CN104822913A - PCV valve and pollution control system - Google Patents

Abstract

A PCV valve and a pollution control system of an internal combustion engine. The PCV valve has an inlet and an outlet adapted to vent blow-by gases from a crankcase of an internal combustion engine. The inlet of the PCV valve is in fluid communication with an engine oil cap port on the engine oil inlet pipe. The PCV valve may be integrally formed with the engine oil cover, or connected thereto by a hose. The outlet end of the PCV valve directs the exhausted blow-by gases to the fuel/air inlet into the combustion chamber of the engine. The combination of the PCV valve and the oil cap facilitates the installation of the system on an internal combustion engine.

Description

PCV valve and pollution control system

technical field

The present invention generally relates to systems for controlling pollution. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system that filters engine fuel by-products for recycling through a PCV valve assembly in order to reduce exhaust emissions and improve engine performance.

Background technique

The basic operation of standard internal combustion engines varies somewhat based on the type of combustion process, number of cylinders, and intended use/functionality. For example, in a conventional two-stroke engine, oil is premixed with fuel and air before entering the crankcase. The oil/fuel/air mixture is drawn into the crankcase by the vacuum created by the pistons during suction. The oil/fuel mixture provides lubrication for the cylinder walls, crankshaft and connecting rod bearings in the crankcase. In a standard gasoline engine, the fuel is then compressed in the combustion chamber and ignited by a spark plug causing the fuel to combust. There are no spark plugs in a diesel engine, so combustion in a diesel engine is only a result of heat and compression in the combustion chamber. The piston is then pushed downwards, allowing exhaust gases to exit the cylinder as the piston exposes the exhaust port. The piston movement pressurizes the remaining oil/fuel in the crankcase and allows additional fresh oil/fuel/air to rush into the cylinder, simultaneously pushing the remaining waste out of the exhaust port. As the process repeats, momentum drives the piston back to the compression stroke.

Alternatively, in a four-stroke engine, the lubricating oil for the crankshaft and connecting rod bearings is separated from the fuel/air mixture. Here, the crankcase is mainly filled with air and oil. It is the intake manifold that receives and mixes fuel and air from different sources. The fuel/air mixture in the intake manifold is drawn into the combustion chamber where it is ignited (in a standard gasoline engine) by a spark plug and burns. In a diesel engine, the fuel/air mixture is ignited by the heat and pressure in the combustion chamber. The combustion chamber is largely enclosed from the crankcase by a set of piston rings disposed around the outer diameter of the piston within the piston cylinder. This keeps the oil in the crankcase rather than having it burn as part of the combustion stroke as in a two-stroke engine. Unfortunately, the piston ring cannot completely seal the piston cylinder. Consequently, crankcase oil intended to lubricate the cylinder is instead drawn into the combustion chamber and burned during the combustion process. In addition, combustion exhaust gas includes unburned fuel and exhaust gas in the cylinder, which pass through the piston rings at the same time and then enter the crankcase. Exhaust gas entering the crankcase is commonly referred to as "blow-by" or "blow-by gas".

Blowby is mainly caused by pollutants such as hydrocarbons (unburned fuel), carbon dioxide or water vapor, all of which can cause damage to the engine crankcase. The amount of blowby gas in the crankcase may be several times the concentration of hydrocarbons in the intake manifold. Simply venting these gases into the atmosphere increases the pollution in the air. But trapping the blow-by air in the crankcase causes these pollutants to condense out of the air and accumulate therein over time. The condensed contaminants form corrosive acids and sludge inside the crankcase that dilutes the lubricating oil. This reduces the ability of the oil to lubricate the cylinder and the crankshaft. Deteriorating oil that fails to properly lubricate the crankcase components (eg, the crankshaft and the connecting rods) can be a factor in poor engine performance. Insufficient crankcase lubrication can cause unnecessary wear of the piston rings while degrading the quality of the seal between the combustion chamber and the crankcase. As the engine ages, the gap between the piston rings and the cylinder wall increases, causing a large amount of blow-by air to enter the crankcase. Too much blow-by air into the crankcase can cause power loss and even engine failure. Also, condensation in this blow-by air may cause engine components to rust.

These problems are particularly pronounced with diesel engines. Diesel engines burn diesel fuel, which is greasy and heavier than gasoline. When burned, diesel fuel produces carcinogens, particulate matter (soot), and NOx (nitrogen pollutants). That's why most diesel engines are associated with the image of big rig trucks spewing black smoke from their exhaust pipes. Likewise, the blow-by gas produced in the crankcase of a diesel engine is greasy and heavier than that produced by gasoline. Therefore, crankcase ventilation systems for diesel engines have been developed to remedy the blow-by gases present in the crankcase. Typically, a crankcase ventilation system exhausts blow-by gases from a positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve and introduces them into the intake manifold for re-combustion. In a diesel engine, this diesel blow-by is heavier and greasy than in a gasoline engine. Therefore, the diesel blow-by gases must be filtered before they can be recycled through the intake manifold.

The PCV valve recirculates (ie exhausts) blow-by air from the crankcase back to the intake manifold to resupply air/fuel during combustion for reburning. This is especially desirable since harmful blow-by air cannot easily be vented into the atmosphere. The crankcase ventilation system should also be designed to limit (or ideally eliminate) blowby air in the crankcase so that the crankcase remains as clean as possible. Early PCV valves consisted of simple one-way check valves. The PCV valves rely solely on the pressure differential between the crankcase and the intake manifold to function properly. As the piston travels downward during intake, the air pressure in the intake manifold becomes lower than the surrounding atmosphere. This result is often referred to as "engine vacuum". The vacuum forces air towards the intake manifold. Thus, air can be drawn from the crankcase into the intake manifold through the conduit provided by the PCV valve therebetween. The PCV valve basically opens a one-way passage, allowing blow-by gases to escape from the crankcase back to the intake manifold. In the event of a change in pressure differential (ie, the pressure in the intake manifold becomes relatively higher than the pressure in the crankcase), the PCV valve closes and prevents gases from leaving the intake manifold and entering the crankcase. Thus, the PCV valve is a "positive" crankcase ventilation system in which gases are only allowed to flow in one direction - out of the crankcase and into the intake manifold. The one-way check valve is basically an all-or-nothing valve. That is, when the pressure in the intake manifold is relatively less than the pressure in the crankcase, the valve is fully open during this period. Alternatively, the valve is fully closed when the pressure in the crankcase is relatively less than the pressure in the intake manifold. The PCV valve based on the one-way check valve cannot account for the variation of blow-by gas existing in the crankcase at any time. The amount of blowby gas variation in the crankcase will vary under different driving conditions and because of the make and model of the engine.

