System and method for operating engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9534546-B2
Application number	US-201414277471-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 14, 2014
Priority date	May 14, 2014
Publication date	Jan 3, 2017
Grant date	Jan 3, 2017

Abstract

A method of operating an engine includes determining an intake air temperature and an engine speed. The method includes selectively initiating one of a first operating mode, a second operating mode and a third operating mode based on at least the intake air temperature and the engine speed. The first operating mode includes increasing the engine speed progressively by an incremental speed value. The second operating mode includes deactivating at least one Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) cylinder of the engine. The third operating mode includes shutting down the engine.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for operating an engine, the method comprising:
determining an intake air temperature;
determining an engine speed;
determining a first temperature parameter based on the intake air temperature;
determining a second temperature parameter based on the engine speed;
initiating a first operating mode of the engine in response to the first temperature parameter being greater than or equal to the second temperature parameter;
comparing the intake air temperature to a first threshold temperature;
comparing the engine speed to a threshold engine speed;
transitioning the engine from the first operating mode to a second operating mode in response to
the intake air temperature being less than the first threshold temperature, and
the engine speed being greater than the threshold engine speed,

wherein the first operating mode comprises progressively increasing the engine speed by an incremental speed value, and
wherein the second operating mode comprises shutting down the engine.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first operating mode further comprises:
determining an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) coolant temperature;
comparing the EGR coolant temperature to a threshold coolant temperature; and
increasing an EGR flow to the engine by operating an EGR valve in response to the EGR coolant temperature being greater than the threshold coolant temperature.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising terminating the first operating mode if the intake air temperature remains above the first threshold temperature for a preset time period.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second operating mode further comprises:
determining a shutdown time based on the intake air temperature; and
shutting down the engine after the shutdown time has elapsed.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising
initiating a third operating mode of the engine in response to the first temperature parameter being less than the second temperature parameter,
wherein the third operating mode includes reducing an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) flow to the engine.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
determining a count value based on the intake air temperature at predefined intervals;
modifying a counter by the count value; and
initiating one of the first operating mode, the second operating mode, and the third operating mode in response to the counter being equal to or greater than a preset counter threshold.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the reducing the EGR flow to the engine during the third operating mode includes deactivating an EGR cylinder of the engine.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the third operating mode further includes:
activating the EGR cylinder when a duration of EGR cylinder deactivation exceeds a first preset time, and
deactivating the EGR cylinder when a duration of EGR cylinder activation exceeds a second preset time.

9. The method of claim 5 , wherein the third operating mode further includes setting the engine speed to a preset speed.

10. The method of claim 5 , further comprising terminating the third operating mode in response to the intake air temperature exceeding a second threshold temperature.

11. A method for operating an engine, the method comprising:
determining an intake air temperature;
determining an engine speed;
determining a first temperature parameter based on the intake air temperature;
determining a second temperature parameter based on the engine speed;
initiating a first operating mode of the engine in response to the first temperature parameter being greater than or equal to the second temperature parameter; and
initiating a second operating mode of the engine in response to the first temperature parameter being less than the second temperature parameter,
wherein the first operating mode comprises progressively increasing the engine speed by an incremental speed value, and
wherein the second operating mode comprises reducing an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) flow to the engine.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
determining a count value based on the intake air temperature at predefined intervals;
modifying a counter by the count value; and
initiating one of the first operating mode and the second operating mode in response to the counter being equal to or greater than a preset counter threshold.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first operating mode further comprises:
determining an EGR coolant temperature;
comparing the EGR coolant temperature to a threshold coolant temperature; and
increasing an EGR flow to the engine by operating an EGR valve in response to the EGR coolant temperature being greater than the threshold coolant temperature.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising terminating the first operating mode in response to the intake air temperature remaining above a first threshold temperature for a preset time period.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising terminating the second operating mode in response to the intake air temperature exceeding a second threshold temperature.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
comparing the intake air temperature to a first threshold temperature;
comparing the engine speed to a threshold engine speed; and
transitioning the engine from the first operating mode to a third operating mode in response to
the intake air temperature being less than the first threshold temperature, and
the engine speed being greater than the threshold engine speed,

wherein the third operating mode comprises shutting down the engine.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising transitioning the engine from the first operating mode to one of the second operating mode and the third operating mode in response to the engine speed exceeding a preset speed limit,
wherein selection between the second operating mode and the third operating mode is based on whether the engine has an EGR cylinder capable of deactivation.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the third operating mode further comprises:
determining a shutdown time based on the intake air temperature; and
shutting down the engine after the shutdown time has elapsed.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the reducing the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) flow to the engine during the second operating mode includes deactivating an EGR cylinder of the engine.

20. A control system for an engine, the control system comprising:
a temperature module configured to determine an intake air temperature; and
a controller communicably coupled to the temperature module, wherein the controller is configured to
receive the intake air temperature from the temperature module,
determine an engine speed,
determine a first temperature parameter based on the intake air temperature,
determine a second temperature parameter based on the engine speed,
initiate a first operating mode of the engine in response to the first temperature parameter being greater than or equal to the second temperature parameter,
initiate a second operating mode of the engine in response to the first temperature parameter being less than the second temperature parameter,
progressively increase the engine speed by an incremental speed value during the first operating mode, and
decrease an exhaust gas recirculation flow to the engine during the second operating mode.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Nelson Chad S
• Marcon Rino
• Tamhane Kirti C
• Ramachandran Hariharan
• Naheed Amina
• Yejju Krishna R
• Naruo Kotaro
• Bright Mark
• Barnes Travis E
• Joshi Urvish B
• Gangishetty Ramya

Classifications

• F02D33/02 Primary

  of combustion-air · CPC title

• F02D41/08 Primary

  for idling (F02D41/06, F02D41/16 take precedence) · CPC title

• F02D41/008

  Controlling each cylinder individually · CPC title

• F02D17/04

  rendering engines inoperative or idling, e.g. caused by abnormal conditions (dependent on lubricating conditions F01M1/22; dependent on cooling F01P5/14) · CPC title

• F02D2200/0414

  Air temperature · CPC title