阅读说明：本技术 用于发动机的流体可变涡轮增压器的方法和系统 (Method and system for a fluid variable turbocharger of an engine ) 是由 L·科比尔斯基 B·乌依贡 A·佛尔顿 于 2019-12-13 设计创作，主要内容包括：提供了用于流体可变涡轮的不同方法和系统。在一个示例中,一种用于发动机的系统包括：增压器涡轮,所述增压器涡轮包括喷嘴环,该喷嘴环包括多个静止叶片,所述多个静止叶片中的每个叶片包括布置在叶片外表面的多个喷射口；和气体供应系统,用以供应流向并流出所述多个喷射口的可变气流。(Various methods and systems for a fluid variable turbine are provided. In one example, a system for an engine includes: a supercharger turbine comprising a nozzle ring comprising a plurality of stationary vanes, each vane of the plurality of stationary vanes comprising a plurality of injection ports disposed at an outer surface of the vane; and a gas supply system for supplying a variable flow of gas to and from the plurality of injection ports.)

1. A system for an engine, comprising:

a supercharger turbine comprising a nozzle ring comprising a plurality of stationary vanes, one or more of the plurality of stationary vanes comprising one or more injection ports disposed on an outer surface of the one or stationary vanes; and

a gas supply system configured to supply a variable gas flow to and from the one or more injection ports via one or more passages through one or more stationary vanes of the plurality of stationary vanes.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of stationary vanes comprises a plurality of jet ports disposed on an outer surface of the vane, the plurality of jet ports having one or more shapes comprising one or more of a slot shape, a circle shape, a rectangle shape, a square shape, a diamond shape, a trapezoid shape, a star shape, a pentagon shape, a hexagon shape, a plus shape, or a donut shape.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the shape of the plurality of injection ports comprises the circular shape.

4. The system of any of claims 1-3, wherein the gas supply system is configured to supply the variable flow of gas based on operating conditions of the engine.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the gas supply system comprises an electronically controlled valve system fluidly coupled with the one or more injection ports and configured to adjust an amount of air supplied via the one or more injection ports based on operating conditions of the engine.

6. The system of claim 4 or 5, wherein the operating condition is an engine power level.

7. The system of any of claims 1-3, wherein each of the plurality of stationary vanes comprises a plurality of injection ports, and the plurality of injection ports are divided into groups comprising at least a first group of injection ports and a second group of injection ports.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the gas supply system comprises a first valve configured to regulate gas flow to the first set of injection ports and a second valve configured to regulate gas flow to the second set of injection ports, the first valve being controlled independently of the second valve.

9. The system of claim 7 or 8, wherein the first set of injection ports comprises at least one injection port having a slot shape, the second set of injection ports comprises at least one injection port having a circular shape, the at least one injection port having a slot shape comprising a height less than its width and extending across at least 75% of the width of the vane outer surface.

10. The system of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a central axis of a first stationary vane of the plurality of stationary vanes is angled relative to central axes of other stationary vanes arranged adjacent to the first stationary vane on the nozzle ring, the central axis of the first stationary vane defining a long axis of the first stationary vane.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the one or more jet ports has the slot shape.

12. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the stationary vanes are fixed and non-movable relative to the body of the nozzle ring to which they are attached.

13. A method for an engine, comprising:

adjusting an amount of air injected from at least one injection port disposed on an outer surface of a vane of a turbine nozzle ring of a turbine to adjust a boundary layer on the outer surface and a throat opening of the nozzle ring, wherein the amount of air is adjusted based on an operating parameter of the engine.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein adjusting the amount of air is performed while keeping the vanes stationary on the turbine nozzle ring.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein,

the at least one injection port includes a plurality of injection ports,

the operating parameter is an engine power level, an

The method further includes gradually increasing the amount of air injected by increasing the number of injection ports from which air is injected among the plurality of injection ports as the engine power level decreases.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein gradually increasing the amount of air injected comprises increasing a number of at least one of rows or slots of injected air in the plurality of injection ports.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein adjusting the injected air amount further comprises actuating a valve system disposed outside a turbine that includes the turbine nozzle ring to allow air to flow from a compressor rotationally driven by the turbine to the vanes and increasing a number of open valves of the valve system to increase the injected air amount.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the valve system comprises a series of valves, a first valve of the series of valves regulating air flow through a first row and/or slot of the injection port of the vane, and a second valve of the series of valves regulating air flow through a second row and/or slot of the injection port of the vane.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein,

adjusting the injected air quantity includes increasing the injected air quantity to increase the boundary layer and decrease the throat opening of the nozzle ring in response to a decrease in engine load and/or an increase in pre-turbine temperature, and

adjusting the injected air quantity includes decreasing the injected air quantity to decrease the boundary layer and increase the throat opening of the nozzle ring in response to an increase in the engine load and/or a decrease in the pre-turbine temperature.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein adjusting the amount of air comprises adjusting the amount of air injected from a plurality of injection ports disposed on an outer surface of a plurality of vanes of the turbo nozzle ring, wherein the injection ports have one or more shapes comprising one or more of a slot shape, a circle shape, a rectangle shape, a square shape, a diamond shape, a trapezoid shape, a star shape, a pentagon shape, a hexagon shape, a plus sign shape, or a ring shape.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the one or more shapes comprise the circular shape or the trough shape.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the one or more shapes comprise a plurality of shapes including the circle and the trough.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein adjusting the amount of air injected further comprises actuating a valve system comprising a plurality of valves disposed outside the turbine, a first set of the plurality of valves adjusting the amount of air injected only through a slotted injection port of the plurality of injection ports, and a second set of the plurality of valves adjusting the amount of air injected only through a circular injection port of the plurality of injection ports, wherein the slotted injection port comprises a rounded corner or an angle at a 90 degree angle.

24. The method of any of claims 20 to 22, wherein adjusting the amount of air is performed while keeping the vanes stationary on the turbine nozzle ring, the adjusting comprising:

adjusting a position of a first valve configured to adjust air flow to only a first set of the plurality of injection ports, an

Adjusting a position of a second valve configured to adjust air flow to only a second set of the plurality of injection ports.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein,

the operating parameter is an engine power level,

the method further includes gradually increasing the amount of air injected by increasing a number of injection ports of the plurality of injection ports injecting air as the engine power level decreases, the increasing the number of injection ports including adjusting the second valve to a more open position after adjusting the first valve to a fully open position.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein gradually increasing the amount of air injected comprises increasing the number of rows and/or slots of injected air in the plurality of injection ports.

27. The method of claim 13, wherein,

adjusting the amount of air includes: adjusting an amount of air injected from a plurality of injection ports disposed on outer surfaces of a plurality of vanes of the turbine nozzle ring;

adjusting the amount of air ejected from the plurality of ejection ports includes: actuating a valve system comprising a plurality of valves disposed outside the turbine, wherein a first set of the plurality of valves regulates an amount of air injected only through a slotted injection port of the plurality of injection ports, and a second set of the plurality of valves regulates an amount of air injected only through a circular injection port of the plurality of injection ports, the slotted injection port comprising a rounded corner or an angle at a 90 degree angle.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein adjusting the amount of air ejected from the plurality of ejection ports comprises flowing air through only one slot-shaped ejection port along a single row of the plurality of ejection ports, the single row extending in a direction perpendicular to the central axis of the blade.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein adjusting the amount of air ejected from the plurality of ejection ports further comprises flowing air through a plurality of circular ejection ports arranged along a single row of the plurality of ejection ports.

30. A system for an engine, comprising:

a turbocharger comprising a compressor driven by a turbine, the turbine comprising a nozzle ring on which are mounted a plurality of stationary vanes, each of the plurality of stationary vanes comprising a plurality of rows of gas passages within the vane, wherein each gas passage terminates in at least one injection port disposed on an outer surface of the vane;

an airflow control system fluidly coupled to the compressor and the plurality of rows of air passages of each blade; and

a controller comprising computer readable instructions stored in a memory that, when executed during operation of the engine, cause the controller to:

actuating the airflow control system to adjust, via the airflow control system, a number of rows of the plurality of rows of air paths that receive air from the compressor as an engine power level of the engine varies.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the instructions further cause the controller to: actuating the airflow control system to block air flow from the compressor to the air path when the engine power level is greater than a threshold power level.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the at least one injection port is a plurality of injection ports, each exhaust passage fluidly coupled to the plurality of injection ports, adjacent ones of the plurality of rows of exhaust passages fluidly separated from one another.

33. The system of claim 30, wherein the instructions further cause the controller to: increasing, via the airflow control system, a number of rows of the multi-row gas passages that receive air from the compressor in response to a temperature of gas upstream of the turbine increasing above a threshold temperature.

34. The system of claim 30, wherein the airflow control system includes a valve system including a valve for each airway of the vane, only the valves of the valve system moving to regulate air flowing through the airway.

35. The system of claim 30, wherein the at least one injection port comprises a plurality of injection ports having one or more shapes comprising one or more of a slot, a circle, a rectangle, a square, a diamond, a trapezoid, a star, a pentagon, a hexagon, a plus sign, or a ring.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the plurality of injection ports have a plurality of shapes, the plurality of shapes including the slot-shaped shape and the circular shape.

