System and methods for engine air path condensation management

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9382836-B2
Application number	US-201314137503-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 20, 2013
Priority date	Dec 20, 2013
Publication date	Jul 5, 2016
Grant date	Jul 5, 2016

Abstract

A system and methods for routing condensate collected in a heat exchanger reservoir to either a combustion chamber of an engine or a position in the engine exhaust based on the type of contaminate in the condensate and operating parameters of the engine or the catalyst are described. In one particular example, the method includes accumulating a portion of compressed air in an accumulator, and when an engine output is below a predetermined amount, coupling a part of the accumulated air with the condensate through a passage into the combustion chamber. Thereby, the methods described may be used to distribute condensate formed in the heat exchanger even at low engine loads.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for an engine, comprising:
routing air from a compressor through a heat exchanger to a combustion chamber of the engine, the heat exchanger including a reservoir to collect condensate;
coupling condensate stored in the reservoir with a passage coupled to said combustion chamber;
accumulating a portion of said compressed air in an accumulator; and
when an engine output is below a predetermined amount, directing a part of said accumulated air through said passage into said combustion chamber,
wherein said accumulated air is directed through said passage only when said condensate is present and said engine output is below said predetermined amount.

2. The method recited in claim 1 wherein said predetermined amount of said engine output corresponds to high load engine conditions.

3. The method recited in claim 1 wherein said heat exchanger further comprises an air to air heat exchanger.

4. The method recited in claim 1 wherein said passage is coupled to one of a plurality of intake runners.

5. The method recited in claim 3 wherein said reservoir communicates with said passage.

6. The method recited in claim 5 wherein said accumulator communicates with said reservoir.

7. A method for an engine having an exhaust coupled to a light off catalyst, comprising:
routing air from an air compressor through a heat exchanger to a combustion chamber of the engine;
collecting condensate formed in said heat exchanger;
accumulating a portion of said compressed air in an accumulator;
when said condensate contains a contaminate, coupling said condensate through a passage to said combustion chamber;
when an engine output is below a predetermined amount, coupling a part of said accumulated air through the passage into said combustion chamber to push said condensate into said combustion chamber, wherein said accumulated air is coupled through said passage only when condensate is present in said passage; and
coupling said condensate to the light off catalyst when the engine output is above a preselected amount and said condensate is substantially free of said contaminate and the light off catalyst is above a predetermined temperature.

8. The method recited in claim 7 wherein power output of the engine is reduced when engine coolant is detected in said condensate.

9. The method recited in claim 7 wherein said compressor is driven by a turbine positioned in the engine exhaust.

10. The method recited in claim 7 wherein said compressor is driven by a mechanical coupling to a crankshaft or a camshaft of the engine.

11. A system, comprising:
an engine having multiple combustion chambers, an air intake manifold and intake runners coupling said manifold to said intake runners, and an exhaust coupled to a light off catalyst;
a turbocharger having a turbine coupled to said exhaust and a compressor driven by said turbine;
a heat exchanger having an input connected to said compressor and an output coupled to said combustion chambers through said intake manifold and said intake runners;
a reservoir connected to said heat exchanger and a plurality of passageways each connected between said reservoir and each of said intake runners to route condensate to said combustion chambers;
an accumulator having an input coupled to said compressor and an output coupled to each of said passageways; and
a controller having non-statutory executable instructions to:
control airflow from said accumulator through said passageways when engine output is below a predetermined amount to force said condensate into each of said intake runners; and
disable airflow from said accumulator through said passageways when said engine output is above said predetermined amount,
wherein the engine exhaust is further coupled to an exhaust of one or more of said combustion chambers and a coupling between said reservoir and a position in said exhaust downstream of said catalyst, and
wherein said controller couples said condensate to said position downstream of said catalyst and disables said airflow from said accumulator through said passageways when said engine output is below said predetermined amount in a particular operating condition.

12. The system recited in claim 11 wherein said particular operating condition includes a pressure in said accumulator below a threshold value.

13. The system recited in claim 11 further comprising an engine exhaust coupled to an exhaust of one or more of said combustion chambers and a coupling between said reservoir and a position in said exhaust upstream of said catalyst.

14. The system recited in claim 13 wherein said controller couples said condensate to said position upstream of said catalyst and disables said airflow from said accumulator through said passageways when said engine output is above said predetermined amount and a temperature of said catalyst is above a preselected amount.

15. A method for an engine, comprising:
routing compressed air to an engine cylinder through a heat exchanger;
coupling condensate formed in said heat exchanger to the cylinder through a passage;
accumulating a portion of said compressed air in an accumulator; and
only when an engine output is below a predetermined amount and condensate is present, coupling a part of said accumulated air through said passage into the cylinder.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Maceroni Karen Elizabeth
• Madin Mark Michael
• Wicks Christopher Donald

Classifications

• Y02T10/12

  Improving ICE efficiencies · CPC title

• F01P11/14

  Indicating devices; Other safety devices · CPC title

• Y02T10/26

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• F02M25/028

  into the charge intakes · CPC title

• F02D2041/227

  Limping Home, i.e. taking specific engine control measures at abnormal conditions · CPC title