Enhanced multiple injection for auto-ignition in internal combustion engines

An internal combustion engine comprising:

• at least one cylinder for receiving a piston to define a combustion chamber;
• an engine controller;
• a fuel injection system having a fuel injector for delivering fuel to the combustion chamber;
• and
• a computer readable storage medium having information stored thereon representing instructions executable by the engine controller to enhance engine operation on auto-ignition combustion, wherein the engine controller is capable of controlling the fuel injection system to perform a multiple injection wherein a main injection event and a trigger injection event take place in this order in one cycle, and wherein the computer readable storage medium includes instructions for operating the engine controller to:
• determine operating conditions;
• and
• determine fuel quantity and injection timing for at least one of main and trigger injections corresponding to the operating conditions to enable the multiple injection to govern beginning of burning (BOB).

A computer readable storage medium having stored therein data representing instructions executable by an engine controller to control a fuel injection system capable of performing a multiple injection wherein a main injection event and a trigger injection event take place in this order in one cycle, the computer readable storage medium comprising:

• instructions for determining load request
• instructions for determining engine speed;
• instructions for determining whether or not the load request and the engine speed fall in an auto-ignition combustion range;
• instructions for establishing a load request threshold;
• instructions for comparing the load request to the load request threshold;
• and
• instructions for disabling the multiple injection when the load request falls below the load request threshold under condition when it is determined that the load request and the engine speed fall in the auto-ignition combustion range, otherwise, enabling split injection to enhance engine operation on auto-ignition combustion under condition when it is determined that the load request and the engine speed fall in the auto-ignition combustion range.

A method of controlling a fuel injection system capable of performing a split injection wherein a main injection event and a trigger injection event take place in this order in one cycle, comprising:

• establishing a target crank angle at which beginning of burning (BOB) is to take place;
• determining operating conditions;
• and
• determining fuel quantity and injection timing for at least one of main and trigger injections corresponding to the operating conditions to enable the multiple injection to achieve auto-ignition combustion with the BOB taking place at the target crank angle.