Distributed Engine Fuel Control for Cylinder Load Balancing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing engine speed control methods rely on non-distributed fuel demand control, which is inadequate for handling speed control in a distributed manner, particularly during certain conditions where cylinder loads vary.

Innovation Solution

A distributed fuel control system where multiple control units, each controlling a cylinder's fuel injection valve, communicate via a network to share speed measurement data and calculate cylinder-specific load, allowing for precise fuel supply control and load balancing across cylinders.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If non-distributed fuel demand control is used, then the control system is simple, but the engine cannot handle speed control in a distributed manner when cylinder loads vary

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedistributed speed control capabilityVSAvoidcontrol system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control system is segmented into multiple independent control units, each responsible for a specific cylinder. Each control unit has its own fuel demand controller that can independently calculate and adjust fuel injection based on local cylinder load conditions, enabling distributed control while maintaining individual cylinder autonomy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where each control unit receives actual cylinder load information and engine speed data, compares it with reference values, and adjusts fuel injection accordingly. This closed-loop feedback enables adaptive distributed control that responds to varying cylinder loads

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Manufacturing precision

If global fuel demand control is used, then all cylinders take on approximately the same load, but this is inadequate when cylinder loads need to be individually optimized

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefuel supply precisionVSAvoidcontrol structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Each control unit implements local quality control by calculating fuel demand specifically for its assigned cylinder based on that cylinder's actual load conditions. This allows each cylinder to receive precisely tailored fuel supply optimized for its specific operating conditions rather than a uniform global control approach

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The unified fuel demand control is segmented into multiple independent fuel demand controllers, each dedicated to a specific cylinder. This segmentation enables independent optimization of fuel supply for each cylinder while maintaining overall system coordination through shared engine speed control

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2430299B1Engine fuel supply control
Publication Date: 2013.05.01 WARTSILA FINLAND OY
  • EP2430299B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2430299B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2430299B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a control of fuel supply to internal combustion engine. Cylinder specific load data (61) is provided to control modules (100) and a load deviation value (122) of said control module (100) is used to generate a cylinder specific speed reference data (132) by affecting a speed reference data (62) with determined load sharing deviation value (122). Fuel supply is controlled based on cylinder specific speed reference data (132).