Diesel engine and supercharger

A method for supplying power to an apparatus comprising:

• operating an internal combustion engine having an air intake manifold and at least one combustion chamber for receiving air from the air intake manifold, drivably connecting the internal combustion engine to the apparatus whereby the internal combustion engine powers the apparatus and the apparatus imparts a load on the internal combustion engine, sensing the load on the diesel engine and providing a signal representing the load on the diesel engine, delivering the sensed signal to a controller operable to provide output command signals, supplying air to the air intake manifold of the internal combustion engine with a supercharger, driving the supercharger with the internal combustion engine, varying the volume and pressure of the air supplied by the supercharger to the air intake manifold of the internal combustion engine responsive to the command signals from the controller of the load on the internal combustion engine to boost the rate of the flow of air delivered to the air intake manifold of the internal combustion engine above the naturally aspirated rate of the flow of air to the air intake manifold of the internal combustion engine, and introducing combustible fuel into the combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine responsive to the command signals from the controller corresponding to the boost of the rate of the flow of air delivered to the air intake manifold of the internal combustion engine to maintain a relatively constant air to fuel ratio in the combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine.

In combination:

• a diesel engine having an air intake manifold and at least one combination chamber for receiving air from the air intake manifold, an apparatus operated by the diesel engine, a first power transfer device drivably connecting the diesel engine to the apparatus whereby the diesel engine operates the apparatus and the apparatus imparts a load on the diesel engine, a supercharger for supplying air to the air intake manifold of the diesel engine, a second power transfer device drivably connecting the supercharger to the diesel engine whereby the diesel engine operates the supercharger, a sensor for sensing the load on the diesel engine and providing a signal representing the sensed load on the diesel engine, a controller for accommodating the signal from the sensor and providing output command signals, said supercharger having a controller apparatus for varying the volume and pressure of air supplied to the air intake manifold of the diesel engine responsive to the command signals from the controller representing the sensed load on the diesel engine to boost the rate of the flow of air delivered to the air intake manifold of the diesel engine above the naturally aspirated rate of the flow of air to the air intake manifold of the diesel engine, said control apparatus including cooperating rotors and a plurality of gates movable between in and out positions relative to the rotors to selectively decrease the volume of air supplied to the diesel engine when the gates are in their out positions, actuators to selectively move the gates between said out and in positions, each actuator including solenoids connected to the gates, said controller actuating the solenoids responsive to the signal from the sensor representing the load on the diesel engine, and a fuel metering apparatus responsive to the command signals from the controller representing the load on the diesel engine for introducing combustible fuel into the combustion chamber of the diesel engine corresponding to the boost of the rate of the flow of air delivered to the air intake manifold of the diesel engine.

In combination:

• a four cycle diesel engine having an air intake manifold and at least one combustion chamber for receiving air from the air intake manifold, an electric generator for supplying electric power to an electric load, a first power transfer device drivably connecting the diesel engine to the electric generator whereby the diesel engine operates the electric generator and the electric generator imparts a load on the diesel engine, a supercharger for supplying air to the air intake manifold of the diesel engine, a second power transfer device drivably connecting the supercharger to the diesel engine whereby the diesel engine operates the supercharger, a sensor for sensing the load on the diesel engine and providing a signal representing the sensed load on the diesel engine, a controller for accommodating the signal from the sensor and providing command signals, said supercharger having a control apparatus for varying the volume and pressure of air supplied to the air intake manifold of the diesel engine responsive to the command signals from the controller representing the sensed load on the diesel engine to boost the rate of the flow of air delivered to the air intake manifold of the diesel engine above the naturally aspirated rate of the flow of air to the air intake manifold of the diesel engine, said control apparatus for varying the volume and pressure of air supplied to the diesel engine including cooperating rotors and a plurality of gates movable between in and out positions relative to the rotors to selectively decrease the volume of air supplied to the air intake manifold of the diesel engine when the gates are in their out positions, actuators to selectively move the gates between said out and in positions, said actuators including solenoids connected to the gates, said controller actuating the solenoids responsive to the signal from the sensor representing the load on the diesel engine, and a fuel metering apparatus responsive to the command signals from the controller representing the sensed load on the diesel engine for introducing combustible fuel into the combustion chamber of the diesel engine corresponding to the boost of the rate of the flow of air delivered to the air intake manifold of the diesel engine.