Variable energy ignition systems, methods, and apparatuses

#The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for engine ignition monitoring and control.

#Spark-ignition (SI) engines rely on an ignitor (e.g., a spark plug, glow plug, etc.) to initiate combustion of an air-fuel mixture inside a combustion chamber. The chemical energy produced during combustion can be used to power a vehicle, a generator set (i.e., a genset), or another system utilizing the SI engine. The performance of the SI engine can vary greatly depending on many parameters, such as the quality of the fuel and parameters and characteristics relating to the ignitor. For example, fouling (build-up such as from dirt and oil) on the ignitor can lead to the ignitor not working as intended (e.g., not sparking, not sparking for as long as desired, etc.). Therefore, tracking parameters affecting performance of the SI engine, such as those relating to the ignitors, is beneficial to help mitigate circumstances that may lead to undesirable performance.

#On embodiment relates to a method. The method includes receiving, by a controller, at least one of fuel quality data regarding a fuel for a spark-ignition engine or a characteristic regarding an ignitor for the spark-ignition engine. The method additionally includes controlling, by the controller, an ignition energy characteristic of the ignitor in response to the at least one of the fuel quality data regarding the fuel or the characteristic regarding the ignitor for the spark-ignition engine.

#The details of one or more implementations are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent from the description, the drawings, and the claims, in which:

#FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a spark-ignition engine, according to an example embodiment;

#FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an ignition control unit for a spark-ignition engine, according to an example embodiment;

#It will be recognized that some or all of the figures are schematic representations for purposes of illustration. The figures are provided for the purpose of illustrating one or more implementations with the explicit understanding that they will not be used to limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.

#Following below are more detailed descriptions of various concepts related to, and implementations of, methods, apparatuses, and systems for modifying ignition energy for an ignitor (or multiple ignitors) of a spark-ignition engine. The various concepts introduced above and discussed in greater detail below may be implemented in any number of ways, as the concepts described are not limited to any particular manner of implementation. Examples of specific implementations and applications are provided primarily for illustrative purposes.

#Referring generally to the figures, the various embodiments disclosed herein relate to systems, apparatuses, and methods for controlling an ignitor of a spark-ignition (SI) engine. More specifically, embodiments herein relate to controlling an ignition energy provided to the ignitor. “Ignition energy” refers to the current and/or voltage provided to the ignitor, which affects the output from the ignitor (a spark, if a spark plug). The affects include a duration of a spark, when the spark is initiated, how many sparks are initiated within a time period or cycle, and so on. Existing systems and methods for controlling the ignition energy provided to the ignitor are insufficient under certain engine operating conditions. Specifically, these systems and methods do not account for the impact of varying fuel quality on the ignitor (e.g., on the useful operating lifetime of the ignitor before the electrodes have eroded or the engine performance impact associated with low quality fuels). Fuel quality issues are particularly problematic in SI natural gas engines, where the performance of the engine is highly sensitive to the methane number of the fuel. Relatively low methane number fuels tend to promote engine knock or pre-ignition of the fuel-air mixture within the combustion chamber prior to activation of the ignitor. Additionally, existing methods do not allow for the use of different types of ignitors (e.g., spark plugs) in a single application. End-users or vehicle operators may have different objectives in terms of the tradeoff between ignitor cost and the useful lifetime of the ignitor (e.g., the service life of the ignitor). For example, different electrode geometries and materials used for the ignitor are a primary factor in determining the service life of the ignitor. Larger and harder materials tend to reduce the rate of erosion of the electrodes. However, larger and harder electrode materials will also increase the cost of the electrodes. The systems and methods disclosed herein address these and other problems/issues by controlling the ignitor (or, multiple ignitors in the system) based on at least one of fuel quality data regarding a fuel for the engine or a characteristic regarding the ignitor.