82179results about "Internal combustion piston engines" patented technology

A conductorless charging and power system for electronic appliances and method for communicating power to a power receiver employing wireless energy transmission are disclosed. The remote charging system includes a power transmission unit, which transmits energy as a directional power beam, and a power receiver system that receives the transmitted energy. The power receiver system is preferably incorporated in an appliance and includes an energy receptor capable of receiving the wireless power beam and transferring the energy from the beam to an energy storage device included in the appliance. The power transmission unit receives and tracks a power request signal from the power receiver system to track the power receiver system location during energy transmission. Data streams may be incorporated into the wireless signals of the remote charging system, allowing the remote charging system to function as a communications pathway as well as a power delivery system.

Various embodiments of the present invention provide a flow meter device having a laser Doppler anemometer (LDA) which measures the instantaneous center line velocity of fluid flow in a pipe. The flow meter may process the instantaneous velocity so obtained to compute the volumetric flow rate, mass rate, and / or other flow characteristics (e.g., as instantaneous quantities and / or integrated over a time interval) The flow meter may use an electronic processing method. The electronic processing method may provide essentially an exact solution to the Navier-Stokes equations for any periodically oscillating flow.

The present invention provides a system and method relating to the operation of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles powered both by electricity from rechargeable batteries and by consumable fuel powered means, such as an internal combustion engine or a fuel cell. More particularly, the system and method of the claimed invention enable optimization of the energy cost associated with the operation of such plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, especially when the cost of recharging batteries from external electric power sources may be less than the cost of recharging batteries from the onboard consumable fuel powered means. To this end, the invention enables maximization of the use of electricity from external electric power sources and minimization of the use of electricity produced by the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle's onboard consumable fuel powered means, when the cost of recharging batteries from external electric power sources is less than the cost of recharging batteries from the onboard consumable fuel powered means.

A wireless field device is disclosed. The field device includes a wireless communications module and an energy conversion module. The wireless communications module is configured to wirelessly communicate process-related information with another device. The energy conversion module is coupled to the wireless communications module. The energy conversion module is configured to couple to a thermal source, and to generate electricity from thermal potential energy in the thermal source.

A variety of methods and arrangements for improving the fuel efficiency of internal combustion engines are described. Generally, selected combustion events are skipped during operation of the internal combustion engine so that other working cycles can operate at a better thermodynamic efficiency. In one aspect of the invention, an engine is controlled to operate in a variable displacement mode. In the variable displacement mode, fuel is not delivered to the working chambers (e.g. cylinders) during selected “skipped” working cycles. During active (“non-skipped”) working cycles, a maximum (e.g., unthrottled) amount of air and an optimized amount of fuel is delivered to the relevant working chambers so that the fired working chambers can operate at efficiencies closer to their optimal efficiency. A controller is used to dynamically determine the chamber firings required to provide the engine torque based on the engine's current operational state and conditions. The chamber firings may be sequenced in real time or in near real time in a manner that helps reduce undesirable vibrations of the engine.

The present invention is directed to a diesel oxidation catalyst for the treatment of exhaust gas emissions, such as the oxidation of unburned hydrocarbons (HC), and carbon monoxide (CO) and the reduction of nitrogen oxides (NOx). More particularly, the present invention is directed to a novel washcoat composition comprising two distinct washcoat layers containing two distinctly different ratios of Pt:Pd.

A power generation system capable of eliminating NO, components in the exhaust gas by using a 3-way catalyst, comprising a gas compressor to increase the pressure of ambient air fed to the system; a combustor capable of oxidizing a mixture of fuel and compressed air to generate an expanded, high temperature exhaust gas; a gas turbine engine that uses the force of the high temperature gas; an exhaust gas recycle (EGR) stream back to the combustor; a 3-way catalytic reactor downstream of the gas turbine engine outlet which treats the exhaust gas stream to remove substantially all of the NOx components; a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG); an EGR compressor; and an electrical generator.

Provided is an emission treatment system and method for simultaneously remediating the nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter, and gaseous hydrocarbons present in diesel engine exhaust streams. The emission treatment system has an oxidation catalyst upstream of a soot filter coated with a material effective in the Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) of NOx by a reductant, e.g., ammonia. Also provided is a method for disposing an SCR catalyst composition on a wall flow monolith that provides adequate catalyst loading, but does not result in unsuitable back pressures in the exhaust.

Preferred operating points for a vehicle powertrain including an engine and a transmission are determined in accordance with a comprehensive operational mapping of input and output conditions and corresponding aggregate system losses corresponding to engine and transmission losses. In a hybrid transmission application, additional losses from motors and batteries are aggregated into the system losses and battery constraints are considered in determining preferred operating points. Preferred operating points are provided in one or more sets of minimized data for on-vehicle implementation.

