Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Ford Motor Company Limited

Wengang Dai

George Carver Davis

Rodney John Tabaczynski

Michael M Schechter

Nizar Trigui

Allan Roy Gale

Stephen George Russ

Eric Warren Curtis

Rudolf Hermann Stanglmaier

Ronald D Matthews

A method and system for generating auxiliary load during start-up and warm-up of a spark ignition engine operating with a high load, cold start and spark retard and enleanment (HL-CSSRE) methodology to achieve rapid light-off. The method and system of the present invention uses existing vehicle systems ( ) to couple an auxiliary load to the engine for a predetermined period of time during engine start-up and warm-up.

Method for generating additional engine loads during start-up

An engine control method for an internal combustion engine having a powertrain control module (PCM). The powertrain control module includes a microprocessor and associated memory. A mathematical model of the engine cycle of the engine system is stored in the PCM memory. The PCM continuously monitors a variety of engine operating parameters. From these inputs, the PCM generates optimized control setpoints for the intake airflow, fueling right, spark timing and EGR flow for the engine using the mathematical model. The setpoints are generated in real-time for every engine cycle, and the engine is then operated in accordance with the generated control setpoints. In another aspect of the invention, the engine model includes submodels for fuel delivery, the in-cylinder processes, the engine heat capacitance and cooling system, engine friction, airflow, engine inertia, and the front-end auxiliary drive. The disclosed engine control method is advantageous in that it allows optimum engine performance in any operating environment.

Engine control method using real-time engine system model

A gasoline distillation apparatus (12) for an engine (14) includes a heated vapor separator (22), a condenser (24), and a controller (28). The heated vapor separator (22) partially vaporizes the engine's primary fuel (16) to generate a fuel vapor (44). The condenser (24) cools the fuel vapor (44) to produce a liquid secondary fuel (18) that is more volatile than the primary fuel (16). The controller (28) determines when the engine (14) is supplied with either primary (16) or secondary fuel (18). The secondary fuel (18) is used only during an initial engine operation period, while the primary fuel (16) is used all other times. After engine operation, the primary fuel (16) is purged from the engine (14) and replaced with the secondary fuel (18) to maximize secondary fuel (18) use during the initial engine operation period.

On-board gasoline distillation for reduced hydrocarbon emissions at

A method of detecting internal combustion engine misfires by generating a predicted Karlovitz number as a function of different engine operating conditions such as the air fuel ratio (AFR), the engine speed, the amount of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), spark-ignition (SI) timing and the airflow rate. The predicted Karlovitz number is then compared against the threshold Karlovitz number in which misfire occurs. The threshold Karlovitz number is determined from a model for misfire predictions in engines and is stored in the electronic engine controller (EEC). A misfire is reported if the predicted Karlovitz number is greater than the threshold Karlovitz number. In another aspect of the invention, the predicted Karlovitz number is generated from submodels of laminar flame speed, laminar flame thickness, turbulence intensity, and turbulence integral length scale.

Real-time engine misfire detection method

A four stroke, spark ignition, high compression ratio, internal combustion engine including at least one intake valve (30), exhaust valve (32) and charging valve (36) per cylinder (16). Each of the valves is actuable by a variable timing mechanism (50), which is controlled by an on-board computer (82) that varies the timing of valve opening and closing depending upon engine operating conditions. Each charging valve port (34) leads to an auxiliary chamber (40) having geometry to cause a swirling motion of the charge entering the chamber and surrounded by a cooling jacket (42) to cool the charge as it swirls before being released back into the cylinder during the next engine cycle.

Turbulence generation with intra-cycle cooling for spark ignition engines

A method of operating a four stroke, spark ignition, high compression ratio, internal combustion engine including at least one intake valve (30), exhaust valve (32) and charging valve (36) per cylinder (16). Each of the valves is actuable by a variable timing mechanism (50), which is controlled by an on-board computer (82) that varies the timing of valve opening and closing depending upon engine operating conditions. Each charging valve port (34) leads to an auxiliary chamber (40) having geometry to cause a swirling motion of the charge entering the chamber and surrounded by a cooling jacket (42) to cool the charge as it swirls before being released back into the cylinder during the next engine cycle.

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Canton, MI, United States of America

Wengang Dai