Turbo-compressors for internal combustion engines

A method of compounding output of an internal combustion engine,

• the internal combustion engine, including:
• an engine body supporting an engine output shaft and having a combustion air intake port and an exhaust port;
• and
• an integrated turbo-compressor, comprising:
• a compressor with a compressor outlet;
• a turbine with a turbine inlet,
• the turbine operatively connected to the compressor by an interconnect shaft;
• and
• a compounding drive connected to the turbine and having a variable gear ratio and an output member,
• wherein the variable gear ratio couples the turbine to the output member to compound output of an internal combustion engine using energy recovered from an exhaust flow received from the internal combustion,
• wherein the compounding drive comprises:
• an input member connected to the turbine;
• an output member connected to the input member;
• and
• an intermediate member connecting the input member to the output member through an epicyclical gear arrangement and a hydraulic pump/motor set;
• wherein the compressor outlet is connected to the combustion air intake port,
• wherein the turbine inlet is connected to the engine exhaust port, and
• wherein an electric motor and battery arrangement is operatively connected to the engine output shaft in a hybrid-electric turbo-compounded engine arrangement;
• the method comprising:
• receiving an engine exhaust flow from the internal combustion engine at the turbine inlet;
• extracting work from the engine exhaust flow with the turbine;
• applying a first extracted work portion to the compressor to compress a flow of combustion air for the internal combustion engine;
• and
• applying second extracted work portion to the internal combustion engine to compound output of the internal combustion engine,
• wherein applying the second portion of the extracted work includes varying the variable gear ratio while compounding the output of the internal combustion engine.