37. A system for an engine, comprising:

a turbocharger including a compressor driven by a turbine, the turbine including a nozzle ring on which a plurality of stationary vanes are mounted, each vane of the plurality of stationary vanes including a plurality of rows of air passages within the vane, wherein each exhaust passage terminates in at least one injection port disposed on an outer surface of the vane, a first row of the plurality of rows including at least one slot-shaped injection port at which the air passage terminates, and a second row of the plurality of rows of air passages including a plurality of circular injection ports at which the air passages terminate;

an airflow control system fluidly coupled to the compressor and the plurality of rows of air passages of each blade; and

a controller comprising computer readable instructions stored in a memory that, when executed during operation of the engine, cause the controller to:

actuating the airflow control system to adjust, via the airflow control system, a number of rows of the plurality of rows of air paths that receive air from the compressor as an engine power level of the engine varies.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein the first row comprises only one slot-shaped jet and the second row comprises only a plurality of circular jets.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the first row is one of a plurality of first rows and the second row is one of a plurality of second rows, wherein the plurality of first rows and the plurality of second rows alternate along a central axis of the blade, each of the plurality of second rows separating adjacent ones of the plurality of first rows, adjacent ones of the plurality of rows of air passages being fluidly separated from one another.

40. The system of claim 37, wherein the first row further comprises at least one circular jet, the first row comprising a plurality of slot-shaped and circular jets alternating with one another along the first row.

41. The system of claim 37, wherein the jets arranged along the first and second rows have one or more of a trapezoid, square, diamond, pentagon, or hexagon.

Technical Field

Embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein relate to fluid variable turbochargers.

Background

Engines, such as those mounted on vehicles, may be equipped with variable geometry turbochargers, which may allow the effective aspect ratio of the turbocharger to change as engine operating conditions change, for example, from low engine speeds to high engine speeds. Thus, a desired amount of boost may be provided during engine operating conditions where exhaust gas production is low.

Vanes and other similar components may be arranged in the nozzle of the turbine to adjust the turbine geometry. Vanes or other adjacent components may be actuated within the turbine to regulate the airflow in the turbine to reduce the effective throat area of the turbine. This may accelerate the exhaust gas in the turbine to increase turbine speed and increase boost.

Disclosure of Invention

In one embodiment, a system for an engine includes a supercharger turbine having a nozzle ring. The nozzle ring includes a plurality of stationary vanes. Each of the plurality of stationary vanes includes one or more (e.g., a plurality of) injection ports disposed on an outer surface of the vane. The system also includes a gas supply system configured to supply a variable gas flow to and out of the plurality of jet ports via a passage extending through the vane. The ejection opening may be circular, groove-shaped, polygonal, or the like.

Drawings

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a vehicle having an engine including a turbocharger device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate a first embodiment of a fluid variable turbine having nozzle vanes adapted to inject air to adjust the turbine throat area.

FIG. 3 illustrates a second embodiment of a fluid variable turbine having nozzle vanes adapted to inject air to adjust the turbine throat area.

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of a turbocharger device having a fluid variable turbine with jet nozzle vanes in combination with an airflow control device for the nozzle vanes.

FIG. 5 illustrates a method for operating a fluid variable turbine having nozzle vanes adapted to inject air to adjust the throat area of the turbine.

FIG. 6 illustrates an engine operating sequence for operating a fluid variable turbine having nozzle vanes adapted to inject air to adjust the throat area of the turbine based on engine operating conditions.

FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate examples of smaller and larger boundary layers for adjusting the turbine throat area.

Fig. 8A, 8B, and 8C show alternative examples of nozzle vanes.

Detailed Description

The following description relates to embodiments of a system for an engine including a supercharger turbine having a nozzle ring including a plurality of stationary vanes, each of the plurality of stationary vanes including a plurality of injection ports disposed at an outer surface of the vane; and a gas supply system that supplies a variable flow of gas that flows to and from the plurality of jets. Previous examples of variable geometry turbines have moving assemblies, such as pivotable or slidable vanes, within the nozzle ring of the turbine to adjust the geometry of the turbine. Such architectures have several problems, including maintenance, reliability, and manufacturing difficulties (e.g., the moving components may degrade and need to be replaced, and may be more complex and/or expensive to manufacture). The stationary vanes described herein receive airflow from an air source, such as a compressor or turbocharger compressor, to inject air into a nozzle of a turbine. The amount of air injected via the blades may adjust the throat area of the turbine, and thus the output of the turbine. In one example, the amount of air injected via the blades may be adjusted by adjusting the position of one or more valves of a flow control system disposed outside the turbine. However, in alternative embodiments, different types of variable actuator systems may be used to adjust the amount of air injected from the blades into the turbine throat area.

In one example, a supercharger turbine receives exhaust gas from an engine of a vehicle, as shown in FIG. 1. The turbine may include a plurality of blades arranged along a circumference of the turbine nozzle, as shown in FIG. 2. The vanes may include a plurality of inlets and internal passages for receiving air from a source (e.g., a compressor of a turbocharger) and directing the air to injection ports disposed on an outer surface of the vane. In one embodiment, the ejection ports may be arranged in rows aligned with the inlets and the internal passages such that each row is fluidly coupled with one inlet and one internal passage, as shown in fig. 2B. A flow control system, such as the one shown in fig. 4, may include a set of valves, wherein each valve is configured to regulate gas flow to each inlet and the internal passage. FIG. 5 illustrates a method for adjusting the amount of air injected by the turbine nozzle vanes based on engine operating conditions (e.g., engine power level). FIG. 6 illustrates an engine operating sequence showing the air supplied to the nozzle vanes varying based on changes in engine operating conditions. An alternative embodiment of the vane is shown in fig. 3. The blade may create a boundary layer that is sized based on the amount of air flowing through the blade. Examples of two different sized boundary layers are shown in fig. 7A and 7B. Other alternative examples of blades are shown in fig. 8A, 8B and 8C.

The methods described herein may be used with a variety of engine types and with a variety of engine drive systems. Some of these systems may be stationary while others may be located on semi-mobile or mobile platforms. The semi-mobile platform can be repositioned during operation, for example mounted on a flatbed trailer. The mobile platform comprises a self-propelled vehicle. Such vehicles may include road transport vehicles, as well as mining equipment, marine vessels, rail vehicles, and other off-highway vehicles (OHV). For clarity of illustration, a locomotive is provided as an example of a mobile platform that supports a system incorporating embodiments of the present disclosure.

Fig. 1-3 and 8A-8C illustrate exemplary configurations of relative positions of various components. If shown in direct contact or directly coupled to each other, such elements may be referred to as being in direct contact or directly coupled, respectively, in at least one example. Similarly, in at least one example, elements shown as connected or adjacent to each other can be connected or adjacent, respectively. As one example, components placed in face-to-face contact with each other may be referred to as being in face-to-face contact. As another example, in at least one example, elements placed apart from each other and having only a space between them and no other components may be so mentioned. As yet another example, elements shown above/below each other, on opposite sides of each other, or on left/right sides of each other may be so mentioned. Further, as shown, in at least one example, the topmost element or point of an element may be referred to as the "top" of the component, and the bottommost element or point of an element may be referred to as the "bottom" of the component. As used herein, top/bottom, upper/lower, above/below may be relative to the longitudinal axis of the drawings and are used to describe the position of elements of the drawings relative to each other. Thus, in one example, an element shown above another element is positioned vertically above the other element. As yet another example, the shapes of elements depicted in the figures may be referred to as having those shapes (e.g., circular, rectilinear, planar, curved, rounded, chamfered, angled, etc.). Further, in at least one example, elements shown as intersecting one another may be referred to as intersecting elements or intersecting one another. Further, in one example, elements shown within another element or elements shown outside another element may be so referred to.

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a system in which a turbocharger device may be installed. In particular, fig. 1 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a vehicle system 100, depicted here as a vehicle 106. The illustrated vehicle is configured to travel on the track 102 via a plurality of wheels 112. As shown, the vehicle 106 includes an engine 104. The engine includes a plurality of cylinders 101 (only one representative cylinder is shown in FIG. 1). Each cylinder includes at least one intake valve 103, an exhaust valve 105, and a fuel injector 107. Each intake valve, exhaust valve, and fuel injector may include an actuator that may be actuated by a signal from a controller 110 of the engine 104. In other non-limiting embodiments, the engine 104 may be a stationary engine, such as in a power plant application, or an engine in a marine vessel or other on-highway or off-highway vehicle propulsion system as described above.

The engine receives intake air for combustion from an intake passage 114. The intake passage includes an air filter 160 that filters air from outside the vehicle. Exhaust gas resulting from engine combustion is supplied to an exhaust passage 116. The exhaust gas flows through the exhaust passage and out of the exhaust pipe of the vehicle. In one example, the engine is a diesel engine that combusts air and diesel fuel by compression ignition. In another example, the engine is a dual or multi-fuel engine that can combust a mixture of gaseous fuel and air by injecting diesel fuel during compression of an air-gaseous fuel mixture. In other non-limiting embodiments, the engine may additionally combust fuels including gasoline, kerosene, natural gas, biodiesel, or other petroleum distillates of similar density by compression ignition (and/or spark ignition).

In one embodiment, the vehicle is a diesel-electric vehicle. As shown in FIG. 1, the engine is connected to a power generation system that includes an alternator/generator 122 and an electric traction motor 124. For example, the engine is a diesel and/or natural gas engine that produces a torque output that is transmitted to an alternator/generator mechanically coupled to the engine. In one embodiment herein, the engine is a multi-fuel engine that operates using diesel fuel and natural gas, but in other examples, the engine may use various fuel combinations other than diesel and natural gas.