The design of the PCV valve has been improved beyond the basic one-way check valve to better regulate the amount of blow-by air expelled from the crankcase to the intake manifold. The design of the PC valve uses a spring to position an internal restrictor (like a cone or disc) relative to the vent through which the blow-by air flows from the crankcase to the intake manifold. The internal restrictor is positioned near the vent at a distance proportional to the extent of engine vacuum relative to spring tension. The purpose of the spring is to react to changes in vacuum pressure between the crankcase and the intake manifold. This design is intended to improve the fully open or fully closed one-way check valve. For example, at idle, the engine vacuum pressure is high. The spring-biased restrictor is set to vent a large amount of blow-by at large pressure differentials even though the engine is producing a relatively small amount of blow-by. The spring positions the internal restrictor substantially allowing air to flow from the crankcase to the intake manifold. During acceleration, the engine vacuum decreases as the engine load increases. Therefore, even if the engine is producing more blowby air, the spring can push the internal restrictor down, reducing the flow of air from the crankcase to the intake manifold. As the vehicle moves towards a constant speed, vacuum pressure increases as acceleration decreases (i.e. engine load decreases). Again, the spring will pull the internal restrictor back away from the vent to a position that substantially allows air to flow from the crankcase to the intake manifold. In this case, it is desirable to increase the flow of air from the crankcase to the intake manifold by virtue of the pressure difference, since the engine will generate more blowby air at cruise speeds due to higher engine speeds. Therefore, this PCV valve improvement relying solely on engine vacuum and spring biased restrictors does not allow for optimal blow-by air discharge from the crankcase to the intake manifold, especially at varying vehicle speeds (eg, city driving or stop-and-go highway traffic).

A key point about crankcase ventilation is that engine vacuum varies as a function of engine load, not engine speed and blowby, and to some extent, engine speed, not engine load. For example, engine vacuum is high when engine speed remains relatively constant (eg, idling or driving at a constant speed). Thus, the amount of engine vacuum exhibited when the engine is idling (perhaps 900 revolutions per minute (rpm)) is essentially equivalent to cruising at a constant speed on the highway (eg between 2500 and 2800rpm) The amount of engine vacuum exhibited. The blowby production rate at 2500rpm is much higher than at 900rpm. However, because a spring-based PCV valve experiences similar pressure differences between the intake manifold and the crankcase at different engine speeds, the spring-based PCV valve cannot decide between 2500rpm and 900rpm Leakage yield gap. The spring only responds to changes in air pressure, which is a function of engine load and not engine speed. For example, engine load typically increases when accelerating or climbing a hill. As the vehicle accelerates, blowby air production increases, but the engine vacuum decreases due to increased engine load. Therefore, the spring-based PCV valve may not exhaust enough blow-by air from the crankcase under acceleration. Because the spring responds only to engine vacuum, such a spring-based PCV valve system cannot eliminate blow-by gas that is primarily produced by blow-by.

US Patent No. 5,228,424 to Collins, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, is an example of a two-stage spring-based PCV valve for regulating blow-by gas from the crankcase to the intake manifold. Specifically, Collins discloses a PCV valve having two discs therein to regulate air flow between the crankcase and the intake manifold. The first disc has a set of holes therein and is disposed between the vent and the second disc. The second disc is sized to cover the holes of the first disc. When little or no vacuum exists, the second disk is held against the first disk, causing both disks to remain against the vent. The new result is that a small gas flow will be allowed to pass through the PCV valve. Increased engine vacuum pushes the puck against the spring and away from the vent, allowing more blow-by air to flow from the crankcase, through the PCV valve and back into the intake manifold. The presence of a slight amount of engine vacuum will cause at least the second disc to move away from the first disc, allowing a small amount of blow-by air to escape from the engine crankcase through the holes of the first disc. Whenever the position of the throttle indicates that the engine is operating at a low constant speed (eg, idling), the first disc generally substantially covers the vent. When the vehicle accelerates, the first puck may move away from the vent to increase the rate at which the blow-by air exits the crankcase. The first disc may also move away from the vent when the throttle position indicates that the engine is accelerating or operating at a higher constant speed. The position of the first disc is primarily based on the position of the throttle valve, while the position of the second disc is primarily based on the vacuum pressure between the intake manifold and the crankcase. However, blowby air production is not based solely on vacuum pressure, throttle position, or a combination thereof. Instead, blowby output is based on a number of different factors, including engine load. Consequently, Collins' PCV valve also does not properly vent blow-by gas from the crankcase to the intake manifold as the engine load varies at similar throttle positions.

Maintenance of the PCV valve is important and relatively simple. This lubricating oil must be changed periodically to remove harmful contaminants that may remain in it over time. Failure to change this oil at appropriate intervals (typically every 3,000 to 6,000 miles) may result in sludge contamination of the PCV valve system. A clogged PCV valve system will eventually damage the engine. Assuming the lubricating oil is changed at appropriate intervals, the PCV valve system should remain clean for the life of the engine.

Prior art pollution control systems required the crankcase or similar engine compartment containing the blow-by gas to be perforated or drilled in order to recycle the blow-by gas. Such opening or drilling of the crankcase risks damaging the engine block or compromising the integrity of the engine. In addition, because of the difficulty of installing a new PCV valve into the engine compartment or removing and replacing it close to the existing PCV valve, the movement of installing a PCV valve on the engine, whether OEM or aftermarket Either can be a complex or time-consuming process.

Therefore, there is a need for a pollution control system or corresponding PCV valve that is simpler, more convenient and less costly to install. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides other related advantages.

Contents of the invention

The present invention relates to a PCV valve suitable for discharging blow-by gas from the crankcase of an internal combustion engine. The inlet of the PCV valve of the present invention is in fluid communication with a port on the engine oil cap configured to attach an oil fill tube to the crankcase. The outlet of the PCV valve of the present invention is configured to be in fluid communication with the fuel/air inlet of the internal combustion engine. The PCV valve of the present invention includes a two-stage check valve between the inlet and the outlet. The first stage of the check valve is for opening or closing by a solenoid mechanism in response to the controller. The second stage of the check valve is biased in a closed position so as to open only when the vacuum pressure within the engine is greater than a predetermined threshold.

The inlet of the PCV valve can be fluidly connected to the port on the engine oil cover by a hose. Alternatively, the inlet of the PCV valve can be coextensive with the port on the engine oil cap, so that the engine oil cap is integrally formed with the PCV valve, and the inlet of the PCV valve is the port on the engine oil cap. A filter screen preferably covers the ports in the hood.

In pollution control systems, the PCV valve is again adapted to discharge blow-by gas from the crankcase of the internal combustion engine. The inlet of the PCV valve is in fluid communication with a port on the engine oil cover of the internal combustion engine so that the blow-by gas is exhausted through the oil fill tube of the crankcase. The outlet of the PCV valve is in fluid communication with the fuel/air inlet of the internal combustion engine. The PCV valve again includes a two-stage check valve, wherein the first stage is directed by the controller and the second stage is compatible with OEM settings such that the check valve only operates when the controller fails. Only open under sufficient vacuum pressure. The controller is coupled to sensors for monitoring operating characteristics of the internal combustion engine. The controller is configured to selectively adjust engine vacuum pressure to adjustably increase or decrease blow-by fluid flow rate from the internal combustion engine.

The inlet of the PCV valve can be coextensive with the port on the engine oil cap, so that the PCV valve is integrally formed with the engine oil cap, and the inlet of the PCV valve is the port on the engine oil cap. A filter screen may be included over the port in the engine oil cap.

