The invention relates to the field of machinery, in particular to the field of engines, and further particularly to a combined engine braking method and a turbocharging control device.
In the prior art, the use of vehicle engines has a long history and the control of the exhaust gas flow of engines is well known. For example, turbochargers commonly used in diesel engines include variable turbochargers that drive turbines of the turbochargers with engine exhaust gases, and the turbines drive compressors coaxially connected therewith to force air into intake manifolds and cylinders. Turbochargers may control exhaust gas flow and pressure through a wastegate or variable vanes. There are also exhaust backpressure devices, such as an exhaust brake that can partially close or completely seal the whole exhaust flow passage (exhaust pipe), reduce or cut off the exhaust flow and increase the exhaust pressure of the engine.
The control of engine exhaust gas flow or pressure has wide applications. In order to reduce emissions during engine ignition operation, exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) is required, that is, a portion of the exhaust gases from the engine's combustion emissions is returned to the engine's cylinder. The implementation of exhaust gas recirculation requires that the exhaust pressure be higher than the intake air pressure or cylinder pressure, and the engine exhaust gas flow or pressure be controlled. During the engine braking operation, increasing exhaust pressure will help to increase the braking power and reduce the braking load.
The prior art of controlling engine exhaust gas flow or pressure has disadvantages or limitations. For example, the wastegate of a turbocharger typically operates only when the engine is working at high speeds. Variable turbochargers are expensive and poor in reliability. Other controllable exhaust backpressure devices, such as Volvo's engine pressure regulator (EPR), are complex, costly, and bulky. A general exhaust brake can only be installed downstream of the turbocharger, when the exhaust brake is closed, the function of the turbocharger is completely off, and the engine loses intake supercharging, as a result, the exhaust temperature is too high.
Engine braking is also widely used. The main difference between the prior engine braking operation and the conventional ignition operation lies in no fuel injection or combustion during braking, and that the power-generating engine is temporarily converted into an energy-absorbing air compressor. During engine braking, in addition to the conventional operation of opening the intake and exhaust valves in the intake and exhaust strokes, the engine brake reopens the exhaust valve(s) during the compression stroke of the engine piston, allowing the compressed gas, which is air during braking, to be released; the energy absorbed by the compressed gas during the compression stroke of the engine cannot return to the piston of the engine during the subsequent expansion (working) stroke, instead, the energy is released through the exhaust and heat dissipation system of the engine. The end result is an effective engine braking, which slows down the vehicle.
The engine braking power and load increase with the rotating speed, the engine mostly works at medium and low speeds in actual use, so it's essential to improve the braking power of the engine at the medium and low speeds on the premise of not increasing the braking load (not overloading). Traditionally, a combination braking is to combine exhaust braking (out-of-cylinder braking) with compression-release braking, such as using an exhaust brake to increase the exhaust pressure of the engine. The combination braking can indeed increase the braking power at medium and low speeds, reduce the braking load and eliminate the braking noise. At present, however, almost all backpressure control devices, such as the exhaust brake, cannot be installed upstream of the turbine of the turbocharger due to their bulky structure (due to the side effects of turbo lag). The backpressure control device provided on the exhaust tailpipe downstream of the turbine greatly reduces or even completely cut off the exhaust gas flow, so that the turbocharger's rotating speed is greatly reduced, the air intake pressure and the airflow, as well as the corresponding cooling effect, are reduced or even eliminated, the exhaust gas temperature is increased, as a result, some components of the engine, such as the fuel injection nozzle, could be overheated.
As early as 1983, the U.S. Pat. No. 4,395,884 discloses the use of a diverter valve upstream of the turbine of a turbocharger to merge exhaust gas flows entering two turbine inlet passages to one turbine inlet passage, to change the direction and velocity of the exhaust gas flow, to increase the turbine rotating speed, to increase intake and exhaust pressures, and to increase engine braking power. However, due to the limited space upstream of the turbine, and the complicated mechanism, large volume and difficulties in the control of the diverter valve, this design cannot be put to actual use.
In view of the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art, it is an object of the present invention to provide a combined engine braking method and a turbocharging control device for solving the technical problems of complicated mechanism, high cost, large volume and difficult control of a backpressure control device of an engine, idling of a turbocharger caused by the backpressure control device, too high exhaust temperature of the engine at a high rotation speed, and easy overheating of a fuel nozzle tip, etc.
