U.S. patent application number 11/248363 was filed with the patent office on 2007-04-12 for method of managing engine torque upon loss of engine coolant.
Invention is credited to Brian P. Gebby, Robert Rotay.
Application Number | 20070079795 11/248363 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37910080 |
Filed Date | 2007-04-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070079795 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gebby; Brian P. ; et
al. |
April 12, 2007 |
METHOD OF MANAGING ENGINE TORQUE UPON LOSS OF ENGINE COOLANT
Abstract
An engine torque management system of a V-style engine utilizes
a cylinder head metal temperature sensor in each cylinder head to
detect a temperature. When the sensor temperature rises above a
threshold value for a particular time period, the response software
shuts down the fuel injection of a bank of cylinders in which the
sensor is installed. Cool, uncombusted intake air cools that bank
and an external fan blows air over that bank. If the sensor in the
second bank of cylinders rises above the threshold, the fuel
injection on that bank shuts off to undergo cooling while the fuel
injection on the first bank restarts. Alternation between the two
banks occurs to maintain the desired level of torque demanded by
the vehicle driver.
Inventors: |
Gebby; Brian P.; (Ferndale,
MI) ; Rotay; Robert; (Grand Blanc, MI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DAIMLERCHRYSLER INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL CORPORATION;CIMS 483-02-19
800 CHRYSLER DR EAST
AUBURN HILLS
MI
48326-2757
US
|
Family ID: |
37910080 |
Appl. No.: |
11/248363 |
Filed: |
October 12, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
123/198F |
Current CPC
Class: |
F02D 17/02 20130101;
F02D 13/06 20130101; Y02T 10/12 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
123/198.00F |
International
Class: |
F02D 17/02 20060101
F02D017/02; F02D 13/06 20060101 F02D013/06 |
Claims
1. A method of controlling an engine comprising: providing a final
engine temperature from at least two sensed engine temperatures;
comparing the final engine temperature to a threshold temperature;
deactivating a first group of engine cylinders when the final
engine temperature is above a threshold temperature; and activating
the first group of engine cylinders after the first group has been
deactivated for a period of time.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: deactivating a second
group of engine cylinders when the final engine temperature is
above a threshold temperature; and activating the second group of
engine cylinders after the second group has been deactivated for a
period of time.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: cooling the first
group of engine cylinders after deactivating the first group of
engine cylinders.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein cooling the first group of engine
cylinders is accomplished by forcing air over the first group of
cylinders using a cooling fan and by drawing only air into the
first group of cylinders.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the sensed engine
temperatures is a cylinder head metal temperature.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein one of the sensed engine
temperatures is a liquid coolant temperature.
7. The method of claim 6, further comprising: inputting the
temperature and an operating engine speed to calculate an output
engine torque.
8. The method according to claim 1, wherein sensing the temperature
above a threshold temperature is performed for a particular period
of time before deactivating the first group of engine
cylinders.
9-17. (canceled)
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a method of managing engine
torque when an internal combustion engine overheats, for example,
from a loss of its liquid coolant.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Modern vehicular engines typically manage engine speeds in
response to a variety of conditions such as engine intake air
quality and operator speed requirements. While improvements in
engine operation management have generally been satisfactory for
their purposes, appropriately managing the engine torque output in
specific running situations, such as a "limp home" situation, have
not been without their share of limitations. Accordingly, a need
exists for an apparatus and method for efficiently managing engine
torque to maintain engine and road speeds after an engine loses its
liquid coolant by alternating the combustion of opposing banks of
the engine in a V-style engine arrangement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] A method of controlling engine output torque in a dual
cylinder bank engine, such as a V-style engine in which each
cylinder bank has a cylinder head, involves sensing a number of
temperatures from at least one cylinder head (the first cylinder
head) sensor when the temperature of the cylinder head rises above
a threshold temperature for a period of time. Alternatively, the
sensed temperatures can come from more than one source, such as
from a cylinder head metal sensor and from a liquid coolant
temperature sensor.
