Method of operating HCCI engines at low speed and low load
AssigneeGeneral Motors Corporation
InventorsThompson Milton Sloane, Ping-Ho Tsai
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for operating a homogeneous-charge-compression-ignition (HCCI) engine at low speed includes the steps of monitoring the operating speed and load of the HCCI engine in a stable combustion condition. When the engine cylinder load drops below a predetermined value equal to the lowest allowed load at its current engine speed, at least one cylinder is deactivated to maintain the stable combustion in the remaining activated cylinders. When the cylinder load exceeds another predetermined value at its current engine operating speed, the cylinder is reactivated.
Claims20
A method for operating a multi-cylinder homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engine at low engine speeds and loads, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) monitoring an operating speed and a cylinder load of an HCCI engine having multiple activated cylinders in a stable combustion condition;
- b) deactivating at least one cylinder when a cylinder load drops below a predetermined value equal to the lowest allowed load at a current engine operating speed to maintain stable combustion in the remaining activated cylinders;
- and
- c) reactivating the at least one cylinder when the cylinder load exceeds another predetermined value.
A method for operating a multi-cylinder homogeneous charge compression ignition engine at low speeds and loads, the engine having a plurality of activated combustion cylinders, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) monitoring at least one operating parameter of the engine;
- b) deactivating at least one cylinder when a value of the at least one operating parameters of the engine drops below a predetermined value;
- c) reactivating the at least one cylinder when the at least one operating parameter of the engine exceeds another predetermined value;
- and
- d) repeating steps a) through c) to maintain the at least one operating parameter at or above the predetermined value while the engine is operating.
An apparatus for operating a multi-cylinder homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engine at low engine speeds and loads, said apparatus comprising:
- at least one sensor connected to an HCCI engine having multiple activated cylinders in a stable combustion condition, said at least one sensor operable to monitor one or more operating parameters of the HCCI engine;
- and
- a control system connected to said at least one sensor and operable to receive said operating parameters from said at least one sensor,
- whereby said control system is operable to deactivate at least one cylinder when the one or more engine operating parameters drops below a first predetermined value to maintain the stable combustion in the remaining activated cylinders and said control system is operable to reactivate the at least one cylinder when the one or more engine operating parameters exceeds a second predetermined value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.