To achieve the above and other related objects, the present invention provides a combined engine braking method for an engine with a turbocharger, characterized in that the engine is provided with an engine brake which opens an exhaust valve on an engine cylinder and releases gas compressed in the engine cylinder during a compression stroke of the engine into an exhaust manifold; an air injection mechanism is additionally provided on the engine and used to alter an exhaust gas flow of the engine, to control the operation of the turbocharger, and to regulate an intake pressure and an exhaust pressure of the engine; the combined engine braking method comprises the steps of:
a) determining whether engine braking is necessary when the engine runs at a certain speed;
b) determining whether conditions required for engine braking are satisfied if engine braking is necessary;
c) determining whether the air injection mechanism needs to be started if the conditions required for engine braking are satisfied;
d) directly starting the engine brake if the air injection mechanism does not need to be started; and
e) determining whether compressed air is available if the air injection mechanism needs to be started; performing combined engine braking if the compressed air is available: starting the engine brake and the air injection mechanism.
Preferably, an exhaust flow passage is provided between the exhaust manifold of the engine and turbine blades of a turbine of the turbocharger, and the air injection mechanism is started according to step e) to inject air into the exhaust flow passage.
Preferably, the air is injected in a flat shape by the air injection mechanism to form an air gate that covers part or all of the exhaust flow passage.
Preferably, the turbocharger comprises two exhaust inlets, the exhaust manifold comprising two outlets, each of the exhaust inlets of the turbocharger communicates with one of the outlets of the exhaust manifolds to form two separate exhaust flow passages, the air injection mechanism is started according to step e) to inject air into only one of the exhaust flow passages.
Preferably, an air inlet is provided in a turbine housing of the turbocharger, and the air injection mechanism is started according to step e) to inject air through the air inlet to turbine blades in the turbine.
Preferably, an air injection hole is provided in a compressor housing of the turbocharger, the air injection mechanism is started according to step e) to inject air to a compression impeller in the compressor through the air injection hole.
Preferably, the exhaust flow passage is provided between the exhaust manifold of the engine and the turbine blades of the turbocharger, a guide gate is arranged in the exhaust flow passage, the air injection mechanism is started according to step e) to inject the compressed air to the guide gate and drive the guide gate to move in the exhaust flow passage.
Preferably, the guide gate is positioned in an inlet passage of the turbine of the turbocharger, a hinge of the guide gate is provided at a joint of the outlet of the exhaust manifold with an inlet of the turbine of the turbocharger, the guide gate is rotatable about the hinge in the inlet passage of the turbine, an inner side of the guide gate faces an inner wall of the exhaust flow passage when the guide gate is in an initial position without rotation, the compressed air is injected on an inner side surface of the guide gate.
Preferably, a position where the air injection mechanism injects the compressed air to the inner side surface of the guide gate in the exhaust flow passage is at the joint of the outlet of the exhaust manifold with the inlet of the turbine of the turbocharger.
Preferably, the turbine of the turbocharger has two inlet passages, and one guide gate is provided in each of the inlet passages of the turbine.
Preferably, the two guide gates in the two inlet passages of the turbine are separately and independently rotatable or connected for simultaneous rotation.
Preferably, the air injection mechanism comprises a power source and a control valve, the power source comprises an air compressor or an air reservoir, the air compressor or the air reservoir generates the compressed air, and the control valve controls the injection time and the flow rate of the compressed air.
The invention also provides a turbocharging control device provided on an engine with a turbocharger, characterized in that the turbocharging control device comprises an air injection mechanism, the air injection mechanism comprises a power source, a control valve, an air outlet pipe or a nozzle, wherein the power source comprises an air compressor or an air reservoir, the control valve controls the injection time and flow rate of air, and the air injection mechanism injects air into an exhaust flow passage of an engine or turbine blades or a compressor impeller of the turbocharger through the air outlet pipe or the nozzle to control the operation of the turbocharger.
Preferably, the nozzle comprises an injection head having a flat shape, the injection head having the flat shape comprises one or more circular holes or slots disposed on one or more levels.
Preferably, the number and size of the circular holes or slots are determined by flow rate, velocity and distance of an injected fluid.
Preferably, the turbocharging control device further comprises a guide gate rotatably provided in the exhaust flow passage, when the guide gate is in an initial position without rotation, an inner side surface of the guide gate faces an inner wall of the exhaust flow passage, and the air injection mechanism injects air from the outside of the exhaust flow passage to the inner side surface of the guide gate in the exhaust flow passage to drive the guide gate to rotate and alter the exhaust gas flow in the exhaust flow passage.
