System and methods for cold starting an internal combustion engine
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorAed M. Dudar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems are provided for regulating a flow of fuel vapors from a fuel tank to an engine during an engine start. In one example, a method may comprise prior to a cold start of an engine: sealing a fuel tank from an evaporative emissions control system and an air intake of the engine, operating a fuel pump of the fuel tank to generate vapors in the fuel tank, and in response to fuel vapor levels in the fuel tank reaching a threshold, initiating cylinder combustion and flowing fuel vapors from the fuel tank to an intake manifold of the engine. The method may further comprise providing liquid fuel to the engine to initiate cylinder combustion.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- prior to an engine cold start:
- sealing a fuel tank from an evaporative emissions control system and an air intake of an engine;
- operating a fuel pump of the fuel tank to generate vapors in the fuel tank;
- and
- in response to both fuel vapor levels in the fuel tank and an engine speed reaching respective thresholds:
- initiating cylinder combustion and flowing fuel vapors from the fuel tank to an engine intake manifold.
A method comprising:
- prior to a cold start of an engine:
- sealing a fuel tank from an evaporative emissions control system and an air intake of the engine;
- and
- operating a fuel pump of the fuel tank to generate vapors in the fuel tank;
- and
- cranking the engine with a starter motor, and in response to engine speed reaching a threshold, opening a canister purge valve (CPV) and flowing fuel vapors from the fuel tank and a fuel vapor storage canister to an intake manifold of the engine.
An engine system comprising:
- a fuel tank for storing liquid fuel;
- fuel injectors for injecting the liquid fuel to one or more engine cylinders;
- a fuel pump included in the fuel tank and configured to pump liquid fuel from the fuel tank to the fuel injectors;
- and
- a controller with computer readable instructions for:
- sealing the fuel tank and operating the fuel pump to generate fuel vapors in the fuel tank prior to a cold start of the engine system;
- and
- routing fuel vapors in the fuel tank to the one or more engine cylinders during the cold start in response to an engine speed reaching a threshold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.