, the energy storage arrangement includes a battery unit provided in an intermediate space between adjacent fluid tanks. Relative to the above-discussed prior art, this disclosure provides an improved energy storage arrangement which uses the otherwise unused intermediate space between two adjacent fluid tanks. Thus, this disclosure provides a space-saving, efficient, and cost-effective arrangement.

Energy storage arrangement including battery unit in intermediate space between fluid tanks

Methods and systems are provided for a fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine system, in particular of a motor vehicle, having at least one liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tank for storing an LPG fuel and at least one direct injection unit, which has a direct injection fuel distributor and direct injection valves that can be supplied with fuel via said distributor. In order to improve supply of the internal combustion engine system with LPG fuel, the fuel supply system includes a booster pump inserted between the LPG tank and the direct injection fuel distributor. A discharge side of the booster pump is connected directly to the direct injection fuel distributor by at least one line, and the direct injection valves each have a closure part that rises outward from a valve seat to open the respective direct injection valve.

Fuel supply system, internal combustion engine system, and method for supplying an internal combustion engine with an LPG fuel

Examples are provided for switching an engine fuel supply. One example system includes a direct-injection engine including a cylinder, an LPG tank for storing a LPG fuel, a CNG tank for storing a CNG fuel, a gas switching valve, a high-pressure pump connected between the LPG tank and the gas switching valve, a pressure-limiting valve connected between the CNG tank and the gas switching valve, a fuel distributor configured to be supplied with one or more of the LPG fuel and the CNG fuel via the gas switching valve, an LPG injection valve coupled to the cylinder, a CNG injection valve coupled to the cylinder, the LPG injection valve and the CNG injection valve configured to be supplied with fuel via the fuel distributor; and a controller configured to control the gas switching valve depending on an aggregate state of the fuel disposed in the fuel distributor.

Internal combustion engine and method for operating an internal combustion engine

The application describes a system for an engine comprising a direct injection nozzle for injecting gaseous fuel into a cylinder of an engine in a second operating mode; an intake injection nozzle for injecting liquid fuel into an intake port of the engine in a first operating mode; and a valve gear suitable to adjust timing of opening and closing of an inlet valve. Preferential injection of a gaseous fuel such as compressed natural gas directly into the cylinder increases efficiency and allows for reduced heat exposure to the lesser used liquid gas injectors mounted in the intake port, reducing coking of these injectors.

Internal combustion engine which can be operated with liquid and with gaseous fuel and a method for operating an internal combustion engine of this kind

Methods are provided for improving delivery of supercritical fuels via a direct injector. An injector control parameter is adjusted based on one of a fuel pump gain, an injected fuel mass, or a change in pressure in the fuel rail, and the engine operates the injector based on the adjusted parameter. Injector control parameters are only adjusted when fluid is subcritical at the fuel pump and when injector overlap is not present.

Method for direct injection of supercritical fuels

Various systems and methods for determining a start of fuel injection including a gaseous fuel in an internal combustion engine are provided. In one embodiment, an end of gas injection, a duration of gas injection, and a start of gas injection in an induction pipe of a cylinder of an internal combustion engine is determined based on one or more operating parameters. An earliest possible start of gas injection is further determined, and if the start of gas injection is before the earliest possible start of gas injection, at least one of the one or more operating parameters is modified such that the start of gas injection does not occur before the earliest possible start of gas injection.

Injection timing

A method, comprising: during engine cylinder operation with fuel from a first injector and not a second injector: increasing a rail pressure of a fuel rail coupled to the second injector in response to a temperature increase of a tip of the second injector. In this way, by raising the rail pressure of a fuel rail coupled to the second injector in response to a temperature increase of a tip of the second injector, the method may be utilized to prevent a vapor space from forming within the tip of the second injector which is exposed to the heat of combustion within the engine cylinder. By preventing a vapor space from forming, the method may be used to prevent fuel distillation in the tip of the second injector during periods where the engine cylinder is operating with fuel from a first injector and not the second injector.

Method for operating a direct fuel injection system

A method for operating an internal combustion engine is provided. The method comprises, during low and medium load conditions, introducing fuel from a fuel tank by intake pipe injection into at least one intake air line coupled to at least one cylinder, and during high load conditions, introducing the fuel from the fuel tank by direct injection into the at least one cylinder. In this way, the method of fuel delivery may be optimized based on the load conditions.

Method for operating an internal combustion engine with gas as a fuel

Systems and methods for controlling shut down of a multiple cylinder internal combustion engine include a mechanical energy storage device to decelerate an engine crankshaft to a stopping position desirable for restarting of the engine. Energy stored during shut down may be used to adjust or reposition the crankshaft to one of a plurality of angular orientations advantageous for restarting, and/or used to rotate the crankshaft during restarting of the engine. A flywheel having a variable mass, such as provided by two or more segments, which may be fixedly or selectively coupled to one or more springs may be used to selectively store and release energy.

Systems and methods for controlled shutdown and direct start for internal combustion engine

The description relates to a method for starting a direct-injection internal combustion engine equipped with an engine management system and having n cylinders, in which n pistons oscillate between a top dead center (TDC) and a bottom dead center (BDC), and a crankshaft. It is proposed to set forth a method of the aforesaid type which overcomes the known disadvantages inherent in the state of the art known, the particular intention being to achieve a shortening of the starting times.

Method for starting an internal combustion engine

Systems and methods for controlling stopping position of a crankshaft during shutdown of a multiple cylinder internal combustion engine influence cylinder pressure independent of associated intake/exhaust valves during shutdown of the engine so the crankshaft stops in a position favorable for restarting. Embodiments include an engine having variable compression ratio cylinders with the compression ratio of the cylinders controlled to vary cylinder pressure during shutdown to control stopping position of the crankshaft, or an auxiliary control valve disposed in a cylinder wall to control pressure within the cylinders during shutdown so the crankshaft stops in a position desirable for restarting.

System and method for controling crankshaft position during engine shutdown using cylinder pressure

Systems and methods for controlling stopping position of a crankshaft during shutdown of an internal combustion engine control a fluid pressure to control a corresponding drive torque of a fluid pump. Kinetic energy of the engine at shutdown may be used to control fluid pressure in a power steering system or fuel injection system to stop the crankshaft in a position favorable for restarting.

Engine shut down using fluid pump to control crankshaft stopping position

The invention relates to a method for improving the initial conditions for starting a direct injection, spark-ignition internal combustion engine. Measures, such as adjusting the throttle valve, a varying inlet and exhaust valve timings, operating a secondary-air pump, ensures that the internal combustion engine, when running down, scavenges exhaust gases from the cylinder by providing fresh air into the. Furthermore, measures are undertaken for the braking and/or active rotation of the internal combustion engine so that it is a suitable position for renewed starting, the restarting being accomplished without the aid of a starter motor.

Method for preparing an internal combustion engine for starting

The invention relates to a method for switching off an internal combustion engine and to an internal combustion engine suitable for carrying out said method. Here, after a switching off command for an internal combustion engine, the throttle valve in the air intake system is again opened to enable a relatively large amount of fresh air to be sucked into the combustion chambers of the internal combustion engine. This considerably increases the gas forces in the combustion chambers while the engine slows to a standstill, so that the internal combustion engine can be switched off in a controlled manner. At the same time, products of combustion, which may possibly still be present, are removed from the combustion chambers of the internal combustion engine. As a result, the preconditions for directly starting the internal combustion engine without a starter are created.

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Bergisch Gladbach, Germany

Ulrich Kramer