The outlet of the PCV valve can be in fluid communication with a recirculation line on an OEM pollution control system that is drained directly from the crankcase and that recirculation line feeds the fuel/air inlet. The fuel/air inlet may be an intake manifold, a fuel line, an air line, or a fresh air intake. The fuel/air inlet may be a fresh air intake duct for an air filter supply to the supercharger of the internal combustion engine.

The system can also include an oil separator in fluid communication with the outlet of the PCV valve. The oil outlet of the oil separator is in fluid communication with the crankcase of the internal combustion engine. The gas outlet of the oil separator is in fluid communication with the fuel/air inlet of the internal combustion engine.

The internal combustion engine can operate with gasoline, methanol, diesel, ethanol, compressed natural gas, liquefied propane gas, hydrogen, or alcohol-based fuels.

The controller may decrease the engine vacuum pressure to decrease fluid flow through the PCV valve during reduced production blowby and increase the engine vacuum pressure to increase fluid flow through the PCV valve during increased production blowby. The controller preferably includes a pre-programmed software program, a flash updateable software program, or a behavior learning software program. The controller may also include a wireless transmitter or a wireless receiver. The controller may also include a window switch coupled to an engine speed sensor, wherein the engine vacuum pressure is adjusted based on a predetermined engine speed or engine speeds set by the window switch.

The controller may also include a power-on delay timer to prevent the flow of blow-by gas for a predetermined duration after activation of the internal combustion engine. The predetermined duration of the power-on delay timer may be a function of time, engine temperature, or engine speed. The sensors may include engine temperature sensors, spark plug sensors, accelerometer sensors, PCV valve sensor timing or exhaust sensors. Additionally, the operating characteristics include engine temperature, number of engine cylinders, instant acceleration calculation timing, or engine speed.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be described in more detail below, and will become apparent by illustrating the principle of the present invention by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Description of drawings

The drawings illustrate the invention. In a drawing like this:

Figure 1 schematically shows a pollution control device for a diesel engine, with a controller operatively coupled to a plurality of sensors and a PCV valve.

Figure 2 schematically shows the general behavior of a PCV valve system within an internal combustion engine.

Figure 3 schematically shows the general behavior of an alternative embodiment of a PCV valve system in an internal combustion engine.

Figure 4 schematically illustrates the general behavior of another alternative embodiment of a PCV valve system in an internal combustion engine.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a PCV valve combined with an oil cap for use in the system of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the PCV valve and oil cap of Fig. 5 .

7 is a partially exploded perspective view of the PCV valve of FIG. 6 showing components of the air restrictor.

FIG. 8 is a partially exploded perspective view of the PCV valve of FIG. 6 showing the partial vacuum of the air restrictor.

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the PCV valve taken along line 9-9 of Figure 5, showing no air flow.

Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of the PCV valve taken along line 10-10 of Figure 5, showing restricted air flow.

Figure 11 is another cross-sectional view of the PCV valve taken along line 11-11 of Figure 5, showing complete air flow.

Figure 12 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a PCV valve in combination with an oil cap for use in the system of the present invention.

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the oil separator of the present invention.

Fig. 14 is an exploded view of the oil separator of Fig. 13 .

Detailed ways

In the drawings shown, the pollution control system for internal combustion engines of the present invention is generally indicated by reference numeral 10 for convenience of description. In FIG. 1 , a pollution control system 10 is shown generally having a controller 12 preferably mounted on the hood 14 of an automobile 16 . The controller 12 is electrically coupled to any one of a plurality of sensors for monitoring and measuring the real-time operating conditions and performance of the vehicle 16 . The controller 12 regulates the engine vacuum in the internal combustion engine through the digital control of the PCV valve 18 , thereby regulating the flow rate of the blow-by gas. Controller 12 receives immediate inputs from sensors, which may include engine temperature sensor 20 , battery sensor 24 , PCV valve sensor 26 , engine speed sensor 28 , accelerometer sensor 30 , and exhaust sensor 32 . Data obtained from sensors 20 to 32 by controller 12 is used to adjust PCV valve 18 as described in more detail below.

Controller 12 may also control other devices in the vehicle engine. Controller 12 may control the flow rate of oil out of oil filter or oil separator 19 . The controller 12 may also regulate the engine temperature, as well as the charge chamber, which is designed to determine whether the fuel is returned to the fuel line or returned to the vacuum manifold by aerating and mixing the fuel before reintroducing it. If the pollution control system 10 fails, the controller 12 may also adjust the purge system, which triggers the engine to revert to the OEM system, whether it is the OEM's PCV system or another type of blow-by management system. Controller 12 may also provide an alert to the operator of the engine. The alarm can flash an LED readout to report what the engine actually senses and receive an alarm in case of failure. Alarms like warnings or illuminated signals can convey this sensed condition. Controller 12 can be fully upgraded with flash memory or other similar components. This means that the same controller 12 and system 10 can be used with almost any type of engine with all different types of fuel. Pollution control system 10 is applicable to any internal combustion engine. For example, pollution control system 10 may be used with gasoline, methanol, diesel, ethanol, compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied propane gas (LPG), hydrogen, alcohol-based fuels, or virtually any other combustible gas and/or steam engine. This includes two-stroke and four-stroke IC engines and all light, medium and heavy duty configurations.

2-4 show schematic diagrams of the pollution control system 10 for use with an internal combustion engine 36 . As shown, PCV valve 18 (and optionally oil separator 19 ) is disposed between crankcase 35 and intake manifold 38 of engine 36 . In operation, intake manifold 38 receives air via line 42 . An air filter 44 may be disposed between the air line 42 and the air intake line 46 to filter fresh air into the pollution control system 10 . Air in intake manifold 38 is delivered to piston cylinder 48 as piston 50 is depressed from top dead center into cylinder 48 . When the piston 50 is depressed, a vacuum is created in the combustion chamber 52 . Accordingly, the input camshaft 54 , running at half the speed of the crankshaft 34 , is designed to open the input valve 56 , thereby subjecting the intake manifold 38 to this engine vacuum. Accordingly, air is drawn from intake manifold 38 into combustion chamber 52 .

Once piston 50 is at the bottom of piston cylinder 48 , the vacuum effect ceases and air is no longer drawn from intake manifold 38 into combustion chamber 52 . At this point, piston 50 begins to move back up from piston cylinder 48 while the air within combustion chamber 52 is compressed. Fuel is then injected from fuel line 40 directly into combustion chamber 52 . The injection can further be assisted by compressed air in the compressed air line. Depending on the type of fuel, combustion can be produced by spark, compression, heat, or other known methods. The fuel ignites after it is injected into the combustion chamber.

The ignited fuel/air diffuses rapidly in the combustion chamber 52 causing the piston 50 within the cylinder 48 to descend. After combustion, exhaust camshaft 60 opens exhaust valve 62 to allow combustion gases from combustion chamber 52 to escape from exhaust line 64 . Typically, during the combustion cycle, an excess portion of the exhaust gases, "blowby", passes through a pair of piston rings 66 mounted on the head 68 of the piston 50 .

