JP5610873B2 - Internal combustion engine - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a turbocharged internal combustion engine equipped with an exhaust gas recirculation device.

  Conventionally, as this type of internal combustion engine, a so-called high-pressure loop (hereinafter referred to as “HPL”) type exhaust gas recirculation (hereinafter referred to as “EGR”) device that recirculates part of the exhaust upstream of the turbine downstream of the compressor is provided. Also known are those equipped with a so-called low-pressure loop (hereinafter referred to as “LPL”) type EGR device that recirculates part of the exhaust on the downstream side of the turbine upstream of the compressor.

  The HPL EGR system is equipped with an HPL-type EGR device that, under low load conditions, exhausts the exhaust gas upstream of the turbine under low turbocharger efficiency, thereby lowering the engine exhaust side pressure and at the same time exhaust gas recirculation. Can be increased to reduce pump loss.

  However, such an HPL type has a drawback in that exhaust gas recirculation cannot be performed in a low-speed and high-load region where knocking suppression is desired. Further, in the medium speed and high load region where the waste gate valve is opened, the high temperature exhaust gas is recirculated, and there is a problem that the effect of suppressing knocking cannot be sufficiently obtained.

  On the other hand, in the medium-speed and high-load region, the one equipped with the LPL type EGR device has a new air introduced from the outside through an air cleaner and an exhaust gas introduced into the intake passage through the exhaust gas recirculation device. Since the mixed air is cooled, the effect of suppressing knocking can be sufficiently obtained.

  However, in the low-speed and high-load region, the mixed air of fresh air and exhaust gas is supercharged by the compressor, so that the absolute amount of fresh air is insufficient. For this reason, the throttle valve tends to be fully open during exhaust gas recirculation, and load improvement can be achieved only by reducing the exhaust gas recirculation amount. Therefore, in order to secure the exhaust gas recirculation amount in the low speed and high load region, there is a problem that it is essential to increase the fresh air amount. Also, in the low, medium and low load range, the air mixed with fresh air is supercharged by the compressor, so the amount of work performed by the compressor increases and the pump loss reduction effect cannot be obtained sufficiently. There is also a problem.

  In view of such circumstances, there is also known one in which the HPL type and the LPL type are used together to compensate for each other's drawbacks (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  However, in such a configuration, since it is necessary to incorporate two types of EGR devices, the structure becomes complicated and the number of parts increases.

JP 2007-255323 A

  The present invention has been made paying attention to the above points, and can achieve an effect more than the combined use or switching of the two types of EGR devices without causing a complicated structure and an increase in the number of parts. An object is to provide an internal combustion engine.

That is, an internal combustion engine according to the present invention includes a variable valve timing device that can variably control at least one opening / closing timing of an intake valve and an exhaust valve, a turbine provided in an exhaust passage, and an intake passage driven by the turbine. In an internal combustion engine with a turbocharger that includes a compressor and an LPL-type EGR device that recirculates part of the exhaust gas downstream of the turbine upstream of the compressor, the variable valve timing device includes an intake valve in a high load region The opening / closing timing of at least one of the exhaust valve is advanced when the vehicle speed is in a low speed range, and the opening / closing timing of at least one of the intake valve and the exhaust valve in the low load region is delayed when the vehicle speed is in a low / medium speed range. It is horned.

  With such a configuration, in the low speed and high load region, the opening / closing timing of at least one of the intake valve and the exhaust valve can be advanced to increase the amount of fresh air that can be introduced into the cylinder. Accordingly, the amount of exhaust gas recirculated through the EGR device and mixed with fresh air can be increased. Therefore, knocking can be further suppressed in the low speed and high load region.

  In the low load region, the pump loss can be reduced by retarding the opening timing of at least one of the intake valve and the exhaust valve. Further, the Atkinson cycle effect can be obtained by delaying the closing timing of at least one of the intake valve and the exhaust valve. Therefore, fuel consumption can be improved.

  With such a configuration, it is possible to eliminate the disadvantages of the LPL-type EGR device without complicating the structure and increasing the number of parts by separately providing the HPL-type EGR device. In this respect, fuel efficiency can be improved.

