Engine Control System for Fuel-Air Mixing During Exhaust Gas Recirculation

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing fuel injection timing control systems for gasoline engines experience reduced fuel spray penetration due to increased exhaust gas recirculation, leading to worsened ignition and combustion fluctuations, which decreases engine efficiency and worsens exhaust emissions.

Innovation Solution

The engine control system advances the fuel injection timing, increases fuel pressure, reduces the frequency of divided multi-stage injection, or shortens the injection interval from intake to compression top dead center, to enhance fuel distribution and mixing within the combustion chamber, particularly when exhaust gas recirculation amounts and temperatures increase.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If the fuel injection timing is retarded upon exhaust gas recirculation, then the combustion temperature is reduced, but the fuel spray penetration is shortened and mixing of fuel and air is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecombustion temperatureVSAvoidfuel spray penetration
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by advancing the fuel injection timing before the exhaust gas recirculation effect fully develops. This ensures that fuel is injected earlier when chamber pressure is lower and temperature conditions are more favorable for achieving adequate spray penetration and atomization, thereby preventing the mixing problems that would occur with retarded injection timing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically changes the fuel injection timing parameter based on exhaust gas recirculation conditions. When exhaust gas recirculation is detected, the control system adjusts the injection timing parameter to an advanced position, compensating for the adverse effects of high temperature and pressure on spray penetration, thus maintaining optimal fuel-air mixing conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Stability of the object's composition

If the fuel injection timing is retarded, then the abnormal combustion suppression effect is achieved, but the ignition becomes difficult and combustion fluctuation worsens

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecombustion stabilityVSAvoidignition reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by advancing the fuel injection timing to ensure proper fuel atomization and distribution before ignition. This preliminary positioning of fuel droplets in optimal locations ensures reliable ignition and stable combustion, preventing the combustion fluctuations that would result from retarded injection timing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from combustion sensors to monitor combustion quality and adjust injection timing accordingly. When combustion fluctuations are detected, the control system modifies the injection timing parameter to maintain stable combustion, ensuring that ignition reliability is preserved while achieving abnormal combustion suppression.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Object-generated harmful factors

If the exhaust gas recirculation amount is increased, then the exhaust gas purification is improved, but the fuel spray penetration is reduced and mixing is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveexhaust emissionsVSAvoidfuel spray penetration
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically changes the fuel injection timing parameter in response to varying exhaust gas recirculation amounts. When EGR amount increases, the injection timing is advanced to compensate for the reduced spray penetration caused by higher chamber pressure and temperature, thereby maintaining adequate fuel-air mixing while allowing high EGR rates for emission control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary action by advancing fuel injection timing before the adverse effects of high EGR rates fully manifest. This ensures that fuel is injected at optimal timing to achieve proper atomization and penetration even when large amounts of exhaust gas are recirculated, maintaining mixing quality while achieving emission reduction goals.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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 approach extends fuel spray penetration, promotes fuel and air mixing, thereby suppressing combustion fluctuations and achieving compatibility between engine efficiency and exhaust gas purification.

Implementation Method 1

The cylinder direct injection fuel supply device uses a fuel injection valve (hereinafter referred to as the injector) to inject fuel directly into a combustion chamber

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSpray atomization: Spray

Implementation Method 2

The exhaust gas recirculation device recirculates exhaust gas emitted from the gasoline engine into an intake pipe, and flows it back into the combustion chamber for combustion

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 3

The specific heat of gas in the combustion chamber is increased to reduce the temperature of the gas

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 4

the fuel is injected into the gas at a higher temperature to promote atomization and vaporization

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVaporization: Evaporation

Implementation Method 5

an internal combustion engine which combusts fuel in a combustion chamber and removes power

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCombustion: Combustion

Data Source

PatentEP3130785B1Engine control system
Publication Date: 2020.09.23 HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYST LTD
  • EP3130785B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3130785B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3130785B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an engine control system that is capable of promoting mixing of fuel and air during exhaust gas recirculation, thereby suppressing combustion fluctuation of a gasoline engine, such that efficiency and exhaust gas purification can be simultaneously achieved. The engine control system controls an engine and is equipped with an injection device for injecting fuel directly into a cylinder and a recirculation device for recirculating exhaust gas to the intake side. When the temperature of the recirculating exhaust gas recirculated by the recirculation device is high as opposed to when the temperature is low, or when the amount of the recirculating exhaust gas recirculated by the recirculation device is large as opposed to when the amount is small, at least one of the following is executed: advancing of the fuel injection timing (IT_SP (n-2) of the injection device; increasing of the fuel pressure (FP) to be supplied to the injection device; reducing the frequency (n) of divided multi-stage injection to be performed by the injection device during the period between intake top dead center and compression top dead center; and reducing of the interval of divided multi-stage injection (IT_RE (n-2)).