Preferably, the inner side surface of the guide gate may be of different shapes, including flat, folded, concave, combined shapes or other curved shapes.
Preferably, the exhaust flow passage comprises an inlet passage of a turbine of the turbocharger, the guide gate is positioned in the inlet passage of the turbine, a hinge of the guide gate is provided at a joint of an outlet of an exhaust manifold with an inlet of the turbine of the turbocharger, the guide gate rotates about the hinge in the inlet passage of the turbine.
Preferably, the air injection mechanism comprises an air supply plate provided between the outlet of the exhaust manifold and the inlet passage of the turbine of the turbocharger, the air supply plate has a hinge slot formed therein, the hinge of the guide gate is disposed within the hinge slot.
Preferably, the air outlet pipe or nozzle of the air injection mechanism is positioned at the joint of the outlet of the exhaust manifold and the inlet of the turbine of the turbocharger.
Preferably, the turbine of the turbocharger has two inlet passages, and one guide gate is provided in each of the inlet passages of the turbine.
Preferably, the two guide gates in the two inlet passages of the turbine are separately and independently rotatable or connected for simultaneous rotation.
The following describes the embodiments of the present invention with reference to specific examples, and those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the disclosure in this description. The present invention can also be implemented or applied in the form of different specific embodiments. The details in this description may also have support from different viewpoints and applications, and various modifications or changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
Reference is made to
The combined engine braking system shown in
Most existing engines are equipped with the turbocharger 210 shown in
In
The compressed air on the vehicle is mainly used for controlling or operating the foundation braking, whether the compressed air on the vehicle can be used for performing air supercharging for engine braking or not should be determined according to the operating condition of the vehicle. Nevertheless, the compressed air on the vehicle can be effectively utilized by designing a control program.
a) determining whether engine braking is necessary when the engine runs at a certain speed;
b) determining whether conditions required for engine braking are satisfied if engine braking is necessary;
c) determining whether the air injection mechanism needs to be started if the conditions required for engine braking are satisfied;
d) directly starting the engine brake if the air injection mechanism does not need to be started;
e) determining whether compressed air is available if the air injection mechanism needs to be started; performing combined engine braking if the compressed air is available: starting the engine brake and the air injection mechanism.
In the engine braking process of the present invention, whether the air supercharging mechanism needs to be started or not is determined before implementing combined engine braking, which is to start the engine brake and the air supercharging mechanism, thereby controlling the operating speed of the turbocharger through the air supercharging mechanism and regulating the intake pressure and the exhaust pressure of the engine to improve the braking performance of the engine.
The details of the control process are as follows: as shown in
The engine 30 illustrated in
When the air supercharging mechanism is started, air is injected into the exhaust flow passage using the air supercharging mechanism to alter the airflow to the turbine blades of the turbine in the turbocharger, and to change the rotating speed of the turbine blades. The direction in which the air supercharging mechanism injects the compressed air into the exhaust flow passage can be perpendicular to the flow direction of the exhaust gas flow in the exhaust flow passage 24; or can form an acute angle with the direction of the exhaust gas flow in the exhaust flow passage 24 (i.e., injected downwards into the turbine 228 as shown in
The engine 30 illustrated in
When the air supercharging mechanism is started, air is injected into the exhaust flow passage using the air supercharging mechanism to alter the airflow to the turbine blades of the turbine in the turbocharger, and to change the rotating speed of the turbine blades. The direction in which the air supercharging mechanism injects the compressed air into the exhaust flow passage can be perpendicular to the flow direction of the exhaust gas flow in the exhaust flow passage 24, or can form an acute angle with the direction of the exhaust gas flow in the exhaust flow passage 24 (i.e., injected downwards into the turbine 228 as shown in
Moreover, there is another way for the air supercharging mechanism to inject the compressed air into the exhaust flow passage, which is to provide an air inlet hole in the turbine housing of the turbocharger 210, and the end of the air outlet pipe communicates with the air inlet hole. When the air supercharging mechanism is started, air is injected onto the turbine blades in the turbine through the air inlet hole by the air supercharging mechanism to increase the rotating speed of the turbine. According to the requirement of engine braking, a vehicle-mounted air compressor or air reservoir is utilized to inject the compressed air directly onto the turbine blades from the air inlet hole in the turbine housing through the control valve and the air guide pipe, and to increase the rotating speeds of the turbine blades and the compressor and the air intake amount as well as the air intake pressure, thereby increasing the braking power generated by the engine brake.