  Obtaining the effect of using or switching two types of EGR devices together without complicating the structure and increasing the number of parts by mounting both HPL type EGR devices and LPL type EGR devices It is possible to provide an internal combustion engine capable of

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Schematic structure explanatory drawing of the engine which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration explanatory diagram of the electronic control device of the embodiment. The flowchart which shows the control procedure of the embodiment. The pressure-volume cycle diagram in the combustion chamber of the embodiment. The figure which shows schematically the opening-and-closing timing control amount map of the embodiment.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  An engine 100 which is an internal combustion engine schematically shown in FIG. 1 has two cylinders 1, an intake passage 2 for supplying intake air to each cylinder 1, and an exhaust gas for discharging exhaust gas. It comprises at least an exhaust passage 3 and a turbocharger 4 having a turbine 5 disposed on the exhaust passage 3 and a compressor 6 disposed on the intake passage 2. In the intake passage 2, an air cleaner 7, an intake throttle valve 8, a compressor 6, an intercooler 9, and an electronically controlled throttle valve (hereinafter referred to as a throttle valve 10) are arranged in this order from the upstream. In the present embodiment, an intercooler bypass passage 11a that communicates the upstream portion and the downstream portion of the intercooler 9 and an intercooler bypass valve 11b provided in the intercooler bypass passage 11a are provided. Has been established. In addition, in the present embodiment, a fresh air bypass passage 12a communicating between a portion upstream of the intake throttle valve 8 and a portion downstream of the throttle valve 10, and a new air provided in the fresh air bypass passage 12a. An air bypass valve 12b is provided. During deceleration, a continuously variable valve timing mechanism (VVT 29), which will be described later, is controlled to minimize internal EGR, and at the same time, fresh air is introduced from the fresh air bypass passage 12a, thereby preventing misfire due to excessive EGR. Like to do. The throttle valve 10 opens and closes according to the amount of operation of an accelerator pedal (not shown). The fuel evaporative gas generated in a fuel tank (not shown) is adsorbed by the canister 13 and is introduced into the intake passage 2 via the purge vacuum switching valve 14 (purge VSV) after the engine 100 is started. It is.

  Each cylinder 1 is provided with a spark plug 15 and a fuel injection valve 16. The fuel injection valve 16 is connected to a high-pressure fuel pump 18 via a delivery pipe 17. Further, the cylinder 1 is provided with a swirl control valve 19 (SCV) at the intake port so as to generate a swirling flow when fuel is injected from the fuel injection valve 16.

On the exhaust passage 3, a turbine 5, a three-way catalyst 20, and an exhaust muffler (not shown) are arranged in this order from the upstream. On the upstream side of the three-way catalyst 20, an air-fuel ratio sensor 21 is provided that outputs an output signal corresponding to the air-fuel ratio or oxygen concentration upstream of the three-way catalyst 20 to an electronic control unit (hereinafter referred to as ECU 33). On the other hand, a rear O ₂ sensor 22 that outputs a signal corresponding to the oxygen concentration in the three-way catalyst 20 to the ECU 33 is provided downstream of the three-way catalyst 20.

  The turbocharger 4 can use a well-known one in this field, and includes an exhaust bypass passage 23a that enables communication between the upstream and downstream of the turbine 5 in order to control the supercharging pressure. A waste gate valve 23b for opening and closing the exhaust bypass passage 23a is provided. The waste gate valve 23b is closed so as to supercharge more fresh air into the cylinder 1 by introducing more exhaust gas to the turbine 5 during low-speed traveling, and supercharging during medium-high speed traveling. Opened to prevent knocking from occurring. A turbocharging pressure bypass mechanism 24 that bypasses the compressor 6 is provided on the compressor 6 side of the turbocharger 4. The supercharging pressure bypass mechanism 24 includes an intake bypass passage 24a that enables communication between the upstream and downstream of the compressor 6, and an ABV 24b (air bypass valve) that is an intake bypass valve that opens and closes the intake bypass passage 24a. . During deceleration, the supercharging pressure is lowered and the EGR rate is lowered to prevent misfire.

