US 9,958,358 B2 · Control system having seal damage counting

Abstract

An imbedded control system is disclosed for use with an engine having a cylinder liner and a seal. The control system may have at least one sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of a combustion process occurring inside the cylinder liner, and a controller in communication with the sensor. The controller may be configured to determine an amount of heat generated inside the cylinder liner based on the signal and a combustion model of the engine, to determine a heat flux through the engine based on the amount of heat and a heat flux model of the engine, and to determine a temperature at the seal based on the heat flux and a thermal model of the cylinder liner. The controller may also be configured to track a time at the temperature, and to determine a damage count of the seal based on the time at the temperature.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A control system imbedded within an engine having a cylinder liner disposed in a block and a seal located around the cylinder liner, the control system comprising:

at least one sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of a combustion process occurring inside the cylinder liner;
and
a controller in communication with the at least one sensor and configured to:
determine an amount of heat generated inside the cylinder liner based on the signal and a combustion model of the engine;
determine a heat flux through the engine based on the amount of heat and a heat flux model of the engine;
determine a temperature at the seal based on the heat flux and a thermal model of the cylinder liner;
track a time at the temperature;
and
determine a damage count of the seal based on the time at the temperature.

6 more elements

A method of monitoring an engine by an imbedded control system, the method comprising:

sensing at least one parameter of a combustion process occurring inside a cylinder liner of the engine;
determining an amount of heat generated inside the cylinder liner based on the at least one parameter, a known compression ratio of the engine, a known bore diameter of the cylinder liner, a known stroke length of an associated piston, an assumed mixing of fuel and air occurring inside the cylinder liner, and a combustion model of the engine;
determining a heat flux through the engine based on the amount of heat, known material and geometry data of the cylinder liner and the block, and a heat flux model of the engine;
determining a temperature of coolant in contact with a seal disposed around the cylinder liner;
determining a temperature at the seal based on the heat flux, a thermal model of the cylinder liner, and the temperature of the coolant;
tracking a time at the temperature;
and
determining in real-time a damage count of the seal based on the time at the temperature and a damage model of the seal.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Control system having seal damage counting

Life of this patent

Control system having seal damage counting

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20