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AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsAlexander Yuri Gopp, John Ottavio Michelini
Estimating the term…
A system and method for controlling a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine having at least one automatically controllable airflow actuator and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system including an EGR valve include determining a desired manifold pressure based at least in part on position of the automatically controllable airflow actuator and controlling the EGR valve such that a measured manifold pressure approaches the desired manifold pressure. In one embodiment, the automatically controllable airflow actuators include a charge motion control valve and a variable cam timing device. In other embodiments, the automatically controllable airflow actuators may include variable valve lift devices, variable valve timing devices, or any other device that affects the residual exhaust gases within the cylinders.
A method for controlling a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine having at least one automatically controllable airflow actuator and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system including an EGR valve, the method comprising:
A method for controlling a multiple cylinder internal combustion engine having a plurality of charge motion control valves, each associated with one of the multiple cylinders, for selectively changing charge velocity, the engine also including an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system including an EGR valve, and a device for controlling timing of engine intake and/or exhaust valves, the method comprising:
A computer readable storage medium having stored data representing instructions executable by a computer for controlling a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine having at least one automatically controllable airflow actuator and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system including an EGR valve, the computer readable storage medium comprising:
A multiple cylinder internal combustion engine comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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According to engine operating conditions: feedback control of engine parameters, e.g. for control of air/fuel ratio or intake air amount
Variable control of intake and exhaust valves: changing valve lift or valve lift and timing
Engine-pertinent apparatus for adding exhaust gases to combustion-air, main fuel or fuel-air mixture, e.g. by exhaust gas recirculation [EGR]…
By means within the induction channel, e.g. deflectors: movable means, e.g. butterfly valves
Term end not estimated
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for controlling exhaust gas recirculation in a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine.
2. Background Art
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating operation of one embodiment for a system or method for controlling exhaust gas recirculation according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a graph illustrating the relationship between manifold pressure and EGR for use in one embodiment according to the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a feedback controller for EGR using manifold pressure feedback according to one embodiment of the present invention; and
A block diagram illustrating an exhaust gas recirculation system for a representative internal combustion engine with an EGR control according to one embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. Direct injection spark ignited internal combustion engine 10, comprising a plurality of combustion chambers, is controlled by electronic engine controller 12. Combustion chamber 30 of engine 10 includes combustion chamber walls 32 with piston 36 positioned therein and connected to crankshaft 40. Combustion chamber, or cylinder, 30 is shown communicating with intake manifold 44 and exhaust manifold 48 via respective intake valves 52a and 52b (not shown), and exhaust valves 54a and 54b (not shown). Fuel injector 66 is shown directly coupled to combustion chamber 30 for delivering liquid fuel directly therein in proportion to the pulse width of signal fpw received from controller 12 via conventional electronic driver 68. While FIG. 1 illustrates a direct injection spark ignition internal combustion engine, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the present invention applies to any engine technology which uses EGR.
Fuel is delivered to fuel injector 66 by a conventional high pressure fuel system (not shown) including a fuel tank, fuel pumps, and a fuel rail. Intake manifold 44 is shown communicating with throttle body 58 via throttle plate 62. In this particular example, throttle plate 62 is coupled to electric motor 94 so that the position of throttle plate 62 is controlled by controller 12 via electric motor 94. This configuration is commonly referred to as electronic throttle control (ETC) which is also utilized during idle speed control. In an alternative embodiment (not shown), which is well known to those skilled in the art, a bypass air passageway is arranged in parallel with throttle plate 62 to control inducted airflow during idle speed control via a throttle control valve positioned within the air passageway.
A charge motion control valve (CMCV) 78, intake manifold runner control (IMRC), or similar device may be provided to selectively control the incoming air or air/fuel charge. In the illustrated example, CMCV 78 is open/closed based on a command from controller 12 to selectively increase the charge velocity. CMCV 78 is preferably contained within the runner associated with each cylinder. When closed, CMCV 78 reduces the cross-sectional area of the intake runner by about seventy-five percent. The CMCVs 78 associated with each bank may be connected to respective actuators to provide independent or coordinated control depending upon the particular application. As will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, the position of CMCV 78, in addition to the position of throttle plate 62, will affect the intake manifold pressure and the residual gases within cylinder 30 after combustion.