This invention relates to a miller cycle engine which is configured to close an intake valve at a timing earlier or later than the bottom dead center to make a compression ratio lower than an expansion ratio, and in particular relates to a technique to improve the thermal efficiency of the miller cycle by increasing boost pressure.
A miller cycle engine is effective for avoiding occurrence of knocking and for realizing high thermal efficiency by closing an intake valve at a timing earlier or later than the bottom dead center to keep a compression ratio of the engine lower than an expansion ratio. A miller cycle engine is also known as being able to realize a high expansion ratio and to utilize combustion energy more efficiently as torque by sufficiently expanding combustion gas.
In
The shown miller cycle is composed of a compression stroke (M1), a combustion/expansion stroke (M2) , an exhaust stroke (M3) , and an intake stroke (M4) . The intake valve is closed at an earlier timing than the bottom dead center at a point P in the intake stroke, whereby air expands from the point P along a line ml, is compressed while returning again to the line m1, and then varies from the point P along a line of the compression stroke (M1).
As a result, as shown in a lower part of
When improvement in thermal efficiency is taken into consideration for the current early intake valve closing miller cycle indicated by the solid line in
However, if it is tried to shift up the intake stroke (M4) by increasing the turbo pressure in order to improve the pumping work, exhaust pressure of a drive source for the turbocharger must be increased. Therefore, the resulting pumping work is not improved significantly in comparison with that before increasing the turbo pressure (the shaded area in
In addition, merely raising the turbo pressure causes the exhaust pressure to rise as well, and the entire P-V graph shifts up as shown in
Known inventions relating to miller cycle engines include Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H7-305606) and Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-220480).
A configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1 is shown in
Patent Document 2 discloses a miller cycle engine having two turbocharger arranged in series. The invention is intended to realize high energy efficiency while preventing knocking, by employing an exhaust gas recycle system (EGR) for this miller cycle engine.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H7-305606
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-220480
However, neither of the aforementioned Patent Documents 1 and 2 discloses a technique for improving the thermal efficiency by increasing pumping work formed by an exhaust stroke and an intake stroke in a miller cycle engine.
Furthermore, as already described with reference to
This invention has been made in view of the aforementioned problems, and an object of the invention is to provide a miller cycle engine which improves the pumping work formed by an intake stroke and an exhaust stroke by increasing only boost pressure or by increasing the boost pressure more than increase in exhaust pressure, and also improves the reliability of mechanical strength and thermal load of the engine body by maintaining the maximum in-cylinder pressure at substantially the same level as that before increasing of the boost pressure.
In order to solve the problems described above, this invention provides a miller cycle engine which is provided with a turbocharger for increasing boost pressure and is configured to close an intake valve at a timing earlier or later than the bottom dead center to make a compression ratio lower than an expansion ratio. The miller cycle engine includes: an intake valve variable unit which controls a timing to open or close the intake valve; a boost pressure adding device for further adding an additional boost pressure to the boost pressure increased by the turbocharger so as to increase only the boost pressure without involving increase in exhaust pressure, or so as to increase the boost pressure with involving increase in exhaust pressure, the additional boost pressure being larger than the increase in the exhaust pressure; and a valve closing timing control unit which advances more the timing to close the intake valve as the additional boost pressure added by the boost pressure adding device becomes higher so as to maintain the boost pressure at substantially the same level as a maximum in-cylinder pressure before adding the additional boost pressure.
According to this invention, the boost pressure adding device adds an additional boost pressure to increase only the boost pressure, or if increase in exhaust pressure is involved, adds an additional boost pressure that is larger than the increase in the exhaust pressure, so that pumping work formed by an intake stroke and an exhaust stroke is improved (pumping work is improved by enlarging the shaded area shown in
Further, the valve closing timing control unit changes the timing to close the intake valve according to the additional boost pressure added by the boost pressure adding device, and advances more the intake valve closing timing as the additional boost pressure becomes higher, so that the boost pressure is maintained at substantially the same level as a maximum in-cylinder pressure before addition of the additional boost pressure (maximum in-cylinder pressure (Pmax) shown in
It is preferable, in the invention, that the valve closing timing control unit detects a total boost pressure of the boost pressure generated by the turbocharger and the additional boost pressure added by the boost pressure adding device by means of a boost pressure sensor, and controls the timing to close the intake valve based on the detected value.