Alternator/generator 122 generates electrical power that may be stored and applied to various downstream electrical components to which it is subsequently propagated. As an example, the alternator/generator 122 may be electrically coupled with a plurality of traction motors and the alternator/generator may provide electrical power to the plurality of traction motors. As shown, a plurality of traction motors are each coupled to one of the plurality of wheels to provide traction power to propel the vehicle. One exemplary configuration includes one traction motor per wheel set. As depicted herein, six traction motors correspond to each of the six pairs of powered wheels of the vehicle. In another example, the alternator/generator may be coupled with one or more resistor grids 126. The resistive grid may be configured to dissipate excess engine torque through heat generated by the grid from electricity generated by the alternator/generator.

In some embodiments, the vehicle system may include a turbocharger 120 disposed between the intake passage and the exhaust passage. Turbochargers increase the charge of ambient air drawn into the intake passage to provide greater charge density during combustion, thereby increasing power output and/or engine operating efficiency. The turbocharger may include at least one compressor (not shown) driven at least partially by at least one corresponding turbine (not shown). In some embodiments, the vehicle system may further include an aftertreatment system coupled in the exhaust passage upstream and/or downstream of the turbocharger. In one embodiment, the aftertreatment system may include a Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC) and a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF). In other embodiments, the aftertreatment system may additionally or alternatively include one or more emission control devices. Such emission control devices may include a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) catalyst, a three-way catalyst, a NOx trap, or various other devices or exhaust aftertreatment systems.

As shown in fig. 1, the vehicle system further includes a cooling system 150 (e.g., an engine cooling system). The cooling system circulates coolant through the engine to absorb engine heat and distribute the heated coolant to a heat exchanger, such as a radiator 152 (e.g., a radiator heat exchanger). In one example, the coolant may be water. A fan 154 may be coupled to the radiator to maintain airflow through the radiator when the vehicle is moving slowly or stopped while the engine is running. In some examples, the fan speed may be controlled by a controller. The coolant cooled by the radiator may enter a tank (not shown). The coolant may then be pumped by a water or coolant pump 156 back to the engine or another component of the vehicle system.

The controller 110 may be configured to control various components associated with the vehicle. For example, various components of the vehicle system may be coupled with the controller via a communication channel or data bus. In one example, the controller includes a computer control system. The controller may additionally or alternatively include a memory that retains a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium (not shown) including code for implementing on-board monitoring and control of vehicle operation. In some examples, the controller may include more than one controller, each controller in communication with each other, such as a first controller that controls the engine and a second controller that controls other operating parameters of the locomotive (e.g., traction motor load, blower speed, etc.). The first controller may be configured to control the various actuators based on output received from the second controller and/or the second controller may be configured to control the various actuators based on output received from the first controller.

The controller may receive information from a plurality of sensors and may send control signals to a plurality of actuators. The controller, while supervising the control and management of the engine and/or vehicle, may be configured to receive signals from various engine sensors, as further detailed herein, in order to determine operating parameters and conditions, and adjust various engine actuators accordingly to control operation of the engine and/or rail vehicle. For example, the engine controller may receive signals from various engine sensors including, but not limited to, engine speed, engine load, intake manifold air pressure, boost pressure, exhaust pressure, ambient temperature, exhaust temperature, particulate filter backpressure, engine coolant pressure, and the like. Additional sensors, such as coolant temperature sensors, may be provided in the cooling system. Accordingly, the controller may control the engine and/or vehicle by sending commands to various components (e.g., traction motors, alternator/generators, fuel injectors, valves (e.g., coolant and/or EGR cooler valves), coolant pumps, or the like). For example, the controller may control operation of a restriction element (e.g., such as a valve) in the engine cooling system. Other actuators may be coupled to different locations in the vehicle.

Herein, reference is made to a turbocharger turbine, such as turbocharger 120 shown in FIG. 1, which may be a fluid variable turbine, wherein the throat area of the turbine may be adjusted based on engine operating conditions. In one example, the engine operating condition is an engine power level (e.g., a gear level) and/or an engine load. As engine power levels decrease, it may be desirable to reduce the throat area of the turbine. Previous examples of variable geometry turbines include mechanically movable blades or stationary blades with movable components (e.g., shrouds or other similar devices). The throat area of the turbine is adjusted by moving vanes or adjacent components to adjust the airflow velocity through the turbine and increase the boost provided by the current exhaust gas production level.

However, such turbines may have disadvantages. For example, moving components, such as mechanically movable components, disposed in a turbine may be susceptible to aging, which may be difficult to access and repair. Furthermore, the manufacture of such turbines can be cumbersome as the electrical wires pass through various surfaces of the turbine, which surfaces may become hot during engine operation. Therefore, the electric wire may require a heat-resistant coating. The inventors have recognized these problems and have devised approaches that at least partially address these problems. The above problems can be avoided by injecting different amounts of air into the turbine nozzle with a plurality of fixed nozzle vanes in the turbine, adjusting the throat area of the nozzle by fluid blockage, and arranging a flow control system for the fixed nozzle vanes inside the turbine outside the turbine. For example, such a system may reduce the number of mechanical components within the turbine. Further, the nozzle vanes and flow control system described herein may provide a greater degree of control over turbine area modulation, thereby enabling a greater range of boost.

Turning now to FIG. 2A, a first embodiment 200 of a turbine 202 is illustrated. The turbine may be used in the turbocharger device 120 of fig. 1. The axis system 290 is shown to include three axes, namely an x-axis parallel to the horizontal direction, a y-axis parallel to the vertical direction, and a z-axis perpendicular to both the x-axis and the y-axis. The axis may be used to describe the shape and orientation of the turbine assembly.

The turbine includes a turbine casing 204, which may form an exhaust gas inlet 206. The exhaust gas inlet 206 may include a volute shape adapted to receive exhaust gas from an engine (e.g., the engine 104 of fig. 1). The volute shape of the exhaust gas inlet may distribute exhaust gas to the turbine wheel in a 360 ° manner (circle 209 indicates where the turbine wheel may be disposed within the turbine). The exhaust gas may rotate the turbine wheel, which may be converted to rotation of the compressor wheel in a manner known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

The turbine may also include a plurality of vanes 210, which vanes 210 are arranged around the entire circumference of the turbine rotor, along the nozzle ring 208, near and around the turbine rotor. The nozzle ring 208 and the plurality of vanes 210 may together form a nozzle of a turbine (e.g., a turbine nozzle) adapted to direct exhaust gas flow to a turbine rotor. In some examples, the plurality of vanes may be printed onto the nozzle ring, for example, using additive manufacturing or 3-D printers. Additionally or alternatively, a plurality of blades may be assembled by a mold. The plurality of blades may be stationary and stationary. For example, each vane may be stationary and not move (e.g., pivot, rotate, or translate) relative to the body of the nozzle ring to which the vane is attached and the central axis of the turbine rotor. Further, the plurality of blades inside the turbine may be devoid of electrical, mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic, and other types of actuators. The plurality of blades may be free of moving parts such as sliding walls, slotted shrouds, or other devices known to those of ordinary skill in the art for adjusting turbine casing geometry. In one example, the vanes may be fixed relative to the nozzle ring such that the vanes remain stationary as the nozzle ring rotates. Additionally or alternatively, the vanes may rotate with rotation of the nozzle ring but cannot rotate independently of the nozzle ring.

A plurality of vanes may be arranged around the entire circumference of the nozzle ring between the turbine rotor and the exhaust gas inlet. The plurality of blades may be shaped to adjust the geometry of the turbine based on one or more engine operating conditions (e.g., engine power levels). The plurality of blades may be shaped to eject air through one or more ejection ports, which may create a boundary layer of air. The boundary layer of air may reduce the effective throat area of the nozzle, which may adjust the operating point of the turbocharger. In one example, the boundary layer of air conditions the geometry of the turbine casing, causing the turbine blades to rotate faster than otherwise as the exhaust gas accelerates as it flows between the boundary layers toward the turbine blades. This may be desirable when the current level of exhaust gas production is insufficient (e.g., below a threshold) to meet the current boost demand, such as during lower engine power levels.

Turning to fig. 2B, a detailed view 250 of three blades 260 of the plurality of blades 210 of fig. 2A is shown. More specifically, the three blades include a first blade 260A, a second blade 260B, and a third blade 260C.

The three blades may each include a separate central axis, which may also define the long axis of each blade, including a first blade central axis 262A, a second blade central axis 262B, and a third blade central axis 262C. The blades may be angled relative to each other such that these central axes may be offset. In one example, the medial axes are not parallel. In one example, the angle between each of the three blades may be fixed. In some embodiments, additionally or alternatively, the blades may each be oriented differently such that an angle between the first blade and the second blade is different than an angle between the second blade and the third blade. In either case, the angle between adjacent vanes may not be adjustable, as the vanes are fixed and stationary once arranged on the nozzle ring.

