1267results about How to "Increase fuel consumption" patented technology

A robust multiple-walled, multi-pass, high cooling effectiveness cooled turbine vane or blade designed for ease of manufacturability, minimizes cooling flows on highly loaded turbine rotors. The vane or blade design allows the turbine inlet temperature to increase over current technology levels while simultaneously reducing turbine cooling to low levels. A multi-wall cooling system is described, which meets the inherent conflict to maximize the flow area of the cooling passages while retaining the required section thickness to meet the structural requirements. Independent cooling circuits for the vane or blade's pressure and suction surfaces allow the cooling of the airfoil surfaces to be tailored to specific heat load distributions (that is, the pressure surface circuit is an independent forward flowing serpentine while the suction surface is an independent rearward flowing serpentine). The cooling air for the independent circuits is supplied through separate passages at the base of the vane or blade. The cooling air follows intricate passages to feed the serpentine thin outer wall passages, which incorporate pin fins, turbulators, etc. These passages, while satisfying the aero / thermal / stress requirements, are of a manufacturing configuration that may be cast with single crystal materials using conventional casting techniques.

A fuel management control method for a hybrid electric vehicle drive having an internal combustion engine and an electric motor arranged in parallel such that both can propel the vehicle; the system including an electric motor driven fuel pump and a programmable microprocessor; and wherein the method further includes monitoring vehicle speed and sensing braking pressure and directing signals of both vehicle speed and braking to the microprocessor and processing such inputs in accordance with an aggressive fuel management program including shut-off of fuel flow to the gas engine in response to vehicle braking at vehicle speeds above a predetermined maximum hysteresis speed and maintaining the fuel shut off during vehicle coasting above a predetermined speed while controlling the electric motor to provide regenerative braking or vehicle start during such fuel shut off modes of operation.

An air conditioner for a vehicle includes a vapor compression refrigeration cycle switchable between a heat pump cycle and a cooler cycle, a heat core configured to heat air to be blown into a vehicle compartment by using coolant of an engine of the vehicle as a heat source, and a controller configured to control operation of the vapor compression refrigeration cycle. The controller controls the vapor compression refrigeration cycle to be operated as the cooler cycle so as to perform a defrosting control of the outdoor heat exchanger, and outputs an operation request signal to the engine, when the controller determines that the outdoor heat exchanger is frosted.

An aircraft engine nacelle comprises: (a) an inlet lip and a skin having internal and external surfaces; (b) a noise abatement structure such as an acoustic panel located on the internal surface of the nacelle skin; and (c) an electrically powered de-icing system located on the external surface of the nacelle skin and in electrical connection to a power source. A method for de-icing and abating noise from an aircraft nacelle comprises: (a) providing a noise abatement structure such as an acoustic panel located on the internal surface of the nacelle skin; (b) providing an electrically powered de-icing system on the external surface of the nacelle skin; and (c) applying an electric current to the electrically powered de-icing system. The nacelle skin may be a perforated skin, and the de-icing system comprises a wire mesh bonded to the external surface of the perforated skin. The method and nacelle permit the use of noise abatement structures such as acoustic panels for noise reduction while advantageously avoiding detrimental high temperatures associated with conventional de-icing systems.

A display unit includes a speed display unit. The speed display unit includes an area, a threshold line and a pointer. The area indicates a vehicle speed (km / h). The threshold line indicates a threshold value at which operation and stop of an engine is switched. The threshold line is variably set by SOC and a temperature of a power storage device, a temperature of an inverter, a temperature of a motor generator and the like. The pointer indicates the movement direction of the threshold line.

Management control system for managing an energy supply and storage system for a rig power supply of the type having a power generator coupled to rig loads, the power generator used for powering the rig and for charging the storage system, and the storage system adapted for selectively supplementing rig power, is adapted for controlling the selection of rig function operation, for setting the system to recommended settings for the selected rig function operation, for monitoring rig power usage for the selected rig function operation for distributing excess power to the storage system when the rig power usage falls below a preselected threshold, and for distributing stored power from the storage system when the rig power usage is above a preselected threshold. The recommended setting for the selected rig function may be modified depending upon power usage by setting preselected thresholds.

