V-Configuration Turbocharged Engine Cylinder Bank Deactivation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Large displacement internal combustion engines experience low energy efficiency and increased pollutant emissions during low-load operations due to oversized power delivery, as they generate a limited fraction of their maximum power, which is not effectively utilized during normal driving conditions.

Innovation Solution

A turbocharged internal combustion engine with a 'V' cylinder configuration that deactivates one bank of cylinders during low-load operations by using an electronic control unit to cut off fuel injection and lubricating oil supply to the corresponding turbocharger, allowing the remaining cylinders to operate more efficiently and reducing emissions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If a large displacement engine is used to generate high maximum power, then the engine can deliver high power output, but the engine operates at low energy efficiency and high pollutant emissions during low-load operations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemaximum powerVSAvoidenergy efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The engine is divided into two independent banks of cylinders (bank 3a and bank 3b), each with its own turbocharger. This segmentation allows one bank to be deactivated while the other remains operational during low-load conditions, enabling the engine to maintain high power capability when needed while improving efficiency during partial load operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Power

If a large displacement engine is used to generate high maximum power, then the engine can deliver high power output, but the engine produces high pollutant emissions during low-load operations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemaximum powerVSAvoidpollutant emissions
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The engine is divided into two independent banks of cylinders (bank 3a and bank 3b), each with its own turbocharger. This segmentation allows one bank to be deactivated while the other remains operational during low-load conditions, enabling the engine to maintain high power capability when needed while improving efficiency during partial load operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Device complexity

If a single turbocharger is shared between two banks of cylinders, then the device complexity is reduced, but the turbocharger experiences excessive stress and reliability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveturbocharger configurationVSAvoidturbocharger reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The engine is divided into two independent banks of cylinders (bank 3a and bank 3b), each with its own turbocharger. This segmentation allows one bank to be deactivated while the other remains operational during low-load conditions, enabling the engine to maintain high power capability when needed while improving efficiency during partial load operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Each bank of cylinders is equipped with its own dedicated turbocharger, allowing independent control and optimization of turbocharging for each bank. This local quality approach ensures that when one bank is deactivated, its turbocharger is not subjected to excessive stress or oil infiltration, thereby improving reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

4Reliability

If lubricating oil is supplied to the turbocharger during bank deactivation, then the turbocharger is protected, but lubricating oil infiltration occurs causing reliability issues

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveturbocharger protectionVSAvoidlubricating oil infiltration
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The lubricating oil supply to each turbocharger is dynamically controlled based on the operational status of the corresponding cylinder bank. During deactivation of a bank, the lubricating oil supply to the associated turbocharger is interrupted, preventing oil infiltration issues while maintaining protection during active operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2918811B1Turbocharged internal combustion engine with a "v" configuration of the cylinders featuring the deactivation of a bank of cylinders during the low-load operation
Publication Date: 2016.05.18 FERRARI SPA
  • EP2918811B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2918811B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

An internal combustion engine (1) having: a plurality of cylinders (2), which are arranged in two banks (3a, 3b) arranged at an angle relative to one another; for each bank (3a, 3b) of cylinders (2), a corresponding turbocharger (8) having a lubrication circuit (14), which is provided with a delivery duct (15) to feed lubricating oil under pressure into the turbocharger (8); and a control unit (18), which is suited to deactivate the cylinders (2) of one of the two banks (3a, 3b) during the low-load operation and interrupts the feeding of lubricating oil to the turbocharger (8), when the corresponding bank (3a, 3b) of cylinders (2) is deactivated.