A first member has a plated layer. A second member is pressed against the plated layer and causes a tensile stress in the first member. A breakage probability is a probability of breakage of the plated layer caused by the tensile stress. A characteristic line represents a relationship between an elastic modulus of the plated layer and the breakage probability. A characteristic slope of the characteristic line is a ratio of an increase in the breakage probability to a decrease in the elastic modulus. A characteristic change point appears on the characteristic line at which the elastic slope increases to exceed a predetermined slope as the elastic modulus gradually decreases. A characteristic change elastic modulus is the elastic modulus at the characteristic change point. The plated layer contains at least a chromium component and has the elastic modulus larger than the characteristic change elastic modulus.

A hybrid vehicle includes an engine, an exhaust gas recirculation device, a traveling motor, and a control device. The exhaust gas recirculation device includes a communication pipe that allows an exhaust pipe and an intake pipe of the engine to communicate with each other and a valve that is provided in the communication pipe. The control device is configured to perform foreign matter removal control for opening and closing the valve when foreign matter caught in the valve is detected and the hybrid vehicle stops.

A hybrid vehicle includes an engine, an exhaust gas recirculation device, a traveling motor, and a control device. The exhaust gas recirculation device includes a communication pipe that allows an exhaust pipe and an intake pipe of the engine to communicate with each other and a valve that is provided in the communication pipe. The control device is configured to perform foreign matter removal control for opening and closing the valve when foreign matter caught in the valve is detected and the hybrid vehicle stops.

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.

Methods and systems for unsticking a stuck gaspath actuator are disclosed. In one embodiment, an engine operating method includes adjusting exhaust valve timing of one or more cylinders of an engine in response to an indication that a gaspath actuator is stuck in position. In this way, pressure waves in an exhaust manifold and/or an intake manifold may be generated, which may act to unstick the gaspath actuator.

An exhaust gas recirculation structure includes an EGR cooler and an EGR duct, and the EGR duct includes an inflow portion into which the exhaust gas flowing out from the EGR cooler flows, a flow path, and an outflow portion from which the exhaust gas flows out. The flow path is provided such that the height on the side of the inflow portion is lower than the height on the side of the outflow portion, and has a region in which the distance between the center line of a flow path cross section of the flow path and a line along the lowest end in the height direction gradually increases from the outflow portion side toward the inflow portion side.

An exhaust gas recirculation structure includes an EGR cooler and an EGR duct, and the EGR duct includes an inflow portion into which the exhaust gas flowing out from the EGR cooler flows, a flow path, and an outflow portion from which the exhaust gas flows out. The flow path is provided such that the height on the side of the inflow portion is lower than the height on the side of the outflow portion, and has a region in which the distance between the center line of a flow path cross section of the flow path and a line along the lowest end in the height direction gradually increases from the outflow portion side toward the inflow portion side.