An engine system

Abstract

An engine system includes a spark-ignited engine having at least one cylinder, and at least one piston to compress an intake charge therein and provide a variable compression ratio. The system includes a pent-roof cylinder head to induce a tumble flow of intake charge. The system includes an air handling system to control air flow through a turbocharger system via at least one actuator within at least one of an intake air throttle, a wastegate, or an exhaust gas recirculation system. The system includes at least one sensor to sense at least one of a temperature or a knock condition, and at least one controller to control at least one of a rate of flow of the intake charge or the at least one actuator based on the at least one of the temperature or the knock condition to satisfy an efficiency target of the engine.

Description

AN ENGINE SYSTEMCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] The present application claims priority to United States Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 565,808, filed March 15, 2024. The contents of this application are incorporated herein by reference.STATEMENT OF UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

[0002] This invention was made with Government support under DE-AC36-08GO28308 awarded by the Department of Energy. The Government has certain rights in this invention.TECHNICAL FIELD100031 The present invention relates generally to internal combustion engine systems and method of controlling internal combustion engine systems.BACKGROUND

[0004] In an internal combustion engine system including a multi-cylinder engine (e.g., compression ignition or spark ignition internal combustion engines, etc ), efficiency can be affected by various factors, including engine architecture and operating conditions. Engine efficiency indicators can include exhaust temperature and / or knock conditions.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure relates to engine system. The engine system includes an internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder, at least one piston, where each of the at least one piston is structured to compress an intake charge within one of the at least one cylinder, and where the at least one piston operable to provide a variable compression ratio. The engine further includes a pent-roof cylinder head coupled to the at least one cylinder, the pentroof cylinder head configured to induce a tumble flow of the intake charge to enhance mixing ofthe intake charge, an air handling system operably coupled to the engine, the air handling system configured to control an air flow through a turbocharger system via at least one actuator within at least one of an intake air throttle, a wastegate, or an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system. The engine system further includes at least one sensor configured to sense at least one of a temperature or a knock condition within the engine, and at least one controller communicably coupled to each of the engine, the at least one sensor, and the air handling system, the at least one controller configured to control at least one of a rate of flow of the intake charge or the at least one actuator based on the at least one of the temperature or the knock condition to satisfy an efficiency target associated with the engine.

[0006] In various embodiments, the compression ratio is at least 14: 1. In some embodiments, the at least one controller is configured to control the variable compression ratio by controlling an amount of air and charge flows into the at least one cylinder. In other embodiments, the EGR system includes an exhaust manifold defining a first exhaust pathway and a second exhaust pathway disposed parallel to the first exhaust pathway. In yet other embodiments, at least one actuator includes a first actuator corresponding to the first exhaust pathway and a second actuator corresponding to the second exhaust pathway. In various embodiments, the at least one actuator is within the wastegate. In some embodiments, the efficiency target corresponds to a turbine temperature. In other embodiments, the efficiency target is based on at least one of an airflow rate or an EGR fraction. In yet other embodiments, the at least one controller is configured to vary the efficiency target based on a temperature of a coolant within the spark-ignited engine.

[0007] In some embodiments, the engine system comprises a turbocharger in fluid communication with the exhaust manifold via the first exhaust pathway, the turbocharger including the wastegate, wherein the first actuator is operably coupled to the wastegate. In some embodiments the at least one controller is configured to control the wastegate based upon a pressure or temperature within the internal combustion engine. In some embodiments, the second actuator is within the EGR system in fluid communication with the exhaust manifold via the second exhaust pathway.[0008| Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a method of controlling operation of an internal combustion engine system. The method comprises sensing one or more conditions relating to an internal combustion engine. The method further comprises comparing information corresponding to the one or more conditions with at least one efficiency target associated with the internal combustion engine. The method still further comprises determining at least one command for at least one component in the internal combustion engine system based upon the comparing of the information corresponding to the one or more conditions with the at least one efficiency target. The method further comprises operating the at least one component in accordance with the at least one command.10009] In various embodiments, the at least one command corresponds to one or more operating commands for one or more flow control actuators. In some embodiments, the at least one command corresponds to one or more operating commands for a turbocharger. In some embodiments, the at least one command corresponds to one or more operating commands for an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system. The method may further comprise setting the at least one efficiency target based upon one or more operational modes of the internal combustion engine. In some embodiments, the setting of the at least one efficiency target based upon a use application of the internal combustion engine. In some embodiments, the one or more conditions comprises a knock condition within the internal combustion engine. In some embodiments, the information corresponding to the one or more conditions comprises a current efficiency of the internal combustion engine. In particular embodiments, the current efficiency is based upon at least one of knock and temperature of a turbine within the internal combustion engine.