These blow-by gases enter the crankcase 35 and become high-pressure and high-temperature gases. Over time, harmful exhaust gases such as hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide, as well as particulates, can condense or settle out of the gaseous state in these blow-by gases, coat the interior of the crankcase 35, and Will mix with the oil 70 used to lubricate the internal mechanisms of the crankcase 35 . The diesel pollution control system 10 is designed to recycle the contents of these blowby gases from the crankcase 35 back to the combustion air intake for combustion by the engine 36 . This is achieved by utilizing the pressure differential between crankcase 35 and intake manifold 38 .

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment in which the PCV valve 18 communicates with the crankcase 35 through the engine oil cap 37 . An engine oil cap 37 is mounted on an oil inlet pipe 39 into the crankcase 35 . The oil inlet tube 39 is preferably the same port that allows oil to be added to the engine 36 . In this embodiment, the PCV valve 18 is integrally formed with the engine oil cap 37 such that the inlet port 84 of the PCV valve 18 opens to the inlet pipe 39 through the oil cap 37 . In this way, blow-by air is drawn from the crankcase 35 , up the inlet pipe 39 , and through the oil cap 37 . A filter screen 85 ( FIG. 5 ) may be incorporated into the interior of the oil cap 37 to trap and remove at least a portion of the oil therefrom as the blow-by air passes through the screen 85 . An outlet port 86 of PCV valve 18 is in fluid communication with intake manifold 38 for passing the blow-by gas back to combustion chamber 52 . This blow-by gas may be supplied directly to intake manifold 38 , air line 42 , fresh air line 46 or fuel line 40 . In certain types of engines 36, particularly those having a supercharger 45 for alternating operating states between vacuum and positive pressure, the blow-by air is preferably fed to an air filter 44 preceding the supercharger 45. . PCV valve 18 is electrically connected to controller 12 for control as described elsewhere herein.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment in which the PCV valve 18 also communicates with the crankcase 35 through the engine oil cap 37 . In this embodiment, however, the PCV valve 18 is connected to the engine oil cap 37 by a hose 43 . The hose 43 connects the inlet port 84 of the PCV valve 18 with a mating port 87 through the oil cap 37 . Similar to the previous embodiment, blowby air is drawn from the crankcase 35 , up the inlet pipe 39 , through the oil cap 37 and hose 43 , and into the PCV valve 18 . A filter screen 85 may be incorporated into the interior of the oil cap 37 . The outlet port 86 of the PCV valve 18 is in fluid communication with the intake manifold 38 to allow the blow-by gas to return to the combustion chamber 52 . However, the outlet 86 of the PCV valve 18 may first pass through the oil separator 19, as described below. Blow-by air from outlet port 174 of oil separator 19 may be supplied directly to intake manifold 38 , air line 42 , fresh air line 46 or fuel line 40 . PCV valve 18 is electrically connected to controller 12 for control as described elsewhere herein.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment in which the PCV valve 18 also communicates with the crankcase 35 through the engine oil cap 37 . In this embodiment, the PCV valve 18 is integrally formed with the engine oil cap 37 as well, but may be configured as shown in FIG. 3 . As with the other embodiments, this blow-by gas is drawn from the crankcase 35 , up the inlet pipe 39 , and through the oil cap 37 . A filter screen 85 can also be incorporated into the interior of the oil cap 37 . In this embodiment, the PCV valve 18 is mounted to an OEM PCV valve system, which is connected to the outlet port 72 on the crankcase 35. Exhaust line 74 connects outlet port 72 to OEM PCV valve 21 , which in turn connects to intake manifold 38 or other engine inlet via return line 76 . The outlet 86 of the PCV valve 18 is in fluid communication with the return line 76 of the OEM PCV system to allow the blow-by gas to return to the combustion chamber 52 in the same manner. PCV valve 18 is electrically connected to controller 12 for control as described elsewhere herein. In this embodiment, the leak is primarily through the PCV valve 18 of the system of the present invention as the path of least resistance. OEM PCV systems tend to have smaller holes or ports than those in the PCV valve system 10 of the present invention. Since the flow rate of the blow-by gas is dependent on the pressure differential, ie the vacuum created during the piston cycle, the blow-by gas will follow the path of least restriction.

In operation, this blow-by gas exits the relatively high pressure crankcase 35 through the PCV valve 18 and returns to the combustion chamber 52 of the engine 36 . Fuel line 40 may receive purer fuel vapors, while less pure blow-by gases may be expelled from crankcase 35 to intake manifold 38 via blow-by line 41 . This process is digitally regulated by the controller 12, as shown in FIG. 1 . Fuel vapors sent to fuel line 40 may pass through the fuel filter before being reintroduced into engine 36 .

PCV valve 18 in FIG. 5 is generally electrically coupled to controller 12 via a pair of electrical connections 78 . The controller 12 at least partially regulates the amount of blow-by gas flowing through the PCV valve 18 via the electrical connection 78 . In FIG. 5 , the PCV valve 18 includes a rubber housing 80 surrounding a portion of a rigid housing 82 . Connector wires 78 extend from housing 82 through apertures (not shown) therein. Preferably, the housing 82 is unitary and includes an air inlet 84 and an air outlet 86 . Generally speaking, controller 12 operates a restrictor within housing 82 for regulating the rate at which blowby air enters intake port 84 and exits exhaust port 86 .

FIG. 6 shows an exploded perspective view of the PCV valve 18 . Rubber housing 80 covers end cap 88 , which is substantially sealed to housing 82 , surrounding solenoid mechanism 90 and air flow restrictor 92 . Solenoid mechanism 90 includes a plunger 94 disposed within a solenoid 96 . Connector wires 78 operate solenoid coils 96 and extend through end cap 88 via holes 98 in end cap 88 . Likewise, rubber housing 80 includes holes (not shown) to allow connector wires 78 to be electrically coupled to controller 12 .

Generally, engine vacuum present in intake manifold 38 causes blow-by air to be drawn from crankcase 35 through intake port 84 in PCV valve 18 and expelled through exhaust port 86 in PCV valve 18 . The air flow restrictor 92 shown in FIG. 6 is a mechanism for regulating the amount of blow-by air discharged from the crankcase 35 to the intake manifold 38 . Adjusting the blow-by gas flow rate is particularly advantageous because the pollution control system 10 is able to increase the rate at which blow-by gas is expelled from the crankcase 35 during periods of higher blow-by air production and decrease the rate at which blow-by gas is expelled from the crankcase 35 during periods of lower blow-by air production. . The controller 12 is coupled to a plurality of sensors 20-32 to monitor the overall efficiency and operation of the vehicle 16, and operates the PCV valve 18 in real-time to maximize blow-by gas recirculation based on the measurements obtained by the sensors 20-32. use.

