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US 10,774,773 B2Granted
Autonomous operation of electronically controlled internal combustion engines on a variety of fuels and/or other variabilities using ion current and/or other combustion sensors
AssigneeWayne State University
InventorsNaeim A. Henein, Tamer H. Badawy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method to enable electronically controlled internal combustion engines to self-adjust parameters and operate properly on different fuels that have wide ranges of physical and chemical properties. Input from a sensor is utilized that gives a signal indicative of the combustion process. The ECU processes the signal and readjusts the engine operating parameters to achieve its operating goals.
Claims25
A system for controlling an internal combustion engine, the system comprising:
- a first sensor for receiving engine combustion data, the first sensor comprising an ion current sensor and the combustion data comprising an ion current signal;
- a second sensor comprising a NOx sensor and generating NOx signal;
- and
- a control unit in communication with the sensor, the control unit is configured to control engine operating parameters based on real-time processing cycle by cycle of the ion current signal;
- wherein control unit is configured to control engine operating parameters autonomously on variety of fuels or their blends independent of the air/fuel ratio operation mode to meet torque demands at the best fuel economy;
- wherein the control unit enables autonomous operation of electronically controlled internal combustion engines and account for variabilities in ambient conditions including humidity, temperature and pressure;
- and
- wherein the control unit being configured to control injection parameters according to a first feedback loop in response to the NOx signal and control injection parameters according to a second feedback loop in response to the ion current signal.
5 more elements
A system for controlling an internal combustion engine, the system comprising:
- an ion current sensor receiving engine combustion data in the form of ion current measurements;
- a NOx sensor configured to generate a NOx signal;
- and
- a control unit in communication with the sensor for receiving the engine combustion data and with the NOx sensor for receiving the NOx signal, the control unit being configured to control engine operating parameters based on real-time processing cycle by cycle of the ion current measurements, wherein the control unit enables autonomous operation of electronically controlled internal combustion engines on a plurality of fuels, by determining that a type of fuel provided to the internal combustion engine has changed in response to the ion current sensor;
- wherein the fuels include at least two of conventional available diesel fuel, alternate fuels derived from petroleum, bio-fuels, alternative fuels, synthetic fuels, renewable fuels, or their blends;
- wherein the control unit enables autonomous operation of electronically controlled internal combustion engines and account for variabilities in ambient conditions including humidity, temperature and pressure;
- and
- wherein the control unit is configured to control injection parameters according to a first feedback loop in response to the NOx signal and control injection parameters according to a second feedback loop in response to the ion current measurements.
5 more elements
A method for controlling an internal combustion engine, the method comprising:
- receiving engine combustion data comprising an ion current signal from an ion current sensor;
- receiving a NOx signal from a NOx sensor;
- controlling engine injection timing, an amount of fuel injected, or a number of injection events executed in response to real-time processing cycle by cycle at least one of a start of ion current, location of first peak of the ion current signal, location of the second peak of the ion current, location the of the peak of the derivative of the ion current signal leading to the first peak, location of the peak of the derivative leading to the second peak of the ion current signal to meet torque demand with the best fuel economy;
- and
- controlling injection parameters according to a first feedback loop in response to the NOx signal and controlling injection parameters according to a second feedback loop in response to the ion current signal;
- wherein the control unit enables autonomous operation of electronically controlled internal combustion engines and account for variabilities in ambient conditions including humidity, temperature and pressure.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.