System and method for fuel injector on-time calculation using fuel system pressure prediction
AssigneeCummins Inc.
InventorCarlos A. Lana
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The disclosure provides a system and method to calculate an actual on-time of a fuel injector. The system may include one or more modules located in a control system. The control system uses information available before the fuel injection signal is transmitted to the fuel injector to model and predict a pressure profile in a fuel system that provides high-pressure fuel to the fuel injector, and uses that information along with a fueling command to calculate an actual on-time for the fuel injector.
Claims16
A fuel assembly for an engine, comprising:
- a fuel accumulator;
- at least one fuel injector fluidly coupled to the fuel accumulator, the fuel injector being configured to move between an open position permitting fuel to flow from the fuel injector and a closed position inhibiting fuel flow from the injector, each movement between the open and closed positions defining a fuel injection cycle, and the fuel injector being configured for a plurality of fuel injection cycles;
- and
- a control system having a controller operably coupled to the fuel injector, the controller being configured to receive at least one parameter of the fuel assembly, wherein before each of the fuel injection cycles, the controller is configured to determine an estimated pressure of the fuel assembly, calculate a plurality of fuel quantities based on the estimated pressure, calculate an estimated fuel amount from the plurality of fuel quantities, and compare the estimated fuel amount to a predetermined tolerance amount, and adjust an amount of time the fuel injector remains in the open position during each of the fuel injection cycles in response to the parameter.
A fuel assembly of an engine, comprising:
- at least one fuel injector;
- and
- a control system for the fuel assembly, including:
- a controller configured to receive at least one parameter of the fuel assembly;
- a first module for determining a time fuel flows from the fuel injector;
- a second module for predicting a pressure profile of the fuel assembly during injection of fuel, the second module being configured to determine an estimated pressure of the fuel assembly, calculate a plurality of fuel quantities based on the estimated pressure, calculate an estimated fuel amount from the plurality of fuel quantities, and compare the estimated fuel amount to a predetermined tolerance amount;
- and
- a third module for adjusting, during operation of the engine, the time fuel flows from the fuel injector in response to the pressure profile predicted for the fuel assembly.
A method of operating a fuel injector in a fuel assembly of an engine, comprising:
- receiving, during injection of fuel, parameters of the fuel assembly;
- predicting, during injection of fuel, a pressure profile for the fuel assembly based on the parameters of the fuel assembly by:
- determining an estimated pressure of the fuel assembly;
- calculating a plurality of fuel quantities based on the estimated pressure;
- calculating an estimated fuel amount from the plurality of fuel quantities;
- and
- comparing the estimated fuel amount to a predetermined tolerance amount;
- calculating an amount of time for fuel flow from the fuel injector in response to predicting the pressure profile;
- and
- operating the fuel injector for the amount of time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.