Hybrid powertrain control techniques include determining whether a regeneration event of a gasoline particulate filter (GPF) is necessary using a GPF loading model, commanding a full cylinder deactivation system to temporarily disable all of the cylinders of the engine instead of performing a deceleration fuel shutoff (DFSO) event of the engine and disabling fueling to the engine when the GPF regeneration event is not necessary, commanding the full cylinder deactivation system to keep all of the cylinders of the engine open and disabling fueling to the engine to perform the DFSO event when the GPF regeneration event is necessary, and controlling an electric propulsion motor to supply a requested drive torque, wherein keeping all of the cylinders of the engine open to perform the DFSO of the engine mitigates or eliminates insufficient regeneration of the GPF to thereby increase or extend its useful life.

A high efficiency uniflow steam engine with automatic inlet and exhaust valves rather than camshaft operated valves includes an electromagnet and cooperating armature that actuates a cutoff control valve for closing a steam inlet valve at any time selected to stop the flow of steam to the cylinder. Approaching the end of the exhaust stroke typically 0.12 inch before TDC the cylinder is sealed thereby compressing the remaining residual steam down to a minute clearance approaching zero, for example, 0.020 inch to raise cylinder steam pressure enough to open the steam inlet valve without physical contact between the piston and the steam inlet valve thereby eliminating tappet noise, shock and wear.

In order to provide a more reliable configuration for a hydraulic drive for accelerating and braking in particular a gas exchange valve (20) of internal combustion engines or other reciprocating engines, in particular if the occurring maximum travel of the moving mass can deviate considerably from an expected setpoint position, it is proposed that the drive piston (23) has at least one control edge (31) corresponding to an inflow opening (33), which, when a defined travel h.sub.ab has been attained, prevents the inflow of drive pressure p.sub.1 into the drive chamber (27) and/or prevents the low-loss outflow of pressure medium from the brake chamber (29) to the basic pressure level (40), wherein the remaining hydraulic drive force vanishes, becomes small or changes its sign when said travel h.sub.ab is attained.

In order to provide a more reliable configuration for a hydraulic drive for accelerating and braking in particular a gas exchange valve (20) of internal combustion engines or other reciprocating engines, in particular if the occurring maximum travel of the moving mass can deviate considerably from an expected setpoint position, it is proposed that the drive piston (23) has at least one control edge (31) corresponding to an inflow opening (33), which, when a defined travel h.sub.ab has been attained, prevents the inflow of drive pressure p.sub.1 into the drive chamber (27) and/or prevents the low-loss outflow of pressure medium from the brake chamber (29) to the basic pressure level (40), wherein the remaining hydraulic drive force vanishes, becomes small or changes its sign when said travel h.sub.ab is attained.

A linear motor actuated valve assembly in which a linear motor enables electrical actuation and control of intake and exhaust valves of an internal combustion engine.

Control of engine shutdown of an internal combustion engine comprising a plurality of cylinders and, for each of the plurality of cylinders, a hydraulically controlled lost motion component operatively connected to an engine valve corresponding to the cylinder, is achieved when an engine controller determines that shutdown of the internal combustion engine has been requested. Responsive to the request for shutdown, the engine controller initiates or continues cylinder deactivation operation for each of at least one cylinder of the plurality of cylinders. The initiation or continuation of the cylinder deactivation operation for each of the at least one cylinder comprises, for an input to the hydraulically controlled lost motion component for each of at least one engine valve corresponding to the cylinder, operating the input to provide the cylinder deactivation operation for a duration at least long enough to complete shutdown of the internal combustion engine.

Control of engine shutdown of an internal combustion engine comprising a plurality of cylinders and, for each of the plurality of cylinders, a hydraulically controlled lost motion component operatively connected to an engine valve corresponding to the cylinder, is achieved when an engine controller determines that shutdown of the internal combustion engine has been requested. Responsive to the request for shutdown, the engine controller initiates or continues cylinder deactivation operation for each of at least one cylinder of the plurality of cylinders. The initiation or continuation of the cylinder deactivation operation for each of the at least one cylinder comprises, for an input to the hydraulically controlled lost motion component for each of at least one engine valve corresponding to the cylinder, operating the input to provide the cylinder deactivation operation for a duration at least long enough to complete shutdown of the internal combustion engine.

An actuator and a method for controlling such an actuator suitable for operating at least one gas exchange valve arranged in a cylinder head of an internal combustion engine. The actuator includes: an actuator piston disc, a cylinder volume adapted for the actuator piston disc, where the actuator piston disc divides the cylinder volume in a first portion and a second portion, an inlet channel arranged between a pressure fluid inlet and the first portion of the cylinder volume, a controllable first inlet valve arranged in the inlet channel, a controllable second inlet valve arranged downstream the controllable first inlet valve, an outlet channel arranged between the first portion of the cylinder volume and a pressure fluid outlet, and a controllable outlet valve arranged in the outlet channel.

A pressure fluid handling system includes a closed pressure fluid circuit. The pressure fluid circuit includes, connected in series, a compressor and a pressure sink and a primary pressure fluid route from the compressor to the pressure sink and a secondary pressure fluid route from the pressure sink to the compressor. The pressure fluid handling system further includes a pressure fluid accumulator connected to the pressure fluid circuit via a first pressure fluid accumulator conduit. The first pressure fluid accumulator conduit includes a pump configured to pump pressure fluid from the pressure fluid circuit to the pressure fluid accumulator to lower the pressure levels in the pressure fluid circuit, and in that the pressure fluid handling system includes a controllable component for returning the pressure fluid from the pressure fluid accumulator to the pressure fluid circuit to increase the pressure levels in the pressure fluid circuit.

A pressure fluid handling system includes a closed pressure fluid circuit. The pressure fluid circuit includes, connected in series, a compressor and a pressure sink and a primary pressure fluid route from the compressor to the pressure sink and a secondary pressure fluid route from the pressure sink to the compressor. The pressure fluid handling system further includes a pressure fluid accumulator connected to the pressure fluid circuit via a first pressure fluid accumulator conduit. The first pressure fluid accumulator conduit includes a pump configured to pump pressure fluid from the pressure fluid circuit to the pressure fluid accumulator to lower the pressure levels in the pressure fluid circuit, and in that the pressure fluid handling system includes a controllable component for returning the pressure fluid from the pressure fluid accumulator to the pressure fluid circuit to increase the pressure levels in the pressure fluid circuit.