[0004] As long as the above-mentioned temperature is greater than a
threshold temperature, the cylinder banks are placed into an
alternating combustion scenario where only one cylinder bank is
operated at a time. That is, the cylinder banks are alternated such
that only one bank undergoes combustion at any one time. While an
engine bank is not undergoing combustion, a fan cools that
particular cylinder bank. The opposite engine bank also has a
cooling fan. Even while a cylinder bank is not undergoing
combustion and is being cooled by a cooling fan, the pistons still
draw cool intake air into the cylinder, which also helps to cool
the non-combusting cylinder bank. This alternating process is
continued until the vehicle reaches a repair facility to cure the
cause of the elevated engine temperature. While the vehicle is
experiencing the torque control methodology, the engine continues
to output torque requested by the driver.
[0005] Further areas of applicability of the present invention will
become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter.
It should be understood that the detailed description and specific
examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the
invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are
not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] The present invention will become more fully understood from
the detailed description and the accompanying drawings,
wherein:
[0007] FIG. 1 is a flowchart of how engine coolant temperature and
cylinder head temperature signals are filtered by control system
software in order to ensure the stability of the software
response;
[0008] FIG. 2 is a graph of temperature versus time depicting a
time period during which the filtered temperature has experienced a
temperature above a threshold temperature;
[0009] FIG. 3 is a graph of engine torque versus engine speed
depicting a domed curve, at any specific point under which a
vehicle engine operates at a given torque for a given,
driver-controlled engine speed;
[0010] FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a torque management process for
managing torque output of individual engine banks in an engine;
and
[0011] FIG. 5 is a top view of an engine compartment depicting
various torque-managing components of the torque management
system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0012] The following description of the preferred embodiments is
merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the
invention, its application, or uses. The teachings of the present
invention relate to a method of managing torque after a thermal
event is experienced by an internal combustion engine due to, for
example, a loss of coolant, or other occurrence that mimics a loss
of coolant. Events that mimic a loss of coolant generally result in
increased temperatures of and about a vehicular engine. More
specifically, the method relates to a strategy for reacting to the
thermal event, a loss of coolant being an example of such event,
which is used for purposes of description in this writing. The
method of operation of the teachings of the present invention
assumes that if one engine cylinder head is above a threshold
temperature, then the second cylinder head in a dual head engine,
is also above that threshold temperature.
[0013] The temperature that the method utilizes can be obtained
from a variety of sources. The first source is a sensed metal
temperature of a cylinder head of the engine, the temperature being
sensed with a sensor that is designed to measure metal temperature.
Alternatively, a liquid coolant temperature can be utilized, or
preferably, a combination of the sensed liquid coolant temperature
and the cylinder head metal temperature. While the liquid coolant
temperature normally senses the temperature of the liquid coolant
within an engine, the sensor may actually sense the air temperature
of the air surrounding the sensor after the liquid coolant has
drained from the engine, if such an event occurs. While liquid
coolant sensors do not normally sense air temperature, they could
be calibrated to do such.
[0014] For purposes of illustration regarding the teachings of the
present invention, there is one temperature sensor on each side of
the engine, in each cylinder head, and an engine coolant
temperature sensor; however, additional sensors could be utilized
in a more elaborate temperature sensing matrix to sense
temperatures from other engine parts. One advantage to sensing
temperatures from more than one engine part is that an average
temperature from those various sources may be used in a decision
routine or algorithm to react to such a thermal event.
[0015] FIGS. 1 through 5 depict various flowcharts, graphs and an
engine diagram to assist with understanding the written description
of the teachings of the present invention. Before describing the
processing and control methodologies of the teachings of the
present invention, the engine parts involved will be described.
FIG. 5 is a top view of an engine compartment depicting various
torque-managing components of the torque management system of the
teachings of the present invention. An outline of a front portion
of a vehicle 10 in which an engine 12 resides is shown. To
effectuate the process and routines involved in the teachings of
the present invention, the engine 12 contains various components. A
cylinder block 14 has a left cylinder bank 16 with a left cylinder
head 17 and a right cylinder bank 18 with a right cylinder head 19.
A plurality of spark plugs 34, one per engine cylinder, each spark
to cause the combustion that causes each cylinder to generate heat
as a fuel is ignited.