An SOC target is a control target of a remaining capacity of an accumulation device having a characteristic that the internal loss increases in a low SOC region. The SOC target is set to a first value corresponding to a remaining capacity target upon reaching a predetermined point when the remaining travel distance up to a predetermined point where the accumulation device can be charged from outside has become shorter than a predetermined distance. Thus, the hybrid vehicle can perform EV travel by power consumption of the accumulation device. On the other hand, when the remaining travel distance is not smaller than the predetermined distance Dr, the SOC target is set to a second value in the SOC region where the loss of the accumulation device is smaller than the first value. Thus, it is possible to reduce the power consumption in the hybrid vehicle which performs such a remaining capacity management that the remaining capacity of the accumulation device upon arrival at a predetermined point is a predetermined value.

A gear train of an automatic transmission for a vehicle includes: a first planetary gear set that receives an input speed from an input shaft and outputs a reduced speed; a second planetary gear set that receives the reduced speed of the first planetary gear set and selectively outputs a same speed or a reversed speed; and a third planetary gear set that receives the reduced speed of the first planetary gear set, the input speed from the input shaft, and the output speed of the second planetary gear set, and then outputs a shifted output speed.

An air conditioner for a vehicle includes a vapor compression refrigeration cycle configured to have a heat pump cycle for heating air to be blown into an interior of a vehicle compartment, and a heating member for heating the air using a coolant of an internal combustion engine of the vehicle as a heat source. In the air conditioner, an operation request signal is output by an air conditioning controller to the internal combustion engine when an outside air temperature is lower than a predetermined threshold.

A gear train of an automatic transmission for a vehicle includes: a first planetary gear set that receives an input speed from an input shaft and outputs a reduced speed; a second planetary gear set that receives the reduced speed of the first planetary gear set and selectively outputs a same speed or a reversed speed; and a third planetary gear set that receives the reduced speed of the first planetary gear set, the input speed from the input shaft, and the output speed of the second planetary gear set, and then outputs a shifted output speed.

A vehicle includes a motor for driving wheels WH, an inverter to drive the motor, and a control device to perform PWM control of the inverter. The control device performs synchronous PWM control in a case where an electric current supplied to the motor by the inverter or torque generated in the motor is larger than a threshold value; and performs the synchronous PWM control or non-synchronous PWM control in a case where the electric current or the torque is smaller than the threshold value and sets carrier frequency or a pulse number of the PWM control to be higher than the case where the electric current or the torque is larger than the threshold value. Thereby, it is possible to provide a vehicle of achieving reduction of noise, reduction of cost and improvement of fuel consumption in a balanced manner.

A running control device for a watercraft controls propulsion force and tilt angle of a propulsion device relative to the hull of the watercraft. The running control device also sets an optimum trim angle automatically. The running control device includes a propulsion force control section that controls the propulsion force of the propulsion device. The running control device also includes a tilt angle control section that controls the tilt angle of the propulsion device. A target propulsion force calculation module responds to first input information (e.g., watercraft velocity) to calculate a target propulsion force. An amount-of-operation calculation module responds to second input information to calculate an amount of operation of the propulsion device to produce the target propulsion force. The tilt angle control section includes a tilt angle calculation module that determines the tilt angle based on the propulsion force.

Methods and systems are provided to improve engine temperature control. Cylinders scheduled for deactivation may have their exhaust retained in the cylinder by holding an exhaust valve closed on the preceding firing cycle. In this way soot emissions on reactivation are reduced.

A control system for an engine comprises an operation range judging section that judges an operation range assumed by the engine, a variable cycle operating section that switches the operation of the engine between 4-cycle operation and a different cycle operation in accordance with a judgment made by the operation range judging section, the different cycle operation being of an operation whose cycle is different from 4-cycle, and an intermediate variable cycle operating section that allows part of the cylinders to carry out 4-cycle operation and remaining part of the cylinders to carry out the different cycle operation when the operation range judging section judges that the engine is under an intermediate operation range assumed between an operation range provided by 4-cycle operation and an operation range provided by the different cycle operation.