The angle between adjacent blades may be less than 80 degrees. In some examples, additionally or alternatively, the angle between adjacent blades is between 5 degrees and 70 degrees. In some examples, additionally or alternatively, the angle between adjacent blades is between 5 degrees and 60 degrees. In some examples, additionally or alternatively, the angle between adjacent blades is between 5 degrees and 50 degrees. In some examples, additionally or alternatively, the angle between adjacent blades is between 5 and 40 degrees. In some examples, additionally or alternatively, the angle between adjacent blades is between 5 degrees and 30 degrees. In some examples, additionally or alternatively, the angle between adjacent blades is between 5 and 20 degrees. In some examples, additionally or alternatively, the angle between adjacent blades is between 10 and 20 degrees. In one example, the angle is 15 degrees. In some examples, the angle may be based on increasing the efficiency of multiple load points. Thus, the angle can be adjusted based on maximizing efficiency at the desired load point.

The first, second and third vanes may be substantially the same size and shape. The first vane, the second vane, and the third vane may be a single continuous piece. More specifically, each lobe may include a first end 271 and a second end 272, wherein the curvature of the second end may be more pronounced than the first end. Thus, the first end may be sharper than the second end. In this way, the blade may narrow as it extends from the second end to the first end.

The first end and the second end may be ends of the vane body 273. The vane body 273 may be solid except for one or more internal passages in which one or more injection ports are disposed, as will be described below. The vane body 273 may include a first sidewall 274 and a second sidewall 275. The first sidewall may be substantially identical in size and shape to the second sidewall, except that the second sidewall may be physically coupled with a portion of the turbine 202. The physical coupling may include one or more of bolts, adhesives, welding, and fusing to hold the blade in a stationary position. Each of the first and second sidewalls may extend from between the first and second ends. The blade body including the sidewalls may include a paddle-like shape. In some examples, additionally or alternatively, the sidewall may include an elongated teardrop shape.

Each vane may include a plurality of inlets, wherein a first vane includes a first plurality of inlets 264A, a second vane includes a second plurality of inlets 264B, and a third vane includes a third plurality of inlets 264C. Each of the plurality of inlets may be arranged along the first sidewall of the blade facing in an opposite direction to the turbine blade.

The first plurality of inlets may be shaped and/or configured to flow air toward a first plurality of injection ports 266A disposed on an outer surface of the vane body of the first vane. The second plurality of inlets may be shaped and/or configured to flow air toward a second plurality of injection ports 266B disposed on an outer surface of the vane body of the second vane. The third plurality of inlets may be shaped and/or configured to flow air toward a third plurality of injection ports 266C disposed on an outer surface of the vane body of the third vane. Air may flow from a source (e.g., a compressor, as shown in FIG. 4) to the inlet, through one or more internal passages, and out of the injection ports to form a boundary layer of air via a flow control system disposed external to the turbine. Additionally or alternatively, the air supply may come partially or entirely from the compressor outlet of the turbocharger to the extent that the desired benefits may be achieved under various operating conditions. In some applications, the air supply to the turbine blades may also be supplemented by a source external to the engine, such as an auxiliary pump.

The first blade, the second blade, and the third blade may be substantially identical. Thus, the following description with respect to the first plurality of inlets and the first plurality of injection ports of the first vane is also applicable to the plurality of inlets and the plurality of injection ports of the second vane and the third vane. The first plurality of inlets may be aligned along a common axis and disposed on the first side surface. Each inlet of the first plurality of inlets may comprise a circular shape. However, in alternative embodiments, the inlet may have a different shape, such as square, rectangular or oval. Each of the first plurality of inlets may be similarly sized. The first plurality of inlets may receive air from an air source and direct the received air through the internal passage of the first vane to the plurality of respective injection ports. In one example, the inner passage extends in a direction perpendicular to the common axis and the central axis, wherein the inner passage is fluidly coupled only with ejection ports arranged along its path, the ejection ports may comprise a row of ejection ports. That is, one inlet may be fluidly coupled with only one internal passage, and the internal passage may be fluidly coupled with only an injection port aligned with an axis of the internal passage. Thus, in the example of the first vane, there may be four internal passages, where each internal passage is fluidly coupled with two injection ports. The internal passages may be machined and/or molded into the blade body. Thus, the blade body may be solid except for the internal passage. In this way, the fluids (e.g., air) in the different internal passages may not mix. In one example, a first vane that does not include the inlet and the internal passage, but includes the jet port, may include an anti-symmetry about the central axis. Additionally or alternatively, the first vane, excluding the ejection port but including the inlet and the internal passage, may include reflective symmetry about a common axis.

More specifically, air from an air source may flow to a first plurality of inlets 264A and a first plurality of internal passages 268A that are fluidly coupled to a first plurality of injection ports 266A. Air from the air supply can flow to a second plurality of inlets 264B and a second plurality of internal passages 268B that are fluidly coupled to a second plurality of injection ports 266B. Air from the air supply can flow to the third plurality of inlets 264C and the third plurality of internal passages 268C, which are fluidly coupled to the third plurality of injection ports 266C.

Each of the internal passages may start at a single inlet, wherein the internal passage may be branched several times corresponding to the number of injection ports corresponding to the inlet, and the internal passage may end at each injection port. In the example of fig. 2B, there are two injection ports per inlet, and thus, each internal passage may branch twice from the common passage, with each of the two branches terminating at an injection port. The internal passages of the individual shared vanes may be fluidly separated from each other such that the gas of the first internal passage does not mix with the gas of the second internal passage. Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, the blades may be hollow and serve as a plenum to provide the required air supply. The internal structure of the vane may include a unique geometry that results in a particular regime of optimized flow presented to the inlet, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the throat reduction.

Each of the plurality of injection ports may be arranged to inject air radially inward, at an angle to a central axis (dashed line 299) of a turbine wheel (turbine wheel), perpendicular to a plane of the blade body. This can result in a reduction in the throat area of the nozzle ring. The air inlets may be arranged on either side of the blade. That is, the air inlet may be disposed on one side as shown in fig. 2B or on the opposite side as shown in fig. 3. Depending on the airflow behavior and the desired throat nozzle characteristics, either intake iteration may be used. More specifically, a boundary layer of air may be formed as the air flows through the plurality of injection ports and into the nozzle ring. In this way, the boundary layer may reduce the nozzle ring opening by fluid blockage, which may increase the acceleration of the exhaust gas flowing to the turbine blades, which may allow the turbocharger to achieve a higher amount of boost. This may be desirable at lower engine loads and/or lower engine power where exhaust gas production may be low and insufficient to provide the desired amount of boost. As described further below, as the amount of air injected by the blades increases, the boundary layer may further increase (e.g., extend in an outward direction from the blades), further reducing the nozzle throat area and increasing exhaust acceleration. In some examples, applications may benefit from variations of the present example, which may mimic a moving wall geometry turbine, which may include air inlets acting perpendicular to the blade surface.

The plurality of inlets may be configured such that each inlet corresponds to two or more of the plurality of ejection ports. In the example of fig. 2B, each of the plurality of inlets corresponds to two injection ports. In one example, the first vane includes four inlets, wherein each inlet is fluidly coupled with two jet ports. Thus, the first vane includes eight injection ports divided into four groups and/or rows, wherein each group of injection ports is fluidly coupled to a different one of the plurality of inlets. However, in alternative embodiments, there may be different numbers and shapes of ejection ports. FIG. 3 illustrates another example of a blade shape that adjusts the throat area of a turbine.

As will be described below, the flow control system for the vanes may include a valve actuation system that may include a plurality of valves configured to individually regulate the flow of gas to each of the injection ports disposed within the shared row.

Turning to fig. 3, an alternative embodiment 300 of the plurality of blades 210 shown in fig. 2A and 2B is illustrated. More specifically, alternative embodiments illustrate different arrangements of the plurality of inlets 312 and the plurality of injection ports 314 of the blade 302. More specifically, the number of the plurality of inlets may be less than the number of the plurality of inlets shown in fig. 2B. In one example, there are only two inlets per vane in the example of fig. 3, while the example of fig. 2B includes four inlets per vane.

The first inlet 312A may flow air to a first group and/or row of injection ports 314A. The second inlet 312B may flow air to a second group and/or row of injection ports 314B. Thus, a valve or other similar device of the flow control system may be dedicated to regulating air flow to only the first inlet and the first set and/or row of injection ports. The second valve of the flow control system may be dedicated to regulating air flow only to the second inlet and the second set and/or second row of injection ports. In one example, the valve is a valve of the flow control system shown in fig. 4. The valve may be actuated between a fully closed and a fully open position. In this way, opening more valves may increase the amount of air ejected from the blades. Additionally or alternatively, the valve may be actuated to a position between fully closed and fully open. In this way, minimal or no airflow may occur in the fully closed position, while maximum airflow may occur in the fully open position. Thus, a position between the fully open and fully closed positions may provide an amount of airflow that is less than a maximum amount and greater than a minimum amount. In this way, the valve can provide a continuously variable amount of airflow through the ejection port. The valves may be independently operated so that the flow through the first row of injection ports may be different from the flow through the second row of injection ports. For example, a first row of injection ports may flow the largest gas flow, while a second row of injection ports may flow a gas flow corresponding to a partially open position of the second valve. By doing so, as the engine power level decreases, the rows may be gradually activated (e.g., enabling air flow into the turbine) to meet the boost demand.