[0016] A left head temperature sensor 20 senses the temperature of
the material of the left cylinder head 17, while a right head
temperature sensor 22 senses the temperature of the material of the
right cylinder head 19. The combustion gases that cause the
temperatures of the respective cylinder heads to rise, exit through
a left exhaust manifold 28 for the left cylinder bank 16, and a
right exhaust manifold 30 for the right cylinder bank 18. A left
fan 24 primarily cools the left cylinder bank 16 while a right fan
26 primarily cools the right cylinder bank 18, in accordance with
the cooling needs of the engine. There may also be a
centrally-located cooling fan located between the left fan 24 and
right fan 26. An engine control unit 32, also called an electronic
control unit, or ECU, receives the sensed temperatures. The ECU 32
receives and analyses the data read from the left head temperature
sensor 20, right head temperature sensor 22, and the coolant sensor
23. The left fan 24 and the right fan 26 are also connected to the
ECU 32. The coolant sensor 23 senses the temperature of the engine
coolant that circulates through the engine cylinder block 14 and
around and below the left cylinder head 17 and right cylinder head
19.
[0017] The control methodology and operative workings of the
present invention will now be described. FIG. 1 is a flowchart
depicting how engine temperature signals, specifically, engine
cylinder head metal temperatures and engine coolant temperatures,
are filtered by control system software in order to ensure the
stability of the software response. In FIG. 1 at step 100, an
engine coolant temperature in degrees Celsius is detected by a
coolant sensor 23 located in the engine cylinder block 14 of an
engine 12. The engine 12 may be any typical V-style internal
combustion engine, such as a V6 or V8 engine, but for illustrative
purposes with regard to the teachings of the present invention, a
V-8 engine is assumed.
[0018] At step 110, a cylinder head temperature in degrees Celsius,
which may be a raw cylinder head metal temperature, is detected by
the temperature sensor in one of the cylinder heads of the internal
combustion engine. The raw cylinder head metal temperature that is
read at step 110 is stored in RAM 130 in a powertrain control unit
or engine control unit 32 of a vehicle 10. Before such a
temperature is stored in RAM, an inferred temperature is determined
at step 120. This inferred temperature is determined from at least
one of the engine coolant temperature and the cylinder head
temperature. The powertrain control unit or engine control unit 32
is also the storage place for the ambient air temperature outside
of the vehicle 10 and also for the coolant temperature of the
liquid coolant circulated through the engine 12 to cool the engine
12. The temperatures that are stored in RAM are originally read by
the sensors as voltages within the sensors and then those voltages
are converted to temperatures, which are then stored in RAM
variables.
[0019] Next, at step 140, the engine speed is read into RAM as a
RAM variable. The temperature signal is combined with the RAM
variable of engine speed, and these two inputs are placed into a
two-dimensional table, as indicated at step 150. The
two-dimensional table has one axis that is temperature (.degree.
C.) and the other axis is engine speed (RPM). As the temperature
increases away from nominal, the maximum power output of the engine
may be reduced. Nominal temperature is the temperature of the
system as defined when the engine has coolant in it with variance
for ambient conditions and engine load.
[0020] The thermal protection table at step 150 can be viewed
another way, that is, as the maximum engine output torque limit.
That is, as the signal, which is the temperature, rises above
nominal, the torque management system observes such a rise and
makes a decision such that the thermal protection is becoming a
more vital consideration of the engine operation and, therefore,
the result of the temperature storage calculation will be
recognized and conclude that maximum engine output should be
reduced. The result of this look up table is an output at step 160
of the maximum available engine torque given the temperature
conditions.
[0021] Turning to FIG. 2, which is a graph of temperature versus
time, further explanation of how a thermal event is determined will
be explained. The temperature on the vertical axis in FIG. 2 is the
cylinder head temperature. This temperature may be only the
cylinder head metal temperature, the engine coolant temperature, or
a combination of both. Additionally, other temperatures related to
engine operation may be utilized in the temperature. An advantage
of using a cylinder head metal temperature sensor is that normal
engine coolant sensors are usually submersed in liquid coolant;
however, if there is a loss of coolant, the engine coolant sensor
quickly becomes surrounded by air and not the liquid coolant.
