Synergistic Induction And Turbocharging In Internal Combustion Engine Systems

Abstract

Synergistic induction and turbocharging includes the use of one or more throttles in close proximity to each cylinder intake valve to control air flow in each intake port delivering air to combustion cylinders in an internal combustion engine system. A turbocharger may also be affixed in close proximity to each cylinder exhaust valve to enable a synergistic combination of hyper-filling cylinders with combustion air and immediate harvesting of exhaust gas by adjacent turbochargers. In some implementations the turbochargers may be low-inertia turbochargers. The combination of individual throttles per intake port and a turbocharger in close proximity to each cylinder enables faster ramp-up of an engine in the early stages of acceleration. Various implementations thus provide improved fuel economy and improved engine performance in tandem, instead of one at the expense of the other.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An internal combustion engine system comprising:
 multiple cylinder assemblies, each cylinder assembly comprising:
 a cylinder having a first intake valve, a second intake valve and an exhaust valve system; 
 a throttle mechanism operationally affixed in close proximity to the first and second intake valves, the throttle mechanism comprising:
 a first throttle operationally affixed to control cylinder combustion air flow through a first intake port and the first intake valve; and 
 a second throttle operationally affixed to control cylinder combustion air flow through a second intake port and the second intake valve; and 
 
 a turbocharger system configured to receive exhaust gas from the plurality of cylinder assemblies. 
   
     
     
         2 . The engine system of  claim 1  wherein each cylinder has a cylinder displacement and an intake volume, wherein the intake volume for each cylinder is less than or equal to either 80% or 60% of the cylinder displacement, the intake volume being equal to the volume between the first throttle and the cylinder's first intake valve plus the volume between the second throttle and the cylinder's second intake valve. 
     
     
         3 . The engine system of  claim 1  wherein each cylinder assembly comprises an exhaust valve system comprising an exhaust valve and further wherein the turbocharger system comprises an individual turbocharger mounted in close proximity to each exhaust valve. 
     
     
         4 . An internal combustion engine system comprising:
 multiple cylinder assemblies, each cylinder assembly comprising:
 a cylinder having a cylinder displacement; 
 an induction system comprising a throttle mechanism affixed in close proximity to an intake valve system comprising a first intake valve and a second intake valve, the throttle mechanism comprising:
 a first throttle operationally affixed to control cylinder combustion air flow through a first intake port and the first intake valve; and 
 a second throttle operationally affixed to control cylinder combustion air flow through a second intake port and the second intake valve; and 
 
 a turbocharger affixed in close proximity to an exhaust valve of the cylinder. 
   
     
     
         5 . The engine system of  claim 4  further comprising:
 an idle air flow equalizing system comprising:
 a plurality of equalizing passages interconnecting a plurality of intake ports downstream of any throttle to provide combustion air flow to the cylinders during idle operation. 
 
 
     
     
         6 . The engine system of  claim 4  further comprising a throttle control system comprising:
 a mechanical linkage operationally connected a plurality of the throttles; and 
 a linkage actuator connected to the mechanical linkage and configured to move the mechanical linkage between an open throttle position and a closed throttle position. 
 
     
     
         7 . The engine system of  claim 6  wherein the mechanical linkage comprises a spring-biasing mounting of one or more throttles. 
     
     
         8 . An internal combustion engine system comprising a plurality of combustion cylinder assemblies, wherein each combustion cylinder assembly comprises:
 a cylinder having a cylinder displacement;   an intake valve system comprising a first intake valve controlling admission of combustion air to the cylinder from a first intake port and further comprising a second intake valve controlling admission of combustion air to the cylinder from a second intake port; and   an exhaust valve system comprising an exhaust valve controlling discharge of exhaust gas from the cylinder to an exhaust port;   an induction system comprising a throttle mechanism, wherein the throttle mechanism comprises:
 a first throttle operationally affixed to control air flow through the first intake port, wherein the first throttle and the first intake valve define a first throttle-to-intake volume in a first intake channel; and 
 a second throttle operationally affixed to control air flow through the second intake port, wherein the second throttle and the second intake valve define a second throttle-to-intake volume in a second intake channel; and 
 wherein the sum of the first throttle-to-intake volume and the second throttle-to-intake volume is less than or equal to 80% of the cylinder displacement; and 
   a turbocharging system for each cylinder, wherein each turbocharging system comprises a turbocharger comprising turbine inlet, wherein the turbine inlet and the exhaust valve define an exhaust-to-turbine volume that is less than or equal to 80% of the cylinder displacement.   
     
     
         9 . The engine system of  claim 8  further comprising an idle combustion air flow system that permits generally uniform combustion air flow to the first intake valves during idle mode operation, the idle air flow system comprising one or more idle air flow ports, wherein each idle air flow port connects two of the first intake ports downstream of their respective throttles. 
     
     
         10 . The engine system of  claim 9  wherein each idle air flow port further comprises an idle air flow port valve, wherein the idle air flow port valve controls idle mode combustion air flow in the idle air flow passage to permit air flow through the idle air flow passage when the engine system operates in idle mode. 
     
     
         11 . The engine system of  claim 10  further comprising a throttle control system comprising:
 a mechanical linkage operationally connected to a plurality of the throttles; 
 a linkage actuator comprising a motor connected to the mechanical linkage and configured to move the mechanical linkage between an open throttle position and a closed throttle position. 
 
     
     
         12 . The engine system of  claim 11  wherein the mechanical linkage comprises at least one spring-biasing mounting of one of the throttles.