In addition, there is yet another way for the air supercharging mechanism to inject the compressed air into the exhaust flow passage, which is to provide an air injection hole in the compressor housing of the turbocharger, and the end of the air outlet pipe communicates with the air injection hole; and air is injected onto the compression impeller in the compressor through the air injection hole using the air supercharging mechanism. According to the braking requirement of the engine, in this example, when the air supercharging mechanism is started, the vehicle-mounted air compressor or air reservoir is utilized to inject the compressed air directly to the compression impeller from the air injection hole in the compressor housing through the control valve and the air outlet pipe, and to increase the rotating speed of the compression impeller and the air intake amount as well as the air intake pressure, thereby increasing the braking power generated by the engine brake.
Most existing engines are equipped with the turbocharger 210 shown in
The main difference between the engine braking operation and the ignition operation lies in no fuel injection or combustion during braking, and that the power-generating engine is temporarily converted into an energy-absorbing air compressor. The simplest engine braking is out-of-cylinder braking, i.e., employing an engine exhaust pressure control mechanism, such as an exhaust brake system 128, to block the exhaust pipe of the engine and cut off the exhaust gas flow, so that the exhaust backpressure increases and the resistance to the upward movement of the piston 33 during the exhaust stroke of the engine increases, resulting in engine braking. The exhaust brake is caused to close by the compressed air. The air 400 is compressed and pressurized by the air compressor 141 and then supplied to the cylinder 148 to drive the exhaust brake through the air guide pipes 143 and 147 and the control valve 145. The out-of-cylinder braking (such as exhaust braking) has the advantages of being simple and easy to implement but has the disadvantages of poor braking performance, high exhaust temperature and a bulky exhaust brake body.
A more complex and efficient engine braking is in-cylinder braking. In addition to the conventional operation of opening the intake and exhaust valves during the intake and exhaust strokes in the process of braking, the engine brake reopens the exhaust valve when the compression stroke of the engine piston is ending, allowing the compressed gas, which is air during braking, to be released; the energy absorbed by the compressed gas during the compression stroke of the engine cannot return to the piston of the engine during the subsequent expansion (working) stroke, instead, the energy is released through the exhaust and heat dissipation system of the engine. The end result is effective engine braking, which slows down the vehicle. The in-cylinder braking (such as compression-release braking) has the advantages of good braking performance but has a complex structure and implementation, featuring a high braking load and much noise.
Engine braking with the best braking performance (especially at medium and low speeds) is the so-called combination braking, i.e., employing both the in-cylinder and the out-of-cylinder braking. The performance of the combination braking is improved, the braking load is reduced, and the noise is eliminated. However, the exhaust temperature is further increased, resulting in overheating of certain components of the engine, such as the fuel injector. An effective solution to the above-mentioned overheating problem is to use a variable exhaust backpressure control device, but the additional problems resulting therefrom are higher cost, increased volume, complicated control, etc.
First Injection Mode:
The first injection mode of the air injection mechanism of the turbocharging control device of this example can be further explained with reference to
Second Injection Mode:
The second injection mode of the air injection mechanism of the turbocharging control device of this example can be further explained with reference to
Third Injection Mode:
The third injection mode of the air injection mechanism of the turbocharging control device of this example can be further explained with reference to
Fourth Injection Mode:
The fourth injection mode of the air injection mechanism of the turbocharging control device of this example can be further explained with reference to
Fifth Injection Mode:
The fifth injection mode of the air injection mechanism of the turbocharging control device of this example can be further explained with reference to
Compared with the prior art, the effect of the example is positive and distinct. According to the present invention, no metal valve body or physical obstruction is required in the exhaust flow passage of the engine; instead, the fluid (air) injected by the fluid (air) injection mechanism forms a fluid (air) barrier in the exhaust flow passage, obstructs or slows down the exhaust gas flow in the exhaust flow passage, increases the exhaust pressure of the engine upstream of the barrier, improves the exhaust gas recirculation of the engine, reduces the emission of the engine, and increases the braking power of the engine.
