1. A method for active fuel management in an engine having a plurality of cylinders, the method comprising:
stopping a fuel flow into a first set of the plurality of cylinders, the stopping causing a deactivation of the first set of the plurality of cylinders;
continuing injection of fuel into a second set of the plurality of cylinders to provide power while the first set of the plurality of cylinders are deactivated; and
injecting gas into the first set of the plurality of cylinders when each of the first set of the plurality of cylinders are at bottom dead center, the injected gas increasing a cylinder pressure in each of the first set of the plurality of cylinders that reduces an amplitude of first order torque variations during operation of the engine while the first set of the plurality of cylinders are deactivated.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein injecting gas into the first set of the plurality of cylinders comprises injecting gas into the first set while air flow and fuel flow valves are closed to stop combustion during a deactivated mode for the first set of the plurality of cylinders.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein injecting gas into the first set of the plurality of cylinders comprises injecting gas via a supplemental line for each of the first set of the plurality of cylinders, where the supplemental lines are located in an engine head.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein injecting gas into the first set of the plurality of cylinders comprises controlling the cylinder pressure based on engine load and engine speed.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling the cylinder pressure based on a pressure at bottom dead center in supplemental gas supply lines fluidly connected to the first set of the plurality of cylinders.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein injecting gas into the first set of the plurality of cylinders comprises controlling a pressure of an injected gas based on an amount of gas that leaks by piston rings in the first set of the plurality of cylinders, wherein gas injection compensates for leaked gas.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein injecting gas into the first set of the plurality of cylinders comprises reducing the amplitude of first order torque variations by at least 50% during cylinder deactivation as compared to engine operation during cylinder deactivation without gas injection into the first set of the plurality of cylinders.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting a firing interval of the first set and second set of the plurality of cylinders to further reduce the amplitude of first order torque variations.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein adjusting the firing interval of the first set and second set of the plurality of cylinders comprises adjusting a crank angle of a crankshaft for each of the plurality of cylinders.
10. An internal combustion engine comprising:
a first set of cylinders;
a second set of cylinders;
a fuel supply line and an air intake for each cylinder of the first and second sets of cylinders;
a supplemental gas supply line for each cylinder of the second set of cylinders; and
a controller communicably coupled to the supplemental gas supply line, wherein the controller is configured to perform a method, the method comprising:
stopping a fuel flow into the first set of cylinders, the stopping causing a deactivation of the first set of cylinders;
continuing injection of fuel into the second set of cylinders to provide power while the first set of cylinders are deactivated; and
injecting gas, via the supplemental gas supply lines, into the first set of cylinders when each of the first set of cylinders are at bottom dead center, the injected gas increasing a cylinder pressure in each of the first set of the plurality of cylinders that reduces an amplitude of first order torque variations during operation of the engine while the first set of the plurality of cylinders are deactivated.
11. The internal combustion engine of claim 10, wherein injecting gas into the first set of the plurality of cylinders comprises injecting gas into the first set while air flow and fuel flow valves are closed to stop combustion during a deactivated mode for the first set of the plurality of cylinders.
12. The internal combustion engine of claim 11, wherein injecting gas into the first set of the plurality of cylinders comprises injecting air via a supplemental line for each of the first set of the plurality of cylinders, where the supplemental lines are located in an engine head.
13. The internal combustion engine of claim 10, wherein injecting gas into the first set of the plurality of cylinders comprises controlling the cylinder pressure based on engine load and engine speed.
14. The internal combustion engine of claim 10, further comprising controlling a pressure of the injected gas based on a pressure at bottom dead center in the supplemental gas supply lines fluidly connected to the first set of the plurality of cylinders.
15. The internal combustion engine of claim 14, wherein injecting gas into the first set of the plurality of cylinders comprises controlling a pressure of injected gas based on an amount of gas that leaks by piston rings in the first set of the plurality of cylinders, wherein gas injection compensates for leaked gas.
16. The internal combustion engine of claim 10, wherein injecting gas into the first set of the plurality of cylinders comprises reducing the amplitude of first order torque variations by at least 50% during cylinder deactivation as compared to engine operation during cylinder deactivation without gas injection into the first set of the plurality of cylinders.