[0010] This summary is illustrative only and should not be regarded as limiting.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS[OOH ] The disclosure will become more fully understood from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements.[0012| FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of an internal combustion engine system, according to an embodiment.

[0013] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of an internal combustion engine within the internal combustion engine system of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment.

[0001] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an exhaust manifold within the internal combustion engine of FIG. 2, according to an embodiment.

[0001] FIG. 4 is another perspective view of the exhaust manifold of FIG. 3.

[0016] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an air handling system within the internal combustion engine system of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment.

[0017] FIG. 6 is another perspective view of the air handling system of FIG. 5.

[0018] FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of a method carried out by the internal combustion engine system of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. In the drawings, similar symbols typically identify similar components, unless context dictates otherwise. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments can be utilized, and other changes can be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented here. It will be readily understood that the aspects of the present disclosure, as generally described herein, and illustrated in the figures, can be arranged, substituted, combined, and designed in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are contemplated and made part of this disclosure.[0020| The present disclosure pertains at least in part to systems and methods providing for controlling an internal combustion engine to meet one or more predetermined efficiency targets.

[0021] In various embodiments, in accordance with FIG. 1, an internal combustion engine system 10 includes an internal combustion engine 20. The engine 20 includes at least one cylinder 50 and at least one piston 60, where each of the at least one piston 60 is structured to compress an intake charge within one of the at least one cylinder 50, and where the at least one piston 60 is operable to provide a variable compression ratio. The spark-ignited engine 20 further includes a pent-roof cylinder head 40 coupled to the at least one cylinder 50, where the pent-roof cylinder head 40 is configured to induce a tumble flow of the intake charge to enhance mixing of the intake charge.|0022| The internal combustion engine system 10 also includes an air handling system 95 operably coupled to the engine 20, where the air handling system 95 is configured to control an air flow through a turbocharger 96 via at least one actuator (e.g., an actuator 90) within at least one of an intake air throttle, a wastegate, or an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system 130. The internal combustion engine system 10 can also include at least one sensor 35 configured to sense at least one of a temperature or a knock condition within the engine and at least one controller communi cably coupled to each of the engine 20, the at least one sensor 35, and the air handling system 95, where the at least one controller 33 is configured to control at least one of a rate of flow of the intake charge or the at least one actuator based on the at least one of the temperature or the knock condition to satisfy an efficiency target associated with the engine 20.|0023| Still referring to FIG. 1, a block diagram of the internal combustion engine system 10 is shown, according to an example embodiment, includes the internal combustion engine 20, which is operably coupled to the control system 30 with the at least one controller 33. The control system 30, which includes a machine control system (OEM system) 25, is configured to send one or more inputs to the controller 33, where the controller 33 then controls the internal combustion engine 20.[0024| In various embodiments, the controller 33 is configured to include a processor and a non- transitory computer readable medium (e.g., a memory device) having computer-readable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the at least one controller 33 to carry out one or more operations. In various embodiments, the at least one controller 33 is a computing device (e.g., a microcomputer, microcontroller, or microprocessor). In other embodiments, the at least one controller 33 is configured as part of a data cloud computing system configured to receive commands from a user control device and / or remote computing device.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 1, the internal combustion engine system 10 includes the internal combustion engine 20, which is operably coupled to the control system 30 and at least one actuator 90. As shown, the internal combustion engine 20 is coupled to the control system 30 via the at least one controller 33. In various embodiments, the internal combustion engine system 10 can be configured for use with various fuel types, including, but not limited to, natural gas, petroleum products, ethanol, hydrogen, methanol, ammonia, etc. In various embodiments, the internal combustion engine 20 can be a spark ignition engine. In other embodiments, the internal combustion engine 20 can be any other type of engine known in the art. In some embodiments, the internal combustion engine 20 is a hydrogen fueled spark ignition engine. In some embodiments, the internal combustion engine 20 is a spark ignited engine structured to operate using natural gas. In some embodiments, the internal combustion engine 20 can be a dual fuel engine configured to operate using a first fuel and a second fuel.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 1, the controller 33 is operably coupled to at least one actuator 90. In some embodiments, the actuator 90 is operably coupled to the internal combustion engine 20. In some embodiments, the internal combustion engine system 10 can include a fuel control system configured to control or facilitate flow of fuel into the internal combustion engine 20. The actuator 90 can include one or more actuators that are structured to provide an input to the controller 33 and / or actuators that are structured to respond to an output of the controller 33. In various embodiments, the actuator 90 can include one or more fuel type actuators (e.g., gas pedal, diesel type actuator, etc.), air handling actuators, aftertreatment actuators, or any othertype of actuator within the internal combustion engine system 10. Accordingly, during operation, the controller 33 can send and / or receive one or more inputs to one or more components within the internal combustion engine 20, the at least one sensor 35, the machine control system 25, and / or the actuator 90.