The first group of injection ports may be misaligned with the second group of injection ports. That is, different sets of jet ports may be offset with respect to the longitudinal axis of the blades parallel to the central axis 399. In one example, the number of injection ports in the first group may be larger than the number of injection ports in the second group. Additionally or alternatively, the number may be equal without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Additionally, while only two rows of injection ports (and two corresponding air inlets) are shown in FIG. 3, in alternative embodiments, additional rows of injection ports (and corresponding air inlets) may be included on the outer surface of each vane. For example, each vane may include three, four, five, or the like rows of injection ports and a corresponding number of air inlets. By flowing air to more and more inlets (e.g., through a valve system described below), the nozzle throat area may be gradually reduced.

In the example of fig. 3, the injection ports are arranged to inject air in a radially outward direction, which may be opposite to the radially inward direction shown in fig. 2B. Regardless, the ejection ports may still create a boundary layer of air, which may provide a similar reduction in throat area as described with respect to fig. 2B.

Turning to fig. 4, an embodiment 400 including an engine 410, a turbocharger 420, and a flow control system 430 is shown. The engine 410 and turbocharger 420 may be used similarly to the engine 104 and turbocharger 120 of FIG. 1. As shown, the turbocharger 420 includes a turbine (turbo) 421 and a compressor 424. The turbine may be used similar to turbine 202 of FIG. 2A.

Arrow 442 represents the flow of pressurized air from the compressor 424 to the engine 410. As the air combusts, the engine may expel exhaust (as indicated by arrow 444) to the turbine. Additionally or alternatively, charge air cooler 450 may be disposed between the compressor and the engine in a manner known to those of ordinary skill in the art. The charge air cooler may cool the compressed air from the compressor, which may cool the engine components and provide greater engine power output. Under some engine operating conditions, it may be desirable to reduce the throat area of the turbine to compensate for situations where exhaust gas production is insufficient to meet boost requirements. To reduce the throat area of the turbine, a boundary layer of air may be created by vanes disposed in the nozzle 426 between the turbine rotor 422 and the compressor. The vanes may receive air from an air source via a flow control system 430. In one example, the air source is a compressor 424. In another example, the air supply may be a charge air cooler. The air supply may be switched between the compressor and the charge air cooler based on operating conditions. For example, airflow through the blades may form a boundary layer and may cool the turbine. If increased cooling is desired, a charge air cooler may be selected as the source of air rather than the compressor, as indicated by arrow 452. However, if no or less cooling is required, a compressor may be selected.

Arrow 446 represents the flow of air from the compressor to the flow control system, wherein the air flows through at least a portion of the open valve and to the vanes, as indicated by arrow 448. The valve may be commanded to open by a signal from a controller 490, which may be used similarly to the controller 110 of fig. 1. The controller may send a signal to the actuator of the valve in response to engine operating conditions (e.g., engine power level and/or pre-turbine temperature).

More specifically, the plurality of inlets may receive air from an air source when one or more valves of the flow control system are in an at least partially open position. In some examples, the number of valves disposed in the flow control system may equal the number of the plurality of inlets. Thus, if there are four inlets, the flow control system may include four valves. In some examples, a single valve may regulate the flow of gas to a single inlet of each vane. Continuing with the example above, where each vane includes four inlets, the first valve of the flow control system may regulate the first inlet of gas flow to the vane, the second valve of the flow control system may regulate the second inlet of gas flow to the vane, the third valve of the flow control system may regulate the third inlet of gas flow to the vane, and the fourth valve of the flow control system may regulate the fourth inlet of gas flow to the vane. In this way, if the first valve is in a partially open position and the second, third and fourth valves are in a fully closed position, air may flow through only the injection port that is fluidly connected to the first inlet of the vane.

In some embodiments, the flow control system may additionally or alternatively comprise a single valve controllable to regulate the flow of gas to each inlet of the vane. Thus, a single valve may be opened gradually, such that each injection port of each vane injects more air, thereby increasing boundary layer size and reducing throat area. Thus, a single valve may also be gradually closed, such that each injection port of each vane injects less, thereby reducing boundary layer size and increasing throat area.

In some embodiments, additionally or alternatively, the flow control system may comprise a configuration of valves such that the flow of gas through each vane may be adjusted individually. Thus, if one of the plurality of vanes includes four inlets, the flow control system may include four valves to regulate the flow of gas through each inlet of the vane, and the valve system may include four valves for each vane.

Additionally or alternatively, the flow control system may include a combination of valves for metering the flow of air from the compressor and the charge air cooler. In some examples, air at a desired temperature may be provided to the blades by mixing air from the compressor and the charge air cooler. In this manner, a desired amount of cooling may be achieved in the turbine when the pre-turbine temperature is greater than or equal to the threshold. As will be described in the method of FIG. 5, the flow control system may be operated to regulate the flow of gas from the gas source to regulate the turbine temperature or to regulate the throat area of the turbine.

Turning to FIG. 5, FIG. 5 illustrates a method 500 for adjusting airflow through turbine nozzle vanes to adjust a throat area of a turbine nozzle to increase turbocharger efficiency while meeting boost requirements for current engine operating conditions. The instructions for performing the method 500 may be executed by a controller (e.g., the controller 110 shown in fig. 1 or the controller 490 shown in fig. 4) based on instructions stored on a memory of the controller in conjunction with signals received from sensors of the engine system (e.g., the sensors described above with reference to fig. 1). According to the methods described below, the controller may use an engine actuator of the engine system (e.g., the actuator described above with reference to FIG. 4) in conjunction with a nozzle vane of a turbocharger (e.g., the nozzle vanes shown in FIGS. 2 and/or 3) to regulate engine operation.

Method 500 begins at 502, which includes determining, estimating, and/or measuring one or more engine operating parameters. The one or more engine operating parameters may include, but are not limited to, one or more of engine speed, engine load, engine power level (e.g., gear level), engine temperature, air flow, boost, EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) flow rate, exhaust pressure, and air/fuel ratio.

Method 500 may proceed to 504, which may include determining whether an engine power level (e.g., an engine load level or a gear level) is at a full engine power level. The engine power level may be full if the engine is operating at a maximum power output or if the engine power level is greater than a threshold power level. Additionally or alternatively, the engine power level may correspond to a throttle position, wherein a fully open throttle position may indicate that the engine power level is full. Additionally or alternatively, the method may further include determining whether the boost demand is satisfied. For example, according to a compressor map, if a compressor speed matches a value associated with a particular compressor speed, then the boost demand may be met. In yet another example, the engine power level may be at a full (e.g., highest) level when the gear level of the engine (e.g., locomotive engine) is at a highest available gear level.

If the engine power level is at the full power level, method 500 may proceed to 508, which may include determining whether the pre-turbine temperature is less than a threshold temperature. The pre-turbine temperature may be estimated based on feedback from temperature sensors disposed upstream of the turbine and downstream of the engine such that exhaust gas from the engine reaches the temperature sensors before the turbine. The temperature sensor may provide an indication of the temperature of the exhaust gas flowing to the turbine, which may be inferred via data stored in a look-up table to estimate the turbine temperature. The threshold temperature may be substantially equal to a turbine temperature at which degradation may occur. Thus, if the pre-turbine temperature is greater than the threshold temperature, the turbine may be or become too hot. If the pre-turbine temperature is less than the threshold temperature, method 500 may proceed to 510, which may include maintaining the current engine operating parameters. In one example, this may also include not operating a turbine having a variable geometry. Thus, at 512, the flow control system blocks airflow to the blades (e.g., blocks flow to the ports of the nozzle blades). In this way, in a turbine nozzle, no boundary layer of air is formed between the nozzle vanes.

If the engine power level is less than the full level or if the engine power level is equal to the full level but the pre-turbine temperature is greater than or equal to the threshold temperature, method 500 may proceed to 514, which may include flowing air from the air supply to the blade, at 516, to form an air boundary layer. This may include adjusting one or more valves of the flow control system to an at least partially open position. As mentioned above, the air supply may be a compressor or a charge air cooler. Additionally or alternatively, the high pressure air may be taken from some other device (e.g., a pump or deactivated cylinders). In some examples, multiple air sources may be used to flow air to the blades. For example, each of the charge air coolers and the compressors may be used to provide a mixture of uncooled and cooled compressed air to the blades. Additionally or alternatively, only one of the compressor and the charge air cooler may provide air to the blades at a given time.

The amount of air flowing to the blades may be based on a variety of factors, including engine power level and pre-turbine temperature. In one example, if the engine power level is a lower power level, more air may flow to the blades. Additionally or alternatively, more air may flow to the blades as the difference between the pre-turbine temperature and the threshold temperature increases. Thus, as the engine power level increases, or as the difference between the pre-turbine temperature and the threshold temperature decreases, less air may flow to the blades.

In some examples, during higher engine power levels (e.g., full engine power levels), the pre-turbine temperature may be above the threshold temperature. In such an example, a portion of the exhaust gas may bypass the turbine to avoid surge (surge). In this way, the boundary layer that forms when the turbine front temperature is too high can be compensated for by bypassing the exhaust gas around the turbine through a waste gate or other similar device.

As described above, the valve of the flow control system may be configured to actuate to a fully open position, a fully closed position, or a position therebetween. The fully open position allows 100% airflow, while the fully closed position prevents airflow (e.g., allows 0% airflow). Thus, the valve position between fully open and fully closed may allow 0% to 100% airflow. This may provide better control over the effective throat area created in the turbine, allowing the controller to more finely adjust the amount of boost provided.

