A method of determining an operational status of an exhaust gas recirculation valve of an internal combustion engine arrangement, the EGR valve being configured to control a flow of combusted exhaust gas from an exhaust manifold to an inlet manifold of the ICE arrangement. The method comprising controlling the EGR valve to transition from a closed position; obtaining a signal indicative of a variation of temperature level of the gas present in the inlet manifold at a duration between a first point in time and a second point in time when the EGR valve assumes the open position; determining, based on the signal indicative of the variation of the temperature level, a velocity value indicative of a maximum increase in change of temperature level during the time period between the first point in time and the second point in time; comparing the velocity value with a predetermined threshold; and determining that the EGR valve is operational when the velocity value is higher than the predetermined threshold.

Methods and systems that monitor an actuator state of wear. One or more observations are made as to one or more extremum positions of the actuator to determine a reference extremum position when the actuator is not worn. As the actuator becomes worn, the difference between a present extremum position and the reference is used to monitor actuator wear. Actuator wear may be observed to identify or predict a need for maintenance or replacement, and/or may be used in determining health impacts of control system solutions.

The invention relates to a method for operating an internal combustion engine system (2), wherein the internal combustion engine system (2) is provided with an air intake duct (3), an exhaust gas duct (4) and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system (5), wherein the EGR system (5) comprises an EGR conduit (6) that fluidly connects the exhaust duct (4) and the intake duct (3), and wherein a gas feeding device (7) configured to feed exhaust gas from the exhaust duct (4) to the intake duct (3) is arranged in the EGR conduit (6). The method is characterized in that it comprises the step of: detecting an indication of accumulated deposits of soot, hydrocarbons or other contaminants in the gas feeding device (7) by determining whether a rotational friction of a rotary member (71, 72) of the gas feeding device (7) exceeds a threshold value. The invention also relates to an internal combustion engine system (2) configured for being operated by such a method and to a vehicle (1) provided with such an engine system (2). The invention further relates to means for controlling the above method.

The invention relates to a method for operating an internal combustion engine system (2), wherein the internal combustion engine system (2) is provided with an air intake duct (3), an exhaust gas duct (4) and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system (5), wherein the EGR system (5) comprises an EGR conduit (6) that fluidly connects the exhaust duct (4) and the intake duct (3), and wherein a gas feeding device (7) configured to feed exhaust gas from the exhaust duct (4) to the intake duct (3) is arranged in the EGR conduit (6). The method is characterized in that it comprises the step of: detecting an indication of accumulated deposits of soot, hydrocarbons or other contaminants in the gas feeding device (7) by determining whether a rotational friction of a rotary member (71, 72) of the gas feeding device (7) exceeds a threshold value. The invention also relates to an internal combustion engine system (2) configured for being operated by such a method and to a vehicle (1) provided with such an engine system (2). The invention further relates to means for controlling the above method.

The invention relates to a method for operating an internal combustion engine system (2), wherein the internal combustion engine system (2) is provided with an air intake duct (3), an exhaust gas duct (4) and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system (5), wherein the EGR system (5) comprises an EGR conduit (6) that fluidly connects the exhaust duct (4) and the intake duct (3), and wherein a gas feeding device (7) configured to feed exhaust gas from the exhaust duct (4) to the intake duct (3) is arranged in the EGR conduit (6). The method is characterized in that it comprises the step of: providing a flushing liquid in the EGR conduit (6) upstream of the EGR gas feeding device (7) so as to flush and clean the EGR gas feeding device (7). The invention also relates to an internal combustion engine system (2) configured for being operated by such a method and to a vehicle (1) provided with such an engine system (2). The invention further relates to means for controlling the above method.

The invention relates to a method for operating an internal combustion engine system (2), wherein the internal combustion engine system (2) is provided with an air intake duct (3), an exhaust gas duct (4) and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system (5), wherein the EGR system (5) comprises an EGR conduit (6) that fluidly connects the exhaust duct (4) and the intake duct (3), and wherein a gas feeding device (7) configured to feed exhaust gas from the exhaust duct (4) to the intake duct (3) is arranged in the EGR conduit (6). The method is characterized in that it comprises the step of: providing a flushing liquid in the EGR conduit (6) upstream of the EGR gas feeding device (7) so as to flush and clean the EGR gas feeding device (7). The invention also relates to an internal combustion engine system (2) configured for being operated by such a method and to a vehicle (1) provided with such an engine system (2). The invention further relates to means for controlling the above method.

A system is provided that includes a controller configured to determine one or more propulsion-generating vehicles in a group of propulsion-generating vehicles that have an increased risk for damage to an engine system based on operation at a fueling level that is less than a designated threshold fueling level for at least a designated time period. The controller is further configured to determine respective power outputs for the propulsion-generating vehicles in the group such that the one or more propulsion-generating vehicles having the increased risk for damage to the engine system do not operate below the designated threshold fueling level for longer than the designated time period.

A system is provided that includes a controller configured to determine one or more propulsion-generating vehicles in a group of propulsion-generating vehicles that have an increased risk for damage to an engine system based on operation at a fueling level that is less than a designated threshold fueling level for at least a designated time period. The controller is further configured to determine respective power outputs for the propulsion-generating vehicles in the group such that the one or more propulsion-generating vehicles having the increased risk for damage to the engine system do not operate below the designated threshold fueling level for longer than the designated time period.

An EGR device is provided with: an EGR passage for allowing a portion of exhaust gas from an engine to flow to an intake passage; an EGR valve for adjusting an EGR flow rate through the EGR passage; a throttle valve provided in the intake passage; and an electronic control device which calculates a fully closed reference intake pressure based on an operating state of the engine during EGR valve fully-closing, and which diagnoses an abnormality due to valve-opening locking of the EGR valve based on the calculated fully closed reference intake pressure. The ECU determines a foreign matter biting abnormality of the EGR valve based on the intake pressure, and based on the result of adding the fully closed reference intake pressure, calculated according to the rotational speed and the load of the engine, to an intake-pressure increase allowance calculated according to the rotational speed.

An EGR device is provided with: an EGR passage for allowing a portion of exhaust gas from an engine to flow to an intake passage; an EGR valve for adjusting an EGR flow rate through the EGR passage; a throttle valve provided in the intake passage; and an electronic control device which calculates a fully closed reference intake pressure based on an operating state of the engine during EGR valve fully-closing, and which diagnoses an abnormality due to valve-opening locking of the EGR valve based on the calculated fully closed reference intake pressure. The ECU determines a foreign matter biting abnormality of the EGR valve based on the intake pressure, and based on the result of adding the fully closed reference intake pressure, calculated according to the rotational speed and the load of the engine, to an intake-pressure increase allowance calculated according to the rotational speed.