Dual-Fuel Engine Fuel Injection Control via Knock Sensor Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dual-fuel engines face challenges in achieving precise metering of the first fuel for igniting the second fuel, especially with a single injector, which affects combustion stability and efficiency over the engine's lifetime, and requires improved systems for controlling fuel injection.
Innovation Solution
A dual-fuel engine system with a first fuel injector, a knock sensor, and a controller that adjusts the mass and start of the first fuel injection based on electrical signals from the sensor, allowing for dynamic adjustment to maintain optimal performance despite aging or wear, and account for injector differences across cylinders.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single injector is used for injection of the first fuel, then the device complexity is reduced, but the manufacturing precision of fuel metering deteriorates over the lifetime of the injector
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a knock sensor to detect combustion characteristics and provides feedback to the control unit. The control unit adjusts the injection parameters (mass, start timing, duration) of the first fuel based on this feedback to compensate for injector wear and maintain precise metering over the injector's lifetime.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts injection parameters based on real-time combustion feedback. The control unit modifies the injection mass, start timing, and duration of the first fuel adaptively to maintain optimal combustion stability and metering precision as the injector ages.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the contribution of gaseous fuel combustion is increased, then fuel costs are reduced and emissions are lowered, but the reliability of combustion stability deteriorates due to exact metering challenges
Solution Approach 1:
The knock sensor detects combustion characteristics and provides feedback to the control unit, which adjusts the first fuel injection parameters to maintain combustion stability. This feedback mechanism ensures reliable combustion even as the gaseous fuel contribution increases.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes injection parameters (mass, timing, duration) of the first fuel to optimize the balance between gaseous fuel contribution and combustion stability. By dynamically adjusting these parameters, the system maintains reliable combustion while maximizing the use of cleaner, cheaper gaseous fuel.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This system enables precise control of the first fuel injection, maintaining desired combustion stability and efficiency even in high turndown modes, reducing fuel costs and emissions by optimizing the energy fraction of the gaseous fuel.
Implementation Method 1
A knock sensor is disposed on the first fuel injector. The knock sensor is configured to generate an electrical signal indicative of at least one of a start of injection and an end of injection of the first fuel.
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
System 101 for controlling an injection of fuel in an engine is disclosed. The engine 100 includes a cylinder 106 and a first fuel injector 122 to inject a first fuel in the cylinder 106. The system 101 includes a sensor 154 disposed on or proximate to the first fuel injector 122 and configured to generate an electrical signal indicative of at least one of a start of the injection and an end of the injection of the first fuel. The system 101 further includes a controller 102 configured to adjust at least one of a mass and the start of injection of the first fuel to be injected by the first fuel injector 122 based on the electrical signal. A dual-fuel engine employing the system for controlling an injection of fuel in an engine is also disclosed. Moreover, method 200 and non-transitory computer readable media for controlling an injection of the fuel are also disclosed.