Methods and systems for operating an engine with an electrically heated catalyst and an electrically driven compressor are described. In one example, the electrically driven compressor and the electrically heated catalyst are activated before an engine start so that vehicle emissions may be reduced more efficiently at engine starting and thereafter.

An exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) passage is connected with an intake passage (a bypass passage bypassing a supercharger) of an engine. The EGR passage includes, in a position close to a connection port to the intake passage, an expanding portion in which a passage cross-sectional area expands and which lowers a flow speed of EGR gas so as to reduce an uneven flow, in the connection port, of the EGR gas flowing into the intake passage.

The engine control method includes a fuel supply step and an ignition step. In the fuel supply step, the injector supplies fuel into a combustion chamber. In the ignition step, an spark plug arranged in the combustion chamber makes a flame after the supply of the fuel into the combustion chamber and at a timing when a flow strength in the combustion chamber is greater than a predetermined value in a compression stroke during or before a post-mid stage where the compression stroke is divided into four stages of a pre-stage, a pre-mid stage, a post-mid stage, and a post-stage.

An apparatus of controlling a hybrid vehicle includes: an engine configured to generate power by combustion of fuel; a driving motor configured to assist power of the engine and selectively operate as a power generator to generate electric energy; an HSG configured to start the engine and selectively operate as a power generator to generate electric energy; a clutch provided between the engine and the driving motor; a battery configured to supply electric energy to the driving motor or charge electric energy generated in the driving motor; an EGR apparatus configured to resupply exhaust gas discharged from the engine to the engine; an electric supercharger in which outside air supplied to combustion chambers flows; and a controller configured to variably control a travelling mode, an operating point, a lock charge through the driving motor and the HSG, and a shifting pattern based on a required torque of a driver and a SOC of the battery.

An internal combustion engine is provided with: an electric supercharger including an electric compressor; an EGR introduction port formed upstream of the electric compressor; a throttle valve A arranged upstream of the EGR introduction port; and a control device. A throttle valve B other than the throttle valve A is not arranged in the intake air passage. The control device is configured, in a non-supercharging region, to execute a first air flow rate adjustment processing that adjusts an intake air flow rate by adjusting the opening degree of the throttle valve A while driving the electric supercharger to cause a pressure ratio of the electric compressor to approach 1; and a second air flow rate adjustment processing that adjusts the intake air flow rate by adjusting the opening degree of the throttle valve A while not energizing the electric supercharger.

An internal combustion engine is provided with: an electric supercharger including an electric compressor; an EGR introduction port formed upstream of the electric compressor; a throttle valve A arranged upstream of the EGR introduction port; and a control device. A throttle valve B other than the throttle valve A is not arranged in the intake air passage. The control device is configured, in a non-supercharging region, to execute a first air flow rate adjustment processing that adjusts an intake air flow rate by adjusting the opening degree of the throttle valve A while driving the electric supercharger to cause a pressure ratio of the electric compressor to approach 1; and a second air flow rate adjustment processing that adjusts the intake air flow rate by adjusting the opening degree of the throttle valve A while not energizing the electric supercharger.

An air intake passage (30) has a third passage (37) that connects an intercooler (36) and a bottom portion of a surge tank (38) such that the intercooler (36) is positioned below the surge tank (38). A pair of wall portions (71, 72) configured to catch moisture is formed in a section from an upstream end portion of the third passage (37) to a connected portion between said third passage (37) and the surge tank (38).

The engine control method includes a fuel supply step and an ignition step. In the fuel supply step, the injector supplies fuel into a combustion chamber. In the ignition step, an spark plug arranged in the combustion chamber makes a flame after the supply of the fuel into the combustion chamber and at a timing when a flow strength in the combustion chamber is greater than a predetermined value in a compression stroke during or before a post-mid stage where the compression stroke is divided into four stages of a pre-stage, a pre-mid stage, a post-mid stage, and a post-stage.

An engine control method includes: a first fuel supply step of supplying fuel into the combustion chamber using an injector when a spark plug makes flame in the combustion chamber so that an air-fuel mixture is generated at least around the spark plug, the air-fuel mixture having an air-fuel mass ratio A/F or a gas-fuel mass ratio G/F, in which gas includes air, higher than a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio; after the first fuel supply step, an ignition step of making the flame in the combustion chamber in the compression stroke using the spark plug; and after the ignition step, a second fuel supply step of supplying the fuel into the combustion chamber in the compression stroke using the injector to increase a fuel concentration of the air-fuel mixture in the combustion chamber.

A determination is made whether or not the condition that the amount V of condensed water remaining in an intake passage has exceeded a predetermined upper limit has been met, based on an input parameter associated with the amount V. If, during an engine operation in an unsupercharged mode, a determination is made that the condition has been met, a condensed water discharging operation of a supercharger is performed such that the condensed water remaining is discharged to a cylinder of the engine through operation of the supercharger.