US 6,662,760 B1 · Method and apparatus for controlling combustion timing in an homogenous-charge compression-ignition engine

Abstract

Timing of the combustion event in an homogenous-charge compression-ignition engine is controlled by adjusting the reactivity of the fuel, or of the fuel/air mixture inducted into the combustion chamber of the engine, thereby providing a means of controlling the combustion phasing. When the mixture is made more reactive, combustion occurs earlier in the cycle, and when the mixture reactivity is decreased, the reaction phasing is retarded. In the present invention, the reactivity of the intake charge is regulated in one embodiment by using a catalytic reaction in the intake system to partially, oxidize the intake mixture. In another embodiment, fuel reactivity is adjusted by passing a portion of the fuel through a catalyst or a non-thermal plasma generator prior to injection into the engine. In still another illustrated embodiment, an additive is controllably added to the fuel prior to injection into the engine to increase or decrease fuel reactivity.

Claims33

Dependent claims

A method for controlling combustion timing in an homogenous-charge compression-ignition engine, comprising:

providing an intake manifold extending between a source of air and an intake port of said engine and having a flow-through portion and a by-pass portion, said by-pass portion having a catalyst incorporated therein adapted to oxidize a mixture of air and fuel passing through the by-pass portion of the intake manifold;
providing a source of fuel in fluid communication with said intake manifold at a position between said source of air and said flow-through and by-pass portions of the intake manifold;
introducing a continuous flow of air into said intake manifold;
injecting fuel into said continuous flow of air and forming a mixture of air and fuel in said intake manifold;
providing a means for controlling the relative amounts of the mixture of air and fuel passing through the flow-through and the by-pass portions of the intake manifold;
sensing at least one engine operating parameter;
and
controlling the relative amounts of the mixture of air and fuel passing through the flow-through portion and the by-pass portion of the intake manifold in response to a sensed value of said at least one engine operating parameter.

5 more elements

A method for controlling combustion timing in an homogenous-charge compression-ignition engine, comprising:

providing a fuel conduit extending between a source of a parent fuel and at least one fuel introduction port in fluid communication with a combustion chamber of said engine and having a flow-through portion and a by-pass portion, said by-pass portion having a means incorporated therein adapted to alter the reactivity of the parent fuel passing through the by-pass portion of the fuel conduit;
providing a means for controlling the relative amounts of fuel passing through the flow-through and the by-pass portions of the fuel conduit;
sensing at least one engine operating parameter;
and
controlling the relative amounts of fuel passing through the flow-through portion and the by-pass portion of the fuel conduit in response to a sensed value of said at least one engine operating parameter.

2 more elements

An apparatus for controlling combustion timing in an homogenous-charge compression-ignition engine having an intake port through which a mixture of air and fuel is introduced into a combustion chamber of the engine, said apparatus comprising:

an intake manifold extending between a source of air and said intake port of the engine, said intake manifold having a flow-through portion and a by-pass portion;
a source of fuel disposed in controlled fluid communication with said intake manifold at a position between said source of air and said flow-through and by-pass portions of the intake manifold whereby fuel injected into said intake manifold at said position forms a mixture of air and fuel;
a catalyst disposed in said by-pass portion of the intake manifold and adapted to oxidize a mixture of air and fuel passing through the by-pass portion of the intake manifold;
a means for controlling the relative amounts of the mixture of air and fuel passing through the flow-through portion and the by-pass portion of the intake manifold;
a means for sensing at least one engine operating parameter and providing a signal correlative of the sensed engine operating parameter;
and
an electronic control unit in electrical communication with said a means for controlling the relative amounts of the mixture of air and fuel passing through the flow-through portion and the by-pass portion of said intake manifold and with said means for sensing at least one engine operating parameter and providing a signal correlative of the sensed engine operating parameter, said electronic control unit being adapted to provide a control signal to said means for controlling the relative amounts of the mixture of fuel and air passing through the flow-through and the by-pass portions of the intake manifold in response to said signal correlative of the sensed engine operating parameter.

4 more elements

An apparatus for controlling combustion timing in an homogenous-charge compression-ignition engine having at least one fuel injector in direct fluid communication with a combustion chamber of the engine, said apparatus comprising:

a fuel conduit extending between a source of a parent fuel and at least one fuel injector, said fuel conduit having a flow-through portion and a by-pass portion, said by-pass portion having a means incorporated therein adapted to alter the reactivity of the parent fuel passing through the by-pass portion of the fuel conduit;
a means for controlling the relative amounts of fuel passing through the flow-through and the by-pass portions of the fuel conduit;
a means for sensing at least one engine operating parameter and providing a signal correlative of the sensed engine operating parameter;
and
an electronic control unit in electrical communication with said means for controlling the relative amounts of fuel passing through the flow-through portion and the by-pass portion of said fuel conduit and with said means for sensing at least one engine operating parameter, said electronic control unit being adapted to provide a control signal to said means for controlling the relative amounts of fuel passing through the flow-through and by-pass portions of the fuel conduit in response to said signal correlative of the sensed engine operating parameter.

