Method and system for controlling engine performance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10343757-B2
Application number	US-201313863258-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 15, 2013
Priority date	Jun 15, 2010
Publication date	Jul 9, 2019
Grant date	Jul 9, 2019

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for operating a vehicle including an engine comprising a turbocharger including a compressor and a turbine. The engine further includes a bypass path configured to selectively route gas from downstream of the compressor to upstream of the turbine. In one embodiment, the method comprises selectively increasing gas flow to the engine by adjusting gas flow through the bypass path from downstream of the compressor to upstream of the turbine. In this manner, the performance of the engine may be adjusted for various operating conditions.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of operating a marine vehicle comprising an engine including a turbocharger including a compressor and a turbine, comprising:
adjusting a bypass path positioned to direct boosted intake air from downstream of the compressor to upstream of the turbine according to whether a propeller coupled to the engine is engaged when an engine acceleration exceeds an acceleration threshold; and
adjusting the bypass path from downstream of the compressor to upstream of the turbine according to whether the propeller is engaged when an engine deceleration exceeds a deceleration threshold.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bypass path is adjusted according to an engine speed and a propeller load when the engine acceleration exceeds the acceleration threshold, where the propeller load is a function of a pitch of the propeller and a speed of the propeller.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein intake air flow through the bypass path is heated when the engine acceleration exceeds the acceleration threshold.

4. The method of claim 2 ,
wherein the bypass path is adjusted according to an intake manifold pressure, an engine speed, and a propeller load when the engine deceleration exceeds the deceleration threshold, according to a look-up table that maps the intake manifold pressure, engine speed, and propeller load to a degree of opening for the bypass path.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the deceleration threshold and the acceleration threshold vary according to engine speed.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein, when the engine acceleration exceeds the acceleration threshold, the bypass path is adjusted when the propeller is engaged and not adjusted when the propeller is not engaged.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein, when the engine acceleration exceeds the acceleration threshold, the bypass path is adjusted by opening a valve in the bypass path, and wherein when the valve in the bypass path is open, gas routed through the bypass path is not present in a fuel/gas combustion event in the engine.

8. The method of claim 2 , wherein adjusting the bypass path includes adjusting the bypass path from downstream of the compressor to upstream of the turbine according to a first look-up table when the propeller is engaged and adjusted according to a second, different look-up table when the propeller is not engaged.

9. The method of claim 2 , wherein a degree of opening of the bypass path from downstream of the compressor to upstream of the turbine is adjusted according to pressure of an intake manifold of the engine, engine speed of the engine, and propeller load of the propeller.

10. The method of claim 4 , wherein the bypass path is positioned to direct boosted intake air from downstream of the compressor directly to upstream of the turbine.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the bypass path is positioned to direct boosted intake air from downstream of the compressor to upstream of the turbine without passing through an intervening heat exchanger and where gas routed through the bypass path is not present in a fuel/gas combustion event in the engine.

12. The method of claim 5 , wherein adjusting the bypass path includes adjusting the bypass path from downstream of the compressor to upstream of the turbine according to a first look-up table when the propeller is engaged and adjusted according to a second, different look-up table when the propeller is not engaged.

13. The method of claim 5 , wherein the degree of opening of the bypass path from downstream of the compressor to upstream of the turbine is adjusted according to the intake manifold pressure of the engine, engine speed of the engine, and propeller load of the propeller.

14. A marine vehicle system, comprising:
an engine including a bypass path and a turbocharger including a turbine and a compressor, the bypass path including a valve adjustable to selectively bypass gas around the engine by routing the gas from downstream of the compressor to upstream of the turbine;
a propeller;
a coupling device connected to the engine and configured to selectively engage and disengage with the propeller; and
a control system having a computer readable storage medium with code therein, the code including instructions for,
selectively engaging the propeller;
selectively disengaging the propeller;
adjusting the valve of the bypass path responsive to an engine acceleration exceeding an acceleration threshold and the propeller being engaged; and
adjusting the valve of the bypass path responsive to an engine deceleration exceeding a deceleration threshold, wherein the valve of the bypass path is adjusted differently when the propeller is engaged from when the propeller is disengaged.

15. The marine vehicle system of claim 14 , wherein the valve of the bypass path is adjusted according to an engine speed responsive to the engine acceleration exceeding the acceleration threshold and the propeller being engaged.

16. The marine vehicle system of claim 14 , wherein gas flow through the bypass path is heated when the engine acceleration exceeds the acceleration threshold and the propeller is engaged.

17. The marine vehicle system of claim 14 , wherein the valve of the bypass path is adjusted according to an intake manifold pressure and an engine speed responsive to the engine deceleration exceeding the deceleration threshold.

18. The marine vehicle system of claim 14 , wherein adjusting the valve of the bypass path responsive to the engine acceleration exceeding the acceleration threshold and the propeller being engaged comprises opening the valve of the bypass path, and wherein when the valve of the bypass path is open, gas routed through the bypass path is not present in a fuel/gas combustion event in the engine.

19. The marine vehicle system of claim 14 , wherein the bypass path is a direct path between downstream of the compressor and upstream of the turbine that includes the valve and no other intervening components.

20. The marine vehicle system of claim 14 , wherein when the valve of the bypass path is closed, gas flows into an intake system inlet, through the compressor, through cylinders of the engine for combustion, through the turbine, and out an exhaust system, and wherein when the valve of the bypass path is open, gas flows into the intake system inlet, through the compressor, around the engine, through the turbine, and out the exhaust system.

Assignees

• Gen Electric
• Ge Global Sourcing Llc

Inventors

• Bailey Kevin Paul
• Dowell John
• Thwaites Frederick
• Nagurney Jonathan

Classifications

• B63H21/21 Primary

  Control means for engine or transmission, specially adapted for use on marine vessels · CPC title

• F02B37/16 Primary

  by bypassing charging air · CPC title

• Y02T10/144

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• Y02T10/12

  Improving ICE efficiencies · CPC title