The operating characteristics and yield of blow-by are unique to each engine, and each vehicle has an individual engine installed therein. Pollution control system 10 can be installed at the factory or post-manufacturing to maximize vehicle fuel efficiency, reduce harmful exhaust emissions, recycle oil and other gases, and remove pollutants within the crankcase. The purpose of the pollution control system 10 is to strategically drain blow-by gas from the crankcase 35 based on the blow-by gas production, filter the blow-by gas, and then recycle any oil and fuel from the blow-by gas. Accordingly, the controller 12 digitally adjusts and controls the PCV valve 18 based on engine speed and other operating characteristics as well as on-the-fly measurements taken by the sensors 20-32. Pollution control system 10 may be integrated into stationary engines for energy generation or for industrial use.

In particular, venting blow-by based on engine speed and other operating characteristics of the vehicle reduces the total amount of hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon dioxide, and particulate emissions. The pollution control system 10 recycles these gases and particulates by combusting them in a combustion cycle. So, there is no longer a large amount of pollutants coming out of the engine via the exhaust. Thus, the pollution control system 10 can reduce air pollution by as much as 40% to 50% per engine, increase output per gallon by as much as 20% to 30%, increase horsepower performance, and reduce engine wear (due to low carbon ) and reduce the oil change frequency by about 10 times. Considering that the United States consumes approximately 870 million gallons of oil per day, a 15% reduction in the recycling of leak air through pollution control systems10 would save 130 million gallons of oil per day in the United States alone. If the world consumes nearly 3.3 billion gallons of oil per day, about 500 million gallons of oil can be saved per day.

In one embodiment, the amount of blowby air entering the intake port 84 of the PCV valve 18 is generally regulated by an air flow restrictor 92 as shown in FIG. 6 . Air flow restrictor 92 includes a stem body 100 having a rear portion 102 , a middle portion 104 , and a front portion 106 . The diameter of the front portion 106 is slightly smaller than that of the rear portion 102 and the middle portion 104 . Front spring 108 is concentrically disposed over central portion 104 and front portion 106 , including over front face 110 of shaft 100 . The front spring 108 is preferably a helical spring whose diameter decreases from the air inlet 84 toward the front surface 110 . A retractable collar 112 separates the rear portion 102 from the central portion 104 and provides a place for a rear snap ring 114 to attach to the shaft 100 . The diameter of the front spring 108 should be close to or slightly smaller than the diameter of the rear snap ring 114 . Rear snap ring 114 is engaged to one side of front spring 108 , while rear spring 116 tapers from a wider diameter near solenoid 96 to a diameter close to or slightly smaller than rear snap ring 114 . The rear spring 116 is preferably a coil spring and is wedged between the front surface 118 of the solenoid 96 and the rear snap ring 114 . The front portion 106 also includes a shrink collar 120 that provides an attachment point to a front snap ring 122 . The diameter of the front snap ring 122 is smaller than the diameter of the tapered front spring 108 . The front snap ring 122 securely holds the front disc 124 on the front portion 106 of the shaft 100 . Thus, the front disc 124 is fixedly wedged between the front snap ring 122 and the front surface 110 . Front disc 124 has an inner diameter configured to slidably engage front portion 106 of shaft body 100 . The front spring 108 is sized to engage the rear disc 126, as described below.

Disc 124 and disc 126 control the amount of blow-by air entering intake port 84 and exiting exhaust port 86 . 7 and 8 show the air flow restrictor 92 assembled to the solenoid mechanism 90 and circumscribed to the rubber housing 80 and the housing 82 . Accordingly, plunger 94 is mounted within the rear portion of solenoid 96, as shown therein. Connector wire 78 is coupled to solenoid 96 and controls the position of plunger 94 within solenoid 96 by regulating the electrical current to solenoid 96 . Increasing or decreasing the current through the solenoid 96 correspondingly increases or decreases the magnetic field generated therein. The magnetized plunger 94 responds to changes in the magnetic field by sliding into or out of the solenoid 96 . Increasing the current conducted to the solenoid 96 through the connector wire 78 increases the magnetic field of the solenoid 96 and causes further restraint of the magnetized plunger 94 within the solenoid 96 . Conversely, reducing the current supplied to the solenoid 96 via the connector wire 78 reduces the electric field therein and causes the magnetized plunger 94 to slide out of the interior of the solenoid 96 . As will be shown in greater detail herein, the positioning of the plunger 94 on the solenoid 96 determines at least in part the amount of blow-by gas that may enter the intake port 84 at any given time. This is accomplished by the interaction of the plunger 94 with the shaft 100 and the corresponding front disc 124 secured thereto.

Figure 7 specifically shows the air flow restrictor 92 in the closed position. The rear portion 102 of the shaft 100 has an outer diameter approximately equal in size to the inner diameter of the solenoid coil 96 . Therefore, the rod body 100 can slide within the electromagnetic coil 96 . Due to the engagement of the rear portion 106 with the plunger 94, the position of the rod 100 within the housing 82 depends on the position of the plunger 94, as shown more particularly in FIGS. 9-11. As shown in FIG. 7 , the rear spring 116 is compressed between the front surface 118 of the solenoid 96 and the rear snap ring 114 . This compresses the rear disc 126 against the front disc 124 . Likewise, the front spring 108 is compressed between the rear snap ring 114 and the rear disc 126 . This allows the rear disc 126 to be separated from the front disc 124 as shown in FIG. 8 .

As better shown in FIGS. 9-11 (along lines 9-9, 10-10, and 11-11 of FIG. 5 ), the front disc 124 includes an extension 130 having a diameter that is smaller than the diameter of the base 132 . The bottom 132 of the rear disc 126 is approximately the diameter of the tapered front spring 108 . In this manner, the front spring 108 is secured over the extension 130 of the rear disc 126 to engage the flat surface of the larger diameter base 132 thereof. The inner diameter of the rear disc 126 is about the outer diameter of the middle part 104 of the rod body 100 , and its diameter is smaller than either the middle part 104 or the rear part 102 . In this regard, the front disc 124 is locked in place on the front portion 106 of the shaft 100 between the front surface 110 and the front snap ring 122 . Thus, the position of the front disc 124 is dependent on the position of the rod body 100 when coupled to the plunger 94 . The plunger 94 slides into or out of the solenoid 96, depending on the amount of current conducted through the connecting wire 78, as described above.

FIG. 8 shows the PCV valve 18 where the increased vacuum between the crankcase 35 and the intake manifold 38 causes the rear disc 126 to retract from the intake port 84 allowing air to flow therethrough. In this case, the engine vacuum pressure applied to the puck 126 must overcome the opposing force exerted by the front spring 108 . Here, a small amount of blow-by air may pass through the PCV valve 18 via a pair of holes 134 in the front disc 124 .

9 to 11 show the functioning of the PCV valve 18 according to the pollution control system 10 in more detail. Figure 9 shows the PCV valve 18 in the closed position. Here, no blow-by air can enter the intake port 84 . As shown, the front disc 124 is flush against a flange 136 defined in the intake port 84 . The diameter of the bottom 132 of the rear disc 126 extends over and surrounds the hole 134 in the front disc 124 to prevent any air flow through the air intake 84 . In this position, plunger 94 is disposed within solenoid 96 , thereby forcing rod 100 toward air inlet 84 . The rear spring 116 is thus compressed between the front surface 118 of the solenoid 96 and the rear snap ring 114 . Likewise, the front spring 108 is compressed between the rear snap ring 114 and the bottom 132 of the rear disc 126 .

