Method of reducing emissions in the exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine

US6575129B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• VOLVO CAR CORPORATION · SE

Inventors

• Goran Almkvist · Lerum, SE
• Karin Thorn · Umeå, SE
• Sten Sjöström · Hofors, SE

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 15, 2002
• Grant date: Jun 10, 2003
• Expiry date: Mar 15, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02T10/12
• WIPO field: Engines, pumps, turbines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

The invention discloses a method of reducing emissions in the exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder to which an air/fuel mixture is supplied when a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine rotates, at least one inlet valve, at least one exhaust valve, control members for controlling the opening and closing of the inlet and exhaust valves, and a piston reciprocating between a top dead-center position and a bottom dead-center position in the cylinder. The method includes the steps of supplying an air/fuel mixture with lambda value greater than 1 to the cylinder, controlling the internal combustion engine so that it works at high load, and controlling the inlet valve so that it opens after the piston has passed the top dead-center position. According to an embodiment of the invention, the internal combustion engine is controlled so that the crankshaft rotates at an essentially constant speed within a range of about 1000 to about 2000 rpm.