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US 11,739,693 B2Granted
Method and system for glow plug operation
AssigneePratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
InventorsMehmet Celal Tanju, Richard Freer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
There are described methods and systems for operating a glow plug. The method comprises monitoring a glow plug current; applying a nominal voltage VN to the glow plug when the glow plug current is between an upper threshold I1 and a lower threshold I2<I1; applying a voltage VH>VN to the glow plug when the glow plug current exceeds the upper threshold I1; and applying substantially no voltage to the glow plug when the glow plug current falls below the lower threshold I2.
Claims20
A method for operating a glow plug, the method comprising:
- monitoring a glow plug current IGPL flowing into the glow plug when a glow plug voltage VGPL applied to the glow plug is equal to a nominal voltage VN;
- comparing the glow plug current IGPL to an upper threshold I1, and a lower threshold I2 that is less than the upper threshold I1;
- maintaining the glow plug voltage VGPL applied to the glow plug at the nominal voltage VN when the glow plug current IGPL is between the upper threshold I1 and the lower threshold I2;
- increasing the glow plug voltage VGPL applied to the glow plug to a second voltage VH greater than the nominal voltage VN when the glow plug current IGPL exceeds the upper threshold I1;
- and
- decreasing the glow plug voltage VGPL applied to the glow plug to substantially no voltage when the glow plug current IGPL falls below the lower threshold I2.
3 more elements
A glow plug system comprising:
- a glow plug having a body, a glowing end extending from the body, and a connecting end opposite to the glowing end;
- at least one glow plug power source operatively connected to the connecting end of the glow plug for applying a voltage thereto;
- and
- a glow plug controller coupled to the glow plug and the at least one glow plug power source and configured for:
- monitoring a glow plug current IGPL flowing into the glow plug when a glow plug voltage VGPL applied to the glow plug is equal to a nominal voltage VN;
- comparing the glow plug current IGPL to an upper threshold I1 and a lower threshold I2 that is less than the upper threshold I1;
- maintaining the glow plug voltage VGPL applied to the glow plug at the nominal voltage VN when the glow plug current IGPL is between the upper threshold I1 and the lower threshold I2;
- increasing the glow plug voltage VGPL applied to the glow plug to a second voltage VH greater than the nominal voltage VN when the glow plug current IGPL exceeds the upper threshold I1;
- and
- decreasing the glow plug voltage VGPL applied to the glow plug to substantially no voltage when the glow plug current IGPL falls below the lower threshold I2.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.