FIG. 10 is an example showing a situation where the vacuum pressure applied to the crankcase by the intake manifold is greater than the pressure exerted by the front spring 108 placing the rear disc 126 flush with the front disc 124 . In this example, the rear disc 126 is slidable along the outer diameter of the shaft 100 thereby opening the aperture 134 in the front disc 124 . A limited amount of blowby air is allowed to enter the PCV valve 18 through the intake port 84, as indicated by the directional arrow therein. Of course, this blow-by gas exits the PCV valve 18 through the exhaust port 86, as indicated by the directional arrow therein. In the position shown in FIG. 10 , while the front disc 124 is maintained against the flange 136 , the flow of blowby air is still restricted. Therefore, only limited airflow is possible through the holes 134 . Increasing this engine vacuum will therefore increase the air pressure applied to the rear disc 126 . As a result, the front spring 108 is further compressed, causing the rear disc 126 to continue to move away from the front disc 124, thereby creating a larger airflow path for additional blow-by air to escape. Furthermore, the plunger 94 in the solenoid 96 can place the stem 100 within the PCV valve 18 to apply more or less pressure to the springs 108, 116 to restrict or allow airflow through the inlet 84, as Determined by the controller 12.

FIG. 11 shows another situation in which additional airflow is allowed to flow through the inlet 84 by withdrawing the plunger 94 from the solenoid 96 by changing the current through the connector wire 78 . Reducing the current flowing through the solenoid 96 reduces the corresponding magnetic field generated therein and causes the magnetizing plunger 94 to retract. Accordingly, the rod body 100 is retracted from the inlet port 84 along with the plunger 94 . This moves the front disc 124 away from the flange 136 allowing additional airflow into the intake ports 84 around the outer diameter of the front disc 124 . Of course, increased airflow through intake port 84 and blow-by gas expelled via exhaust port 86 increases the amount of blow-by gas expelled from crankcase 35 to intake manifold 38 . In one embodiment, plunger 94 allows full withdrawal of shaft 100 from housing 82 such that front disc 124 and rear disc 126 no longer restrict airflow through intake port 84 and exhaust port 86 . This is especially expected at high engine speeds and high engine loads due to the increased blowby production of the engine. Engine load is a more reliable indicator of blowby production than rpm. Additionally, stationary engines (ie, generators) or those that are not geared operate at a fixed speed. Thus, the system 10 or PCV valve 18 is preferably controlled based on sensed load conditions or on periodic on-off cycles (ie, 2 minutes on-2 minutes off). Of course, the springs 108 , 116 may be strained differently depending on the particular vehicle having the PCV valve 18 incorporated into the pollution control system 10 .

Controller 12 effectively controls the position of plunger 94 within solenoid 96 by increasing or decreasing the current flowing through connector wire 78 . The controller 12 itself may include various electronic circuits including switches, timers, interval timers, relay timers, or other known vehicle control modules. Controller 12 operates PCV valve 18 in response to the operation of one or more of these control modules. For example, controller 12 may include a RWS window switch module available from Baker Electronix, Inc. of Beckly, W.VA. The RWS module is an electrical switch to activate above a preselected engine speed and deactivate above a higher preselected engine speed. The RWS module is considered a "window switch" because the output is activated during the speed window. The RWS module may, for example, work in conjunction with the engine speed sensor 28 to regulate the flow rate of blow-by gas from the crankcase 35 .

Preferably, the RWS module works with the standard coil signal used by most tachometers when setting the position of plunger 94 within solenoid 96 . A car tachometer is a device used to measure real-time engine speed. In one embodiment, the RWS module may activate plunger 94 within solenoid 96 at low engine speeds when blowby air production is minimized. Here, the plunger 94 pushes the rod body 10 toward the air inlet 84 so that the front disc 124 abuts against the flange 136, as generally shown in FIG. 9 . In this regard, even at high engine vacuums, the PCV valve 18 vents a small amount of blow-by air from the crankcase to the intake manifold via the aperture 134 in the front disc 124 . High engine vacuum forces blow-by air through holes 134 , thereby forcing rear disc 126 away from front disc 124 , compressing front spring 108 . At rest, the RWS module activates the solenoid 96 to prevent the front disc 124 from dislodging from the flange 136, thereby preventing a large amount of air from flowing between the engine crankcase and the intake manifold. This is particularly desirable at low engine speeds, even though the engine vacuum is relatively high, and the production of blowby air in the engine will be relatively low. Notably, the controller can simultaneously adjust the PCV valve 18 with the other components of the pollution control system 10 to set the flow rate at which blow-by gas is expelled from the crankcase 35 .

During acceleration, increased engine load and higher engine speeds, blowby production increases. Thus, the RWS module can close or reduce the current flow to the solenoid 96, causing the plunger 94 to withdraw from the solenoid 96, thereby disengaging the front disc 124 from the flange 136 (FIG. 11) and allowing a larger amount of leakage. Air is exhausted from crankcase 35 to intake manifold 38 . These functions can occur at a selected RPM pre-programmed into the RWS module or within a given range of selected rotational speeds. When the car eclipses another pre-selected RWS (like a higher RPM), the RWS module can be reactivated to re-engage the plunger 94 within the solenoid 96 . In another embodiment, a variation of the RWS module may be used to selectively withdraw plunger 94 from within solenoid 96 . For example, current conducted to solenoid 96 may initially cause plunger 94 to engage front disc 124 with flange 136 of air intake 84 at 900 rpm. At 1700 rpm, the RWS module may activate a first stage where the current conducted to the solenoid 96 is reduced by a factor of two. In this example, the plunger 94 is partially retracted from within the solenoid 96, thereby partially opening the inlet port 84 to allow passage of blow-by gas. When the engine speed reaches 2500, for example, the RWS module may remove the current to the solenoid 96 so that the plunger 94 is fully retracted from within the solenoid 96 to fully open the intake port 84 . In this position, it is particularly preferred that the front disc 124 and the rear disc 126 and between the intake port 84 and the exhaust port 86 have a longer restricted airflow. This stage can be adjusted by engine speed or other parameters and calculations determined by the controller 12 and based on the readings of the sensors 20-32.

Controller 12 may be pre-programmed, programmed after installation, or updated or flashed to meet specific vehicle or on-board diagnostic (OBD) specifications. In one embodiment, the controller 12 is equipped with self-learning software so that the switch (in the case of the RWS module) adapts to the optimal time to activate or deactivate the solenoid 96, or the position of the plunger 94 to move toward Solenoid 96 to optimally increase fuel efficiency and reduce air pollution. In a particularly preferred embodiment, controller 12 optimizes blow-by gas emissions based on the instantaneous measurements obtained by sensors 20-32. For example, controller 12 may determine, via feedback from exhaust sensor 32 , that vehicle 16 is emitting an increased amount of noxious exhaust. In this example, controller 12 may activate plunger 94 to withdraw from solenoid 96 to expel additional blow-by air from the crankcase, reducing the amount of pollution emitted through the exhaust port of vehicle 16, as induced by exhaust induction. Measured by the device 32.

