System and method for detecting fuel leaks in hydrogen combustion engines
AssigneeCummins Inc.
InventorsLei Liu, Yuejin Xi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Fuel leak detection is disclosed for a spark-ignited combustion engine that combusts hydrogen fuel. Pressure measurements of the hydrogen fueling system are taken in the crank angle domain of the engine. A hydrogen fuel leak condition is detected in response to a pressure variation that occurs during a crank angle-based injection event that differs from an expected pressure variation.
Claims20
A method of detecting leakage of hydrogen fuel, the method comprising:
- operating a spark-ignited combustion engine the engine with hydrogen fuel provided by a hydrogen fueling system, the hydrogen fueling system including a fuel rail connected to a plurality of fuel injectors;
- measuring pressure variation of the hydrogen fueling system in a crank angle domain during operation of the spark-ignited combustion engine;
- and
- determining a hydrogen fuel leak condition of the hydrogen fueling system in response to the pressure variation that occurs during a crank angle-based fuel injection event.
A system for detecting leakage of hydrogen fuel, the system comprising:
- a spark-ignited combustion engine including at least one fuel rail and a plurality of fuel injectors connected to the at least one fuel rail, the spark-ignited combustion engine further including an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to perform operations to:
- operate the spark-ignited combustion engine with hydrogen fuel from a hydrogen fuel source;
- measure pressure variation of the hydrogen fuel in the crank angle domain during operation of the spark-ignited combustion engine;
- and
- determine a hydrogen fuel leak condition of the hydrogen fuel in response to the pressure variation of a crank angle-based fuel injection event differing from an expected pressure variation sufficiently to indicate the hydrogen fuel leak condition.
An apparatus for detecting leakage of hydrogen fuel during operation of a spark-ignited combustion engine, the apparatus comprising:
- a non-transitory memory medium configured to store instructions executable by a processor to perform the acts of:
- operate the spark-ignited combustion engine with hydrogen fuel from a hydrogen fuel source;
- measure pressure variation of the hydrogen fuel in the crank angle domain as it is being provided to the spark-ignited combustion engine;
- and
- determine a hydrogen fuel leak condition of the hydrogen fuel in response to a differential in the pressure variation of a crank angle-based fuel injection event from an expected differential in the pressure variation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.