Patent ID: 7243495

Claim:
A method of operating an internal combustion engine, said engine comprising a turbocharger having a linked turbine impeller/compressor and an exhaust gas turbine impeller bypass, an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system, and a combined turbine impeller and EGR control valve, said method comprising the steps of: i) providing via the control valve exhaust gas from the engine in order to drive the turbine impeller and power the compressor; ii) using the compressor to compress inlet air supplied to the engine; iii) using the control valve to divert exhaust gas from reaching the turbine impeller; iv) using the control valve to recirculate a portion of exhaust gas produced by the engine via the EGR system; and v) using the control valve to control the amount of the exhaust gas diverted and recirculated by the EGR system, and hence the amount of exhaust gas reaching the turbine impeller.