U.S. patent application number 11/298882 was filed with the patent office on 2007-06-14 for internal combustion engine with dual particulate traps ahead of turbocharger.
This patent application is currently assigned to Deere & Company, a Delaware corporation. Invention is credited to Kirby Jon Baumgard, Richard Edward Winsor.
Application Number | 20070130946 11/298882 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37781788 |
Filed Date | 2007-06-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070130946 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Winsor; Richard Edward ; et
al. |
June 14, 2007 |
Internal combustion engine with dual particulate traps ahead of
turbocharger
Abstract
An internal combustion engine includes a turbocharger having a
turbine, a first set of combustion cylinders, and a second set of
combustion cylinders. A first particulate trap is in fluid
communication between the first set of combustion cylinders and the
turbine. A second particulate trap is in fluid communication
between the second set of combustion cylinders and the turbine.
Inventors: |
Winsor; Richard Edward;
(Waterloo, IA) ; Baumgard; Kirby Jon; (Cedar
Falls, IA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DEERE & COMPANY
ONE JOHN DEERE PLACE
MOLINE
IL
61265
US
|
Assignee: |
Deere & Company, a Delaware
corporation
|
Family ID: |
37781788 |
Appl. No.: |
11/298882 |
Filed: |
December 9, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
60/605.1 ;
60/280; 60/297 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02T 10/12 20130101;
F02D 41/0007 20130101; F02D 2009/0279 20130101; F02B 37/007
20130101; F01N 3/021 20130101; F01N 2430/02 20130101; F02B 37/00
20130101; F01N 13/107 20130101; F01N 13/011 20140603; F02D 41/0082
20130101; F01N 2340/06 20130101; F01N 2430/00 20130101; F02D 9/06
20130101; F01N 2430/06 20130101; F01N 13/10 20130101; F02B 37/002
20130101; F02D 41/029 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
060/605.1 ;
060/297; 060/280 |
International
Class: |
F01N 3/00 20060101
F01N003/00; F02B 33/44 20060101 F02B033/44 |
Claims
1. An internal combustion engine, comprising: a turbocharger
including a turbine; a first set of combustion cylinders; a first
particulate trap in fluid communication between said first set of
combustion cylinders and said turbine; a second set of combustion
cylinders; and a second particulate trap in fluid communication
between said second set of combustion cylinders and said
turbine.
2. The internal combustion engine of claim 1, wherein said first
set of combustion cylinders includes at least 2 cylinders, and said
second set of combustion cylinders includes at least 2
cylinders.
3. The internal combustion engine of claim 1, further including an
exhaust brake in communication with said first set of combustion
cylinders and said second set of combustion cylinders.
4. The internal combustion engine of claim 1, further including an
intake throttle in communication with said first set of combustion
cylinders and said second set of combustion cylinders.
5. The internal combustion engine of claim 1, wherein said internal
combustion engine comprises a diesel engine.
6. A method of operating an internal combustion engine including a
plurality of combustion cylinders, comprising the steps of:
filtering particulates from a first set of the combustion cylinders
using a first particulate trap in communication between the first
set of combustion cylinders and a turbocharger; and filtering
particulates from a second set of the combustion cylinders using a
second particulate trap in communication between the second set of
combustion cylinders and said turbocharger.
7. The method of operating an internal combustion engine of claim
6, including the step of regenerating said first particulate trap
and said second particulate trap independently from each other.
8. The method of operating an internal combustion engine of claim
7, including the step of increasing a fuel rate to said first set
of combustion cylinders and decreasing a fuel rate to said second
set of combustion cylinders, thereby regenerating said first
particulate trap.
9. The method of operating an internal combustion engine of claim
8, including the step of applying an exhaust brake to said second
set of combustion cylinders.
10. The method of operating an internal combustion engine of claim
8, including the step of applying an intake throttle to said second
set of combustion cylinders.
11. The method of operating an internal combustion engine of claim
7, including the step of increasing a fuel rate to said second set
of combustion cylinders and decreasing a fuel rate to said first
set of combustion cylinders, thereby regenerating said second
particulate trap.
12. The method of operating an internal combustion engine of claim
11, including the step of applying an exhaust brake to said first
set of combustion cylinders.
13. The method of operating an internal combustion engine of claim
11, including the step of applying an intake throttle to said first
set of combustion cylinders.