A chamber (1) that works as a peristaltic pump for the pressure correction in the tire (4), which is a part of the tire (4) or of an ancillary structure (6) placed between the rim (7) and the tire bead (4) and is connected with the tire (4) internal space at one end and with the external environment at the other end. The chamber (1) is in the shape of a curved hollow channel, where at least one enclosing wall is at least partially formed by at least a pair of surfaces (10) coplanar with the longitudinal direction of the chamber (1). When the tire is mounted on the rim, the pair of surfaces (10) are pressed together thus hermetically closing the chamber (1). When the chamber (1) is closed during rotation of the wheel, the surfaces (10) can slightly slide on one another taking internal wall tensions onto themselves thus decreasing the possibility of wall damage through ripping. A method of producing the chamber (1) is also disclosed.

An airflow regulating device includes a first airflow regulator configured to replace a tractor truck's grille, means for adjusting the first airflow regulator between open and closed configurations, a second airflow regulator positioned inside a housing configured to attach atop the truck's cab, means for adjusting the second airflow regulator between open and closed configurations, and means for actuating each adjustment means. The second airflow regulator may embody either a multiple-louver or a nested-panel formation, and a proximity sensor is included in the means to actuate the adjustment means of the second airflow regulator. The first and second actuation means determine whether the first and second airflow regulators should be in the open or closed configurations and actuate the first and second adjustment means accordingly. The first and second adjustment means then adjust the first and second airflow regulators to the appropriate configurations, improving the truck's gas mileage.

This invention is an attractive cover for trailer hitch components which mounts on the receiver tube. It is especially useful for those vehicles whose trailer hitch is visible through an opening in the bumper fascia of the vehicle. These exposed components are generally unattractive. On these vehicles this invention will complete and fill-in the bumper fascia opening with a material that complements the vehicles own bumper covering. This invention mounts on the receiver tube and encloses and protects the receiver tube, safety chain anchors, electrical connections and other trailer hitch components. This invention will help to protect trailer components from blows and rough handling, corrosion, being clogged with mud and dirt and UV damage due to sunlight. It will prevent harm to people from striking the hitch and will smooth the outline of a vehicle reducing the turbulence around the vehicle and making it more gas efficient.

An air conditioning system for cooling or heating an air, and for feeding the heated or cooled air to predetermined portions is characterized by comprising: a first circulating circuit for circulating a first heating medium; a second circulating circuit for circulating a second heating medium; a control unit for controlling the heat for executing heat exchange between the first heating medium and the second heating medium to flow through either the heat exchanger or the first heat storing device. Moreover, an air temperature is controlled by heat of the second heating medium.

A control device for an internal combustion engine, which comprise a turbocharger, of which turbo flow rate is made variable, and an intake valve provided with a variable valve mechanism and in which mirror cycle is performed, the control device comprising: device, which calculates an intake air quantity per unit time and an intake air quantity per cycle on the basis of torque required to the internal combustion engine; device, which controls the turbocharger so that with the intake air quantity per unit time, supercharging pressure is further increased in that range, in which a ratio of supercharging pressure and exhaust pressure is equal to or less than a predetermined value; and device, which controls the variable valve mechanism on the basis of the supercharging pressure and the intake air quantity per cycle.

A control device for multi-stage turbochargers is provided that is capable of improving fuel consumption in transient and stationary states of an engine equipped with multi-stage turbochargers. A control device 1 for multi-stage turbochargers which are turbochargers 6, 7 of at least two or more stages provided in series at an engine 2 and in which the high-pressure stage turbocharger 6 is configured by a variable-capacity turbocharger 6 equipped with a variable vane 64 comprising detection means 11, 12 for detecting a boost pressure or an intake air amount of a turbocharger 7 of a stage with a pressure lower than that of the variable-capacity turbocharger 6, the opening degree of the variable vane 64 being controlled on the basis of a detection value of the detection means 11, 12.

A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle includes: a drive mode determination device that determines one drive mode from a plurality of drive modes based on a status of the vehicle, wherein the drive modes include: an engine stop motor drive mode in which the vehicle is driven by a driving force from a motor while stopping an engine; an idle cylinder deactivation motor drive mode in which the vehicle is driven by the driving force from the motor by operating a power generator as an electric motor by running the engine while maintaining the engine deactivated; and an engine drive mode in which the vehicle is driven by a driving force from the engine; and a transition rate modification device that, when it is determined by the drive mode determination device that a mode transition from a current drive mode to another drive mode should take place, modifies a transition rate for transitioning from the current drive mode to the another drive mode according to the drive mode to be transitioned.