In another embodiment, the controller 12 is equipped with LEDs that blink to indicate power and to indicate that the controller 12 is waiting to receive an engine speed pulse. The LED can also be used to measure whether the controller 12 is functioning properly. The LED blinks until the vehicle reaches a specified speed at which point the controller 12 changes the current conducted to the solenoid 96 via the connector wire 78 . In a particularly preferred embodiment, controller 12 maintains the amount of current conducted to solenoid 96 until the engine speed drops 10% below the activation point. This mechanism is called hysteresis. Hysteresis is used in the pollution control system 10 to eliminate on/off pulses, or chattering, when the engine speed jumps above or below the set point for a relatively short period of time. Hysteresis can also be used in the electron-based phase systems described above.

Controller 12 may also be equipped with an On Delay timer, such as the KH1 Analog Series On Delay Timer, manufactured by Instrumentation & Control Systems, Inc. of Addison, III. Delay timers are especially best used for initial startup. Low engine speeds create a small amount of blowby. Accordingly, a delay timer may be integrated into the controller 12 to delay activation of the solenoid 96 and corresponding plunger 94 . Preferably, the delay time ensures that plunger 94 remains fully embedded within solenoid 96 such that front disc 124 remains fully seated against flange 136 thereby limiting the amount of blow-by gas flow into intake port 84 . A delay timer may be set to activate either of the release pucks 124 and 126 from the air inlet 84 after a predetermined period of time (eg, 1 minute). Alternatively, the delay timer can be set by controller 12 as a function of engine temperature, as measured by engine temperature sensor 20, and as a function of engine speed, as measured by engine speed sensor 28 or accelerometer sensor 30, battery sensor 24 Or the exhaust sensor 32 measures. The delay may include a range that varies according to any of the foregoing readings. The variable timer can also be integrated with the RWS switch.

Controller 12 is preferably mounted to the interior of the hood 14 of vehicle 16, as generally shown in FIG. The controller 12 may be packaged with an installation kit to allow a user to install the controller 12 as shown. Electrically, the controller 12 is powered by any suitable 12 volt circuit breaker. The tool with the controller 12 can include an adapter where the 12 volt breaker can be removed from the circuit board and replaced with an adapter (not shown) that connects one way to the connector wire 78 of the PCV valve 18 , so the user installing the pollution control system 10 cannot span this wire between the controller 12 and the PCV valve 18 . The controller 12 can also be used wirelessly to access or download real-time calculations and measurements, stored data or other information read, stored or calculated by the controller 12 via a remote control or handheld unit.

In another aspect of pollution control system 10 , controller 12 adjusts PCV valve 18 based on engine operating frequency. For example, controller 12 may activate or deactivate plunger 94 as the engine passes through a resonant frequency. In a preferred embodiment, controller 12 blocks all airflow from crankcase 35 to intake manifold 38 until after the engine passes the resonant frequency. Controller 12 may also be programmed to adjust PCV valve 18 based on the sensed frequency of the engine under various operating conditions, as described above.

Additionally, the pollution control system 10 is suitable for use with a variety of engines, including gasoline, methanol, diesel, ethanol, compressed natural gas (CNG), liquid propane gas (LPG), hydrogen and alcohol-based engines, or virtually any other combustible gas and /or a steam engine. Pollution control system 10 may also be used with larger stationary engines, or with boats or other heavy machinery. Additionally, the pollution control system 10 may include one or more controllers 12, and one or more PCV valves 18 that incorporate sensors to measure the performance of the engine or vehicle. The use of the pollution control system 10 in connection with the vehicle, as described in detail above, is but one preferred embodiment. Of course, the pollution control system 10 has applications across multiple disciplines, and the use of combustible materials that generate exhaust gases can be recycled and reused.

In another aspect of pollution control system 10 , controller 12 may modulate control PCV valve 18 . The primary function of PCV valve 18 is to control the amount of engine vacuum between crankcase 35 and intake manifold 38 . The positioning of plunger 94 within solenoid 96 largely determines the flow rate at which blow-by gases travel from crankcase 35 to intake manifold 38 . In some systems, depending on the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), PCV valve 18 may regulate airflow to ensure that the relative pressure between crankcase 35 and intake manifold 38 does not drop below a certain threshold. In the event of a controller 12 failure, the pollution control system 10 automatically reverts to the OEM setting, with the PCV valve 18 acting as a two-stage check valve. A particularly preferred aspect of the pollution control system 10 is compatible with current and future OBD standards by including a flash update controller 12 . Furthermore, the operation of the pollution control system 10 does not affect the operating conditions of current OBD and OBD-II systems. Controller 12 can be accessed or queried according to standard OBD protocols, and flash updates can modify the BIOS, so controller 12 remains compatible with future OBD standards. Preferably, controller 12 operates PCV valve 18 to regulate engine vacuum between crankcase 35 and intake manifold 38 to govern the air flow rate therebetween to optimize blowby within exhaust system 10 .

In another aspect of pollution control system 10 , controller 12 may regulate the activation and/or deactivation of operational components, as described in detail above, such as for PCV valve 18 . This adjustment is accomplished by, for example, the aforementioned RWS switch, power-on delay timer or other electronic circuitry and digits to activate, deactivate, or selectively intermediate position the aforementioned control components. For example, controller 12 may selectively activate PCV valve 18 for a period of one to two minutes and then selectively deactivate PCV valve 18 for 10 minutes. The sequence of these activations/deactivations may be set according to a predetermined or learned sequence based on driving style, for example, a pre-programmed sequence may be changed by a flash memory update of the controller 12 .

FIG. 12 shows an alternative embodiment where the PCV valve 18 is integrally formed with the engine oil cap 37 . Unlike the embodiment shown in Figure 5, this embodiment has the PCV valve 18 attached to the engine oil cap 37 by means of an elbow or bent connector. When the engine oil cap 37 is attached to the engine oil inlet 39, the elbow or bent connector orients the PCV valve 18 in a low profile position, ie a generally horizontal position. The low profile position of the PCV valve 18 is oriented identically so that it generally extends along the surface of the engine 36 . This is particularly useful in engine compartments where the engine oil inlet 39 is on top of the engine 36 and the hood 14 provides very little clearance above the engine 36 . The angle or bend is preferably a 90 degree angle, but other angles may be used as may be required by a particular engine design. The PCV valve 18 functions in the same manner as the above-described embodiments.

The wire 78 extending from the PCV valve may include waterproof connectors 79a, 79b to facilitate connection to the controller 12 .

13 and 14 show the configuration of the oil separator 19 . The oil separator 19 has a tank body 134 with a top 166 and a bottom 168 . Attached to the tank body 134 is a handle 170 , and an inlet port 172 and an outlet port 174 . FIG. 14 shows an exploded view of the oil separator 19 turned over from the orientation of FIG. 13 . It can be seen that handle 170 is attached to top 166 by screws 176 or other means of attachment. The interior of the top 166 is divided into an inner chamber 178 and an outer chamber 180 . A metal screen 182 is disposed around the openings of the inner chamber 178 and the outer chamber 180 . Screen 182 is preferably held in place by screws 184 . The interior of bottom 168 preferably includes an open chamber (not shown) for replenishing oil condensed from the blow-by gas. Bottom 168 may comprise steel wool 186 or other similar mesh layer material. The bottom side of bottom 168 includes oil drain 138 .