As apparent from
The system for increasing the exhaust pressure of the engine according to the present invention further includes the air injection mechanism 40 including the air compressor 41, the air guide pipe 43 and the air outlet pipe 47, wherein the control valve 45 is provided between the air guide pipe 43 and the air outlet pipe 47, the nozzle 48 or a joint 53 may be provided at the end of the air outlet pipe (the nozzle may also be provided in the joint), and the air outlet pipe 47 is secured onto the joint 53 by a nut 51. The air compressor 41 compresses the air 400, and the compressed air is guided to the nozzle 48 by the air guide pipe 43, the control valve 45 and the air outlet pipe 47. Of course, the compressed air may also come from an air reservoir (which is typically equipped on the vehicle). This example can control the injection time and the flow rate of the air through the control valve 45 according to the available amount of the compressed air on the vehicle, the demand of the braking power, the limitation of the braking load, etc. In addition, the air supercharging mechanism 40 may be provided with a one-way valve mechanism to allow the compressed air to be ejected from the air supercharging mechanism, but to prevent the exhaust gas flow within the engine from entering the air supercharging mechanism.
The operation of the present invention is as follows: when it's required that the exhaust pressure of the engine be increased, the control valve 45 is opened, and the air outlet pipe 47 injects compressed air from the outside of the exhaust flow passage to the inner side surface 61 of the guide gate 60 in the exhaust flow passage through air supply joint 53, air supply hole/slot 72 in a first gasket 71, air supply hole/slot 75 in the air supply plate 74 and air supply hole/slot 79 in a second gasket 78 (see
As the angle between the guide gate 60 and the inner wall 26 of the exhaust flow passage increases, the outer side surface 63 of the guide gate bears the impact of the exhaust gas flow. The force of the compressed air on the inner side 61 balances the force of the exhaust flow on the outer side 63, determining the rotation angle of the guide gate 60 and the flow area 27 of the exhaust flow passage 24. According to the invention, the injection time and the flow rate of the compressed air can be regulated by the control valve 45 according to different engine working conditions (such as the engine speed), the rotation angle of the guide gate 60 and the flow area 27 of the exhaust flow passage 24 are controlled, so that the rotating speed of the turbine and the intake and exhaust pressures of the engine are regulated, and the performance of the engine braking is improved. It is apparent that the present invention not only has no adverse effects on but also improves the operation of the turbocharger 210 by increasing the intake air pressure and airflow and the consequent cooling effect without increasing the exhaust gas temperature and the fuel nozzle temperature.
Furthermore, since the pressures imposed on the inner side surface 61 and the outer side surface 63 of the guide gate 60 tend to be balanced, the thickness of the guide gate 60 may be small, such as 0.5˜1.5 mm, preferably 1.0 mm. As such, the guide gate not only weighs little but also occupies little space and can be easily installed upstream of the turbine.
As described above, the invention of this example has the following advantages: a piston-cylinder mechanism is not required, instead, the guide gate is driven by the air injection mechanism to alter the direction and the flow velocity of exhaust gas flow, to increase the rotating speed of the turbocharger, and to increase the exhaust pressure of the engine.
The foregoing description includes many specific embodiments, which should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, but rather as representing some specific examples of the invention from which many other variations are possible. Accordingly, it is intended that the appended claims cover all such equivalent modifications and variations made by those of ordinary skills in the art without departing the spirit of the invention. For example, the device and method of the present invention may be used for different engines, including overhead cam engines and pushrod engines; may be used for a single-valve engine or a multi-valve engine with two or more valves; and may be used not only for the braking operation of the engine but also for ignition operation of the engine, such as reduction of turbo lag, an increase of exhaust gas recirculation, etc.
Moreover, the composition, shape, installation and regulation of the air injection mechanism herein may vary. For example, the nozzle at the end of the air outlet pipe may be flat, frustoconical, circular, annular, etc.
In addition, the nozzle or the joint at the end of the air outlet pipe may be disposed in different positions and different ways.
Moreover, the manner, time, flow, and direction of injection of the air injection mechanism may be regulated according to engine operating requirements, such as braking power requirements, braking load limitations, and sources of the compressed air.
In addition, the cross-section of the exhaust flow passage can be other shapes besides square or circular shapes.
Moreover, the air supercharging (injection) mechanism may inject air in one or more directions.
In addition, the inner side surface of the guide gate may be in various shapes, including a folded surface (a combination of two or more flat surfaces), a concave surface, a combined surface, or other curved surfaces besides a flat surface. The position and manner of installation of the guide gate may also vary.
Moreover, the air injection mechanism of the present invention may be used as a fluid injection mechanism, and the injected fluid may be different from those described herein, for example, the injected fluid may be urea, nitrogen, argon and the like besides water and air.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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201810353337.9 | Apr 2018 | CN | national |
201820559905.6 | Apr 2018 | CN | national |
201810791269.4 | Jul 2018 | CN | national |
201810935370.2 | Aug 2018 | CN | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/CN2019/082397 | 4/12/2019 | WO | 00 |