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US 9,803,570 B2Granted
System and method for controlling engine air flow
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsGopichandra Surnilla, Jeffrey Allen Doering, Michael Howard Shelby, Stephen B. Smith, Mohannad Hakeem
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems for operating an engine during conditions where ambient humidity changes over time are presented. In one non-limiting example, an engine air flow limit is adjusted to increase engine air flow during high humidity conditions such that an engine may provide equivalent torque output during the high humidity conditions as compared to when the engine is operated during low humidity conditions.
Claims18
An engine operating method, comprising:
- adjusting an engine air flow threshold via a controller responsive to ambient humidity, where the engine air flow threshold is a maximum engine air flow threshold, and where the engine air flow threshold is a basis for adjusting engine air flow;
- providing a constant engine spark timing when an engine is operated with engine air flow at the engine air flow threshold;
- and
- operating the engine responsive to the adjusted engine air flow threshold via the controller.
1 more element
An engine operating method, comprising:
- adjusting an engine air flow threshold via a controller responsive to ambient humidity;
- selecting a lowest value from a group comprising the engine air flow threshold, a desired engine air flow, a turbocharger maximum air flow, and a maximum engine air flow when fuel injectors are providing flow at a maximum rate via the controller;
- and
- adjusting an actuator via the controller responsive to the lowest value.
1 more element
A vehicle system, comprising:
- an engine including an air flow actuator;
- a humidity sensor;
- and
- a controller including instructions stored in a non-transitory memory for adjusting an engine air flow threshold responsive to ambient humidity determined from the humidity sensor, and instructions for constraining engine air flow to be less than or equal to the engine air flow threshold, the engine air flow threshold determined from an indicated mean effective pressure, where the indicated mean effective pressure is a maximum indicated mean effective pressure based on piston degradation, and where the engine air flow threshold is adjusted via dividing the engine air flow threshold by a value of one minus a value of a measured humidity minus a base humidity, and additional instructions to increase the engine air flow threshold for increasing ambient humidity.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.