System and process for predicting and preventing pre-ignition
AssigneeFEV GmbH
InventorPatrick Haenel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A process and a system for preventing pre-ignition in an internal combustion engine (ICE) includes detecting an ionization level of a combusted gas from a cylinder of the ICE during gas exchange and for a given combustion cycle i. When the ionization level is greater than a reference ionization level a pre-ignition countermeasure prior to and/or during an immediate subsequent combustion cycle i+1 is executed. The ionization sensor may be part of a spark initiating device of the ICE or be a separate ionization sensor.
Claims19
A process for preventing pre-ignition in an internal combustion engine (ICE), the process comprising:
- detecting an ionization level from at least one of a combustion chamber and an exhaust of an ICE during a gas exchange for a given combustion cycle i (Iex,i) using an ionization sensor in communication with the combustion chamber;
- comparing in an electronic control unit the Iex,i for the given combustion cycle to a reference ionization level (Iex,ref);
- and
- executing a pre-ignition countermeasure prior to an immediate subsequent combustion cycle (i+1) when Iex,i is greater than or equal to Iex,ref (Iex,i≥Iex,ref), the executed pre-ignition countermeasure preventing pre-ignition from occurring in the immediate subsequent i+1 combustion cycle of the ICE.
A system for preventing pre-ignition in an internal combustion engine (ICE), said system comprising:
- an ICE having a combustion chamber, a fuel-air injection system operable to inject a fuel-air mixture into said combustion chamber and an exhaust system operable for exhaust gas from said combustion chamber to exit and flow to an outlet;
- an ionization sensor in communication with said combustion chamber, said ionization sensor configured to detect an ionization level of an exhaust gas from said combustion chamber during gas exchange for at least one combustion cycle thereof;
- and
- an engine control unit (ECU) in communication with said fuel-air injection system and operable to control said fuel-air injection system and initiate at least one pre-ignition countermeasure;
- said ECU configured to initiate said at least one pre-ignition countermeasure before an i+1 combustion cycle when said ionization sensor detects an exhaust ionization level in a previous combustion cycle i (Iex,i) that is greater than or equal to a pre-set ionization reference value (Iex,ref) (Iex,i≥Iex,ref) said initiation of said pre-ignition countermeasure preventing pre-ignition in said combustion chamber during said i+1 combustion cycle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.