[0027] As shown, the internal combustion engine 20 includes the cylinder head 40 and an engine block 45. As shown, the engine block 45 can include the at least one cylinder 50. In various embodiments, the engine block 45 also includes the at least one piston 60. The at least one piston 60 is structured to couple to a crankshaft within the internal combustion engine 20 and form an air-tight seal within the at least one cylinder 50. Accordingly, combustion and exhaust process occurs above the at least one piston 60 within the cylinder head 40, displacing the at least one piston within the cylinder 50 (e.g., up / down, in / out) to cause the crankshaft to turn, which results in conversion of vertical movement of the at least one piston 60 to horizontal rotational motion. In various embodiments, the cylinder head 40 is a pent-roof cylinder head, being structured to induce a tumble flow of intake charge to enhance mixing of the intake charge.

[0028] In some embodiments, the at least one piston 60 includes or is constructed of at least one of steel, titanium, or aluminum alloy materials. In various embodiments, the at least one piston 60 can be manufactured via at least one of forging, machining, or additive manufacturing. Further, the at least one piston 60 can include a flat, domed, or concave geometry. In various embodiments, the at least one piston 60 can include one or more valve relief (“clearance”) pockets to accommodate the intake and / or exhaust valves. In some embodiments, the at least one piston 60 can include one or more of anodizing, corrosion protection, or thermal conductivity coatings.

[0029] In various embodiments, the at least one piston 60 is structured to provide at least a 14: 1 compression ratio within the at least one cylinder 50. In other embodiments, the at least one piston 60 is structured to provide a variable compression ratio. In some embodiments, the controller 33 is structured to control the variable compression ratio by controlling an amount of air and / or charge flows into the at least one cylinder 50. In some embodiments, the at least onepiston 60 is structured to provide a compression ratio that is greater than 14: 1. In yet other embodiments, the at least one piston 60 is structured to provide a compression ratio that is approximately 16: 1. In some embodiments, the piston 60 is structured to provide a compression ratio that is between approximately 14: 1 and approximately 16: 1. In various embodiments, the compression ratio is defined as the ratio of a volume of the at least one cylinder 50 (and its head space) when the at least one piston 60 is at the bottom of its stroke to a volume of the headspace of the at least one cylinder 50 when the at least one piston 60 is at the top of its stroke (i.e., top dead center).

[0030] In various embodiments, the internal combustion engine 20 includes one or more valves 65, such as intake and exhaust valves, and a valvetrain configured to control operation of the valves 65. The one or more valves 65 are structured to allow or restrict flow of air, an air-fuel mixture, and / or exhaust between the cylinder head 40 and / or cylinders 50 during operation of the internal combustion engine 20. For example, an intake valve within the one or more valves 65 can control the flow of intake charge into the cylinders 50. Similarly, an exhaust valve within the one or more valves 65 can control a flow of combustion products exiting the cylinders 50. The internal combustion engine 20 also includes the at least one manifold, which is structured to facilitate flow of an air-fuel mixture into and out of the cylinders 50.

[0001] In various embodiments, the at least one manifold can include at least one intake manifold 75 having at least one passage for air or the air-fuel mixture to reach the cylinders 50. In some embodiments, the intake manifold 75 includes one or more actuators control airflow through one or more air throttles therein. The least one manifold can also include at least one exhaust manifold 80 having at least one passage for exhaust to flow from the cylinders 50 to an exhaust system. In various embodiments, the exhaust system can include an aftertreatment system, mufflers, a stack, and / or any other suitable components known in the art.

[0032] As shown, the internal combustion engine 20 also includes at least one fuel injector 70.The at least one fuel injector 70 is configured to add fuel (e.g., inject fuel) to the cylinders 50. In various embodiments, the at least one fuel injector 70 includes a port injector. In otherembodiments, the at least one fuel injector 70 is structured to inject fuel directly into the cylinders 50. In some embodiments, the at least one fuel injector 70 includes a throttle body injector. In various embodiments, the at least one fuel injector 70 includes a plurality of fuel injectors. In some embodiments, the each of the plurality of fuel injectors has a different operating parameter as compared to another of the plurality of fuel injectors. In various embodiments, the operating parameters of the plurality of fuel injectors can include, but are not limited to, a minimum pulse width, a maximum pulse width, a relaxation time, a fuel spray configuration, a fuel spray volume, fuel flow rate, a number of injection events per engine cycle, or a fuel pressure. In various embodiments, the at least one fuel injector 70 includes two injectors. In some embodiments, the internal combustion engine 20 includes a plurality of cylinders 50, where each of the plurality of cylinders 50 is operably coupled to two fuel injectors 70.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 1, the internal combustion engine system 10 can also include the at least one air handling system 95. The at least one air handling system 95 can be configured to condition ambient air elements to facilitate flow of conditioned air to an intake of the internal combustion engine 20.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 1, the controller 33 is operably coupled to the machine control system 25, at least one sensor 35, the internal combustion engine 20, the at least one actuator 90, and the air handling system 95. In other embodiments, the controller 33 can be coupled to fewer or more components. During operation, the controller 33 can send and / or receive one or more inputs to one or more components within the internal combustion engine 20, the fuel control system 85, the at least one sensor 35, the machine control system 25, and the actuator 90.