2 more elements

An apparatus for controlling combustion timing in an homogenous-charge compression-ignition engine having a first conduit extending between a source of fuel having a predetermined reactivity and at least one fuel introduction port, said apparatus comprising:

a source of at least one fuel additive having a composition sufficient to alter the predetermined reactivity of said fuel when admixed therewith;
a second conduit in controlled fluid communication with said source of a least one fuel additive and said fuel conduit;
a means for controlling the amount of said fuel additive passing through said second conduit from said source of fuel additive to the first conduit;
a means for sensing at least one engine operating parameter and providing a signal correlative of the sensed engine operating parameter;
and
an electronic control unit in electrical communication with said means for controlling the amount of said fuel additive passing through said second conduit from said source of fuel additive to the first conduit and with said means for sensing at least one engine operating parameter and providing a signal correlative of the sensed engine operating parameter, said electronic control unit being adapted to provide a control signal to said means for controlling the amount of fuel additive passing through said second fuel conduit in response to said signal correlative of the sensed engine operating parameter.

3 more elements

An homogenous-charge compression-ignition engine, comprising:

at least one combustion chamber;
an intake port through which a mixture of air and fuel is introduced into said combustion chamber;
an intake manifold extending between a source of air and said intake port, said intake manifold having a flow-through portion and a by-pass portion;
a source of fuel disposed in controlled fluid communication with said intake manifold at a position between said source of air and said flow-through and said by-pass portions of the intake manifold whereby fuel injected into said intake manifold at said position forms a mixture of air and fuel;
a catalyst disposed in said by-pass portion of the intake manifold and adapted to oxidize a mixture of air and fuel passing through the by-pass portion of the intake manifold;
a means for controlling the relative amounts of the mixture of air and fuel passing through the flow-through portion and the by-pass portion of the intake manifold;
a means for sensing at least one engine operating parameter and providing a signal correlative of the sensed engine operating parameter;
and
an electronic control unit in electrical communication with said a means for controlling the relative amounts of the mixture of air and fuel passing through the flow-through and the by-pass portions of said intake manifold and with said means for sensing at least one engine operating parameter and providing a signal correlative of the sensed engine operating parameter, said electronic control unit being adapted to provide a control signal to said means for controlling the relative amounts of the mixture of fuel and air passing through the flow-through and the by-pass portions of the intake manifold in response to said signal correlative of the sensed engine operating parameter.

6 more elements

An homogenous-charge compression-ignition engine, comprising:

at least one combustion chamber;
a fuel injector in direct fluid communication with said combustion chamber;
a source of fuel;
a fuel conduit extending between said source of fuel and said fuel injector, said fuel conduit having a flow-through portion and a by-pass portion, said by-pass portion having a means incorporated therein adapted to decompose fuel passing through the by-pass portion of the fuel conduit;
a means for controlling the relative amounts of fuel passing through the flow-through and the by-pass portions of the fuel conduit;
a means for sensing at least one engine operating parameter and providing a signal correlative of the sensed engine operating parameter;
and
an electronic control unit in electrical communication with said means for controlling the relative amounts of fuel passing through the flow-through portion and the by-pass portion of said fuel conduit and with said means for sensing at least one engine operating parameter, said electronic control unit being adapted to provide a control signal to said means for controlling the relative amounts of fuel passing through the flow-through and by-pass portions of the fuel conduit in response to said signal correlative of the sensed engine operating parameter.

5 more elements

An homogenous-charge compression-ignition engine, comprising:

a fuel introduction port;
a source of fuel having a predetermined reactivity;
a first conduit extending between said fuel introduction port and said source of fuel;
a source of at least one fuel additive having a composition sufficient to alter the predetermined reactivity of said fuel when admixed therewith;
a second conduit in controlled fluid communication with said source of a least one fuel additive and said first conduit;
a means for controlling the amount of said fuel additive passing through said second conduit from said source of fuel additive to the first conduit;
a means for sensing at least one engine operating parameter and providing a signal correlative of the sensed engine operating parameter;
and
an electronic control unit in electrical communication with said means for controlling the amount of said fuel additive passing through said second conduit from said source of fuel additive to the first conduit and with said means for sensing at least one engine operating parameter and providing a signal correlative of the sensed engine operating parameter, said electronic control unit being adapted to provide a control signal to said means for controlling the amount of said fuel additive passing through said second fuel conduit in response to said signal correlative of the sensed engine operating parameter.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for controlling combustion timing in an homogenous-charge compression-ignition engine

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for controlling combustion timing in an homogenous-charge compression-ignition engine

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims33