Turbocharger system having an air-cooled solenoid valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9951680-B2
Application number	US-201615226748-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 2, 2016
Priority date	Aug 17, 2012
Publication date	Apr 24, 2018
Grant date	Apr 24, 2018

Abstract

A turbocharger system is provided. The turbocharger system includes a turbine positioned downstream of a combustion chamber and a turbine bypass conduit in fluidic communication with a turbine inlet and a turbine outlet. The turbocharger system further includes a wastegate positioned in the turbine bypass conduit, a wastegate actuator coupled to the wastegate adjusting a position of the wastegate, and an air-cooled solenoid valve coupled to wastegate actuator adjusting a position of the wastegate actuator, the air-cooled solenoid valve receiving cooling airflow from an intake conduit positioned upstream of a compressor mechanically coupled to the turbine.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for operating the engine, comprising:
directing boosted intake air over a body of a wastegate actuator to cool the wastegate actuator, the boosted air directed via a branch conduit leading from downstream of the compressor to upstream of the compressor in a compressor bypass line;
returning the cooling air to an air intake after cooling the actuator; and
increasing coolant provided to a charge air cooler in proportion to an amount and/or temperature of the cooling airflow directed to the valve.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wastegate actuator is controlled by a control system and receives electrical actuation signals from the control system.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the wastegate actuator is mechanically coupled to the turbocharger wastegate to control operation of the wastegate during engine operation.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein an amount of air directed to the wastegate actuator is adjusted by a valve positioned in the branch intake conduit.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the valve is adjusted by the controller based on operating conditions.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the method further includes estimating exhaust temperature by the controller and increasing valve opening as the estimated exhaust temperature increases.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising adjusting engine operation based on the amount of cooling airflow, and further based on temperature of the cooling airflow.

8. The method of claim 2 , further comprising adjusting compressor bypass valve operation to compensate for increased airflow through to the valve in reverse proportion to one another.

9. A method for operating the engine, comprising:
directing boosted intake air over a body of a wastegate actuator to cool the wastegate actuator, the boosted air directed via a branch conduit leading from upstream of the compressor to another position upstream of the compressor;
returning the cooling air to an air intake after cooling the actuator; and
increasing coolant provided to a charge air cooler in proportion to an amount and/or temperature of the cooling airflow directed to the valve.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the wastegate actuator is controlled by a control system and receives electrical actuation signals from the control system.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the wastegate actuator is mechanically coupled to the turbocharger wastegate to control operation of the wastegate during engine operation.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein an amount of air directed to the wastegate actuator is adjusted by a valve positioned in the branch intake conduit.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the valve is adjusted by the controller based on operating conditions.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the method further includes estimating exhaust temperature by the controller and increasing valve opening as the estimated exhaust temperature increases.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising adjusting engine operation based on the amount of cooling airflow, and further based on temperature of the cooling airflow.

16. The method of claim 9 , further comprising adjusting compressor bypass valve operation to compensate for increased airflow through to the valve in reverse proportion to one another.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Matthews Patrick

Classifications

• F02B37/186 Primary

  Arrangements of actuators or linkage for bypass valves · CPC title

• F02B37/16

  by bypassing charging air · CPC title

• F02M35/10157

  Supercharged engines · CPC title

• F02M35/10268

  Heating, cooling or thermal insulating means (air coolers F02B29/04; thermal treatment of combustion-air, fuel or fuel-air mixture F02M31/00; details of the throttle valve housing F02D9/1035) · CPC title

• F02B33/00

  Engines characterised by provision of pumps for charging or scavenging · CPC title