[0035] FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the internal combustion engine 20, according to at least one embodiment. To facilitate improved efficiency of the internal combustion engine 20, the controller 33 can be configured to strategically control one or more components within the internal combustion engine 20 and / or the internal combustion engine system 10. In various embodiments, the controller 33 can be configured to control the internal combustion enginesystem 10 and / or the internal combustion engine 20 such that an efficiency of the internal combustion engine 20 corresponds to a brake power to fuel energy ratio (BTE) of up to 42%.

[0036] In various embodiments, the internal combustion engine 20 can have a specific architecture, including specific components, to facilitate meeting one or more efficiency targets. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the internal combustion engine 20 can include the cylinder head 40, the cylinder block 45 (with at least one cylinder 50), at least one piston 60, and at least one injector 70. The internal combustion engine 20 can also include the intake manifold 75 and the exhaust manifold 80. The internal combustion engine 20 can further include a camshaft 83, which can be structured to operate the at least one valve 65 to convert rotational motion to linear, reciprocating motion. In various embodiments, the camshaft 83 is structured to have a specific profile that, during operation, facilitates maximization of efficiency of the internal combustion engine 10. In various embodiments, the profile of the camshaft 83 is defined by a shape of one or more lobes of the camshaft 83. In various embodiments, the profile of the camshaft 83 can be determined based one or more optimization routines. In other embodiments, the profile of the camshaft 83 can be optimized based on test data. In yet other embodiments, the profile of the camshaft 83 can be optimized based on predicted performance.

[0037] In some embodiments, the internal combustion engine 20 can include a dual overhead camshaft (DOHC) 87. In various embodiments, the DOHC 87 includes two camshafts disposed near or within a top portion of the internal combustion engine 20, where a first of the two camshafts is configured to control intake and a second of the two camshafts is configured to control exhaust. In some embodiments, the DOHC 87 can include one or more cam phasers. For example, the DOHC 87 can be structured such that each of the two camshafts includes a cam phaser disposed at each end. Accordingly, the DOHC 87 can be configured to enable shifting of timing associated with the DOHC 87 relative to timing of a crank shaft within the engine 20. In various embodiments, the DOHC 87 can be structured to facilitate both intake and exhaust phasing.

