Systems and methods for reducing engine overheating using liquid fuel
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorAed Dudar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for cooling an overheated engine using a combination of variable displacement engine (VDE) technology and direct injection technology. In one example, a method may include deactivating a subset of engine cylinders based on an engine temperature and directly injecting liquid fuel into the deactivated cylinders. In this way, an increased thermal conductivity of the liquid fuel compared to air decreases the engine temperature at a faster rate than when air-based engine cooling methods are used, thereby preventing overheating-related engine degradation.
Claims20
A method for operating an engine, the method comprising:
- deactivating a subset of cylinders of a plurality of cylinders of the engine based on a temperature of the engine sensed via a temperature sensor being greater than a threshold temperature while a coolant system is operated;
- and
- directly injecting fuel into each cylinder of the subset of cylinders after the subset of cylinders is deactivated, the fuel injected at a plurality of piston positions, wherein an amount of fuel injected is based on the temperature of the engine.
A method for operating an engine, the method comprising:
- deactivating a subset of cylinders of a plurality of cylinders of the engine based on an engine temperature sensed via a temperature sensor;
- wherein
- the deactivating the subset of cylinders based on the engine temperature comprises:
- operating the engine with the engine temperature greater than a threshold temperature, and in response to the engine temperature sensed via the temperature sensor being greater than the threshold temperature while a coolant system is operating, deactivating the subset of cylinders;
- and
- operating the engine with the engine temperature less than or equal to the threshold temperature, and in response to the engine temperature sensed via the temperature sensor being less than or equal to the threshold temperature, not deactivating the subset of cylinders;
- and
- directly injecting fuel into each cylinder of the subset of cylinders after the subset of cylinders is deactivated, the fuel injected at a plurality of piston positions.
A system of an engine, comprising:
- a plurality of cylinders, each cylinder comprising a fuel injector, an intake valve, an exhaust valve, and a spark plug coupled thereto;
- a fuel system configured to deliver pressurized fuel from a fuel tank to the fuel injector;
- a temperature sensor configured to estimate an engine temperature;
- and
- a controller with computer-readable instructions stored on non-transitory memory thereof that when executed enable the controller to:
- deactivate a subset of cylinders of the plurality of cylinders based on the engine temperature being greater than a threshold temperature, the deactivating including closing intake and exhaust valves and disabling spark;
- operating a remaining subset of cylinders of the plurality of cylinders based on the engine temperature being less than or equal to the threshold temperature;
- and
- directly inject fuel into each cylinder of the subset of cylinders after the subset of cylinders is deactivated and a coolant system is operated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.