Engine system and operation method using engine braking mechanisms for early exhaust valve opening

1. In an internal combustion engine having at least two cylinders and at least one exhaust valve providing selective communication between each cylinder and an exhaust manifold, a method of operating the engine and actuating the at least on exhaust valve in each cylinder comprising the steps of:

providing one or more first cams having a compression-release lobe and a main exhaust lobe adapted to transfer valve actuation motion to a first exhaust valve associated with a first cylinder;

providing one or more second cams having an early exhaust valve opening lobe and a main exhaust lobe adapted to transfer valve actuation motion to a second exhaust valve associated with a second cylinder different from the first cylinder; and

operating the engine in a first positive power mode of operation in which the first exhaust valve in the first cylinder is actuated for a main exhaust event according to the main exhaust lobe of the one or more first cams without being actuated for a compression-release event by the compression-release lobe, and the second exhaust valve in the second cylinder is actuated for a main exhaust event according to the main exhaust lobe of the one or more second cams without being actuated for an early exhaust valve opening event by the early exhaust valve opening lobe.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

operating the engine in a second positive power mode of operation in which the first exhaust valve in the first cylinder is actuated for a main exhaust event according to the main exhaust lobe of the one or more first cams without being actuated for a compression-release event, and the second exhaust valve in the second cylinder is actuated for a main exhaust event according to the main exhaust lobe of the one or more second cams and for an early exhaust valve opening event according to the early exhaust valve opening lobe.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

operating the engine in a third positive power mode of operation in which the first exhaust valve in the first cylinder is actuated for a main exhaust event according to the main exhaust lobe of the one or more first cams and for a compression-release event according to the compression-release lobe, and the second exhaust valve in the second cylinder is actuated for a main exhaust event according to the main exhaust lobe of the one or more second cams and for an early exhaust valve opening event according to the early exhaust valve opening lobe.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

operating the engine in a first engine braking mode of operation in which the engine operates as an air compressor to develop retarding horsepower and in which the first exhaust valve in the first cylinder is actuated for a main exhaust event according to the main exhaust lobe of the one or more first cams and for a compression-release event according to the compression-release lobe, and the second exhaust valve in the second cylinder is actuated for a main exhaust event according to the main exhaust lobe of the one or more second cams and for an early exhaust valve opening event according to the early exhaust valve opening lobe.

5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

operating the engine in a first engine braking mode of operation in which the engine operates as an air compressor to develop retarding horsepower and in which the first exhaust valve in the first cylinder is actuated for a main exhaust event according to the main exhaust lobe of the one or more first cams and for a compression-release event according to the compression-release lobe, and the second exhaust valve in the second cylinder is actuated for a main exhaust event according to the main exhaust lobe of the one or more second cams and for an early exhaust valve opening event according to the early exhaust valve opening lobe.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

operating the engine in a third positive power mode of operation in which the first exhaust valve in the first cylinder is actuated for a main exhaust event according to the main exhaust lobe of the one or more first cams and for a compression-release event according to the compression-release lobe, and the second exhaust valve in the second cylinder is actuated for a main exhaust event according to the main exhaust lobe of the one or more second cams and for an early exhaust valve opening event according to the early exhaust valve opening lobe.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

operating the engine in a first engine braking mode of operation in which the engine operates as an air compressor to develop retarding horsepower and in which the first exhaust valve in the first cylinder is actuated for a main exhaust event according to the main exhaust lobe of the one or more first cams and for a compression-release event according to the compression-release lobe, and the second exhaust valve in the second cylinder is actuated for a main exhaust event according to the main exhaust lobe of the one or more second cams and for an early exhaust valve opening event according to the early exhaust valve opening lobe.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

operating the engine in a first engine braking mode of operation in which the engine operates as an air compressor to develop retarding horsepower and in which the first exhaust valve in the first cylinder is actuated for a main exhaust event according to the main exhaust lobe of the one or more first cams and for a compression-release event according to the compression-release lobe, and the second exhaust valve in the second cylinder is actuated for a main exhaust event according to the main exhaust lobe of the one or more second cams and for an early exhaust valve opening event according to the early exhaust valve opening lobe.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said one or more first cams is comprised of a single first cam having a compression-release lobe and a main exhaust lobe.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said one or more second cams is comprised of a single second cam having an early exhaust valve opening lobe and a main exhaust lobe.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said one or more second cams is comprised of two cams each having one of an early exhaust valve opening lobe or a main exhaust lobe.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said one or more first cams is comprised of two cams each having one of a compression-release lobe or a main exhaust lobe.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said one or more second cams is comprised of a single second cam having an early exhaust valve opening lobe and a main exhaust lobe.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein said one or more second cams is comprised of two cams each having one of an early exhaust valve opening lobe or a main exhaust lobe.

15. A valve actuation system for an internal combustion engine having a first set of cylinders having a first set of exhaust valves and a second set of cylinders different from the first set of cylinders and having a second set of exhaust valves, said valve actuation system comprising:

one or more first cams having a compression-release lobe and a main exhaust lobe adapted to transfer valve actuation motion to the first set of exhaust valves;

one or more second cams having an early exhaust valve opening lobe and a main exhaust lobe adapted to transfer valve actuation motion to the second set of exhaust valves; and

one or more valve train elements connecting the first cams with the first set of exhaust valves and the second cams with the second set of exhaust valves.

