Exhaust gas recirculation valve actuator device in an internal combustion engine, comprising an actuator body housing where the stem of an exhaust gas recirculation valve, extends along an axial direction. A motor acts to move the recirculation valve along the axial direction X-X, to pass from an open configuration to a closed configuration. A transmission is interposed between the motor and the exhaust gas recirculation valve. The device also includes support and guide mechanism and a sealing mechanism, in correspondence of a connection interface of the actuator body with an associable valve body, which houses an exhaust gas passage duct, wherein the actuator body is mechanically separable/connectable from/to said associable valve body.

Methods and systems are provided for determining changes in a flow area of an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve for EGR flow estimates due to soot accumulation on the EGR valve. In one example, a method includes indicating soot accumulation on the EGR valve based on a difference in EGR flow estimated with an intake oxygen sensor and with a pressure sensor coupled across the EGR valve. The determination of the difference of the EGR flow estimates may occur when the engine is not boosted.

There is provided an internal combustion engine control apparatus having an exhaust gas recirculation amount estimation unit that learns the relationship between an exhaust gas recirculation valve opening area calculated by an exhaust gas recirculation valve opening area calculation unit and an opening degree of the exhaust gas recirculation valve and estimates an recirculation amount of exhaust gas utilized in controlling an internal combustion engine, based on the relationship between the exhaust gas recirculation valve opening area and the opening degree of the exhaust gas recirculation valve.

The invention has an object to control an EGR amount accurately in transient time. An ECU switches EGR control to the one-valve EGR control and the both-valve EGR control based on a request EGR amount. When the EGR control is switched to the one-valve EGR control from the both-valve EGR control, an EGR valve of one bank is closed first. Next, during a time period until an opening degree restriction time period elapses after the EGR valve is closed, an opening degree of an EGR valve of the other bank is restricted to be smaller than a one-valve target opening degree. Subsequently, when the opening degree restriction time period elapses, restriction of the opening degree of the EGR valve is cancelled, and the opening degree of the EGR valve is changes to the one-valve target opening degree.

The invention has an object to control an EGR amount accurately in transient time. An ECU switches EGR control to the one-valve EGR control and the both-valve EGR control based on a request EGR amount. When the EGR control is switched to the one-valve EGR control from the both-valve EGR control, an EGR valve of one bank is closed first. Next, during a time period until an opening degree restriction time period elapses after the EGR valve is closed, an opening degree of an EGR valve of the other bank is restricted to be smaller than a one-valve target opening degree. Subsequently, when the opening degree restriction time period elapses, restriction of the opening degree of the EGR valve is cancelled, and the opening degree of the EGR valve is changes to the one-valve target opening degree.

An internal combustion engine having intake and exhaust manifolds, a turbocharger with a compressor, and at least one of: an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve and a variable geometry turbine (VGT). The system further includes a control computer configured to determine at least one of torque demand, pressure across the compressor, and pressure gradient ratio between the exhaust manifold and the intake manifold relative to one of exhaust manifold pressure, intake manifold pressure, and 1. The control computer performs at least one of: closing the EGR valve in response to the determined at least one of torque demand, pressure across the compressor, and pressure gradient ratio, and lessening restriction provided by the variable geometry turbine responsive to the determined at least one of torque demand, pressure across the compressor, and pressure gradient between the exhaust manifold and the intake manifold.

An internal combustion engine having intake and exhaust manifolds, a turbocharger with a compressor, and at least one of: an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve and a variable geometry turbine (VGT). The system further includes a control computer configured to determine at least one of torque demand, pressure across the compressor, and pressure gradient ratio between the exhaust manifold and the intake manifold relative to one of exhaust manifold pressure, intake manifold pressure, and 1. The control computer performs at least one of: closing the EGR valve in response to the determined at least one of torque demand, pressure across the compressor, and pressure gradient ratio, and lessening restriction provided by the variable geometry turbine responsive to the determined at least one of torque demand, pressure across the compressor, and pressure gradient between the exhaust manifold and the intake manifold.

A sensor is used to detect the position of a movable part, and comprises a pointer rigidly connected to the movable part and, a circuit structure interacting with the pointer. A component of the circuit structure is arranged on the side of the circuit structure facing away from the pointer.

A sensor is used to detect the position of a movable part, and comprises a pointer rigidly connected to the movable part and, a circuit structure interacting with the pointer. A component of the circuit structure is arranged on the side of the circuit structure facing away from the pointer.

An upper-limit threshold value and a lower-limit threshold value of a fore-and-aft differential pressure of an EGR control valve is calculated based on an intake-air quantity detected by an airflow meter. An actual fore-and-aft differential pressure of the EGR control valve is calculated from detected values of an upstream-side pressure sensor and a downstream-side pressure sensor. Then, these threshold values are compared with the actual fore-and-aft differential pressure, and when the actual fore-and-aft differential pressure exceeds the upper-limit threshold value or when the actual fore-and-aft differential pressure is less than the lower-limit threshold value, it is determined that the pressure loss of an intake and exhaust system has changed. If it is determined that the pressure loss of an intake and exhaust system has changed, EGR is inhibited, and if not so, EGR is permitted to be performed. These threshold values are varied depending on a target EGR rate.