# US 11,898,568 B2 · Variable geometry turbine and method for calibrating a variable geometry turbine

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- Number: US 11,898,568 B2
- Document ID: US11898568B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/120,668
- Filed: 2023-03-13
- Published: 2023-10-05
- Granted: 2024-02-13
- Earliest claimed: 2022-04-01
- Assignees: DAF Trucks N.V.
- Applicants: DAF Trucks N.V.
- Inventors: Joep Wolken; Bartholomeus Van Grimbergen; Kurt Jean-Marie Dubois
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11898568B2

## CPC

- F02C 6/12: Turbochargers, i.e. plants for augmenting mechanical power output of internal-combustion piston engines by increase of charge pressure
- F04D 27/002: {by varying geometry within the pumps, e.g. by adjusting vanes}
- F02B 37/22: by varying cross-section of exhaust passages or air passages {, e.g. by throttling turbine inlets or outlets or by varying effective number of guide conduits} (F02B37/24 takes precedence)
- F02B 37/24: by using pumps or turbines with adjustable guide vanes
- F02C 9/22: by adjusting turbine vanes
- F02D 41/0007: {for control of turbo-charged or super-charged engines (control of the pumps per se F02B37/12)}
- F02D 41/2438: {Active learning methods}
- F02D 41/2464: {Characteristics of actuators}
- F04D 17/10: for compressing or evacuating
- F02D 2200/0406: Intake manifold pressure
- F05D 2220/40: in turbochargers
- F05D 2260/80: Diagnostics
- F05D 2260/821: Parameter estimation or prediction
- F05D 2270/3011: Inlet pressure
- F05D 2270/44: active, predictive, or anticipative
- Y02T 10/12: Improving ICE efficiencies
- F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00)
- F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02)
- F02B: INTERNAL-COMBUSTION PISTON ENGINES; COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL (gas-turbine plants F02C; hot-gas or combustion-product positive-displacement engine plants F02G)
- F02D: CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES (vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed B60K31/00; conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function, road vehicle drive control systems for purposes other than the control of a single sub-unit B60W)
- F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

A variable geometry turbine (VGT) comprising an intake channel, a rotor, an adjustable nozzle, a nozzle actuator, and a controller. The controller comprises a calibration routine, arranged for calibrating the VGT during normal operation thereof. In the calibration routine, the controller is arranged for performing the steps of: adjusting the adjustable nozzle from an initial position towards a closed position, while monitoring a pre-turbine pressure; detecting a deflection point position of the adjustable nozzle at which a sharp difference in the pre-turbine pressure occurs; and adjusting a minimum cross sectional area in the closed position, to adjust a working range of the VGT in dependence of varying operating conditions, wherein the working range excludes the detected deflection point position.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A variable geometry turbine (VGT), comprising:
an intake channel, arranged for receiving a mass flow of exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine;
a rotor, arranged downstream the intake channel for extracting energy from the mass flow of exhaust gas;
an adjustable nozzle, comprising a nozzle orifice having an adjustable cross sectional area and arranged for adjusting the mass flow of exhaust gas from the intake channel to the rotor, wherein the adjustable nozzle is adjustable between an open position, in which the nozzle orifice has a maximum cross sectional area, and a closed position, in which the nozzle orifice has a minimum cross sectional area;
a nozzle actuator, arranged for actuating the adjustable nozzle between the open position and the closed position; and
a controller, arranged for controlling the nozzle actuator based on a nozzle position demand;
wherein the controller comprises a calibration routine, arranged for calibrating the VGT during normal operation thereof;
wherein, in the calibration routine, the controller is arranged for performing the steps of:
adjusting the adjustable nozzle from an initial position towards the closed position, while monitoring a pre-turbine pressure measured in the mass flow of exhaust gas upstream the VGT;
detecting a deflection point position of the adjustable nozzle at which a sharp difference in the pre-turbine pressure occurs; and
adjusting a working range of the nozzle actuator, having an adjusted minimum cross sectional area in the closed position that excludes the detected deflection point position.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The variable geometry turbine according to claim 1, wherein the controller is arranged for comparing the detected deflection point position to a stored deflection point position of a pre-calibrated VGT, to determine a deflection point position offset, and wherein the controller is arranged for applying the deflection point position offset to the nozzle position demand.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The variable geometry turbine according to claim 1, wherein the controller is arranged for detecting the deflection point position by monitoring a second derivative of a filtered pre-turbine pressure sensor signal.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The variable geometry turbine according to claim 1, wherein the controller is arranged for controlling the nozzle actuator to adjust the adjustable nozzle based on the measured pre-turbine pressure.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The variable geometry turbine according claim 1, wherein the intake channel is arranged for providing the mass flow of exhaust gas to the rotor in a direction substantially perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the rotor.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The variable geometry turbine according to claim 1, wherein the intake channel is formed as a volute that is coaxially aligned with the rotor.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The variable geometry turbine according to claim 1, wherein the adjustable nozzle comprises vanes disposed around a circumference of the rotor.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The variable geometry turbine according claim 7, wherein the vanes are rotatable to adjust the cross sectional area of the nozzle orifice, and wherein the nozzle actuator is arranged for actuating the vanes.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The variable geometry turbine according to claim 7, further comprising a slidable cylinder which is slidable towards an opposing wall of the intake channel to adjust the cross sectional area of the nozzle orifice, and wherein the nozzle actuator is arranged for actuating the slidable cylinder.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

A commercial vehicle, comprising a variable geometry turbine according to claim 1.

### Claim 11

A method for calibrating a variable geometry turbine (VGT) comprising:
an intake channel, arranged for receiving a mass flow of exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine;
a rotor, arranged downstream the intake channel for extracting energy from the mass flow of exhaust gas;
an adjustable nozzle, comprising a nozzle throat having an adjustable cross sectional area arranged for adjusting the mass flow of exhaust gas from the intake channel to the rotor, wherein the adjustable nozzle is adjustable between an open position, in which the nozzle throat has a maximum cross sectional area, and a closed position, in which the nozzle throat has a minimum cross sectional area;
wherein the method comprises the steps of:
adjusting the adjustable nozzle from an initial position towards the closed position, while monitoring a pre-turbine pressure measured upstream the VGT;
detecting a deflection point position of the adjustable nozzle at which a sharp difference in the pre-turbine pressure occurs; and
adjusting a working range of the nozzle actuator, having an adjusted minimum cross sectional area in the closed position that excludes the detected deflection point position.