Because of this occurrence, the temperature rise that the sensor
detects is very slow since air conducts heat at a different rate
than most solid metals. Therefore, regarding the teachings of the
present invention, the cylinder head metal temperature sensor is
actually not in fluid, but it is in the metal cylinder head,
surrounded by metal. Additionally, such a sensor is located near at
least one of the engine exhaust ports so that it can respond more
quickly to thermal events, like a loss of coolant, than it would if
it were not located proximate an exhaust port.
[0022] Continuing with reference to FIG. 2, once the temperature
rises above a particular critical or threshold temperature,
indicated by the dashed line 260 of FIG. 2, a loss of coolant is
assumed and confirmed by the software routine. The particular time
and temperature at which the coolant is assumed to have been lost
is shown as point 270 in FIG. 2, which is the intersection of
vertical time line 240, horizontal temperature line 260, and
temperature-time curve 230. At point 270, the temperature that the
sensor, either the left cylinder head temperature sensor 20, right
cylinder head metal temperature sensor 22, or other sensor, is
reading continues to rise as time progresses.
[0023] The vertical time line 250 is the time at which a flag is
set in RAM that confirms the previously assumed loss of coolant.
Time point 280 corresponds to the intersection of the
temperature-time curve 230 and the time line 250. This point also
corresponds to a temperature above the threshold temperature 260.
The time period between time lines 240 and 250 is the time period
during which the temperature is being sensed at a temperature above
the critical temperature 260.
[0024] The vertical axis (Y axis) of FIG. 2 is the temperature 210,
so the flow and description of FIG. 1 provides an explanation for
the vertical axis of FIG. 2. Additionally, and related to
temperature, the material of the engine block and cylinder head
play a role in transferring heat to the cylinder head metal
temperature sensor so that a temperature can be detected. An iron
engine block and cylinder head absorb heat for a period of time
longer than the same parts made from aluminum, which does not
absorb heat at the same rate or to the same capacity as iron.
Therefore, the sensors used must be calibrated depending upon the
metal used in the engine block and cylinder heads.
[0025] Turning to FIG. 3, which is a graph of engine torque in
Newton-meters (Nm) versus engine speed (RPM), a torque curve 310
for an internal combustion engine 12 is shown. The torque curve 310
represents the maximum torque output of the engine 12 for a given
RPM and results in the dome-shaped curve 310. The torque request
340 is a representative location under the curve 310 that results
when a driver alters the engine speed to obtain, or request, an
amount of torque 320 from the engine 12. The directional arrows
350, 360 represent, respectively, decreases and increases in the
torque, which again is dependent upon what a driver requests from
the engine 12 in terms of torque, which is governed by engine
speed.
[0026] Recalling point 280 from FIG. 2, when the thermal event,
such as a cooling loss, is set or confirmed in memory, then at that
time point 280 a torque management strategy needs to be invoked
that disables half of the fuel injectors 15 that entail the fuel
feeding system. In other words, half of the fuel injectors 15,
which is one bank (16 or 18) of the injectors of a V-8 engine, need
to be shut down due to the temperature rise of the engine 12 as
sensed by the sensors 20, 22 or 23, or other sensors that may be
disposed about the engine. By only shutting down one bank of
injectors, the engine can continue to operate and be properly
cooled.
[0027] The reason that the injectors are alternately disabled one
bank at a time is so that cool air can be drawn into the aluminum
or metal cylinder block of the non-combusting bank of cylinders
without being used in the combustion process in order to cool the
engine. That is, one bank of the engine effectively intakes,
compresses and exhausts cool air with no combustion ever taking
place. This is in contrast to the opposite engine bank that is
firing and supporting combustion. This cool air will cool the
engine and surrounding metal parts for a calibrated amount of time.
