Ford Motor Company

About: Ford Motor Company is a company organization based out in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Internal combustion engine & Signal. The organization has 36123 authors who have published 51450 publications receiving 855200 citations. The organization is also known as: Ford Motor & Ford Motor Corporation.

Method and apparatus to limit a midbed temperature of a catalytic converter

Abstract: An electronic engine controller limits the maximum temperature of a midbed point within a catalytic converter by determining an instantaneous temperature of the midbed point as a function of a temperature of exhaust gas at an exhaust flange, of a temperature variation of exhaust gas from the exhaust flange and exhaust gas inlet to the catalytic converter, of exhaust gas at an exhaust gas inlet to the catalytic converter, and as a function of a predetermined value indicative of a temperature rise of exhaust gas in the catalytic converter. The temperature is compared to a maximum midbed temperature range and a first air/fuel modulation variable is altered by a predetermined amount if the temperature of the midbed point is within the maximum midbed temperature range and the first air/fuel modulation variable is set to a predetermined value if the midbed temperature is below the maximum midbed temperature range. The first air/fuel modulation variable is compared to a second air/fuel modulation variable which corresponds to an air/fuel ratio required to produce a predetermined engine response and the rate of fuel delivery to the engine is altered to generate an air/fuel ratio corresponding to the air/fuel modulation variable which represents the richer air/fuel mixture.

Isolated gate driver for power switching device and method for carrying out same

Abstract: An isolated gate driver device for a power switching device having a plurality of transistors includes a primary circuit having a voltage source of a first voltage potential. The primary circuit constantly switches the voltage source to generate first and second load signals based on control signals received from a microcontroller. The first load signal is modulated at a first frequency for enabling the transistors, and the second load signal is modulated at a second frequency, different from the first frequency, for disabling the transistors. A plurality of high frequency transformers corresponding to each of the transistors is coupled to the primary circuit. The transformers have a primary side for receiving one of the first and second load signals and a secondary side for transforming the one of the first and second load signals into corresponding signals at a second voltage potential. A secondary circuit coupled between each of the transformers and each of the corresponding transistors provides a bias power supply to each of the transistors at the second voltage potential. The secondary circuit also enables and disables each of the transistors based on the first and second load signals.

Kinetic and structural studies of oxygen availability of the mixed oxides Pr1–xMxOy (M = Ce, Zr)

Abstract: One composition of Pr–Ce mixed oxide and a range of compositions of Pr–Zr mixed oxide were prepared by coprecipitation methods and characterized by x-ray powder diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Based on phases formed, the PrOy—ZrO2 system in an oxygen-containing atmosphere at moderate temperatures (up to 800–1000 °C) is analogous to that of CeO2–ZrO2. Addition of either Ce or Zr to pure Pr oxide affects both the total amount of oxygen that can be reversibly exchanged between oxide and gas phase and the kinetics of the redox processes. Ce dramatically increases the amount (per Pr atom) and lowers the temperature of exchange, Zr slightly decreases the amount and also lowers the temperature of exchange, and both modifiers speed up the rate. These observations are rationalized in terms of bulk and surface structural features of the mixed oxides.