Internal combustion engine transient fuel control
AssigneeChrysalis Technologies Incorporated
InventorsJan-Roger Linna, Peter Palmer, John Paul Mello, Stuart Bennett Sprague
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for improving the transient response of a spark-ignited fuel-injected internal combustion engine is disclosed. This is accomplished by employing one or more novel capillary fuel injectors. These devices are port fuel injectors modified by inserting one or more relatively small diameter heated tubular capillaries between the fuel line and a conventional injector. Sufficient heating can be produced so that flash vaporization occurs as the fuel exits the injector. The heaters are turned on using control algorithms that can be based on exhaust gas oxygen concentration, load on the engine, and accelerator pedal position.
Claims52
An acceleration/deceleration transient controller for a spark-ignited internal combustion engine having at least one fuel injector, each fuel injector having an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end in fluid communication with a fuel source, comprising:
- a) at least one fuel conditioner having a fuel heater in fluid communication with said fuel source and said outlet end of said at least one fuel injector;
- and
- b) an electronic control unit controlling said fuel heater to reduce transients.
A method of improving the transient response of an internal combustion engine having at least one fuel injector fed by a fuel source, the fuel injector having an inlet end and an outlet end, comprising the steps of:
- 1) providing a fuel conditioner in fluid communication with the fuel source and the outlet end of the at least one fuel injector wherein said fuel conditioner has an electric heater;
- 2) determining if the exhaust gas oxygen level deviates from a stoichiometric condition by more than a threshold value and, if so;
- 3) turning on said electric heater.
A method of improving the transient response of an internal combustion engine having at least one fuel injector fed by a fuel source, the fuel injector having an inlet end and an outlet end, comprising the steps of:
- 1) providing a fuel conditioner in fluid communication with the fuel source and the outlet end of the at least one fuel injector, wherein said fuel conditioner has an electric heater;
- 2) determining if the exhaust gas oxygen level deviates from a stoichiometric condition by more than a threshold value and, if so;
- 3) determining if the load on the engine is less than a part load and, if so;
- 4) turning on said electric heater.
A method of improving the transient response of an internal combustion engine having at least one fuel injector fed by a fuel source, the fuel injector having an inlet end and an outlet end, and an accelerator pedal, comprising the steps of:
- 1) providing a fuel conditioner in fluid communication with the fuel source and the outlet end of the at least one fuel injector wherein said fuel conditioner has an electric heater;
- 2) determining if the rate of change of the accelerator pedal position in a direction that increases air into the engine is greater than a threshold and, if so;
- 3) turning on said electric heaters.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.