In other words, combustion is stopped for a calibrated amount of
time for that particular engine cylinder bank to use the cool
intake air, relative to that engine cylinder head temperature, in
order to cool that engine cylinder bank. The process of causing an
engine cylinder bank to stop firing its spark plugs or to stop
supporting combustion is known as "deactivating" the cylinder bank
and there are many methods of deactivating engine combustion known
by those in the art. After combustion is stopped for an amount of
time in an engine cylinder bank, activating the cylinder bank,
which is the process of beginning to fire the spark plugs of the
cylinders or the process of supporting combustion, is again
accomplished.
[0028] As a consequence of turning off the injectors of half of the
engine, the torque output of the engine drops as indicated by the
down arrow 350. In order for the driver not to notice this torque
output loss when those injectors are disabled, it is necessary that
this method compensate for that torque decrease by increasing the
torque as shown by the upward-pointing torque arrow 360. If a
torque management strategy is not invoked after setting of a flag
at point 280, then the torque output will decrease and the driver
will experience that reduction, most likely as a slowing of the
vehicle and/or a drop in engine speed.
[0029] Depending upon the ambient conditions in the combustion
chamber, within the intake manifold, and the engine speed, this
method recovers the lost output as the engine cools. This recovery
occurs when one-half of the engine is cooling and the other half is
working harder to maintain the driver's torque request, which may
be accomplished by increasing the engine rpm's. Stated another way,
when one cylinder bank is not supporting combustion because the
fuel injection has been turned off, the opposing cylinder bank is
supporting combustion as the engine rpm's increase, thereby
increasing engine torque output, in order to compensate for the
bank that is not supporting combustion. In this fashion, the
driver's torque request is maintained.
[0030] According to the teachings of the present invention, the two
engine banks alternate back and forth, that is, the cylinder bank
supporting combustion is alternated in order to maintain the
desired level of torque and the speed of the vehicle. Actually, the
torque management system is capable of achieving the maximum level
of torque available; however, in order to protect itself, the
system reduces the maximum available torque to within the level of
calibration. So, in order to maintain the torque demand, one-half
of the engine works harder (the cylinders fire more often due to a
higher rpm) than it normally would if both banks of the engine were
undergoing combustion. While the bank that is operating is
supporting combustion, the other will cool for a certain period of
time according to the above-described cooling process, and then
they exchange roles.
[0031] In order to cool just half, or one bank, of the engine, the
fuel injection of one bank is stopped, so that combustion ceases in
that bank, while maintaining operation of the engine. Therefore, as
the cool air is brought into the non-combusting bank, that bank is
being cooled, because the intake air is relatively cooler than the
engine. Therefore, the non-combusting bank cools because it is
acting only as an air pump. The principle is that as one engine
bank cools, the other bank temporarily supplements the load of the
shut-off bank, then after a calibratable amount of time, roles are
exchanged. So, the bank that was supporting combustion will shut
down to cool, and then the other bank will activate (restart
combustion) and the banks will continue to alternate between
activation and deactivation to achieve the overall advantage of
maintaining sensor temperatures below a threshold value. The RPMs
do not necessarily have to increase, but they might.
[0032] To illustrate the point that torque of approximately half of
the total engine cylinders at any RPM output can be maintained,
FIG. 3 depicts a torque output at a given RPM at point 340. Even
when the system is alternating combustion between banks of the
engine, the output torque for the given RPM can be anywhere on or
below approximately half of the maximum torque curve 310. That is
an advantage of the torque management system of the teachings of
the present invention, that is, torque can be maintained even when
combustion is being alternated between banks of the engine for a
calculated period of time. The achievable torque, and hence any
lost output, is dependent upon ambient conditions, the conditions
within the manifolds, and the engine speed. Again, that is why FIG.
3 depicts the torque point 340, along with the representation of
varying torque using the directional arrows 350, 360. As long as
the flag is set at point 280 of FIG. 2, then the torque management
system will adjust the torque. However, if the flag is not set at
torque point 280, then changes in torque reflected by the arrows
350, 360 do not occur, and the methodology of the teachings of the
present invention are not invoked.