Zeolite catalysts and systems and methods for preparing and using zeolite catalysts having the CHA crystal structure are disclosed. The catalysts can be used to remove nitrogen oxides from a gaseous medium across a broad temperature range and exhibit hydrothermal stable at high reaction temperatures. The zeolite catalysts include a zeolite carrier having a silica to alumina ratio from about 15:1 to about 256:1 and a copper to alumina ratio from about 0.25:1 to about 1:1.

A honeycomb structural body comprising: a ceramic block having a flat shape in which a plurality of honeycomb units are bonded to each other through a sealing material layer, said honeycomb unit mainly comprises porous ceramic and includes a large number of through holes placed in parallel with one another in a longitudinal direction with a partition wall interposed therebetween; and a sealing material layer formed on a peripheral portion thereof, wherein the sealing material layer among the honeycomb units on a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction has a pattern that is formed in a diagonal direction with respect to a major axis of a shape forming a contour of the cross section.

Described herein are devices, systems, and methods for managing the power consumption of an automotive vehicle, and thereby for optimizing the power consumption of the vehicle. The devices and systems for managing the power consumption of the vehicle typically include power management logic that can calculate an applied power for the vehicle engine based on information provided from the external environment of the vehicle, the operational status of the vehicle, one or more command inputs from a driver, and one or more operational parameters of the vehicle.

Provided is an emissions treatment system and method for reducing NOx emissions in the exhaust stream produced from an internal combustion engine. The system has an injector for periodically metering ammonia or an ammonia precursor into an exhaust stream; and a first substrate with a first SCR catalyst composition, downstream of the injector. The first substrate has an inlet end, an outlet end, a length extending between the inlet end to the outlet end, wall elements and a plurality of passages defined by the wall elements. The first SCR catalyst composition is disposed on the wall elements from the inlet end toward the outlet end to a length that is less than the substrate's axial length to form an inlet zone. The first substrate also has an NH3 destruction catalyst composition with a platinum group metal component dispersed on a refractory metal oxide. The NH3 destruction catalyst is disposed on the wall elements from the outlet end toward the inlet end to a length that is less than the substrate's axial length to form an outlet zone. Generally, there is from 0.1 to 10 g / ft3 of platinum group metal component in the outlet zone.

A system for effective NOx and particulate matter control in a diesel or other lean burn internal combustion engine is presented. The system includes a urea-based SCR catalyst having an oxidation catalyst coupled upstream of it and a particulate filter coupled downstream of the SCR catalyst. This system configuration results in improved NOx conversion due to fast SCR catalyst warm-up and higher operating temperatures. Additionally, placing the particulate filter last in this system configuration reduces tailpipe ammonia emissions as well as prevents any thermal damage to the SCR catalyst due to the particulate filter regeneration.

A method and system may be provided to perform a process for controlling NOx emissions of an target engine. In one embodiment of the invention, the process may include determining predicted NOx values based on a model reflecting a predetermined relationship between control parameters and NOx emissions, wherein the control parameters include ambient humidity, manifold pressure, manifold temperature, fuel rate, and engine speed associated with the engine. Further, the process may include adjusting the model based on a determination of whether the predicted NOx values meet a predetermined criteria associated with actual NOx values. The adjusted model may be stored in a memory associated with the engine whereby NOx emissions exhausted from the engine may be reduced based on virtual NOx emission values determined from the adjusted model.

A variety of methods and arrangements for improving the fuel efficiency of internal combustion engines are described. Generally, selected combustion events are skipped during operation of the internal combustion engine so that other working cycles can operate at a better thermodynamic efficiency. In one aspect of the invention, an engine is controlled to operate in a variable displacement mode. In the variable displacement mode, fuel is not delivered to the working chambers (e.g. cylinders) during selected “skipped” working cycles. During active (“non-skipped”) working cycles, a maximum (e.g., unthrottled) amount of air and an optimized amount of fuel is delivered to the relevant working chambers so that the fired working chambers can operate at efficiencies closer to their optimal efficiency. A controller is used to dynamically determine the chamber firings required to provide the engine torque based on the engine's current operational state and conditions. The chamber firings may be sequenced in real time or in near real time in a manner that helps reduce undesirable vibrations of the engine.

In an internal combustion engine that can burn two fuels, the main fuel may become unavailable, either temporarily or until the main fuel is replenished. The present apparatus determines when to fuel an engine with main fuel and secondary fuel, or secondary fuel alone. The apparatus includes a main-fuel supply system comprising a main-fuel injection valve that introduces main fuel into an engine combustion chamber; a secondary-fuel injection system comprising a secondary-fuel injection valve that introduces secondary fuel directly into the combustion chamber; a pressure sensor associated with the main-fuel supply system for determining injection pressure inside the main-fuel injection valve; and an electronic controller in communication with the pressure sensor and programmable to separately command actuation of the secondary-fuel and the main-fuel injection valve when injection pressure is greater than a predetermined threshold, and to otherwise command actuation of the secondary-fuel injection valve and not the main-fuel injection valve.