In this manner, the boost pressure of supply air flowing into the engine is directly detected, and the intake valve closing timing is controlled based on this detected value. In other words, the intake valve closing timing is controlled based on a detected value of boost pressure reflecting variation in ambient conditions including atmospheric temperature, atmospheric pressure, and humidity, which enables accurate control of the intake valve closing timing in accordance with the variation of ambient conditions. For example, when the ambient temperature becomes higher, the boost pressure is decreased due to decreased air density, and the intake valve closing timing is controlled based on this decreased pressure value. Even if an additional boost pressure is accordingly applied, and moreover the ambient conditions vary significantly, the maximum in-cylinder pressure can be maintained with high precision at the same level as the maximum in-cylinder pressure before the addition of the additional boost pressure.
It is also preferable, in the invention, that the boost pressure adding device is configured to use regenerative energy from the engine. The use of regenerative energy makes it possible to increase only the boost pressure while preventing increase in exhaust pressure of the engine, or to increase the boost pressure more than the increase in the exhaust pressure. Specifically, the regenerative energy is steam generated by using exhaust gas heat of the engine, and the additional boost pressure is generated upstream of the turbocharger by a compressor unit of a steam turbine driven by the steam.
Thus, steam is generated by using exhaust gas heat to drive the steam turbine, and supply air is supplied to the turbocharger after being preliminarily pressurized by the compressor unit of the steam turbine, whereby the boost pressure can be increased without involving increase in the exhaust pressure, and pumping work formed by an exhaust stroke and an intake stroke in a miller cycle can be increased.
In another example, the turbocharger may be a hybrid turbocharger having a generator incorporated therein, the regenerative energy may be electric power generated by utilizing the exhaust gas, and the additional boost pressure may be generated by driving, with the electric power, a supply air blower provided on an air supply channel.
When the turbocharger is formed by a hybrid turbocharger having a generator incorporated therein, electric power can be generated by utilizing flow of exhaust gas to drive the supply air blower provided on the air supply channel, whereby the boost pressure can be increased without involving increase in the exhaust pressure, or even if increase in the exhaust pressure is involved, the boost pressure can be increased more than the increase in the exhaust pressure. As result, pumping work formed by an exhaust stroke and an intake stroke in a miller cycle can be increased.
In still another example, a pre-turbocharger driven by utilizing an exhaust gas flow from the engine as the regenerative energy may be provided on an upstream side of the turbocharger, and the additional boost pressure may be generated by the pre-turbocharger on the upstream side of the turbocharger. Although this case involves increase in the exhaust pressure, turbocharging characteristics of the pre-turbocharger can be set such that the additional boost pressure is larger than increase in the exhaust pressure that is increased for driving the pre-turbocharger so that the boost pressure is increased more than the increase in the exhaust pressure. Thus, the pumping work formed by an intake stroke and an exhaust stroke in a miller cycle can be improved.
This invention provides a miller cycle engine which is provided with a turbocharger for increasing boost pressure and includes: an intake valve variable unit which controls a timing to open or close the intake valve; a boost pressure adding device for further adding an additional boost pressure to the boost pressure increased by the turbocharger so as to increase only the boost pressure, or if increase in exhaust pressure is involved, so as to increase the boost pressure such that the additional boost pressure is larger than the increase in the exhaust pressure ; and a valve closing timing control unit which advances more the timing to close the intake valve as the additional boost pressure added by the boost pressure adding device becomes higher so as to maintain the boost pressure at substantially the same level as a maximum in-cylinder pressure before adding the additional boost pressure. According to this configuration, an additional boost pressure can be added to only the boost pressure, or it can be added to the boost pressure such that the additional boost pressure is larger than the increase in the exhaust pressure. Thus, pumping work formed by an intake stroke and an exhaust stroke is increased, resulting in improvement of thermal efficiency.
Moreover, a maximum in-cylinder pressure can be maintained at substantially the same level as that before adding the additional boost pressure. Thus, a miller cycle engine having an improved reliability can be provided, avoiding possible problems relating to mechanical strength and thermal load of the engine body.
Although, in
There are provided in a cylinder 4 of the engine body, a piston 6 which is fitted reciprocally and slidably in the cylinder, and a crank shaft which converts reciprocating motion of the piston 6 into rotation via a connecting rod (not shown). The engine body further has a combustion chamber 10 defined between the upper face of the piston 6 and an inner surface of a cylinder head 8, an intake port 12 connected to the combustion chamber 10, and an intake valve 14 for opening and closing the intake port 12. The engine body further has an exhaust port 16 connected to the combustion chamber 10 and an exhaust valve 18 for opening and closing the exhaust port 16.