Method 500 may proceed to 518, which may include determining whether the turbine area has not changed. If the turbine area has not changed, the method 500 may proceed to 520 to stop air flow to the blades at 522 to activate the indicator light. The indicator light may alert the operator that the turbine has degraded. Degradation may include valves or other elements of the flow control system becoming stuck and/or the jet ports or other openings of the vanes becoming blocked. If the turbine area is changing, the airflow flows over the blades and forms a boundary layer, and method 500 may proceed to 524 to determine if the engine power level is decreasing. The method may also include determining whether a difference between the pre-turbine temperature and the threshold temperature is increasing. If the engine power level is decreasing, or if the difference is increasing, method 500 may proceed to 526 to flow more air from the air supply to the blade to increase the boundary layer size and/or increase cooling. If the boundary layer size is increased, more boost can be generated with a smaller volume of exhaust gas. Further, as more airflow flows from the blades into the turbine nozzle, the turbine may be cooled.

If the engine power level is not decreasing, or if the difference is not increasing, method 500 may proceed to 528 to determine if the engine power level is increasing, or if the difference is decreasing. If the engine power level is increasing, or if the difference is decreasing, method 500 may proceed to 530 to decrease the airflow from the air supply to the vane. This may reduce the boundary layer size and reduce the cooling provided by the blade.

If the engine power level is not increasing, or if the difference is not decreasing, method 500 may proceed to 532 where the engine power level is constant. Method 500 may proceed to 534 to maintain the current airflow to the blade so that the boundary layer and cooling do not change.

Turning to FIG. 6, an engine operating sequence 600 is illustrated that shows one or more operating conditions of an engine (e.g., engine 104 of FIG. 1) executing a method (e.g., method 500 of FIG. 5) for adjusting an effective throat area of a turbine. Curve 610 shows an engine power level, which may be similar to the engine load and/or gear level of the engine. Curve 620 shows the current boost provided by the turbocharger and curve 622, shown in dashed lines, shows the boost demand. In some cases, curve 622 may track (track) curve 620, and thus, the two curves may overlap, thereby illustrating equivalence between the two curves. Curve 630 shows a plurality of valves of a flow control system (e.g., flow control system 430 shown in fig. 4) in an at least partially open position. Thus, curve 630 corresponds to the amount of airflow provided to the nozzle vanes (e.g., more airflow is provided as a greater number of valves are opened). However, in alternative embodiments, different types of flow control systems may be used to regulate (e.g., continuously regulate based on engine operating conditions) the amount of airflow provided to the nozzle vanes. Curve 640 shows the effective throat area of the turbine. Time increases from the left to the right of the graph.

Before t1, the engine power level is relatively high (curve 610). For example, the engine power level prior to time t1 may represent a full load condition. The boost demand is also relatively high (curve 622). The current boost (curve 620) is equal to the boost demand without adjusting the effective throat area of the turbine (curve 640). Thus, the exhaust gas production prior to t1 is sufficient to meet the boost demand without opening the valves of the flow control system. Further, the nozzle ring including the nozzle vanes may be optimized for full load operation (e.g., when the gas flow through the turbine is relatively high, the vanes may be disposed on the nozzle ring to improve efficiency at full load operation). Thus, no valve is open (curve 630). At t1, the engine load begins to drop.

Between t1 and t2, the engine power level continues to decrease. The boost requirements are also reduced. However, at current lower exhaust gas production levels, the efficiency of the turbine may be reduced and the boost demand may not be met, and thus, the current boost is lower than the boost demand. At t2, a valve of the flow control system is moved to an at least partially open position. In the example of fig. 6, a valve is moved to a fully open position.

Between t2 and t3, air may flow through the inlet of the vane corresponding to the open valve. Thus, the injection port fluidly coupled to the air-receiving inlet may begin to flow air near the turbine nozzle and form a boundary layer of air. The boundary layer of air may reduce the effective throat area of the turbine, resulting in the boost amplification provided by the current exhaust gas production level. Thus, the current boost pressure increases towards boost pressure requirements. However, current supercharges are still below the supercharging requirements. At t3, the second valve is opened so that both valves are in an open position. The second valve may be opened in response to continued reduction in the engine power level.

Between t3 and t4, air may flow through the inlets of the vanes corresponding to the two open valves, including the first valve and the second valve. Thus, the injection port fluidly coupled to the inlet receiving the air may enable the air to flow near the turbine nozzle and increase the size of the air boundary layer. As the size of the air boundary layer increases, the effective throat area of the turbine decreases, thereby accelerating the exhaust gas flow to the turbine blades and increasing boost. The current boost increases toward and equals the boost demand. At t4, the engine power level remains constant.

Between t4 and t5, the engine power level begins to increase, thereby increasing the boost demand and the current boost. However, as engine power levels increase, the exhaust gas produced may also increase, thereby reducing the need to amplify the exhaust effect by reducing the effective throat area. Thus, the number of valves that are opened is reduced from two to one, and the effective throat area is increased to prevent excessive boost. At t5, the engine power level continues to increase.

After t5, the engine power level continues to increase and the exhaust gas production reaches a level where the boundary layer of air is no longer needed. Thus, the remaining valves move to the closed position. The boundary layer of air is broken and the effective throat area of the turbine is increased to full area.

Turning now to fig. 7A and 7B, first and second examples 700 and 750, respectively, of different sized air boundary layers formed by flowing air over and from stationary blades (e.g., the blades shown in fig. 2 and 3) of a turbine nozzle are illustrated. More specifically, the first example shows a smaller boundary layer, while the second example shows a larger boundary layer. Each example includes a first vane 702 directing air 722 toward a second vane 704. Air may flow from the injection port 706 of the first vane to the second vane, wherein the direction of flow of the air is at an angle to and perpendicular to the plane of the second vane. The air may form a boundary layer, where the outer boundary of the boundary layer is shown by dashed line 708. Double-headed arrow 712 shows the distance between the boundary layer and the second blade for the first example. The double-headed arrow 714 shows the distance between the boundary layer and the second blade for the second example. As shown, the distance between the second blade and the boundary layer in the first example is greater than the distance between the second blade and the boundary layer in the second example. More specifically, double-headed arrow 712 is larger than double-headed arrow 714 because less air flows in the first example than in the second example. As a result, the acceleration of the exhaust gases 724 flowing through the space between the second blade and the boundary layer in the first example may be less than the acceleration of the exhaust gases flowing through the space between the second blade and the boundary layer in the second example. Thus, the second example may provide more boost than the first example with an equivalent volume of exhaust. In this manner, the geometry of the turbine nozzle may be adjusted solely by the vane airflow rather than by mechanically adjusting the position of the vanes.

Turning now to FIG. 8A, an embodiment 800 of a plurality of blades 810 is illustrated. The plurality of vanes 810 may be similar to the plurality of vanes 210 of fig. 2A, paddle-shaped or drop-shaped, fixed, etc., and thus may be coupled to a nozzle ring of a turbine. The plurality of vanes 810 may include a plurality of inlets 812 configured to direct a gas (e.g., air) to a plurality of injection ports 814. The plurality of injection ports 814 may be configured to adjust an effective throat area of the turbine based on at least the engine power level and the exhaust gas production.

The plurality of injection ports 814 may include injection ports 816, and the remaining injection ports of the plurality of injection ports 814 may be substantially the same as the injection ports 816. The injection port 816 may be a single opening extending in a direction perpendicular to a central axis 899 of a first vane 815 of the plurality of vanes 810. Jet 816 can be a relatively long (e.g., width) and narrow (e.g., height) slot-like or other type of opening. In one example, the ejection opening may include a rectangular shape. Accordingly, four corners of ejection ports 816 may be 90 °. Additionally or alternatively, jet ports 816 may include bends and/or rounded corners, which may enhance airflow therethrough. Jet ports 816 have a width extending perpendicular to central axis 899 and a height extending parallel to central axis 899. The width of the ejection port 816 is larger than the height of the ejection port 816. In a non-limiting example, the width may be at least twice the height. In another non-limiting example, the width may be at least five times the height. Jet ports 816 may extend across a majority of outer surface 803 of each of plurality of vanes 810, e.g., across at least 75% of the outer surface width. More specifically, the injection ports extend from a first side 804, where a plurality of inlets 812 are arranged, to a second side 805.

Each jet port, such as jet port 816, may receive air from one of the plurality of inlets 812. In this manner, each injection port is fluidly coupled to only one of the plurality of inlets. Additionally or alternatively, in one example, each of the plurality of inlets 812 is fluidly coupled with only one of the plurality of injection ports 814. In one embodiment, each inlet may be individually controlled by a valve or other mechanism so that the flow of air through each jet port may be more finely controlled. In such an example, the effective throat area may be fine-tuned to a precise throat area. The slot shape of the plurality of injection ports 814 may provide a more uniform airflow than the circular injection ports 314 of fig. 3. That is, using injection ports 814 may avoid discontinuities and/or interruptions that may occur between injection ports 314.

Additionally or alternatively, in one example, airflow through the multiple inlets 812 of a single vane may be independently controlled relative to other vanes of the multiple vanes 810. However, the airflow to a single blade may be distributed to each of the plurality of inlets 812 without controlling the airflow through each of the plurality of inlets 812 of a single blade. Thus, if a vane is receiving air, the inlet of that vane may flow a relatively equal amount of air to each of the injection ports associated with the vane. By doing so, the manufacturing cost of the turbine nozzle can be reduced.