14. The method of operating an internal combustion engine of claim
6, wherein said internal combustion engine comprises a diesel
engine.
15. An internal combustion engine, comprising: a first set of
combustion cylinders and a second set of combustion cylinders; a
first variable geometry turbocharger and a second variable geometry
turbocharger; a first particulate trap in fluid communication
between said first set of combustion cylinders and said first
variable geometry turbocharger; and a second particulate trap in
fluid communication between said second set of combustion cylinders
and said second variable geometry turbocharger.
16. The internal combustion engine of claim 15, wherein each of
said first variable geometry turbocharger and said second variable
geometry turbocharger include a variable geometry turbine.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to internal combustion
engines, and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for
filtering particulates from an exhaust stream in such an internal
combustion engine.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In order to meet future particulate emission standards for
internal combustion (IC) engines, in particular diesel engines,
manufacturers of diesel engines are using particulate filters (also
referred to as particulate traps). Such particulate traps are
typically placed downstream of the turbocharger turbine and remove
solid particulate matter before it exits the exhaust system to the
ambient environment. After a particulate trap collects particulates
for a period of time, increasing the exhaust temperature to a
suitable level cleans the trap (also known as regenerating) since
the oxygen in the exhaust burns the accumulated carbon in the
trap.
[0003] Particulate traps for diesel engines are typically
relatively large and expensive, and regeneration under light load
conditions is problematic because attaining the necessary exhaust
temperature is difficult. The use of particulate traps for diesel
engines operating under varying load conditions therefore is quite
limited.
[0004] What is needed in the art is a diesel engine which uses a
particulate trap to remove solid particulate matter from the
exhaust emissions, with the trap being able to be regenerated under
any load conditions on the engine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The invention comprises, in one form thereof, an internal
combustion engine including a turbocharger having a turbine, a
first set of combustion cylinders, and a second set of combustion
cylinders. A first particulate trap is in fluid communication
between the first set of combustion cylinders and the turbine. A
second particulate trap is in fluid communication between the
second set of combustion cylinders and the turbine.
[0006] The invention comprises, in another form thereof, a method
of operating an internal combustion engine with a plurality of
combustion cylinders, including the steps of: filtering
particulates from a first set of the combustion cylinders using a
first particulate trap in communication between the first set of
combustion cylinders and a turbocharger; and filtering particulates
from a second set of the combustion cylinders using a second
particulate trap in communication between the second set of
combustion cylinders and the turbocharger.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an embodiment of an internal
combustion engine of the present invention;
[0008] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the internal combustion
engine shown in FIG. 1; and
[0009] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of another embodiment of an
internal combustion engine of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0010] Referring now to the drawings, there is shown an embodiment
of an IC engine 10 of the present invention, which generally
includes a block 12 defining a plurality of combustion cylinders
14. In the embodiment shown, IC engine 10 is a diesel engine
including six combustion cylinders 14, but may include a different
number of combustion cylinders, such as eight, ten, twelve, etc.
The plurality of combustion cylinders 14 includes a first set of
combustion cylinders 16 which are in communication with an intake
manifold 18 and an exhaust manifold 20; and a second set of
combustion cylinders 22 in communication with an intake manifold 24
and an exhaust manifold 26.
[0011] Located on the upstream side of each intake manifold 18 and
24 is an optional intake throttle 28 and 30, respectively, which
may be independently and selectively actuated to control the air
flow into first set of combustion cylinders 16 or second set of
combustion cylinders 22.
[0012] Similarly, optional exhaust brakes 32 and 34 are located on
a downstream sides of exhaust manifolds 20 and 26, respectively,
and may be independently and selectively actuated to control a flow
of exhaust gases therefrom. Intake throttles 28, 30 and exhaust
brakes 32, 34 are shown as being selectively actuatable
restrictions in the corresponding fluid lines in FIG. 1, but may
have a number of different configurations to control fluid flow
(i.e., and in turn load) associated with first set of combustion
cylinders 16 or second set of combustion cylinders 22.
[0013] Exhaust manifolds 20 and 26 each have an exhaust outlet
which is in fluid communication with a turbocharger 36 including a
turbine 38 which rotatably drives a compressor 40. The spent
exhaust gas exits turbine 38 and is exhausted to the ambient
environment, as indicated by arrow 42.
