Operating techniques for internal combustion engines

A method of generating electric power, comprising:

• starting an internal combustion engine having a plurality of combustion chambers and a turbocharger, the engine being a prime mover for an electric power generator;
• preparing the engine to accept a generator load by retarding combustion in one or more of the chambers to increase boost pressure with the turbocharger;
• and
• driving the generator with the engine, the engine accepting the load after increasing the boost pressure during said preparing.

An electric power generation system, comprising:

• an electric power generator;
• an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft rotatably coupled to said generator, said engine including:
• a number of fuel injectors each operable to fuel a corresponding one of a number of combustion chambers of said engine during a respective fueling period;
• a compressor to deliver pressurized air to said chambers;
• and
• a turbine along an exhaust pathway to power said compressor when driven by exhaust from said chambers;
• a controller operatively coupled to said injectors, said controller being operable to increase said pressure by withholding fuel during the respective fueling period of a subset of said chambers to prepare said engine to accept a generator load increase, said controller being further operable to cause said engine to accept said generator load increase after said pressure increases.

An electric power generation system, comprising:

• an electric power generator;
• an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft rotatably coupled to said generator, said engine including:
• a number of combustion igniters each corresponding to a different one of a number of combustion chambers of said engine;
• a compressor coupled to an intake manifold to provide a gaseous fluid to said chambers at an intake pressure,
• a turbine along an exhaust pathway to power said compressor when driven by exhaust discharged from said chambers;
• and
• a controller operatively coupled to said igniters to regulate ignition timing of said engine, said controller being operable to prepare said engine to accept a generator load increase by retarding ignition in at least a portion of said chambers to increase said intake pressure, said controller being operable to cause said engine to accept said generator load increase after said pressure increases.

An electric power generation system, comprising:

• an electric power generator;
• a internal combustion engine having a crankshaft rotatably coupled to said generator, said engine including:
• a plurality of pistons each rotatably coupled to said crankshaft and each corresponding to a respective one of a number of combustion chambers;
• a compressor along an intake pathway to deliver pressurized air to said chambers;
• a turbine along an exhaust pathway to power said compressor when driven by exhaust discharged from said cylinders;
• and
• a means for preparing said engine to accept a generator load by performing at least one of skip-fueling and retarded ignition timing to increase pressure provided by said compressor.

A system, comprising:

• an internal combustion engine including a number of cylinders each having a reciprocating piston, said cylinders each having at least one of a number of fuel injectors to selectively provide fuel;
• a first sensor to provide a first signal corresponding to a performance characteristic of said engine;
• a controller responsive to said first signal to provide skip-fueling of said engine, a quantity of skipped cylinders for a predetermined number of engine cycles being determined by said controller in accordance with said first signal, said controller defining a number of engine fueling patterns each corresponding to a different value of said quantity, said patterns each designating which of said cylinders are skipped and each being configured to rotate through a common number of positions relative to a reference cylinder, said common number differing from said number of cylinders by at least one, said controller selecting one of said patterns in accordance with said quantity and correspondingly generating at least one injection signal when said engine is being skip-fueled;
• and
• wherein said injectors respond to said at least one injection signal to fuel said cylinders in accordance with said one of said patterns.

A system, comprising:

• a four-cycle internal combustion engine including a number of cylinders each having a reciprocating piston, said cylinders each having at least one of a number of fuel injectors to selectively provide fuel;
• a controller operatively coupled to said fuel injectors, said controller including a means for skip-fueling said cylinders, said means including a number of different fueling patterns each corresponding to a different number of said cylinders to be skipped, said patterns each being based on an integer that differs by one from said number of cylinders;
• and
• wherein said injectors are responsive to said means to selectively fuel said cylinders.