Direct injection pump control
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorRoss Dykstra Pursifull
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods are provided for controlling a solenoid spill valve of a direct injection fuel pump, wherein the solenoid spill valve is energized and de-energized according to certain conditions. An example control strategy is provided for operating the direct injection fuel pump when fuel vapor is detected at an inlet of the direct injection fuel pump. To ensure pump effectiveness during the presence of fuel vapor, the solenoid spill valve may be maintained energized for a minimum angular duration past a top-dead-center position of a piston in the direct injection fuel pump.
Claims20
A method, comprising:
- energizing a solenoid spill valve of a direct injection fuel pump for or longer than a minimum angular duration based on a position of a piston in the direct injection fuel pump in response to fuel vapor detected at an inlet of the direct injection fuel pump.
A system, comprising:
- an engine including a cylinder;
- a direct fuel injector coupled to the cylinder;
- a direct injection fuel pump including a piston, a compression chamber, and a cam for driving the piston;
- a high pressure fuel rail fluidically coupled to each of the direct fuel injector and an outlet of the direct injection fuel pump;
- a solenoid spill valve fluidically coupled to an inlet of the direct injection fuel pump;
- a lift pump fluidically coupled to the solenoid spill valve via a low pressure fuel line;
- a fuel composition sensor coupled to the low pressure fuel line downstream of the lift pump and upstream of the solenoid spill valve;
- and
- a controller with computer readable instructions stored in non-transitory memory for:
- in response to detecting fuel vapor at the inlet of the direct injection fuel pump, energizing the solenoid spill valve for or longer than a minimum angular duration based on a position of the piston.
A method, comprising:
- when a first condition is met, energizing a solenoid spill valve of a direct injection fuel pump for or longer than a minimum angular duration based on a position of a piston in the direct injection fuel pump;
- and
- when the first condition is not met, energizing the solenoid spill valve for only an angular duration based on the position of the piston of the direct injection fuel pump.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.