[0014] Compressor 40 receives combustion air from the ambient
environment, as indicated by line 44, and provides compressed
combustion air to intake manifolds 18 and 24. The compressed
combustion air is heated as a result of the work during the
compression operation, and is cooled by an aftercooler 46 located
downstream from compressor 40.
[0015] According to an aspect of the present invention, a first
particulate trap 48 is in fluid communication between first set of
combustion cylinders 16 and turbine 38, and a second particulate
trap 50 is in fluid communication between second set of combustion
cylinders 22 and turbine 38. Each particulate trap 48 and 50
filters particulates from the exhaust streams which are exhausted
from exhaust manifolds 20 and 26, respectively.
[0016] During operation of IC engine 10, first particulate trap 48
filters particulates from first set of combustion cylinders 16, and
second particulate trap 50 filters particulates from second set of
combustion cylinders 22. In the event it is necessary to regenerate
(i.e., clean) first particulate trap 48 and/or second particulate
trap 50, it is desirable to control the fuel flow rate as well as
the combustion air flow rate to first set of combustion cylinders
16 or second set of combustion cylinders 22 in a manner that
increases the temperature and oxygen within first particulate trap
48 or second particulate trap 50.
[0017] More particularly, to regenerate first particulate trap 48,
it is possible to increase the fuel rate to first set of combustion
cylinders 16 and decrease the fuel rate to second set of combustion
cylinders 22. This provides a temperature and oxygen concentration
within first particulate trap 48 which is sufficient to burn the
accumulated carbon within first particulate trap 48. It is also
possible to apply exhaust brake 34 or intake throttle 30 to the
non-regenerating second set of combustion cylinders 22, which
causes the load to increase on the regenerating first set of
combustion cylinders 16, thereby increasing the exhaust temperature
within first particulate trap 48. In this manner, regeneration of
first particulate trap 48 can occur under virtually any load
condition.
[0018] Conversely, to regenerate second particulate trap 50, it is
possible to increase a fuel rate to second set of combustion
cylinders 22 and decrease a fuel rate to first set of combustion
cylinders 16, thereby regenerating second particulate trap 50.
Intake throttle 28 and exhaust brake 32 can similarly be applied to
the non-regenerating first set of combustion cylinders 16, which
causes the load to increase on the regenerating second set of
combustion cylinders 22, thereby increasing the exhaust temperature
within second particulate trap 50 for burning the accumulated
carbon therein.
[0019] Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown another embodiment
of an IC engine 60 of the present invention. IC engine 60 is
similar in many respects to IC engine 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, as
indicated by the majority of the corresponding reference numbers.
In contrast with the embodiment of IC engine 10 shown in FIG. 1,
however, each particulate trap 48 and 50 is coupled in parallel
with a corresponding turbocharger 36 and 62, respectively.
Turbocharger 62 includes a turbine 64 which rotatably drives a
compressor 66. The spent exhaust gas from exhaust manifold 26 exits
turbine 64 and is exhausted to the ambient environment, as
indicated by arrow 68. Compressor 66 receives combustion air from
the ambient environment, as indicated by line 70.
[0020] In the embodiment of IC engine 10 shown in FIG. 1, optional
and controllable flow restrictions 28, 30, 32 and 34 are used to
exert an additional load on the set of combustion cylinders
associated with the non-regenerating particulate trap 48 or 50, to
assist in the regeneration of the regenerating particulate trap 48
or 50. IC engine 60 shown in FIG. 3 does not include controllable
flow restrictions, but instead includes two variable geometry
turbochargers 36 and 62 which may be controllably actuated in a
manner to exert an additional load on the set of combustion
cylinders associated with the non-regenerating particulate trap 48
or 50. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, turbocharger 36 is
configured as a fixed geometry turbocharger, and in the embodiment
shown in FIG. 3, turbochargers 36 and 62 are each configured as a
variable geometry turbocharger (VGT), as indicated by the diagonal
arrows through turbines 38 and 64, respectively. Depending upon
which particulate trap 48 or 50 is being regenerated, the vanes in
the turbine of the other turbocharger may be actuated to provide a
flow restriction and thereby increase the load on the set of
combustion cylinders associated with the regenerating particulate
trap 48 or 50.
[0021] Having described the preferred embodiment, it will become
apparent that various modifications can be made without departing
from the scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying
claims.
* * * * *