More specifically, the plurality of valves 802 may be configured to regulate the flow to each of the plurality of injection ports 814. The position of the plurality of valves 802 may be adjusted in response to a signal sent from a controller (e.g., controller 110 of fig. 1). In one example, the controller may send different signals to the actuators of the plurality of valves 802 such that at least two of the plurality of valves 802 are in different positions, thereby allowing different air flows through the respective injection ports, resulting in a finer adjustment of the throat area of the nozzle.

In one example, a first valve 802A of the plurality of valves 802 regulates gas flow to only a first row 820A of the plurality of injection ports 814. Thus, the second valve 802B may regulate the flow of air to only the second row 820B of the plurality of injection ports 814. The third valve 802C may regulate gas flow to only the third row 820C of the plurality of injection ports 814. The fourth valve 802D may regulate the flow to only the fourth row 820D of the plurality of injection ports 814. As in the embodiment shown in fig. 8A, each row includes a single jet port having a rectangular shape that extends from the first longitudinal side 804 to the second longitudinal side 805 of the first vane 805 in a direction perpendicular to the central axis 899. In some embodiments, each row may include a different number of jet ports, wherein some rows may include a mixture of jet ports of different shapes. By adjusting the number and shape of the ejection ports arranged in a single row, the nozzle throat area can be more finely controlled.

Each of the plurality of injection ports 814 may be spaced apart from an adjacent injection port by an appropriate amount. For example, a space 822 between first row 820A and second row 820B may have a height (extending in a direction parallel to the central axis) that is at least as high as the height of ejection ports 816. In a non-limiting example, the height of the space 822 may be twice the height of the ejection opening. Each space between adjacent rows may have the same height, or different spaces may have different heights.

The plurality of injection ports shown in fig. 8A may include injection ports that are uniform in size and shape because the injection ports extend through the outer surface of the vane body. Further, the outer surface surrounding each ejection port may be substantially smooth and/or flat. Such a configuration may result in the air being ejected through the various ejection ports in an equal manner (e.g., equal pressure or flow rate) and/or in a relatively straight direction. However, other configurations are possible without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the injection port may be configured with one or more air directing devices that may be used to direct air preferentially up, down, or to one side. As an example, the one or more jet ports may include a louvered covering extending at the top or bottom of the jet port. In another example, additionally or alternatively, one or more of the injection ports may vary in height as the injection port extends through the outer surface of the vane body. For example, the injection ports may have a first height at a first side of the injection ports (e.g., adjacent to inlets corresponding to the injection ports) and a second height at a second side of the injection ports, the height gradually increasing or decreasing across the injection ports from the first height to the second height.

Thus, by arranging the ejection port as a groove instead of a circular hole, a larger amount of air can be ejected. By including a single elongated slot instead of a row of smaller spray holes, the complexity of each vane can be reduced by including only one gas supply line per slot instead of two, four or more gas supply lines per row of spray holes.

Turning now to FIG. 8B, an embodiment 820 of a plurality of blades 830 is shown. Embodiment 820 may differ from embodiment 800 in that it includes a plurality of first injection ports 832 that are identical to plurality of injection ports 814 of fig. 8A and a second plurality of injection ports 834 that are identical to plurality of injection ports 314 of fig. 3. Accordingly, each of the plurality of vanes 830 may include injection ports of different shapes, wherein the first plurality of injection ports 832 includes a rectangular shape and the second plurality of injection ports 834 includes a circular shape. The first and second plurality of injection ports 832, 834 may alternate with each other along a central axis 899 of one of the plurality of vanes 830 with respect to the plurality of inlets 836. That is, a first inlet of the plurality of inlets is fluidly coupled to only a first injection of the plurality of first injection ports 832, wherein a second inlet after the first inlet is fluidly coupled to only a second injection of the plurality of second injection ports 834. By doing so, the ejection ports of the same shape are separated by the ejection ports having different shapes. Additionally or alternatively, the injection ports may not alternate along the central axis 899.

In one embodiment, additionally or alternatively, the plurality of first injection ports and the plurality of second injection ports may be fluidly coupled to a single inlet of the plurality of inlets. In this way, if a single inlet is fluidly coupled with a row of ejection openings extending in a direction perpendicular to the central axis, the row may comprise ejection openings of at least two different shapes, including slot-like and/or rectangular and circular shapes. The ejection port shapes may alternate along the rows, so that the ejection ports having the same shape may be separated by the ejection ports having different shapes. It should be understood that shapes other than rectangular and circular may be used. Other example shapes may include triangles, trapezoids, squares, diamonds, ovals, pentagons, hexagons, stars with different numbers of points, other polygonal shapes, and so forth.

More specifically, the first vane 835 of the plurality of vanes 830 may include a first row 840A, the first row 840A including one of the plurality of first injection ports 832. The first vane 835 further includes a second row 840B adjacent the first row 840A, the second row 840B including a plurality of second jet ports 834. The first vane 835 further includes a third row 840C adjacent to the second row 840B, the third row 840C including one of the plurality of first injection ports 832. The first vane 835 further includes a fourth row 840D adjacent to the third row 840C, the fourth row 840D including a plurality of second injection ports 834. Each vane of the plurality of vanes 830 can be substantially identical to the first vane 835. Additionally or alternatively, in the example of fig. 8B, a second vane 837 of the plurality of vanes 830 is different than the first vane 835. Second blades 837 include a first row 841A, a second row 841B, a third row 841C, and a fourth row 841D. Each of the first, second, third, and fourth rows 814A, 814B, 814C, and 841D includes a plurality of first ejection ports 832 and second ejection ports 834 in different numbers and arrangements. For example, the first row 841A includes one injection port of a plurality of first injection ports 832 adjacent to the first longitudinal side 822 and a plurality of second injection ports 834 adjacent to the second longitudinal side 824. In this way, multiple types (e.g., shapes and sizes) of ejection ports can be mixed along a single row. By doing so, the benefits of slot-shaped (e.g., rectangular) ejection ports and circular ejection ports can be realized.

In one example, the flow of air to the plurality of first injection ports 832 may be individually controlled relative to the flow of air to the plurality of second injection ports 834. In one example, a valve may control the flow of air to adjacent ones of the first plurality of injection ports 832 and the second plurality of injection ports 834. In such an example, adjacent injection ports may constitute a group of injection ports, wherein a single valve regulates air flow to the group of injection ports.

Turning now to fig. 8C, an embodiment 850 of a plurality of blades 860 including a first blade 865 and a second blade 867 is shown. In the example of fig. 8C, the first blade 865 and the second blade 867 are different from one another. However, it should be understood that in other examples, the first blade 865 and the second blade 867 may be the same. Additionally or alternatively, the plurality of blades 860 may include blades other than a first blade and a second blade, wherein the other blades of the plurality of blades 860 may be the same as the first blade 865 or the second blade 867.

The first vane 865 includes a first plurality of injection ports 862 and a second plurality of injection ports 864. The first plurality of injection ports 862 may be arranged along the first and third rows 870A and 870C. The second plurality of injection ports 864 may be arranged along the second and fourth rows 870B, 870D. The first, second, third, and fourth rows 870A, 870B, 870C, 870D may receive air from different ones of the plurality of inlets 866 disposed on the long side 865A of the first blade 865. The first and second pluralities of ejection openings 862, 864 are arranged on an outer surface 865B that extends from a long side 865A as a first long side 865A to a second long side opposite the first long side. The first plurality of ejection openings 862 may include slot-shaped ejection openings similar in shape to the slot-shaped ejection openings of fig. 8A and 8B. However, in the example of fig. 8C, the first plurality of ejection openings 862 have an angle less than or greater than 90 ° such that the slot-shaped ejection openings of different rows are angled or away from each other. In other words, the first plurality of ejection ports 862 are not parallel to each other. As shown, the first row 870A includes only one slot jet and the third row 870C includes only one slot jet. The two slot-shaped ejection openings extend toward each other at a first end and extend away from each other at a second end. The second plurality of ejection ports 864 arranged in the second row 870B are arranged near the second ends of the slot-shaped ejection ports.

As shown, the second plurality of ejection openings 864 can include a variety of shapes, including a circle 864A, a triangle 864B, a pentagon 864C, V-shaped 864D, a trapezoid 864E, a diamond 864F, a star 864G, a loop 864H, and a plus-sign 864I. The second plurality of injection ports 864 can include any number of different plurality of shapes, such that more than one shape of each shape can be arranged within a single row or across multiple rows.

Along the second and fourth rows 870B, 870D, the second plurality of injection ports 864 are arranged along separate axes within a single row such that the second plurality of injection ports 864 arranged within the second row 870B are not aligned along a single axis. Similarly, the second plurality of injection ports 864 arranged along the fourth row 870D are not aligned along a single axis.

The second blade 867 includes a first plurality of ejection openings 862 and a second plurality of ejection openings 864, which are differently arranged. For example, the first row 871A of the second vanes 867 includes slot-shaped ejection ports of the first plurality of ejection ports 862 and a combination of circular ejection ports 864A and star-shaped ejection ports 864G of the second plurality of ejection ports. The second row 871B of the second vanes 867 includes groove-shaped ejection openings of the first plurality of ejection openings 862 and circular ejection openings 864A and annular ring-shaped ejection openings 864H of the second plurality of ejection openings 864. The direction of the slot-shaped ejection openings arranged along the second row is parallel to the direction of the slot-shaped ejection openings arranged along the first row, and each direction is at an angle different from 90 degrees with respect to the central axis 899. The third row 871C includes only one slot-shaped orifice oriented substantially perpendicular to the central axis 899. The fourth row 871D includes only circular ejection ports and plus-shaped ejection ports 864I among the second plurality of ejection ports 864.