16. The valve actuation system of claim 15 , further comprising:

an engine controller adapted to operate the engine using the one or more valve train elements, first cams and second cams in:

a first positive power mode of operation in which the first set of exhaust valves are actuated for main exhaust events according to the main exhaust lobe of the one or more first cams without being actuated for compression-release events by the compression-release lobe, and the second set of exhaust valves are actuated for main exhaust events according to the main exhaust lobe of the one or more second cams without being actuated for early exhaust valve opening events by the early exhaust valve opening lobe.

17. The valve actuation system of claim 16 , wherein the engine controller is further adapted for operating the engine in a second positive power mode of operation in which the first set of exhaust valves is actuated for a main exhaust event according to the main exhaust lobe of the one or more first cams without being actuated for a compression-release event, and the second set of exhaust valves is actuated for a main exhaust event according to the main exhaust lobe of the one or more second cams and for an early exhaust valve opening event according to the early exhaust valve opening lobe.

18. The valve actuation system of claim 17 , wherein the engine controller is further adapted for operating the engine in a third positive power mode of operation in which the first set of exhaust valves is actuated for a main exhaust event according to the main exhaust lobe of the one or more first cams and for a compression-release event according to the compression-release lobe, and the second set of exhaust valves is actuated for a main exhaust event according to the main exhaust lobe of the one or more second cams and for an early exhaust valve opening event according to the early exhaust valve opening lobe.

19. The valve actuation system of claim 18 , wherein the engine controller is further adapted for operating the engine in a first engine braking mode of operation in which the engine operates as an air compressor to develop retarding horsepower and in which the first set of exhaust valves is actuated for a main exhaust event according to the main exhaust lobe of the one or more first cams and for a compression-release event according to the compression-release lobe, and the second set of exhaust valves is actuated for a main exhaust event according to the main exhaust lobe of the one or more second cams and for an early exhaust valve opening event according to the early exhaust valve opening lobe.

20. The valve actuation system of claim 17 , wherein the engine controller is further adapted for operating the engine in a first engine braking mode of operation in which the engine operates as an air compressor to develop retarding horsepower and in which the first set of exhaust valves is actuated for a main exhaust event according to the main exhaust lobe of the one or more first cams and for a compression-release event according to the compression-release lobe, and the second set of exhaust valves is actuated for a main exhaust event according to the main exhaust lobe of the one or more second cams and for an early exhaust valve opening event according to the early exhaust valve opening lobe.

21. The valve actuation system of claim 16 , wherein the engine controller is further adapted for operating the engine in a third positive power mode of operation in which the first set of exhaust valves is actuated for a main exhaust event according to the main exhaust lobe of the one or more first cams and for a compression-release event according to the compression-release lobe, and the second set of exhaust valves is actuated for a main exhaust event according to the main exhaust lobe of the one or more second cams and for an early exhaust valve opening event according to the early exhaust valve opening lobe.

22. The valve actuation system of claim 21 , wherein the engine controller is further adapted for operating the engine in a first engine braking mode of operation in which the engine operates as an air compressor to develop retarding horsepower and in which the first set of exhaust valves is actuated for a main exhaust event according to the main exhaust lobe of the one or more first cams and for a compression-release event according to the compression-release lobe, and the second set of exhaust valves is actuated for a main exhaust event according to the main exhaust lobe of the one or more second cams and for an early exhaust valve opening event according to the early exhaust valve opening lobe.

23. The valve actuation system of claim 16 , wherein the engine controller is further adapted for operating the engine in a first engine braking mode of operation in which the engine operates as an air compressor to develop retarding horsepower and in which the first set of exhaust valves is actuated for a main exhaust event according to the main exhaust lobe of the one or more first cams and for a compression-release event according to the compression-release lobe, and the second set of exhaust valves is actuated for a main exhaust event according to the main exhaust lobe of the one or more second cams and for an early exhaust valve opening event according to the early exhaust valve opening lobe.

24. The valve actuation system of claim 15 wherein said one or more first cams is comprised of a single first cam having a compression-release lobe and a main exhaust lobe.

25. The valve actuation system of claim 24 wherein said one or more second cams is comprised of a single second cam having an early exhaust valve opening lobe and a main exhaust lobe.

26. The valve actuation system of claim 24 wherein said one or more second cams is comprised of two cams each having one of an early exhaust valve opening lobe or a main exhaust lobe.

27. The valve actuation system of claim 25 wherein said one or more first cams is comprised of two cams each having one of a compression-release lobe or a main exhaust lobe.

28. The valve actuation system of claim 27 wherein said one or more second cams is comprised of a single second cam having an early exhaust valve opening lobe and a main exhaust lobe.

29. The valve actuation system of claim 27 wherein said one or more second cams is comprised of two cams each having one of an early exhaust valve opening lobe or a main exhaust lobe.