While a fuel gas supply device and an ignition device are not shown in the drawing, fuel gas is supplied to the combustion chamber 10 through the intake port 12 and the intake valve 14, after being premixed with compressed air supplied from a compressor unit 20a of a turbocharger (exhaust turbocharger) 20, and ignited by the ignition device.
Compressed air is supplied to the intake port 12 from the compressor unit 20a of the turbocharger 20 through an air supply channel K2 having an air cooler 22 provided thereon. The exhaust port 16 is connected to a turbine unit 20b of the turbocharger 20 through an exhaust path L1.
Exhaust gas, which has passed through the turbine unit 20b, is introduced into a first heat exchanger 24(steam generator) through an exhaust path L2, and the exhaust gas heats externally-supplied water to generate steam in this first heat exchanger (steam generator) 24. Engine cooling water supplied through a cooling water pipe C1 is introduced into a second heat exchanger (steam generator) 26 through a cooling water pipe C2, and heats externally-supplied water to generate steam.
The steam generated in the first heat exchanger 24 and the second heat exchanger 26 is supplied to a turbine unit 28b of a steam turbine (boost pressure adding device) 28 through a steam pipe S, and drives a compressor unit 28a arranged concentrically with the turbine unit 28b to pressurize supply air. A two-stage turbocharging system is provided, consisting of the compressor unit 28a of the steam turbine 28 and the compressor unit 20a of the turbocharger 20, so that the pressurized supply air is further supplied to and pressurized in the compressor unit 20a of the turbocharger 20.
In this manner, steam is generated by utilizing exhaust gas heat to drive the steam turbine 28, and supply air is preliminarily pressurized by the compressor unit 28a of the steam turbine 28 and then supplied to the turbocharger 20, whereby boost pressure can be increased without raising exhaust pressure.
The steam passing through the turbine unit 28b of the steam turbine 28 is cooled and condensed by a condenser 30, and is again, and supplied as water to the first heat exchanger 24 and the second heat exchanger 26.
A boost pressure sensor 32 is arranged in the vicinity of the intake port 12 of the air supply channel K2, so that boost pressure of air flowing into the combustion chamber 10 is measured. This means that, pressure in the air supply channel K2 at the start of an intake stroke is input to a valve closing timing control unit 34 as a detection signal. The valve closing timing control unit 34 is configured to calculate an optimum timing for closing the intake valve 14 based on the detected pressure value, and to output a control signal to an intake valve variable unit 36.
This valve closing timing control unit 34 has a valve closing timing control map 38 in which a valve closing timing for the intake valve 14 is set in accordance with the boost pressure detected by the boost pressure sensor 32.
As shown in
Accordingly, a total boost pressure (Pk+ΔP) of the boost pressure Pk by the turbocharger 20 and the additional boost pressure AP by the steam turbine 28 is detected by the boost pressure sensor 32, and the valve closing timing for the intake valve 14 is controlled based on the detected value by the boost pressure sensor 32.
There is preset, in the valve closing timing control map 38, a relationship between total boost pressure (Pk+ΔP) and intake valve closing timing. The compression stroke start position on the line indicating the compression stroke (M1) is changed according to a magnitude of the total boost pressure (Pk+ΔP), such that the compression stroke is performed along the line of the compression stroke (M1) in
In other words, there is preset, in the valve closing timing control map 38, a relationship between the total boost pressure (Pk+ΔP) and the timing to close the intake valve 14 such that the compression stroke is started along the line of the compression stroke (M1) before the additional boost pressure is applied.
Further, since the boost pressure of supply air flowing into the combustion chamber 10 is directly detected by the boost pressure sensor 32 and the timing to close the intake valve 14 is controlled based on the detected value, in other words, since the effect of variation in the ambient conditions including atmospheric temperature, atmospheric pressure, and humidity is reflected on the boost pressure, the timing to open the intake valve can be accurately corrected, and thus the maximum in-cylinder pressure (Pmax) can be kept constant regardless of variation in the ambient conditions.
As shown in
Optimum valve closing timing control is performed for the intake valve 14 based on a preset total boost pressure (Pk+ΔP). Therefore, even if an additional boost pressure is applied, or even if there occurs a change in the ambient conditions, the additional boost pressure follows the line of the compression stroke (M1) before the application of the additional boost pressure.
