Method for purging condensate from a charge air cooler
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsChris Paul Glugla, Kristofor Robert Norman, Shuya Shark Yamada, James Matthew Kindree, Claire Steele
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and systems are provided for cleaning out condensate stored at a charge air cooler. In response to increased condensate accumulation at a charge air cooler, airflow through the engine is increased to purge the condensate while an engine actuator is adjusted to maintain engine torque. Combustion stability issues of engine cylinders are addressed by adjusting fueling of each cylinder individually during condensate ingestion.
Claims20
A method for controlling an engine, comprising:
- via a controller communicating with engine actuators and receiving signals from sensors, increasing engine airflow without increasing engine torque by opening an intake throttle via a throttle actuator, to increase flow through a charge air cooler and flow condensate from the charge air cooler into engine cylinders, including fueling some cylinders with fuel injection forming a lean air-fuel mixture while fueling other cylinders with fuel injection forming a rich air-fuel mixture and while maintaining an exhaust air-to-fuel ratio of the engine oscillating around stoichiometry.
A method for controlling an engine, comprising:
- determining, via a controller, a condensate level in a charge air cooler of the engine and a water ingestion sensitivity of each cylinder in response to the condensate level in a charge air cooler,
- via the controller, adjusting fuel injection of each engine cylinder via fuel injector based on the water ingestion sensitivity of each cylinder and increasing an engine airflow above a threshold level by adjusting an intake throttle while maintaining an overall exhaust air-fuel ratio around stoichiometry based on exhaust gas sensor feedback.
A method for controlling an engine, comprising:
- in response to elevated condensate levels determined by controller, increasing engine airflow via adjusting an intake throttle without increasing engine torque to purge condensate from a charge air cooler to engine cylinders, the cylinders receiving unequal condensate amounts, by adjusting a combustion air-to-fuel ratio of each engine cylinder via fuel injection determined by the controller based on the determined amount of condensate received and a water ingestion sensitivity of each cylinder determined by controller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.