  In the present embodiment, an EGR device 25 for mixing exhaust gas with fresh air flowing into the intake passage 2 via the air cleaner 7 is provided in communication between the intake passage 2 and the exhaust passage 3. . That is, the EGR device 25 is provided in the exhaust gas recirculation pipeline (hereinafter referred to as the EGR pipeline 26) in which the intake passage 2 and the exhaust passage 3 are selectively communicated with each other and the EGR pipeline 26. An exhaust gas recirculation control valve (hereinafter referred to as an EGR valve 27) that controls the amount of exhaust gas (EGR gas) that passes through or is recirculated through the pipe line 26, and an EGR provided upstream of the EGR valve 27 An EGR cooler 28 that cools the gas with water is provided. The EGR pipe line 26 communicates a portion of the exhaust passage 3 downstream of the three-way catalyst 20 and a portion of the intake passage 2 downstream of the intake throttle valve 8 and upstream of the compressor 6. That is, the EGR device 25 is of the LPL type. The EGR valve 27 is controlled by the ECU 33.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, a continuously variable valve timing mechanism (hereinafter referred to as VVT 29) is provided. The VVT 29 changes the valve timing of the intake valve while constantly opening and closing the exhaust valve with respect to the rotation of the crankshaft (not shown), so that the relative position between the valve timing of the exhaust valve and the valve timing of the intake valve is changed. The phase difference can be freely changed within a predetermined angle range. In the low, medium speed, and low load range, the VVT 29 performs a retard control for retarding the timing for closing the intake valve when the piston passes the bottom dead center and reaches a predetermined retarded closing position. At the same time, in the low, medium and high load range, the VVT 29 performs advance angle control for advancing the timing for closing the intake valve when the piston reaches a predetermined advance angle closing position before bottom dead center. Yes. The ECU 33 controls the VVT 29. Details thereof will be described later.

  In addition, in this embodiment, a blow-by gas recirculation device 30 for sending blow-by gas generated in the crank chamber in the crank case of the engine 100 and the cam chamber in the cylinder head cover to the intake passage 2 is also provided. The blow-by gas recirculation device 30 includes a PCV passage 31 and a blow-by passage 32 as elements. The PCV passage 31 allows the crank chamber in the crankcase to communicate with the intake passage 2. In the present embodiment, one end of the PCV passage 31 is connected to a portion of the intake passage 2 downstream from the throttle valve 10. The blow-by passage 32 allows the cam chamber in the cylinder head cover to communicate with the intake passage 2. Although not shown, the cam chamber is connected to the crank chamber via an internal passage, and blow-by gas and fresh air can be exchanged with each other. In the present embodiment, one end of the blow-by passage 32 is connected to a predetermined location on the upstream side of the compressor 6 in the intake passage 2, more precisely on the upstream side of the intake throttle valve 8.

As schematically shown in FIG. 2, the ECU 33 is a microcomputer system including a CPU 33a, a RAM 33b, a ROM 33c, a flash memory 33d, an I / O interface 33e, and the like. The I / O interface 33e includes an air flow rate signal a output from the air flow meter 34 for detecting the air flow rate, a vehicle speed signal b output from the vehicle speed sensor 35 for detecting the vehicle speed, and a rotational speed for detecting the engine speed. The rotation speed signal c output from the sensor 36, the throttle opening signal d output from the throttle position sensor 37 that detects the throttle valve opening, and the pressure sensor 38 that detects the intake pressure (supercharging pressure) in the intake passage 2. , An intake air temperature signal f output from an intake air temperature sensor 39 for detecting the intake air temperature in the intake passage 2, a water temperature signal g output from a water temperature sensor 40 for detecting a cooling water temperature, and a fuel pressure. fuel pressure signal h which is output from the fuel pressure sensor 41 for detecting the air-fuel ratio signal i output from the air-fuel ratio sensor 21, is output from the rear O ₂ sensor 22 Voltage signal j, and the like are input. From the I / O interface 33e, a fuel injection signal p for the fuel injection valve 16, an ignition signal q for the ignition plug 15 (ignition coil thereof), and an opening / closing timing signal for the VVT 29 (oil control valve thereof). r and the like are output.

  Various control programs are stored in the ROM 33c or the flash memory 33d, and the programs are read into the RAM 33b and decoded by the CPU 33a. The CPU 33a acquires various signals a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j necessary for operation control of the engine 100 via the I / O interface 33e, and uses the information indicated by these signals. Based on this, the intake air amount, the required fuel injection amount, the ignition timing, the opening / closing valve timing, the opening degree of the EGR valve 25b, and the like are calculated. Then, various control signals p, q, r corresponding to the calculation result are applied via the I / O interface 33e.

  Thus, in the present embodiment, the ECU 33 advances the opening / closing timing of at least one of the intake valve and the exhaust valve in the high load region so as to correspond to the operating state, and sets the opening / closing timing of the intake valve in the operating state in the low load region. The VVT 29 is controlled so as to be retarded so as to correspond to.