In one example, the embodiment of FIG. 8C illustrates a blade of a turbine, which may include a plurality of injection ports configured to flow air to create an air boundary layer in a turbine throat to adjust an effective area of the throat. The plurality of injection ports may include a plurality of different shapes and orientations to achieve a wide range of effective areas to achieve desired turbine operating parameters despite insufficient exhaust gas production.

In this way, the turbine geometry may be adjusted by a flow control system arranged outside the turbine (e.g. outside its housing), wherein the flow control system may adjust the amount and/or flow rate of the gas flow supplied to and exiting from the injection ports of the plurality of vanes on a nozzle ring arranged in the turbine. As the vanes inject more air into the nozzle ring, the throat area of the nozzle decreases, thereby changing the geometry of the turbine. By adjusting the geometry of the turbine without placing moving components therein, repair and maintenance of the turbine and blades may be simpler and less costly. Furthermore, the turbine may be less expensive to manufacture than a similar turbine having moving shrouds and/or blades. The technical effect of holding the vanes stationary and adjusting the throat area of the turbine nozzle by the flow of gas from the vanes is to reduce the difficulty of manufacturing the turbine while providing a greater degree of turbine geometry control through an external flow control system.

As one embodiment, a system for a locomotive engine includes: a supercharger turbine comprising a nozzle ring comprising a plurality of stationary vanes, each vane of the plurality of stationary vanes comprising a plurality of injection ports disposed at an outer surface of the vane; and a gas supply system for supplying a variable gas flow to and from the plurality of jets. The first example of the system further includes that the gas supply system is adapted to supply a variable flow of gas based on operating conditions of the engine. A second example of the system, optionally including the first example, further comprises the gas supply system including an electrically controlled valve system fluidly coupled to the plurality of injection ports and adapted to regulate an amount of air supplied via the plurality of injection ports based on an operating condition of the engine. A third example of the system, optionally including the first and/or second examples, further comprising the operating condition being an engine power level. A fourth example of the system, optionally including one or more of the first through third examples, further comprising dividing the plurality of injection ports into groups including at least a first group of injection ports and a second group of injection ports. A fifth example of the system, optionally including one or more of the first through fourth examples, further comprising the gas supply system including a first valve configured to regulate gas flow to the first set of injection ports and a second valve configured to regulate gas flow to the second set of injection ports. A sixth example of the system, optionally including one or more of the first through fifth examples, further comprising the center axis of the first stationary vane of the plurality of stationary vanes being angled relative to the center axes of the other stationary vanes disposed adjacent to the first stationary vane on the nozzle ring, the center axis of the first stationary vane defining a long axis of the first stationary vane. A seventh example of the system, optionally including one or more of the first through sixth examples, further comprising the stationary blade being fixed and immovable.

As another embodiment, a method for a locomotive engine comprises: based on operating parameters of the engine, the amount of air injected from a plurality of injection ports disposed on the outer surface of the vanes of a turbine nozzle ring of the turbine is adjusted to adjust the boundary layer on the outer surface and the throat opening of the nozzle ring. The first example of the method further includes performing the adjustment of the amount of air while keeping the vanes stationary on the nozzle ring of the turbine. A second example of the method, optionally including the first example, further comprising the operating parameter is an engine power level, and further comprising gradually increasing the amount of air injected by increasing a number of injection ports from the plurality of injection ports as the engine power level decreases. A third example of the method, optionally including the first and/or second examples, further comprising gradually increasing the amount of air injected comprises increasing a number of rows of injected air in the plurality of injection ports. A fourth example of the method, optionally including one or more of the first through third examples, further comprising adjusting the amount of air injected further comprises actuating a valve system disposed outside the turbine, the valve system including a nozzle ring of the turbine to allow air to flow from the compressor to the blades, and increasing a number of open valves of the valve system to increase the amount of air injected, wherein the compressor is rotationally driven by the turbine. A fifth example of the method, optionally including one or more of the first through fourth examples, further comprising the valve system including a series of valves, wherein a first valve of the series of valves regulates air flow through the first row of injection ports of the vanes and a second valve of the series of valves regulates air flow through the second row of injection ports of the vanes. A sixth example of the method, optionally including one or more of the first through fifth examples, further comprising adjusting the air injection quantity includes increasing the air injection quantity to increase the boundary layer and decrease the throat opening of the nozzle ring in response to a decrease in engine load and/or an increase in pre-turbine temperature, and adjusting the injected air quantity includes decreasing the air injection quantity to decrease the boundary layer and increase the throat opening of the nozzle ring in response to an increase in engine load and/or a decrease in pre-turbine temperature.

As yet another embodiment, a system for a locomotive engine includes a turbocharger including a compressor driven by a turbine, the turbine including a nozzle ring having a plurality of stationary vanes mounted thereon, each stationary vane of the plurality of stationary vanes including an air passage within a plurality of rows of vanes, wherein each air passage terminates in at least one injection port disposed on an outer surface of the vane; an airflow control system fluidly connected to the compressor and the plurality of rows of air passages of each blade; and a controller including computer readable instructions stored in the memory that, when executed during engine operation, cause the controller to actuate the airflow control system to adjust, via the airflow control system, a number of rows of airways that receive air from the compressor for each blade as the engine power level varies. The first example of the system further includes the instructions further causing the controller to actuate an airflow control system to prevent airflow from the compressor to the airway when the engine power level is greater than the threshold power level. A second example of the system optionally includes the first example, further comprising the at least one injection port being a plurality of injection ports, wherein each exhaust passage is fluidly coupled to the plurality of injection ports, adjacent passages in the plurality of rows of passages being fluidly separated from each other. A third example of the system optionally includes the first and/or second examples, further comprising the instructions further causing the controller to increase, via the airflow control system, a number of rows of the plurality of exhaust paths receiving air from the compressor in response to a temperature of the gas upstream of the turbine rising above a threshold temperature. A fourth example of the system, optionally including one or more of the first through third examples, further comprising the airflow control system including a valve for each exhaust passage of the vane, only moving the valve of the valve system adjusting airflow through the exhaust passage.

In one embodiment, a system for an engine includes a supercharger turbine having a nozzle ring. The nozzle ring includes a plurality of stationary vanes. One or more of the plurality of stationary vanes includes one or more injection ports disposed on an outer surface of the one or more stationary vanes. The system also includes a gas supply system configured to supply a variable gas flow to and from the one or more injection ports via one or more passages through one or more of the plurality of stationary vanes, e.g., the passages extending through the vanes and terminating at an outer surface of the vanes as injection ports. According to various aspects, the one or more injection ports on the surface of the one or more vanes may comprise: one blade has one jet port; each of the plurality of vanes having a respective jet port; a vane having a plurality of injection ports; or a plurality of vanes each having a plurality of corresponding injection ports. In one embodiment, at least two (i.e., two or more) vanes each have a plurality of respective injection ports. In all such embodiments, there may also be vanes without any jet ports. In another embodiment, all of the blades of the turbine have one or more respective injection ports, and in another embodiment, all of the blades have a respective plurality of injection ports.

As described above, the nozzle ring can be manufactured using an additive manufacturing process (e.g., a 3-D printer) with vanes (and/or individual vanes) attached thereto that include the injection ports and internal channels. One example is a metal adhesive jet printer, where metal powder is deposited in successive layers that are bonded to each other with a liquid adhesive, depending on the configuration of the final assembly. Other examples include Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) and Direct Metal Laser Melting (DMLM), where, for example, a laser is used to continuously melt thin layers (e.g., 20-60 microns) of metal powder onto each other. Other process steps may include sintering, annealing, curing, chemical cleaning and other processes, coating, polishing, etc.

As used herein, an element or step recited in the singular and proceeded with the word "a" or "an" should be understood as not excluding plural said elements or steps, unless such exclusion is explicitly recited. Furthermore, references to "one embodiment" of the present invention do not exclude the presence of other embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. Furthermore, unless explicitly stated to the contrary, embodiments "comprising," "including," or "having" one or more elements having a particular property may include other such elements not having that property. The terms "comprising" and "wherein" are used as plain language equivalents of the respective terms "comprising" and "wherein". Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," "third," and the like are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements or a particular positional order on their objects.

The control methods and routines disclosed herein may be stored as executable instructions in a non-transitory memory and may be executed by a control system including a controller in combination with various sensors, actuators, and other engine hardware. The specific routines described herein may represent any number of processing strategies such as one or more of event-driven, interrupt-driven, multi-tasking, multi-threading, and the like. As such, various acts, operations, and/or functions illustrated may be performed in the sequence illustrated, in parallel, or in some cases omitted. Likewise, the order of processing is not necessarily required to achieve the features and advantages of the example embodiments described herein, but is provided for ease of illustration and description. One or more of the illustrated acts, operations, and/or functions may be repeatedly performed depending on the particular strategy being used. Further, the described acts, operations, and/or functions may graphically represent code to be programmed into the non-transitory memory of the computer readable storage medium in the engine control system, with the described acts being performed by executing instructions in the system comprising the various engine hardware components in combination with the electronic controller.

This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the relevant art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.