Fuel management system for enhanced operation of a spark ignition gasoline engine. Injectors inject an anti-knock agent such as ethanol directly into a cylinder. It is preferred that the direct injection occur after the inlet valve is closed. It is also preferred that stoichiometric operation with a three way catalyst be used to minimize emissions. In addition, it is also preferred that the anti-knock agents have a heat of vaporization per unit of combustion energy that is at least three times that of gasoline.

Devices and methods are described for converting a carbon source and a hydrogen source into hydrocarbons, such as alcohols, for alternative energy sources. The influents may comprise carbon dioxide gas and hydrogen gas or water, obtainable from the atmosphere for through methods described herein, such as plasma generation or electrolysis. One method to produce hydrocarbons comprises the use of an electrolytic device, comprising an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte. Another method comprises the use of ultrasonic energy to drive the reaction. The devices and methods and related devices and methods are useful, for example, to provide a fossil fuel alternative energy source, store renewable energy, sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, counteract global warming, and store carbon dioxide in a liquid fuel.

A method of operating an engine for a vehicle having at least a first cylinder, the method comprising of operating the first cylinder to provide at least one of compression braking and expansion braking by holding one of an intake valve and an exhaust valve of the first cylinder closed while opening, closing, and opening the other of the intake valve and the exhaust valve during a cycle of the first cylinder and during a first vacuum level of an intake manifold upstream of the first cylinder; and operating the first cylinder to provide at least one of compression braking and expansion braking by operating both the intake valve and the exhaust valve of the first cylinder during a cycle of the first cylinder to allow at least some air to flow through the first cylinder during a second vacuum level of the intake manifold.

An internal combustion engine, in which multiple kinds of fuels are fed to a cylinder from multiple fuel injectors each corresponding to each of multiple kinds of fuels at a target mixing ratio determined according to a running condition, includes an actual fuel mixing ratio calculator calculating an actual fuel mixing ratio of fuel fed to cylinder. The actual fuel mixing ratio calculator at first calculates actual fuel injection quantity of each fuel injection by adding or subtracting predetermined stuck-on-wall fuel to or from each quantity of fuel injected from each fuel injector, and then calculates an actual fuel mixing ratio of fuel fed to cylinder on the basis of the calculated actual fuel injection quantity of each fuel injector.

There is provided a control scheme for restarting an internal combustion engine of a hybrid powertrain during ongoing vehicle operation. The method comprises generating a torque output from an electrical machine to rotate the engine, and determining an engine crank torque. The torque output from the electrical machine is selectively controlled based upon the engine crank torque. The engine is fired when rotational speed of the engine exceeds a threshold. An engine torque simulation model accurately determines engine compression pressures in real-time to accommodate changes in engine operating conditions, based upon present engine operating conditions.

A fuel cooling system for a marine inboard engine, including a fuel tank, a fuel supply conduit, and a heat exchanger. The fuel supply conduit includes first and second ends, and extends between the fuel tank and a fuel injection system for the engine. The heat exchanger is disposed intermediate the first and second ends of the fuel supply conduit, and includes a fuel passage in fluid communication with the fuel supply conduit, and a coolant passage in fluid communication with a coolant side of a closed-loop auxiliary cooling system.

Improved exhaust gas recirculation system and methods that use one or more of the engine's cylinders as dedicated EGR cylinders. All of the exhaust from the dedicated EGR cylinders is recirculated back to the engine intake. Thus, the EGR rate is constant, but the EGR mass flow may be controlled by adjusting the air-fuel ratio of the dedicated EGR cylinders or by using various variable valve timing techniques.

A waste heat recover system includes a mechanism for supplying power by use of a thermoelectric conversion unit, and a mechanism for utilizing heat released from the thermoelectric conversion unit. Heat released from the thermoelectric conversion unit is utilized for, for example, heating, defrosting, defogging, temperature keeping of fuel, temperature keeping of an internal combustion engine, and temperature keeping of a fuel cell. The waste heat recovery system is equipped in, for example, cars, incinerators, fuel cells, and industrial machinery.

A structure for use in high temperature applications and including a porous ceramic material consisting essentially of about 50-90 percent by weight iron or magnesium stabilized aluminum titanate (AlTiO5) and about 10-50 percent by weight strontium feldspar (SrO.Al2O3.2SiO2), and having a coefficient of thermal expansion over a temperature range from room temperature to 1000° C. of about -10x10-7 / ° C. to +15x10-7 / ° C., a heat capacity at 500° C. greater than 3.2 J / cm3K, a porosity of about 15-50 percent by volume, preferably 40-50 percent by volume, and a median pore size of about 5-50 micrometers, preferably 8-15 micrometers. The structure is especially useful as a diesel exhaust particulate filter.

A ceramic filter assembly having improved exhaust gas processing efficiency. The ceramic filter assembly (9) is produced by adhering with a ceramic seal layer (15) outer surfaces of a plurality of filters (F1), each of which is formed from a sintered porous ceramic body. The seal layer (15) has a thickness of 0.3 mm to 3 mm and a thermal conductance of 0.1 W / mK to 10 W / mk.