Turbocharged engine using an air bypass valve
AssigneeHonda Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorsTodd R. Luken, James S. Robinson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system to cool exhaust gas entering a catalytic converter in a turbocharged engine is disclosed. An air bypass valve is controlled to vent pressurized air to the atmosphere to overrev a turbocharger when exhaust gas exceeds a predetermined temperature. The rotation of the turbocharger increases to maintain a desired boost pressure. When this occurs, the turbocharger absorbs more energy from the exhaust gas to maintain the desired boost pressure. Thus, the exhaust gas entering the catalytic converter is cooled.
Claims22
A turbocharged engine system, comprising:
- an engine;
- an air inlet to provide air to the engine;
- an air bypass valve that vents air from the air inlet directly to the atmosphere;
- a turbocharger disposed in the air inlet;
- a catalytic converter located downstream of the engine;
- an air bypass valve controller to open the air bypass valve when an exhaust gas temperature from the engine entering the catalytic converter exceeds a predetermined temperature;
- and
- wherein the turbocharger is configured to rotate faster to maintain air pressure when opening the air bypass valve.
A method for cooling exhaust from a turbocharged engine, comprising the steps of:
- determining the temperature of an engine exhaust gas;
- determining if the predicted exhaust gas temperature is above a predetermined temperature;
- and
- venting pressurized intake air to a portion of an air inlet upstream of the turbocharger if the predicted temperature is above the predetermined temperature.
A turbocharged engine system, comprising:
- an engine;
- an air inlet to provide air to the engine;
- a turbocharger having an impeller to pressurize air entering through the air inlet to the engine and a turbine to convert exhaust gas from the engine into rotational energy to spin the impeller;
- a bypass valve disposed between the impeller and the engine, the bypass valve configured to selectively vent the pressurized air to at least one of directly to the atmosphere or a portion of the air inlet upstream of the impeller;
- and
- a bypass controller configured to determine exhaust gas temperature from the engine and to open the bypass valve when the engine exhaust temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.