Method of controlling engine, and engine system

An engine system, comprising:

• an engine including:
• a cylinder with a pentroof ceiling, air being introduced into the cylinder through an intake valve provided to the ceiling;
• an ignition device including a spark plug provided at or near the center axis of the cylinder;
• and
• a fuel injector provided at or near the center axis of the cylinder;
• and
• a controller electrically connected to the ignition device and the fuel injector,
• wherein the controller includes a processor configured to execute:
• a main fuel injection module to control the fuel injector to inject main fuel during one of an intake stroke and a compression stroke, and provide a mixture gas containing fuel and air inside the cylinder;
• a determination module to control the ignition device to apply a high voltage between electrodes of the spark plug at a timing when the mixture gas is not ignited, and detect a parameter related to a current value of an electric-discharge channel generated between the electrodes, and to determine whether the parameter detected by the ignition device is within a range between a first threshold and a second threshold to determine a flowing state of a vortex inside the cylinder;
• a supplemental ignition control module to control the ignition device to operate the spark plug to generate hot plasma;
• and
• a main ignition control module to control the ignition device to operate the spark plug to ignite the mixture gas by the spark plug after the supplemental ignition control module operates the spark plug, wherein
• when the determination module determines the parameter is outside the range, the spark plug is operated to perform a supplemental ignition to generate the hot plasma prior to a main ignition, and to perform the main ignition to ignite the mixture gas after the supplemental ignition, and
• when the determination module determines the parameter is within the range, the spark plug is operated to perform only the main ignition to ignite the mixture gas.

An engine system, comprising:

• an engine mounted on an automobile and including:
• a cylinder with a pentroof ceiling, air being introduced into the cylinder through an intake valve provided to the ceiling;
• an ignition device including a spark plug provided at or near the center axis of the cylinder;
• and
• a fuel injector provided at or near the center axis of the cylinder;
• and
• a controller electrically connected to the ignition device and the fuel injector,
• wherein the controller includes a processor configured to execute:
• a main fuel injection module to control the fuel injector to inject main fuel during one of an intake stroke and a compression stroke, and provide a mixture gas containing fuel and air inside the cylinder;
• a determination module to control the ignition device to apply a high voltage between electrodes of the spark plug at a timing when the mixture gas is not ignited, and detect a parameter related to a current value of an electric-discharge channel generated between the electrodes, and to determine whether the parameter detected by the ignition device is within a range between a first threshold and a second threshold to determine a flowing state of a vortex inside the cylinder;
• a supplemental ignition control module to control the ignition device to operate the spark plug to generate hot plasma;
• and
• a main ignition control module to control the ignition device to operate the spark plug to ignite the mixture gas, wherein
• when the determination module determines the parameter is outside the range, the spark plug is operated to perform a supplemental ignition to generate the hot plasma prior to a main ignition, and to perform the main ignition to ignite the mixture gas after the supplemental ignition, and
• when the determination module determines the parameter is within the range, the spark plug is operated to perform only the main ignition to ignite the mixture gas.