Dynamic Cylinder Grouping for Engine Power Balance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Multi-cylinder engine systems face power output imbalances due to component degradation and malfunctions, leading to increased noise-vibration-harshness (NVH) concerns and inefficient fuel consumption, as all cylinders are typically operated under identical conditions regardless of their bank-specific conditions.
Innovation Solution
A method for dynamically grouping cylinders across different banks based on engine operating conditions, allowing for separate adjustment of fueling and injection timing in each group to optimize power output and reduce imbalances, using separate intake and exhaust manifolds with independent turbochargers and sensors for real-time monitoring and control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If all cylinders are operated under identical conditions, then the engine structure is simple and easy to control, but power output imbalances occur due to component degradation and malfunctions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the engine's cylinder banks into separate controllable groups, with each bank having its own intake manifold and exhaust manifold. This segmentation allows independent control of fueling and injection timing for each bank, enabling the system to address power output imbalances between banks while maintaining relatively simple control architecture within each bank.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of operating parameters (fueling amount, injection timing) for each cylinder bank based on real-time operating conditions and detected power output imbalances. This dynamic control allows the system to adapt to component degradation and malfunctions, maintaining power balance without requiring complex static reconfiguration.
2Device complexity
If all cylinders are operated under identical conditions, then the control system is simple, but fuel consumption efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by allowing each cylinder bank to operate with optimized parameters specific to its condition. Each bank can have different fueling amounts and injection timing based on its actual performance and operating conditions, improving overall fuel efficiency without requiring complex system-wide control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes operating parameters (fueling amount, injection timing) independently for each cylinder bank based on detected power output and operating conditions. This parameter optimization allows each bank to operate at peak efficiency, reducing overall fuel consumption while maintaining a relatively simple control system.
3Ease of operation
If all cylinders are operated under identical conditions, then the engine operation is uniform, but NVH concerns increase due to power output imbalances
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control by monitoring power output from each cylinder bank and adjusting operating parameters to correct detected imbalances. This feedback mechanism reduces power output variations between banks, thereby reducing NVH concerns while maintaining relatively uniform and simple engine operation.
Data Source
AI summary
Various methods and systems are provided for dynamically assigning cylinders to cylinder sets in engines having two or more cylinder banks, wherein each cylinder bank is fed intake air by a separate intake manifold, and wherein each cylinder bank includes a separate exhaust manifold. In one example, the current disclosure teaches comparing engine operating conditions against a plurality of predetermined override conditions, and responding to the engine operating conditions matching a predetermined override condition of the plurality of predetermined override conditions by reassigning at least a first cylinder of a first cylinder bank from a first cylinder set to a second cylinder set, and adjusting an operating parameter of the second cylinder set and first cylinder set based on the override condition. In this way, cylinders may be dynamically assigned to cylinder sets based, from a default cylinder set, based on occurrence of predetermined override conditions.