[0038] In various embodiments, the DOHC 87 can include an intake side cam phaser to facilitate closing an intake valve (e.g., of one or more valves 65) prior to a crank angle corresponding to bottom dead center (i.e., early) to reduce air charge within the at least one cylinder 50. In some embodiments, the intake side cam phaser can facilitate closing an intake valve (e.g., of the one or more valves 65) after an angle corresponding to bottom dead center (i.e., late) to reduce air charge within the at least one cylinder 50. In various implementations, reducing air charge within the at least one cylinder 50 causes a lowered intake air charge to be available during a combustion event within the internal combustion engine 20. Accordingly, managing an amount of intake charge (i.e., by managing airflow) can lower an effective compression ratio and lower an overall efficiency of the internal combustion engine 20. Such adjustment of compression ratio and efficiency via airflow adjustment (i.e., Miller cycling) can be implemented by, e.g., the controller 33 to reduce and / or avoid combustion knock within the internal combustion engine 20 under various operating conditions.|0039] In various embodiments, the DOHC 87 is structured to enable shifting when the one or more valves 65 open and close. Accordingly, in some embodiments, operation of the DOHC 87 can be adjusted using, for example, Miller cycling, to adjust thermodynamic efficiency of the internal combustion engine 20. In various embodiments, the controller 33 is operably coupled to the DOHC 87 such that the controller 33 is configured to selectively control the DOHC 87 (e.g., via miller cycling) based on at least one of a torque or speed within the internal combustion engine 20 to adjust efficiency of the internal combustion engine 20.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 2, the internal combustion engine 20 can also include the turbocharger 96 within or operably coupled to the air handling system 95. In various embodiments, the air handling system 95 can be configured to an airflow through the turbocharger 96 by operating at least one actuator. In some embodiments, the at least one actuator can be disposed within an intake air throttle (e.g., within or operably coupled to the intake manifold 75), coupled to a wastegate (e.g., within or operably coupled to the turbocharger 96 and / or exhaust manifold 80) or the EGR system 130.[00411 The turbocharger 96 can be structured to be powered by a flow of exhaust gases from the internal combustion engine 20 to facilitate compression of intake air and to force additional air into the internal combustion engine 20 to increase power production therein. In various embodiments, the turbocharger 96 is a twin entry turbocharger with a dual entry wastegate . In various embodiments, the at least one actuator (e.g., actuator 90) is disposed within or operably coupled to the wastegate. For example, in various embodiments, the wastegate includes at least one controllable actuator that controls the degree of opening of each entry to the wastegate. In some embodiments, the turbocharger 96 is communicably coupled to the controller 33 such that the controller 33 can be configured to control the actuator corresponding to one or both entries of the wastegate. In various embodiments, the wastegate is controlled electronically. In some embodiments, the controller 33 can be configured to control each wastegate entry independently. In some embodiments, the controller 33 can be configured to control both wastegate entries simultaneously.[0042 J In some embodiments, the controller 33 is configured to control the dual entry wastegate within the turbocharger 96 based on a pressure or temperature within the internal combustion engine 20. For example, in some embodiments, the controller 33 can be configured to open at least one wastegate entry a predetermined amount in response to the controller 33 determining (e.g., via the sensor 35) that a temperature or pressure of the exhaust satisfies or exceeds a predetermined threshold. In some embodiments, the predetermined threshold can be associated with an efficiency target of the internal combustion engine 20. Accordingly, in other embodiments, the controller 33 can be configured to determine or set the predetermined threshold based on the efficiency target and control the wastegate within the turbocharger 96 accordingly.

[0043] As described above, the internal combustion engine 20 can include at least one exhaust manifold 80. FIGS. 3 and 4 show alternate perspective views of the at least one exhaust manifold 80. In various embodiments, the at least one exhaust manifold 80 can include a body 105 that defines a plurality of inlets, each configured to receive exhaust. As shown, the exhaust manifold 80 can include a first inlet 110, a second inlet 113, and a third inlet 115. Although FIGS. 3 and 4show the exhaust manifold 80 as having three inlets, in various embodiments, the exhaust manifold 80 can include any number of inlets (e.g., one, two, four, five, seven, twelve, etc.).

[0044] In various embodiments, the exhaust manifold 80 is structured to facilitate a dual exhaust flow through the exhaust manifold 80. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the exhaust manifold includes a first flow pathway 120 and a second flow pathway 123 in parallel with the first flow pathway, where the first flow pathway 120 facilitates a first flow of exhaust from each of the first inlet 110, second inlet 113, and third inlet 115 to each of the first outlet 117 and the second outlet 125. In some embodiments, the dual flow (via the first flow pathway 120 and the second flow pathway 123) through the exhaust manifold 80 enhances performance of the internal combustion engine 20. For example, dual flow through the exhaust manifold facilitates independent wastegate paths into the turbocharger 96 (i.e., through the second outlet 125) and / or into the air handling system 95 (i.e., through the first outlet 117). In various embodiments, the first flow pathway 120 facilitates flow of exhaust from a first portion of the internal combustion engine 20 (e.g., a front portion) and the second flow pathway 123 facilitates flow of exhaust from a second portion of the internal combustion engine 20 (e.g., a rear portion). In some embodiments, the first flow pathway 120 provides a first portion of exhaust to the air handling system 95 and the second flow pathway 123 provides a second portion of exhaust to the turbocharger 96.

[0045] In various embodiments, the exhaust manifold 80 can include a plurality of outlets. As shown, the exhaust manifold 80 can include a first outlet 117 and a second outlet 125, each configured to facilitate flow of exhaust out of the exhaust manifold 80. In various embodiments, each of the first outlet 117 and the second outlet 125 can be split such that the first pathway 120 through each of the first outlet 117 and the second outlet 125 flows to one of the air handling system 95 or the turbocharger 96 and the second pathway 123 through each of the first outlet 117 or the second outlet 125 flows to the other of the air handling system 95 or the turbocharger 96. In other embodiments, one of the first outlet 117 or the second outlet 125 can be fluidly coupled to the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) unit (e.g., an EGR unit within the air handling system 95) and the other of the first outlet 117 or the second outlet 125 can be fluidly coupled to the turbocharger 96.

