| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20110283971 | METHOD FOR MANAGING TRANSITIONS IN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES WITH COMBUSTION PHASING - A combustion mode transition control for controlling a transition between a homogeneous-charge compression-ignition (HCCI) combustion mode and a spark-ignition (SI) combustion mode includes slowly transitioning intake and exhaust camshafts from initial phase settings corresponding to one of the HCCI and SI combustion modes to target phase settings corresponding to the other of the HCCI and SI combustion modes. An ignition spark timing and an injected fuel mass are coordinated with the transitioning of the intake and exhaust camshaft phase settings to substantially maintain engine load continuity during the transitioning of the intake and exhaust camshaft phase settings. | 11-24-2011 |
| 20110283972 | CONTROL STRATEGY FOR TRANSITIONS BETWEEN HOMOGENEOUS-CHARGE COMPRESSION-IGNITION AND SPARK-IGNITION COMBUSTION MODES - A direct-injection internal combustion engine includes an intake camshaft with a low-lift intake cam and a high-lift intake cam, a variable lift control for selectively operating an intake valve in one of a low-lift intake valve profile with the low-lift intake cam and a high-lift intake valve profile with the high-lift intake cam, a variable cam phase control operative on the intake camshaft for simultaneously controlling the phase of the low-lift intake cam and the high-lift intake cam, an ignition spark control, a fuel injection control, an exhaust gas recirculation control, and an intake throttle control. A method of operating the engine includes operating the engine in one of a) a homogeneous-charge compression-ignition (HCCI) combustion mode including the low-lift intake valve profile, and b) a spark ignition (SI) combustion mode including the high-lift intake valve profile, and within a predetermined range of engine loads and camshaft phasings, wherein the low-lift intake valve profile and the high-lift intake valve profile effect a respective intake airflow in the corresponding HCCI combustion mode and SI combustion mode conducive to stable combustion exclusively through fuel and spark control. The method further includes transitioning between the HCCI and SI combustion modes exclusively through adjustments to the variable lift control, the ignition spark control, and the fuel injection control. | 11-24-2011 |
| 20110288742 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING OPERATION OF AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE OPERATING IN HCCI COMBUSTION MODE - An internal combustion engine is configured to operate in a homogeneous-charge compression-ignition combustion mode. Operating the internal combustion engine includes determining an integrated thermal state parameter from an aggregation of engine environment factors. A feed-forward engine control scheme is executed to determine states for engine control parameters. The states for the engine control parameters correspond to a preferred combustion phasing responsive to an operator torque request and the integrated thermal state parameter. Operation of the internal combustion engine is controlled to achieve the preferred combustion phasing using the states for the engine control parameters. | 11-24-2011 |
| 20110288747 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OPERATING AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE IN A HOMOGENEOUS-CHARGE COMPRESSION-IGNITION COMBUSTION MODE - A method for operating an internal combustion engine includes determining an actual combustion heat release during ongoing engine operation, calculating an expected combustion heat release corresponding to engine operation associated with the actual combustion heat release during ongoing engine operation, determining a difference between the actual combustion heat release and the expected combustion heat release, and operating the internal combustion engine in a homogeneous-charge compression-ignition combustion mode to achieve a preferred combustion phasing during each combustion cycle in response to the difference between the actual combustion heat release and the expected combustion heat release. | 11-24-2011 |
| 20110288750 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE COUPLED TO A PASSIVE SELECTIVE CATALYTIC REDUCTION AFTERTREATMENT SYSTEM - A direct-injection internal combustion engine is fluidly coupled to a passive SCR system including a three-way catalytic converter upstream to an ammonia-selective catalytic reduction catalyst. Transition from an HCCI combustion mode to an SI combustion mode includes determining a preferred air/fuel ratio to achieve a minimum fuel consumption and maintain combustion stability at an acceptable level for a predetermined engine operating point during the SI combustion mode. A fuel injection timing, an engine spark timing and an engine valve lift are substantially immediately controlled from respective HCCI combustion mode settings to respective SI combustion mode settings. A transition to the preferred air/fuel ratio is coordinated with a transition of an engine valve phase from a respective HCCI combustion mode setting to a respective SI combustion mode phase setting. | 11-24-2011 |
| 20120316757 | COMBUSTION PHASING CONTROL METHODOLOGY IN HCCI COMBUSTION - Controlling combustion in a spark-ignition direction-injection internal combustion engine includes providing an initial injected fuel mass timing and an initial spark ignition timing. A combustion phasing error is monitored and compared with each of the initial injected fuel mass timing and the initial spark ignition timing. An adjusted injected fuel mass timing and an adjusted desired spark ignition timing is determined based on the comparing for maintaining a desired combustion phasing. | 12-13-2012 |