17. The internal combustion engine of claim 10, further comprising adjusting a firing interval of the first set and second set of the plurality of cylinders to further reduce the amplitude of first order torque variations.
18. The internal combustion engine of claim 17, wherein adjusting the firing interval of the first set and second set of the plurality of cylinders comprises adjusting a crank angle of a crankshaft for each of the plurality of cylinders.
19. A method for active fuel management in an engine having a plurality of cylinders, the method comprising:
stopping a fuel flow into a first set of the plurality of cylinders, the stopping causing a deactivation of the first set of the plurality of cylinders;
continuing injection of fuel into a second set of the plurality of cylinders to provide power while the first set of the plurality of cylinders are deactivated;
injecting air into the first set of the plurality of cylinders to increase a cylinder pressure in each of the first set of the plurality of cylinders to reduce an amplitude of first order vibration during operation of the engine while the first set of the plurality of cylinders are deactivated; and
adjusting a firing interval of the first set and second set of the plurality of cylinders to further reduce the amplitude of first order vibrations.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein adjusting the firing interval of the first set and second set of the plurality of cylinders comprises adjusting a crank angle of a crankshaft for each of the plurality of cylinders, wherein successively firing cylinders have different crank angles.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
I claim:
1. The method of separating liquid from gas in a flow stream, that includes
a) expanding the flow stream at a first zone to reduce flow stream pressure and increase flow stream velocity,
b) centrifugally separating liquid from gas in the expanded flow stream, in a second zone,
c) and increasing the pressure of the gas, from which liquid has been separated, by converting kinetic energy of the gas into pressure, at a third zone.
2. The method of claim 1 including providing a rotary expander receiving the flow stream to expand same, at said first zone.
3. The method of claim 1 including providing a flow passage forming said second zone and within which the expanded flow stream swirls for centrifuging liquid outwardly toward a passage wall, and for conducting gas in the flow stream toward said third zone.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said first and third zones are provided as rotary zones.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein said second zone is provided to include a rotary wall toward which liquid is centrifuged.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said second zone is provided to include a non-rotating wall toward which liquid is centrifuged.
7. The method of claim 5 wherein at least one of said first and third zones is provided as a rotary zone.
8. The method of claim 6 wherein at least one of said first and third zones is provided as a rotary zone.
9. The method of claim 4 wherein said first and third zones are coupled to rotate together.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein said zones are located in axial sequence.
11. The method of claim 1 including collecting centrifuged liquid, rotating said centrifuged liquid, and jetting said centrifuged liquid to create torque acting to aid rotation of structure at said second zone.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein said second zone is provided to include said structure in the form of a rotary wall toward which said liquid is centrifuged.
13. The method of claim 1 including collecting centrifuged liquid, and rotating said centrifuged liquid to from a rotating layer, and removing liquid from said layer by employment of a scoop.
14. The method of claim 13 including providing a rotary shaft extending into proximity to said first and third zones, and using said shaft to confine the expanded flow stream to rotate about the shaft during said rotation of said centrifuged liquid, in spaced relation to said shaft.
15. The method of claim 14 including transmitting torque via said shaft from an expander at said first zone to a compressor at said third zone.
16. The method of claim 13 including returning removed liquid to said expanded flow stream, proximate said first zone.
17. The method of claim 13 including passing at least a portion of said expanded flow stream in said second zone into a perforated collector, for drainage to said layer.
18. The method of claim 1 including collecting centrifuged liquid in a layer, and removing liquid from said layer, said layer subjected to rotation in a swirl direction of flow of said expanded flow stream, in said second zone.
19. The method of claim 18 including ducting escape of liquid from said layer, to the exterior of said second zone.
20. The method of claim 1 including removing solid particulate centrifuged in said second zone.
21. The method of claim 20 including ducting escape of said centrifuged particulate from a region outwardly of said second zone.
22. The method of claim 20 including scooping solid particulate centrifuged in said second zone, as a part of said removing step.
23. The method of claim 1 including collecting separated liquid in a layer on structure rotating about said second zone.
24. The method of claim 23 including providing for gas diffusing at said third zone.