A fuel delivery system with at least one fuel tank and at least two fuel chambers has a fuel transfer assembly preferably integrated into an in-tank fuel pump module for controlling fuel levels between the at least two fuel chambers. The fuel transfer assembly has a transfer jet which receives pressurized fuel from a fuel pump of the module and at least two control valves for dictating the source of low pressure fuel flowing into the transfer jet and discharged therefrom preferably into a fuel reservoir of the module. Preferably, one control valve is located in each fuel chamber. The control valve opens upon a pre-established high fuel level and closes upon low fuel level. The fuel chamber containing the open control valve is generally the source of fuel for the fuel pump module.

The invention provides a power supply device for a vehicle, for driving a motor which is mounted on a vehicle and makes the vehicle travel. The power supply device for a vehicle includes: a battery unit having a plurality of secondary batteries; a battery temperature sensor for detecting temperature of a secondary battery included in the battery unit; a heat insulating mechanism for controlling the temperature of the secondary battery; an outside air temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of air on the outside of the vehicle; an intake port for taking the outside air to the battery unit in the vehicle; an intake valve for opening / closing the intake port; and a temperature controller for controlling opening / closing of the intake valve on the basis of the temperature difference between the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature sensor and the battery temperature detected by the battery temperature sensor.

A gas-sensitive sensor membrane for the determination of gas concentrations in gas mixtures is proposed. Also proposed are a method and an apparatus for determining gas concentrations based on the change in the electromagnetic radiation absorption properties and / or the optical refraction index of an indicator substance, contained in the sensor membrane, which interacts with the gas to be determined.

Maximum charging power of a battery (63) is set by a battery-charging power setting unit (75), while maximum discharging power of the battery (63) is set by a battery-discharging power setting unit (76). Lower and upper limit of generator output power is set by a generator output power setting unit (77). A generator / battery power distribution determining unit (81) distributes power between the battery (63) and the generator (62) using the set values above.

A method is described for operating a drive of a motor vehicle that has at least two shafts, each able to be driven by a shaft drive device, a total drive torque of the motor vehicle corresponding generally to the sum of the shaft torques applied to the shafts. In this context, it is provided that a quantity and / or a change in the quantity of one of the shaft torques is / are taken into account in the open-loop and / or closed-loop control of the remaining shaft torques. A drive device of a motor vehicle as well as an electronic control unit are also described.

A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine with an exhaust recirculation system includes an acceleration request sensing section to sense a driver's acceleration request; and an engine operating condition sensing section to sense a current engine operation condition at the time of detection of the driver's acceleration request, to determine a margin from the engine operating condition at the time of detection of the driver's acceleration request, to a fuel economy deterioration region on a higher load side. A controlling section controls the EGR quantity, such as EGR rate, of the exhaust recirculation system in accordance with the margin.

A compression ignition engine uses two or more fuel charges having two or more reactivities to control the timing and duration of combustion. In a preferred implementation, a lower-reactivity fuel charge is injected or otherwise introduced into the combustion chamber, preferably sufficiently early that it becomes at least substantially homogeneously dispersed within the chamber before a subsequent injection is made. One or more subsequent injections of higher-reactivity fuel charges are then made, and these preferably distribute the higher-reactivity matter within the lower-reactivity chamber space such that combustion begins in the higher-reactivity regions, and with the lower-reactivity regions following thereafter. By appropriately choosing the reactivities of the charges, their relative amounts, and their timing, combustion can be tailored to achieve optimal power output (and thus fuel efficiency), at controlled temperatures (and thus controlled NOx), and with controlled equivalence ratios (and thus controlled soot).

The present invention relates generally a method and apparatus for adjusting the buoyancy of towed seismic arrays comprising a plurality of streamers and specifically to the dynamic buoyancy control of the buoyancy of a towed array of streamers by means of applying current to electroactive polymers (EAP) incorporated within the towed array of seismic streamers. The bulk density of the streamer array is electrically altered to accomplish neutral buoyancy for a towed array of streamers within the full range of water-densities from fresh to extremely dense seawater.