US 5,347,966 A · Speed-dependent air intake system and method for internal combustion engines

Abstract

An air intake heating system and method for use in a diesel engine having a battery and alternator is provided for minimizing white smoke emissions without excessively depleting the engine battery at low engine speeds wherein the battery and not the alternator is the principal contributor of power to the air intake heater. The system generally comprises an electrically powered heater assembly for heating the intake air of the engine, a power regulation circuit electrically connected between the battery and the alternator of the engine and the heater assembly, a rotational speed sensor and a temperature sensor, and a CPU connected to the output of the speed and temperature sensors and the power regulation circuit for admitting a first, relatively low level of power to the heater assembly at low engine speeds where the battery is the primary source of power for the assembly, and a second, higher level of power when the engine speed is high enough so that the alternator becomes the principal contributor of power to the heater assembly.

Claims25

Dependent claims

An air intake heating system for use with an internal combustion engine having a battery and an alternator, comprising:

an electrically powered heater assembly for heating air that flows into an air intake of said engine to reduce white smoke emissions from said engine;
a power regulation circuit electrically connected between a power output of said battery and said alternator and said heater assembly for regulating the amount of electrical power conducted to said heater assembly from said battery and alternator;
means for sensing the rotational speed of the engine and for producing an electrical signal indicative of said engine speed, and
a control circuit means in communication with both the signal produced by said speed sensing means and said power regulation circuit for admitting different levels of power to the heater assembly dependent upon whether the engine speed sensed indicates that said battery or said alternator is to be the primary contributor of electrical power to the heater assembly.

1 more element

An air intake heating system for use with an internal combustion engine having a battery and an alternator, comprising:

an electrically powered heater assembly for heating air that flows into an air intake of said engine to reduce white smoke emissions from said engine;
a power regulation circuit electrically connected between a power output of said battery and said alternator and said heater assembly for regulating the amount of electrical power conducted to said heater assembly from said battery and alternator;
means for sensing the rotational speed of the engine and for producing an electrical signal indicative of said engine speed;
means for sensing the temperature of the air flowing into the air intake and for producing an electrical signal indicative of said air temperature, and
a control circuit means in communication with the signals produced by said speed and temperature sensing means and further in communication with said power regulation circuit for admitting first and second levels of power to said heater assembly dependent upon whether the engine speed sensed indicates that said battery or said alternator is to be the primary contributor of electrical power to the heater assembly, and further dependent upon whether the temperature of the intake air sensed is within a preselected range.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Speed-dependent air intake system and method for internal combustion engines

Life of this patent

Speed-dependent air intake system and method for internal combustion engines

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25