  Here, knocking at the time of EGR introduction is detected by the knocking detection means as the operation state. As the knocking detection means, one utilizing an output signal from an ion current sensor or one utilizing an output signal from a knocking sensor provided separately can be considered. Further, the advance amount or retard amount of the opening timing of the intake valve can be determined by using the intake pressure indicated by the intake pressure signal e and the knocking intensity indicated by the signal output from the knock detection means as parameters indicating the operating state. This is determined with reference to an opening / closing timing control amount map schematically shown in FIG. 5 stored in a predetermined area of the flash memory 33d. In this advance amount map, as shown in FIG. 5, the intake valve opening / closing timing is set to the advance side as the intake pressure increases, that is, as the load increases. Further, the opening / closing timing of the intake valve is set to the retard side as the knocking strength increases.

  Hereinafter, the procedure of processing executed by the ECU 33 according to the program will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. Note that this program is not executed when the vehicle speed is in the high speed range.

  First, the vehicle speed and the intake pressure are detected (step S1), and it is determined whether or not the engine load indicated by the intake pressure is in a low load range (step S2). If the engine load is in a low load range, the opening degree of the EGR valve 27 and the advance amount of the opening / closing timing of the intake valve are determined (step S3). Here, the opening / closing timing of the intake valve is set to an advance side as the load becomes higher, that is, as the intake pressure becomes higher. In other words, the lower the load, that is, the lower the intake pressure, the more retarded. If the engine load is in a high load range, it is next determined whether or not the vehicle speed is in a low speed range (step S4). When the vehicle speed is in the low speed range, the opening degree of the EGR valve 27 and the advance amount of the opening / closing timing of the intake valve are determined (step S5). On the other hand, when the vehicle speed is not in the low speed range, that is, when the vehicle speed is in the medium speed range, only the opening degree of the EGR valve 27 is determined, and the opening / closing timing of the intake valve is set to a normal timing (step S6).

  When such control is performed, the opening timing of the intake valve is advanced in the low speed and high load region. At this time, the valve opening timing overlaps between the exhaust valve and the intake valve, and scavenging in the combustion chamber of the cylinder 1 is performed using the airflow from the intake valve. In addition, since the closing timing of the intake valve is advanced, the amount of air trapped in the combustion chamber increases. Accordingly, it is possible to increase the amount of fresh air introduced into the combustion chamber while securing the EGR amount. Therefore, knocking can be further suppressed in the low speed and high load region.

  On the other hand, in the low, medium and low load region, the intake capacity is reduced by retarding the opening timing of the intake valve. That is, as indicated by the broken line in FIG. 4 which is a pressure-volume cycle diagram in the combustion chamber, the work amount of the piston as a pump is reduced as compared with the conventional configuration indicated by the solid line in FIG. This reduces the pumping loss. Further, the Atkinson cycle effect can be obtained by delaying the closing timing of the intake valve. Therefore, fuel consumption can be improved.

  With such a configuration, it is possible to eliminate the disadvantages of the LPL-type EGR device 25 without complicating the structure and increasing the number of parts by separately providing an HPL-type EGR device. From this point, fuel efficiency can be improved.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above.

  For example, instead of providing a swirl control valve (SCV) at the intake port, a tumbling control valve (TCV) may be provided. Of course, both SCV and TCV may be provided.

  Further, not only the intake valve but also the opening / closing timing of the exhaust valve may be controlled, or the valve opening timing and the valve closing timing may be controlled separately.

  Furthermore, the present invention may be applied to an engine that injects fuel into the intake port. When the present invention is applied to such an engine, it is necessary to set the advance angle width of the opening / closing timing of the intake valve or the exhaust valve within a range in which no fuel blow-through occurs.

  In addition, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

2 ... Air supply passage 3 ... Exhaust passage 5 ... Turbine 6 ... Compressor 25 ... EGR device (exhaust gas recirculation device)
29 ... VVT (Variable valve timing device)

Claims (1)

A variable valve timing device capable of variably controlling the opening / closing timing of at least one of the intake valve and the exhaust valve;
A turbine provided in the exhaust passage;
A compressor of an intake passage driven by the turbine;
In a turbocharged internal combustion engine comprising a low-pressure loop exhaust gas recirculation device that recirculates part of the exhaust gas downstream of the turbine upstream of the compressor,
The variable valve timing device advances the opening / closing timing of at least one of the intake valve and the exhaust valve in the high load region when the vehicle speed is in the low speed region, and at least one of the intake valve and the exhaust valve in the low load region. An internal combustion engine characterized in that the opening / closing timing is retarded when the vehicle speed is in a low to medium speed range .

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