[0046] In various embodiments, each of the first outlet 117 and the second outlet 125 can include one or more actuators (e.g., actuator 90) for controlling flow of exhaust to the EGR unit and / or the turbocharger 96. In various embodiments, exhaust to the turbocharger 96 powers the turbocharger 96 and increases power production within the internal combustion engine 20.

[0047] As described above, the internal combustion engine system 10 can include at least one air handling system 95. FIGS. 5 and 6 show alternate perspective views of an EGR system 130 within the air handling system 95, which can be operably coupled to the internal combustion engine 20 and configured to receive exhaust therefrom (e.g., via the first outlet 117 of the exhaust manifold 80). As shown, the EGR system 130 can include a pulse combiner system 97, which is structured to combine exhaust flows from the exhaust manifold 80. As shown, the pulse combiner system 97 can be fluidly coupled to an EGR cooler 135, which is structured to lower a temperature of exhaust flowing therethrough and boost fuel efficiency within the internal combustion engine 20. The EGR cooler 135 can be fluidly coupled to a crossover conduit 140 (“crossover tube”) to equalize exhaust pulses within the EGR system 130. As shown, the crossover conduit 140 can be fluidly coupled to a flow measurement device 145, which is configured to measure a flow of exhaust through the EGR system 130.

[0048] In various embodiments, the flow measurement device 145 is structured to include a venturi style orifice to facilitate measurement of exhaust temperature and / or exhaust pressure within the EGR system 130. In various embodiments, the flow measurement device 145 can include at least one temperature sensor and / or at least one pressure sensor. In various embodiments, exhaust from the flow measurement device 145 can flow into an EGR valve 150, which is fluidly coupled to the flow measurement device 145. The EGR valve 150 is structured to control an amount of exhaust re-entering the internal combustion engine 20 (e.g., via an intake system). In various embodiments, the EGR valve 150 is fluidly coupled to a mixing device, where the mixing device is structured to mix recycled exhaust with air flowing to the internal combustion engine 20.

[0049] As described above, the controller 33 can be configured to control operation of one or more components within the internal combustion engine system 10 to enhance efficiency of the internal combustion engine system 20 and / or to meet a predetermined efficiency target of the internal combustion engine system 20. During operation of the internal combustion engine system 10, the controller 33 can be configured to carry out a method 200, as shown in FIG. 7. In operation 205, the at least one sensor 35 can sense one or more conditions relating to the internal combustion engine. In various embodiments, the at least one sensor 35 can be configured to sense a temperature and / or a pressure of exhaust within the internal combustion engine 20. In other embodiments, the at least one sensor 35 can be configured to sense a knock condition or one or metrics indicative of a knock condition within the internal combustion engine 20. The controller 33 can then receive information, e.g., in the form of one or more inputs, corresponding to the one or more conditions sensed by the at least one sensor 35.

[0050] In operation 210, the controller 33 can be configured to compare the one or more inputs to at least one efficiency target associated with the internal combustion engine 20 and / or the internal combustion engine system 10. For example, in some embodiments, the controller 33 can be configured to determine a current efficiency of the internal combustion engine 20 and / or the internal combustion engine system 10 based on the one or more inputs and compare the current efficiency to the at least one efficiency target.|0051 ] In various embodiments, efficiency of the internal combustion engine 20 and / or the internal combustion engine system 10 can be measured based on avoidance of knock within the internal combustion engine 20. In some embodiments, the efficiency of the engine 20 can be based on knock and / or temperature of a turbine within the internal combustion engine 20. In various embodiments, the efficiency target can be a static target. In other embodiments, the efficiency target can be a dynamic target, which can vary based on one or more operating conditions of the internal combustion engine 20 and / or the internal combustion engine system 10. For example, in some embodiments, the controller 33 can be configured to vary the efficiency target based on a temperature of a coolant within the engine 20. In yet otherembodiments, the efficiency target can be a range. In other embodiments, the efficiency target can be a single value.

[0052] In operation 215, the controller can be configured to determine at least one command for at least one component within the internal combustion engine system 10 based on the comparison from the operation 210. In various embodiments, the at least one command can correspond to one or more operating commands for at least one of one or more injectors 70. In various embodiments, the at least one command can correspond to one or more operating commands for the intake manifold 75 (i.e., an operating command for one or more flow control actuators therein).

[0053] In operation 217, the at least one component is operated in accordance with the at least one command determined at operation 215.

[0054] In various embodiments, the at least one command can correspond to one or more operating commands for the exhaust manifold 80 (i.e., an operating command for one or more flow control actuators and / or wastegates therein). In various embodiments, the at least one command can correspond to one or more operating commands for the turbocharger 96 (i.e., an operating command for one or more wastegates therein). In various embodiments, the at least one command can correspond to one or more operating commands for the EGR system 130 and / or the air handling system 95. For example, in some embodiments, the controller 33 can send one or more operating commands to at least one of the pulse combiner system 97, the EGR cooler 135, the crossover conduit 140, the flow measurement device 145, or the EGR valve 150.

