US 11,668,256 B2
Mass-flow throttle for large natural gas engines
Kennon Guglielmo, San Antonio, TX (US); Justin H. Sanders, San Antonio, TX (US); Michael T. Hambidge, San Antonio, TX (US); Timothy J. Westerdale, San Antonio, TX (US); and James Cole, San Antonio, TX (US)
Assigned to EControls, LLC, San Antonio, TX (US)
Appl. No. 17/434,520
Filed by Kennon Guglielmo, San Antonio, TX (US); Justin H. Sanders, San Antonio, TX (US); Michael T. Hambidge, San Antonio, TX (US); Timothy J. Westerdale, San Antonio, TX (US); and James Cole, San Antonio, TX (US)
PCT Filed Feb. 28, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/020488
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 27, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/176884, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 3, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/812,253, filed on Feb. 28, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0136451 A1, May 5, 2022
Int. Cl. F02D 41/00 (2006.01); F02D 41/22 (2006.01); F02M 35/10 (2006.01); F02B 77/08 (2006.01); F02D 9/10 (2006.01)
CPC F02D 41/0002 (2013.01) [F02B 77/08 (2013.01); F02D 41/22 (2013.01); F02M 35/10275 (2013.01); F02D 9/10 (2013.01); F02D 9/1065 (2013.01); F02D 41/0007 (2013.01); F02D 2200/04 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for detecting a backfire event in a spark-ignited internal combustion engine and for protecting a throttle from damage resulting from the backfire event, the method comprising the steps of:
a) sensing a pressure, by a first pressure sensor, upstream of a throttle blade, wherein the first pressure sensor senses the pressure upstream of the throttle blade at a preset time interval;
b) sensing a pressure, by a second pressure sensor, downstream of the throttle blade, wherein the second pressure sensor senses the pressure downstream of the throttle blade at the preset time interval;
c) communicating, by the first and second pressure sensors, upstream and downstream pressure readings to an engine control module (ECM);
d) calculating, by the ECM, a pressure differential between the upstream pressure readings and the downstream pressure readings;
e) comparing, by the ECM, the pressure differential to a preset lower threshold differential pressure value, wherein the pressure differential being at or below the preset lower threshold differential pressure value is indicative of a backfire event downstream of the throttle;
f) when the pressure differential is determined to be at or below the preset lower threshold differential pressure value, then sending a control signal, by the ECM, to a microcontroller;
g) sending a control signal, by the microcontroller, to a throttle actuator to open the throttle blade;
h) opening the throttle blade, by the throttle actuator, to a minimum throttle position for a minimum time period, wherein the throttle blade is positioned between a fully closed and a fully open throttle position in the minimum throttle position;
i) determining, by the ECM, whether the pressure differential is at or below the preset lower threshold differential pressure value after expiration of the minimum time period;
j) when the pressure differential is at or below the preset lower threshold differential pressure value after expiration of the minimum time period, maintaining, by the throttle actuator, the throttle blade at the minimum throttle position;
k) determining, by the ECM, whether the throttle blade has been opened to the minimum throttle position for a maximum time period, and when the determination is made that the throttle blade has been opened to the minimum throttle position for the maximum time period, returning the throttle blade, by the throttle actuator, to a previously commanded throttle position; and
l) when the pressure differential is determined to be above the preset lower threshold differential pressure value, determining, by the ECM, whether the pressure differential is at or above a preset upper threshold differential pressure value, and when the determination is made that the pressure differential is at or above the preset upper threshold differential pressure value, returning the throttle blade, by the throttle actuator, to the previously commanded throttle position.