1. A portable alarm apparatus for warning a person, the portable alarm apparatus comprising:
a manually portable base unit;
an integrated circuit assembly;
a constant power supply supported by the base unit, the constant power supply including an external power supply having an interface connectible to a power source external of the base unit, the constant power supply including an onboard power supply independent of the external power supply, and
a detection circuit supported by the base unit, the detection circuit being connected to the constant power supply, the detection circuit being operable to detect a monitored condition; and an alarm circuit supported by the base unit, the alarm circuit being connected to the constant power supply, the alarm circuit being operable in response to detection of the monitored condition by the detection circuit to produce an alarm signal for warning at least one person; the integrated circuit assembly including a portion of at least one of: the detection circuit, the alarm circuit, and the constant power supply, the integrated circuit assembly including multiple layers, the layers including: an outer fire retardant layer adjacent to a light emitting layer, a solar cell layer adjacent to the light emitting layer, a battery cell layer adjacent to the solar cell layer, and an inner integrated circuit layer adjacent to the battery cell layer.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for controlling varnish build-up in a variable geometry turbine (VGT) of a diesel engine turbocharger, comprising:
determining whether an operation parameter is at a level established for initiating a varnish build-up control sequence; and
upon determining that the operation parameter is at the established level, initiating the varnish build-up control sequence, the sequence comprising
increasing exhaust temperature upstream of the VGT to a first exhaust temperature, and
changing an opening size of a VGT nozzle between a smaller and a larger opening size while increasing the exhaust temperature to the first exhaust temperature.
2. The method for controlling varnish build-up as set forth in claim 1, wherein the operation parameter comprises one or more of an estimated level of varnish build-up, an actual level of varnish build-up, force required to change nozzle opening size in the VGT, a period of engine operation, a period of engine operation at idle, an ambient temperature, a engine coolant temperature, detection of faulty hardware, cylinder temperature, intake manifold temperature, injection pressure.
3. The method for controlling varnish build-up as set forth in claim 1, comprising cycling the exhaust temperature between the first exhaust temperature and a second, lower exhaust temperature through a plurality of temperature cycles.
4. The method for controlling varnish build-up as set forth in claim 1, comprising changing the opening size of the VGT nozzle between the smaller and larger opening size after cycling the exhaust temperature through the plurality of temperature cycles.
5. The method for controlling varnish build-up as set forth in claim 1, comprising changing the opening size of the VGT nozzle between the smaller and larger opening size by cycling the nozzle between the smaller and larger opening size through a plurality of nozzle opening and closing cycles.
6. The method for controlling varnish build-up as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first exhaust temperature is a temperature sufficient to cause accumulated varnish accumulated on the VGT to turn into soot flakes.
7. The method for controlling varnish build-up as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first exhaust temperature is approximately 175\xb0 C. or greater.
8. The method for controlling varnish build-up as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first exhaust temperature is approximately 350\xb0 C. or greater.
9. The method for controlling varnish build-up as set forth in claim 1, comprising maintaining the exhaust temperature at the first exhaust temperature for a predetermined length of time.
10. The method for controlling varnish build-up as set forth in claim 1, comprising changing the opening size of the VGT nozzle between a 0% and a 100% opening size.
11. The method for controlling varnish build-up as set forth in claim 10, comprising keeping the opening size of the VGT nozzle at a predetermined opening size when engine coolant temperature is above a predetermined engine coolant temperature.
12. The method for controlling varnish build-up as set forth in claim 1, wherein the operation parameter comprises an ambient temperature at or below a predetermined ambient temperature and a period of operation at or exceeding a predetermined length of time, and wherein the varnish build-up control sequence comprises cycling the exhaust temperature between the first exhaust temperature and a second, lower exhaust temperature through a plurality of temperature cycles.
13. The method for controlling varnish build-up as set forth in claim 1, the operation parameter comprises operation of the engine at extended idle, and wherein the varnish build-up control sequence is initiated upon determination that the engine has operated at extended idle for a predetermined length of time.
14. The method for controlling varnish build-up as set forth in claim 1, comprising increasing exhaust temperature to the first exhaust temperature by one or more of reducing VGT nozzle opening size, retarding injection timing, reducing fuel injection pressure, increasing engine speed, and seventh injector dosing.
15. The method for controlling varnish build-up as set forth in claim 1, comprising one or more of cycling the exhaust temperature between the first exhaust temperature and a second, lower exhaust temperature through a sufficient number of temperature cycles and changing the opening size of the VGT nozzle between the smaller and larger opening size a sufficient number of times so that a force required to change the opening size in the VGT is below a predetermined value.
16. A diesel engine arrangement, comprising:
a diesel engine;
a turbocharger, the turbocharger comprising a variable geometry turbine (VGT) downstream of the engine;
means for determining whether an operation parameter is at a level established for initiating a varnish build-up control sequence for controlling varnish build-up on the VGT; and
a controller arranged to initiate the varnish build-up control sequence when the determining means determines that the operation parameter is at the established level, the varnish build-up control sequence comprising
increasing exhaust temperature upstream of the VGT to a first exhaust temperature, and
changing an opening size of a VGT nozzle between a smaller and a larger opening size while increasing the exhaust temperature to the first exhaust temperature.
17. The diesel engine arrangement as set forth in claim 16, wherein the operation parameter comprises one or more of an estimated level of varnish build-up, an actual level of varnish build-up, force required to change opening size of the VGT nozzle, a period of engine operation, a period of engine operation at idle, an ambient temperature, and a engine coolant temperature.
18. The diesel engine arrangement as set forth in claim 16, wherein the controller is arranged to increase exhaust temperature to the first exhaust temperature by one or more of reducing VGT nozzle opening size, retarding injection timing, reducing fuel injection pressure, increasing engine speed, and dosing via a seventh injector.
19. The diesel engine arrangement as set forth in claim 16, wherein the determining means determines whether a force required to change the opening size of the VGT nozzle exceeds a predetermined value, and the controller is arranged to at least one of cycle the exhaust temperature between the first exhaust temperature and a second, lower exhaust temperature through a sufficient number of temperature cycles and change the opening size of the VGT nozzle between the smaller and larger opening size a sufficient number of times so that the force required to change the opening size of the VGT nozzle changes to a value below the predetermined value.
20. The diesel engine arrangement as set forth in claim 16, wherein the controller is arranged to at least one of increase the exhaust temperature to the first exhaust temperature from a second, lower exhaust temperature through a sufficient number of temperature cycles and change the opening size of the VGT nozzle between the smaller and larger opening size a sufficient number of times so that a force required to change the opening size of the VGT nozzle remains below a predetermined value.