[0055] In some embodiments, the at least one command can include a plurality of commands. For example, in some embodiments, the controller 33 can be configured to determine a first command corresponding to a first component and a second command corresponding to a second component. In various embodiments, the controller 33 can be configured to determine the first command and the second command simultaneously or in series.

[0056] In some embodiments, the one or more operating commands can adjust a flow of exhaust and / or air through the EGR system 130. In some embodiments, the controller 33 can determine one or more commands to manage an amount of exhaust gas recycling via the EGR system 130 to facilitate satisfying the at least one efficiency target. In some embodiments, the controller 33 can be configured to determine the at least one command corresponding to one or more components within the internal combustion engine system 10 based on a database, lookup table, or reference repository. For example, the controller 33 can be configured to, based on the one or more inputs and the current efficiency, determine the target efficiency and a corresponding target airflow rate and / or an EGR fraction. In some embodiments, the target efficiency, the airflow rate, and / or the EGR fraction can be determined from one or more lookup tables.

[0057] In some implementations, the controller 33 can be configured to set the at least one efficiency target in operation 220. For example, in some embodiments, the controller 33 can be configured to set the efficiency target based one or more operational modes of the internal combustion engine 20. In other embodiments, the controller 33 can be configured to set the efficiency target based on a use application of the internal combustion engine 20. In yet other embodiments, the controller 33 can set the efficiency target based on one or more inputs received from a manufacturer or user. Accordingly, in some implementations, the controller 33 may first carry out the operation 220 prior to initiating the operation 205, in which the controller 33 receives one or more inputs from the sensor 35. In various embodiments, the controller 33 can be configured to iteratively set the at least one efficiency target by carrying out the operation 220 every time the method 200 is carried out by the controller 33.

[0058] In various embodiments, the internal combustion engine system 10 can be configured to include a specific combination of components configured to enable satisfying one or more efficiency targets. In other embodiments, the controller 33 can be configured to determine one or more commands corresponding to each of the specific combination of components to enable satisfying the one or more efficiency targets. In various embodiments, selection of the specific combination of components within the internal combustion engine system 10 can be based onone or more intended performance qualities (e.g., lower piston speed, higher compression ratio, enhanced fuel quality, etc.).

[0059] In some embodiments, the specific combination of components within the internal combustion engine system 10 includes the internal combustion engine 20, the at least one piston 60, the pent-roof cylinder head 40, and the EGR system 130. In other embodiments, the specific combination of components within the internal combustion engine system 10 includes the internal combustion engine 20, the at least one piston 60, the pent-roof cylinder head 40, and the DOHC 87 to enable cam phasing. In yet other embodiments, the specific combination of components within the internal combustion engine system 10 can include the internal combustion engine 20, the at least one piston 60, the pent-roof cylinder head 40, and dual entry wastegate within the turbocharger 96 and / or the exhaust manifold 80. In some embodiments, the specific combination of components within the internal combustion engine system 10 can include the internal combustion engine 20, the at least one piston 60, the pent-roof cylinder head 40, and the injectors 70, where the injectors 70 include two port injectors corresponding to each of the plurality of cylinders 50. In some embodiments, the internal combustion engine system 10 includes 12 injectors.

[0060] Notwithstanding the embodiments described above in reference to FIGS. 1- 7, various modifications and inclusions to those embodiments are contemplated and considered within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0061] As utilized herein with respect to numerical ranges, the terms “approximately,” “about,” “substantially,” and similar terms generally mean + / - 10% of the disclosed values, unless specified otherwise. As utilized herein with respect to structural features (e.g., to describe shape, size, orientation, direction, relative position, etc.), the terms “approximately,” “about,” “substantially,” and similar terms are meant to cover minor variations in structure that may result from, for example, the manufacturing or assembly process and are intended to have a broad meaning in harmony with the common and accepted usage by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the subject matter of this disclosure pertains. Accordingly, these terms should beinterpreted as indicating that insubstantial or inconsequential modifications or alterations of the subject matter described and claimed are considered to be within the scope of the disclosure as recited in the appended claims.

[0062] It should be noted that the term “example” and variations thereof, as used herein to describe various embodiments, are intended to indicate that such embodiments are possible examples, representations, or illustrations of possible embodiments (and such terms are not intended to connote that such embodiments are necessarily extraordinary or superlative examples).

