Methods and systems for controlling a turbocharger associated with an engine. The turbocharger is operated in a region of operation creating potential surge conditions, but surge is avoided by varying the speed of the turbocharger in accordance with speed parameters determined by observing a resonant frequency of surge in the system.

An internal combustion engine is operated at fuel-rich conditions by adjusting one or more operating parameters such as, for example, a throttle, an ignition timing, a load coupled to the engine, a fuel pressure, power to a supercharger, and power to a preheater to maintain a specified engine speed and a temperature of an exhaust gas. Operating the engine under these conditions allows the engine to function as a reformer producing a synthesis gas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide.

An internal combustion engine is operated at fuel-rich conditions by adjusting one or more operating parameters such as, for example, a throttle, an ignition timing, a load coupled to the engine, a fuel pressure, power to a supercharger, and power to a preheater to maintain a specified engine speed and a temperature of an exhaust gas. Operating the engine under these conditions allows the engine to function as a reformer producing a synthesis gas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide.

Various methods and systems are provided for controlling air flow through an engine by adjusting an electric turbocharger of a vehicle. In one embodiment, a system for a vehicle comprises an electric turbocharger comprising a compressor, an exhaust turbine coupled to the compressor via a shaft, and an electric machine mechanically coupled to the shaft; and a controller including a processor and instructions stored on a non-transient memory of the controller that, when executed, cause the controller to: adjust an amount of power provided to or extracted from the shaft by the electric machine based on at least one of a speed of the electric turbocharger, a cylinder pressure, and an exhaust gas temperature. By adjusting the amount of power provided to or extracted from the electric machine, the exhaust gas temperature and the speed of the electric turbocharger may be efficiently maintained within a desired operating range.

Various methods and systems are provided for controlling air flow through an engine by adjusting an electric turbocharger of a vehicle. In one embodiment, a system for a vehicle comprises an electric turbocharger comprising a compressor, an exhaust turbine coupled to the compressor via a shaft, and an electric machine mechanically coupled to the shaft; and a controller including a processor and instructions stored on a non-transient memory of the controller that, when executed, cause the controller to: adjust an amount of power provided to or extracted from the shaft by the electric machine based on at least one of a speed of the electric turbocharger, a cylinder pressure, and an exhaust gas temperature. By adjusting the amount of power provided to or extracted from the electric machine, the exhaust gas temperature and the speed of the electric turbocharger may be efficiently maintained within a desired operating range.

A turbocharger (1) includes a turbine wheel (3) driven by exhaust gas, first and second compressor wheels (4, 5) coaxially coupled to the turbine wheel (3) via a shaft member (6), a compressor housing (8) accommodating the first and second compressor wheels (4, 5) and having defined therein a communication passage (17) through which air compressed by the first compressor wheel (4) flows to the second compressor wheel (5), and an electric motor (11) arranged in the communication passage (17) and using the shaft member (6) as a rotation shaft thereof.

A turbocharger (1) includes a turbine wheel (3) driven by exhaust gas, first and second compressor wheels (4, 5) coaxially coupled to the turbine wheel (3) via a shaft member (6), a compressor housing (8) accommodating the first and second compressor wheels (4, 5) and having defined therein a communication passage (17) through which air compressed by the first compressor wheel (4) flows to the second compressor wheel (5), and an electric motor (11) arranged in the communication passage (17) and using the shaft member (6) as a rotation shaft thereof.

A method for controlling a setpoint charging pressure for a turbocharger includes determining a charge-based setpoint charging pressure on the basis of a charge of the internal combustion engine, sampling an actual charging pressure, determining a carried-along actual charging pressure on the basis of the actual charging pressure, determining an offset on the basis of the charge-based setpoint charging pressure, and adjusting, by open-loop control, the setpoint charging pressure to the charge-based setpoint charging pressure by a first-order timing element if the carried-along actual charging pressure exceeds a first value which is lower than the charge-based setpoint charging pressure by the offset.

A turbocharger generating a vacuum negative pressure may include a compressor which receives, through a turbocharger shaft, a rotational force of a turbine which rotates based on exhaust gas from an engine and turbo-charges an intake which is supplied to the engine, and a motorless vacuum pump coupled to the turbine through a center housing which is coupled to the compressor and is configured to be rotated by the turbocharger shaft, thus generating a vacuum negative pressure.

A turbocharger generating a vacuum negative pressure may include a compressor which receives, through a turbocharger shaft, a rotational force of a turbine which rotates based on exhaust gas from an engine and turbo-charges an intake which is supplied to the engine, and a motorless vacuum pump coupled to the turbine through a center housing which is coupled to the compressor and is configured to be rotated by the turbocharger shaft, thus generating a vacuum negative pressure.