Method and apparatus for controlling operation of an internal combustion engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10487753-B2
Application number	US-201515771491-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 3, 2015
Priority date	Dec 3, 2015
Publication date	Nov 26, 2019
Grant date	Nov 26, 2019

Abstract

An internal combustion engine includes a fuel injection system including a fuel injector disposed to inject fuel into the combustion chamber, and a plasma ignition system including a groundless barrier discharge plasma igniter that protrudes into the combustion chamber. A controller includes an executable instruction set to control the engine in a compression-ignition mode when the output torque request indicates a low load condition, including instructions to control a variable valve actuation system and control the plasma ignition system to execute plasma discharge events subsequent to controlling the fuel injection system to execute a fuel injection event, wherein the fuel injection event achieves a cylinder charge having a lean air/fuel ratio.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An internal combustion engine, comprising:
a combustion chamber formed by cooperation of a cylinder bore formed in a cylinder block, a cylinder head and a piston;
an intake valve and an exhaust valve disposed in the cylinder head and operative to control gas flow to the combustion chamber, and variable valve actuation systems operative to control openings and closings of the intake valve and the exhaust valve;
a fuel injection system including a fuel injector disposed to inject fuel into the combustion chamber;
a plasma ignition system electrically connected to a groundless barrier discharge plasma igniter protruding into the combustion chamber; and
a controller operative to control operation of the variable valve actuation systems, the fuel injection system and the plasma ignition system in response to an output torque request, the controller including an instruction set, the instruction set executable to:
control the engine to operate in a compression-ignition mode when the output torque request indicates a low load condition, including providing instructions to control the variable valve actuation systems and control the plasma ignition system to execute plasma discharge events subsequent to controlling the fuel injection system to execute a fuel injection event that achieves a cylinder charge having a lean air/fuel ratio.

2. The internal combustion engine of claim 1 , comprising the instruction set executable to control the engine in a flameless compression-ignition mode when the output torque request indicates the low load condition, including providing instructions to control the variable valve actuation systems to achieve a negative valve overlap state and control the plasma ignition system to execute plasma discharge events subsequent to controlling the fuel injection system to execute the fuel injection event.

3. The internal combustion engine of claim 1 , comprising the instruction set executable to control the engine in a flame-assisted compression-ignition mode when the output torque request indicates the low load condition, including providing instructions to control the variable valve actuation systems to achieve a negative valve overlap state and control the plasma ignition system to execute plasma discharge events subsequent to controlling the fuel injection system to execute the fuel injection event.

4. The internal combustion engine of claim 1 , comprising the instruction set executable to control the engine in a flameless compression-ignition mode when the output torque request indicates the low load condition, including providing instructions to control the variable valve actuation systems to achieve a positive valve overlap state and control the plasma ignition system to execute plasma discharge events subsequent to controlling the fuel injection system to execute the fuel injection event.

5. The internal combustion engine of claim 1 , comprising the instruction set executable to control the engine in a flame-assisted compression-ignition mode when the output torque request indicates the low load condition, including providing instructions to control the variable valve actuation systems to achieve a positive valve overlap state and control the plasma ignition system to execute plasma discharge events subsequent to controlling the fuel injection system to execute the fuel injection event.

6. The internal combustion engine of claim 1 , further comprising the controller including an instruction set executable to control the engine in a flame-assisted controlled compression-ignition mode when the output torque request indicates a mid-load condition, including instructions to control the variable valve actuation systems to achieve a positive valve overlap state, control the plasma ignition system to execute multiple plasma discharge events subsequent to controlling the fuel injection system to execute a first fuel injection event, and then control the fuel injection system to execute a second fuel injection event and control the plasma ignition system to execute another plasma ignition event during a compression stroke, wherein the first and second fuel injection events achieve a cylinder charge having a lean air/fuel ratio.

7. The internal combustion engine of claim 1 , further comprising the controller including an instruction set executable to control the engine in a flame-assisted controlled compression-ignition mode when the output torque request indicates a mid-load condition, including instructions to control the variable valve actuation systems to achieve a negative valve overlap state, control the plasma ignition system to execute multiple plasma discharge events subsequent to controlling the fuel injection system to execute a first fuel injection event, and then control the fuel injection system to execute a second fuel injection event and control the plasma ignition system to execute another plasma ignition event during a compression stroke, wherein the first and second fuel injection events achieve a cylinder charge having a lean air/fuel ratio.

8. The internal combustion engine of claim 1 , further comprising an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system including a controllable EGR valve.

9. The internal combustion engine of claim 8 , further comprising the controller operative to control operation of the variable valve actuation systems, the fuel injection system, the plasma ignition system and the EGR system in response to the output torque request, the controller including an instruction set, the instruction set executable to control the engine in a flame-propagation mode when the output torque request indicates a high load condition, including instructions to control the EGR system to dilute the cylinder charge, control the variable valve actuation systems to achieve a positive valve overlap state, control the plasma ignition system to execute plasma discharge events and control the fuel injection system to execute a first fuel injection event, and control the plasma ignition system to execute another plasma ignition event during a compression stroke, wherein the first fuel injection event achieves a cylinder charge having a stoichiometric air/fuel ratio.

10. The internal combustion engine of claim 9 , further comprising the instruction set executable to execute a second fuel injection event during the compression stroke, wherein the first and second injection events achieve a cylinder charge having a stoichiometric air/fuel ratio.

11. The internal combustion engine of claim 8 , further comprising the controller operative to control operation of the variable valve actuation systems, the fuel injection system, the plasma ignition system and the EGR system in response to the output torque request, the controller including an instruction set, the instruction set executable to control the engine in a flame-propagation mode when the output torque request indicates a high load condition, including instructions to control the EGR system to dilute the cylinder charge, control the variable valve actuation systems to achieve a negative valve overlap state, control the plasma ignition system to execute plasma discharge events and control the fuel injection system to execute a first fuel injection event, and control the plasma ignition system to execute another plasma ignition event during a compression stroke, wherein the first fuel injection event achieves a cylinder charge having a stoichiometric air/fuel ratio.

12. The internal combustion engine of claim 11 , further comprising the instruction set executable to execute a second fuel injection event during the compression stroke, wherein the first and second injection events achieve a cylinder c

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Idicheria Cherian A
• Yun Hanho
• Najt Paul M
• Solomon Arun S

Classifications

• F02D21/08

  the other gas being the exhaust gas of engine · CPC title

• H01T13/52

  characterised by a discharge along a surface · CPC title

• F02D41/401

  Controlling injection timing (F02D41/402 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F02M26/00

  Engine-pertinent apparatus for adding exhaust gases to combustion-air, main fuel or fuel-air mixture, e.g. by exhaust gas recirculation [EGR] systems · CPC title

• F02D13/0261

  Controlling the valve overlap · CPC title