Oil separator 19 also includes an O-ring or gasket 188 disposed between top 166 and bottom 168 . O-ring 188 seals oil separator 19 against leakage during operation under pressure. The top 166 and bottom 168 are preferably held together by durable but removable connectors, such as threaded connectors, tabs and channels, or set screws. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate the various ways of securing the top 166 and bottom 168 together.

When fully assembled, the oil separator 19 carries blowby air through the inlet port 172 into the inner chamber 178 . The blow-by air then passes through the screen 182 to the bottom 168 . When the blow-by air passes through the strainer 182, a portion of the oil contained therein is condensed and flows to the bottom of the inner chamber. The blow-by gas then passes over and through the mesh layer 186 where additional oil further condenses out of the blow-by gas, leaving the bottom of the inner chamber. The vacuum created by the pressure differential between the crankcase and the intake manifold then draws the blow-by air up through strainer 182 and into outer chamber 180 . The second channel further condenses additional oil from the blow-by through the screen 182 . Screen 182 and mesh layer 186 also help filter particulates and other contaminants in the blowby air. Once drawn into the outlet chamber 180, the blow-by gas is released and channeled out through the outlet port 174, as described in various embodiments.

In view of the foregoing, those skilled in the art will understand that the pollution control system of the present invention for a diesel engine includes an oil filter and a PCV valve used in conjunction with a diesel engine. In general, the diesel engine will produce blowby air, which includes fuel vapors, oil, and other pollutants, when accelerating and when hauling heavy loads. The blow-by air is exhausted from the crankcase to the oil filter. Here, the blow-by air passes through a series of mesh filters where oil and other contaminants are filtered from the fuel vapors. The contaminants are trapped in the mesh filter and the oil condenses to the bottom of the oil filter. The condensed oil returns to the crankcase, out the bottom of the oil filter.

The purified fuel vapor is vacuumed from the oil filter, through the PCV valve and back to the engine for reburning. The PCV valve is connected to a controller which allows various amounts of fuel vapor to pass through the valve depending on the current engine demand. Once the engine vapors pass through the PCV valve, they return to the engine via the fuel line or through the intake manifold.

While several embodiments have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the invention should not be restricted except as by the appended claims.

Claims (22)

1. A pollution control system comprising: a controller coupled to the sensors for monitoring operating characteristics of the internal combustion engine, wherein the controller is operable to selectively adjust engine vacuum pressure to adjustably increase or decrease a fluid flow rate of blow-by gases expelled from the internal combustion engine; and A PCV valve adapted to discharge blow-by gas from the crankcase of the internal combustion engine, the inlet of the PCV valve being in fluid communication with a port of the engine oil cap of the internal combustion engine such that the blow-by gas is discharged to the crankcase through an oil fill tube, and the The outlet of the PCV valve is in fluid communication with the fuel/air inlet of the internal combustion engine, wherein the PCV valve comprises a two-stage check valve, the first stage being directed by the controller, and the second stage being compatible with OEM settings, wherein the check valve The valve will only open under sufficient vacuum pressure if the controller fails. 2. The pollution control system of claim 1, wherein the inlet of the PCV valve is coextensive with the port on the engine oil cover. 3. The pollution control system of claim 2, wherein the PCV valve is integrally formed with the engine oil cover such that the inlet of the PCV valve is the port on the engine oil cover. 4. The pollution control system of claim 1, further comprising a filter screen over the port in the engine cover. 5. The pollution control system of claim 1, wherein the outlet of the PCV valve is in fluid communication with a circulation line on an OEM pollution control system, and wherein the OEM pollution control system is drained directly from the crankcase. 6. The pollution control system of claim 1, wherein the fuel/air inlet comprises an intake manifold, a fuel line, an air line, or a fresh air intake. 7. The pollution control system of claim 6, wherein the fuel/air inlet is a fresh air intake duct for an air filter to feed a supercharger on the internal combustion engine. 8. The pollution control system of claim 1 , further comprising an oil separator in fluid communication with the outlet of the PCV valve, the oil outlet of the oil separator is in fluid communication with the crankcase of the internal combustion engine, and the oil A gas outlet of the separator is in fluid communication with the fuel/air inlet of the internal combustion engine. 9. The pollution control system of claim 1, wherein the internal combustion engine is used to burn gasoline, methanol, diesel, ethanol, compressed natural gas, liquefied propane gas, hydrogen, or alcohol-based fuels. 10. The pollution control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller decreases the engine vacuum pressure to decrease the fluid flow rate through the PCV valve during periods of reducing production blowby and increases during periods of increasing production blowby. The engine vacuum pressure to increase the fluid flow rate through the PCV valve. 11. The pollution control system of claim 10, wherein the controller includes a pre-programmed software program, a flash-updatable software program, or a behavior learning software program. 12. The pollution control system of claim 11, wherein the controller comprises a wireless transmitter or a wireless receiver. 13. The pollution control system of claim 10, wherein the controller includes a window switch coupled to an engine speed sensor, and wherein the engine vacuum pressure is based on a predetermined engine speed or a number of times set by the window switch. Adjust the engine speed. 14. The pollution control system of claim 1, wherein the controller includes a power-on delay timer to prevent blowby gas flow for a predetermined duration after activation of the internal combustion engine. 15. The pollution control system of claim 14, wherein the predetermined duration is a function of time, engine temperature, or engine speed. 16. The pollution control system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises an engine temperature sensor, a spark plug sensor, an accelerometer sensor, a PCV valve sensor, or an exhaust sensor. 17. The pollution control system of claim 16, wherein the operating characteristic comprises engine temperature, number of engine cylinders, instantaneous acceleration calculation, or engine speed. 18. A PCV valve suitable for discharging blow-by gas from the crankcase of an internal combustion engine, the PCV valve comprising: an inlet in fluid communication with a port of an engine oil cap for attaching an oil fill tube to the crankcase; an outlet for fluid communication with the fuel/air inlet of the internal combustion engine; and A two-stage check valve, disposed between the inlet and the outlet, wherein the first stage of the check valve is for being opened or closed by a solenoid mechanism in response to a controller, and the second stage of the check valve The stage is biased in the closed position so as to open only when the vacuum pressure within the internal combustion engine is greater than a predetermined threshold. 19. The PCV valve of claim 18, wherein the inlet of the PCV valve is fluidly connected to the port on the engine oil cap by a hose. 20. The PCV valve of claim 18, wherein the inlet of the PCV valve is coextensive with the port on the engine oil cover. 21. The PCV valve of claim 20, wherein the engine oil cap is integrally formed with the PCV valve such that the inlet is the port on the engine oil cap. 22. The PCV valve of claim 18, further comprising a filter screen covering the port in the engine oil cover.