[0063] The term “coupled” and variations thereof, as used herein, means the joining of two members directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary (e.g., permanent or fixed) or moveable (e.g., removable or releasable). Such joining may be achieved with the two members coupled directly to each other, with the two members coupled to each other using a separate intervening member and any additional intermediate members coupled with one another, or with the two members coupled to each other using an intervening member that is integrally formed as a single unitary body with one of the two members. If “coupled” or variations thereof are modified by an additional term (e.g., directly coupled), the generic definition of “coupled” provided above is modified by the plain language meaning of the additional term (e.g., “directly coupled” means the joining of two members without any separate intervening member), resulting in a narrower definition than the generic definition of “coupled” provided above. Such coupling may be mechanical, electrical, or fluidic.

[0064] References herein to the positions of elements (e.g., “top,” “bottom,” “above,” “below”) are merely used to describe the orientation of various elements in the FIGURES. It should be noted that the orientation of various elements may differ according to other example embodiments, and that such variations are intended to be encompassed by the present disclosure.

[0065] Although the figures and description may illustrate a specific order of method steps, the order of such steps may differ from what is depicted and described, unless specified differentlyabove. Also, two or more steps may be performed concurrently or with partial concurrence, unless specified differently above.

[0066] It is important to note that any element disclosed in one embodiment may be incorporated or utilized with any other embodiment disclosed herein. Although only one example of an element from one embodiment that can be incorporated or utilized in another embodiment has been described above, it should be appreciated that other elements of the various embodiments may be incorporated or utilized with any of the other embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. An engine system comprising: an internal combustion engine comprising: at least one cylinder; at least one piston, each of the at least one piston structured to compress an intake charge within one of the at least one cylinder, the at least one piston operable to provide a variable compression ratio; and a pent-roof cylinder head coupled to the at least one cylinder, the pent-roof cylinder head configured to induce a tumble flow of the intake charge to enhance mixing of the intake charge; an air handling system operably coupled to the internal combustion engine, the air handling system configured to control an air flow through a turbocharger system via at least one actuator within at least one of an intake air throttle, a wastegate, or an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system; at least one sensor configured to sense at least one of a temperature or a knock condition within the internal combustion engine; and at least one controller communicably coupled to each of the internal combustion engine, the at least one sensor, and the air handling system, the at least one controller configured to control at least one of a rate of flow of the intake charge or the at least one actuator based on the at least one of the temperature or the knock condition to satisfy an efficiency target associated with the internal combustion engine.

2. The engine system of claim 1, wherein the variable compression ratio is at least 14: 1.

3. The engine system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is configured to control the variable compression ratio by controlling an amount of air and charge flows into the at least one cylinder.

4. The engine system of claim 1, wherein the internal combustion engine further comprises an exhaust manifold defining a first exhaust pathway and a second exhaust pathway disposed parallel to the first exhaust pathway.

5. The engine system of claim 4, wherein the at least one actuator comprises a first actuator corresponding to the first exhaust pathway and a second actuator corresponding to the second exhaust pathway.

6. The engine system of claim 5, further comprising a turbocharger in fluid communication with the exhaust manifold via the first exhaust pathway, the turbocharger including the wastegate, and wherein the first actuator is operably coupled to the wastegate.

7. The engine system of claim 6, wherein the at least one controller is configured to control the wastegate based upon a pressure or temperature within the internal combustion engine.

8. The engine system of claim 5, wherein the second actuator is within the EGR system, the EGR system in fluid communication with the exhaust manifold via the second exhaust pathway.

9. The engine system of claim 1, wherein the efficiency target corresponds to a turbine temperature.

10. The engine system of claim 1, wherein the efficiency target is based on at least one of an airflow rate or an EGR fraction.

11. The engine system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is configured to vary the efficiency target based on a temperature of a coolant within the internal combustion engine.

12. A method of controlling operation of an internal combustion engine system, comprising: sensing one or more conditions relating to an internal combustion engine;comparing information corresponding to the one or more conditions with at least one efficiency target associated with the internal combustion engine; determining at least one command for at least one component in the internal combustion engine system based upon the comparing of the information corresponding to the one or more conditions with the at least one efficiency target; and operating the at least one component in accordance with the at least one command.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one command corresponds to one or more operating commands for one or more flow control actuators.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one command corresponds to one or more operating commands for a turbocharger.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one command corresponds to one or more operating commands for an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising setting the at least one efficiency target based upon one or more operational modes of the internal combustion engine.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising setting the at least one efficiency target based upon a use application of the internal combustion engine.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more conditions comprises a knock condition within the internal combustion engine.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the information corresponding to the one or more conditions comprises a current efficiency of the internal combustion engine.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the current efficiency is based upon at least one of knock and temperature of a turbine within the internal combustion engine.

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