Therefore, the maximum in-cylinder pressure (Pmax) can be kept constant with high precision.
Description will be made, with reference to
In
As shown in
In
Moreover, when it is assumed, for the purpose of calculation, that the exhaust pressure is not increased at all, a large drop in the energy efficiency is acknowledged, being located at the point Q in
According to the first embodiment described above, it is made possible to increase only the boost pressure while preventing the increasing of the exhaust pressure by using steam generated by utilizing exhaust heat and heat of heated engine cooling water as regenerative energy from the engine body.
In this manner, only the boost pressure can be increased by adding an additional boost pressure by the steam turbine 28 utilizing exhaust heat and heated engine cooling water, whereby the pumping work formed by the intake stroke (M5) and the exhaust stroke (M3) (the shaded area in
Although, in the first embodiment, steam is generated by both the first heat exchanger (steam generator) 24 and the second heat exchanger (steam generator) 26, either one of them can be used. In other words, either the exhaust heat or the heated engine cooling water can be used to generate steam.
Further, the valve closing timing control unit 34 changes the timing to close the intake valve 14 in accordance with an additional boost pressure added by the steam turbine 28, and the valve closing timing of the intake valve 14 is advanced as the additional boost pressure becomes higher so as to keep the boost pressure at substantially the same level as a maximum in-cylinder pressure before adding the additional boost pressure (maximum in-cylinder pressure (Pmax) in
A second embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to
The second embodiment uses electric power generated by utilizing exhaust gas as regenerative energy of an engine.
As shown in
An additional boost pressure is generated by driving a supply air blower 54 provided on an air supply channel K1 upstream of the hybrid turbocharger 52 with use of electric power generated by utilizing exhaust gas.
The hybrid turbocharger 52 is composed of a compressor unit 52a and a turbine unit 52b. The compressor unit 52a has the generator motor 50 incorporated therein. Electric power is generated by rotation of the compressor unit 52a, and the generated power is supplied to a blower motor 56 for driving a supply air blower 54 through a power supply line M. Control of rotation speed of the blower motor 56 is performed with use of an inverter or a speed increasing/decreasing gear (not shown) .
Alternatively, electric power W may be externally supplied to the generator motor 50 so as to increase the speed of the compressor unit 52a itself of the hybrid turbocharger 52 so that the additional boost pressure is generated.
According to the second embodiment, the boost pressure adding device is composed of the hybrid turbocharger 52 and the supply air blower 54. Therefore, unlike the first embodiment, the boost pressure adding device can be obtained easily without the need of using a steam generator for generating steam and without increasing the size of the device.
Further, according to the configuration of the hybrid turbocharger 52 having the generator motor 50 incorporated therein, electric power is generated by utilizing flow of exhaust gas to drive the supply air blower 54 provided on the air supply channel K1. Therefore, the boost pressure can be increased without involving increase in exhaust pressure, and even if the increase in the exhaust pressure is involved, the boost pressure can be increased more than the increase in the exhaust pressure. Accordingly, the same function effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained.
A third embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to
As shown in
An air cooler 62 is provided on an air supply channel K1 connecting the compressor unit 60a of the pre-turbocharger 60 and the compressor unit 20a of the turbocharger 20.
According to the third embodiment, the boost pressure adding device is formed by the pre-turbocharger 60. Therefore, unlike the first embodiment, the boost pressure adding device can be obtained easily without using the steam generator for generating steam and without increase in size.
In the third embodiment, the exhaust pressure Ph during the exhaust stroke (M3) shown in
This means that the amount of pumping work can be increased by increasing the boost pressure by adding the additional boost pressure ΔP that is larger than the increase amount ΔPh of the exhaust pressure, instead of increasing only the boost pressure without increasing the exhaust pressure. The other functional effects of the third embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment.
In a miller cycle engine provided with a turbocharger according to this invention, pumping work formed by an intake stroke and an exhaust stroke can be improved by increasing only boost pressure or by increasing the boost pressure more than increase in exhaust pressure, while the reliability of mechanical strength and thermal load of the engine body can be improved by keeping a maximum in-cylinder pressure at substantially the same level as that before the increase of the boost pressure. Therefore, this invention is suitable for use in miller cycle engines.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2009-239461 | Oct 2009 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/JP2010/067423 | 10/5/2010 | WO | 00 | 6/13/2012 |