[0033] FIG. 4 is a flowchart depicting how the torque management
system 400 actually maintains or controls torque by controlling the
cylinder banks of the engine. At step 402, a torque efficiency
factor for the first engine cylinder bank is represented, while
step 404 represents a torque efficiency factor for the second
engine cylinder bank. These torque factors are used, one for each
bank, to evaluate the torque produced by each cylinder bank. In an
ideal engine, the torque factors will be equal, but because of
intake manifold balancing airflow to both banks, and other
considerations, the factors for the two banks could be different.
In evaluating the torque, these torque efficiency factors are used
to calculate the overall efficiency necessary to maintain driver
demand within the limits of half of the total number of engine
cylinders.
[0034] Proceeding to step 406, the torque management system 400
determines whether the fuel injectors are turned off on the first
cylinder bank. If the first cylinder bank is turned off, then the
system utilizes the first torque efficiency factor. If the fuel
injectors for the first cylinder bank are not turned off, then the
system proceeds to step 408 and evaluates if the fuel injectors are
turned off for the second cylinder bank. If the fuel injectors are
turned off on the second cylinder bank, then the second cylinder
bank torque efficiency factor issues. When the torque efficiency
factor issues, this means that overally engine torque efficiency is
modified based on the cumulative torque efficiency factors. The
same philosophy applies for the issuance of the torque efficiency
factor regarding the first cylinder bank. Furthermore, if the fuel
injectors are not turned off, which means they are activated, then
the torque efficiency factors are one (1).
[0035] When the torque efficiency factors are one, the system
assumes that everything is operating properly, and all cylinders
are undergoing combustion, and no torque efficiency factor is being
utilized. That is, there is no reduction in torque because the
efficiency factor is one. This means that the torque can be reduced
based on the thermal protection surface, and the torque is
practically being reduced at that time. Therefore, at this point,
the decisions have been made regarding whether or not the fuel
injection systems of each bank have been turned off. That is,
either both fuel injection systems are operating, or only one is
operating, and if only one is operating, then which one is
operating is known.
[0036] Step 416 pertains to on-board diagnostics. The on-board
diagnostics check the temperature sensor(s) to verify that the data
from, for example, the cylinder head temperature sensor, and engine
coolant temperature is rational and accurate, whereby 1=yes and
0=no. Step 414 is the next step where an inquiry is made after the
on-board diagnostic verifies that the sensor(s) is operating
properly. The inquiry at step 414 asks if the engine cylinder heads
require thermal management. Thermal management requires use of the
torque efficiency factors. The use of the factors depends upon
which side or bank of the engine is still undergoing combustion, so
the factor first checks a memory location to see which side is not
combusting and then it decides if it should use that factor. If the
response is yes (1), then the system 400 response includes a limp
home torque management routine 500 such that the efficiency
fraction is less than one (<1). If the response is no (0), then
the system response 400 does not include a limp home torque
management routine 500 and the torque efficiency fraction is one
(1).
[0037] At step 418 of FIG. 4, when the limp home torque management
torque efficiency fraction is less than 1, the system is dictating
that because only half of the engine is technically producing
power, the efficiency is reduced. Therefore, the fraction needs to
be included in the overall torque management calculation. The
overall torque management calculation utilizes the efficiency in
addition to various other efficiencies that are used when
positioning the electronic throttle body. The efficiencies is
utilized by the electronic throttle body calculations. Ultimately,
the throttle is controlled and the fuel that controls combustion
and engine torque is controlled.
[0038] Proceeding with step 414, if the response to the enquiry is
"NO", then the routine proceeds to step 420 where a limp home
torque management torque efficiency fraction is practically not
included, that is, the fraction is one. In such a situation, the
engine is operating to its fullest potential or capacity, which
means that all cylinders are firing and more importantly, that no
"limp home" torque management is necessary. Upon either the
inclusion of a torque efficiency fraction that is less than 1 at
step 418, or if the efficiency fraction is 1, as depicted at step
420, the routine proceeds to step 422 where all torque management
efficiency factors are evaluated. This enables a driver to maintain
speed when a bank of engine cylinders is disabled. Finally, the
calculations of step 422 are passed onto the electronic throttle
body positioning calculations to set the position of the throttle
body to govern fuel intake.
[0039] The description of the invention is merely exemplary in
nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of
the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention.
Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the
spirit and scope of the invention.
* * * * *