Engine Control System Optimizing Fuel Delivery via Sensor Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current engine control systems face challenges in optimizing specific fuel consumption (SFC) and exhaust gas profiles due to limitations in controlling the oxygen-to-fuel ratio, leading to incomplete combustion and increased emissions.
Innovation Solution
An engine control system that includes sensors for oxygen, pressure, and temperature, along with a controller that adjusts fuel delivery based on these parameters to maintain a reference SFC and exhaust gas profile, using predetermined correlations and adaptive models to optimize combustion efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the oxygen-to-fuel ratio is not properly controlled, then fuel delivery cannot be optimized, but this leads to incomplete combustion and increased emissions
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs multiple sensors (oxygen sensor at intake, pressure sensor in combustor, temperature sensor in combustor) that continuously monitor engine parameters and feed this information back to the controller. The controller adjusts fuel delivery based on this feedback to maintain optimal combustion conditions, thereby improving fuel consumption while reducing emissions through closed-loop control
Solution Approach 2:
The controller dynamically adjusts the fuel delivery rate by changing the oxygen-to-fuel ratio parameter based on real-time readings from sensors. By modifying this critical parameter, the system optimizes combustion efficiency to achieve lower specific fuel consumption and reduced harmful emissions simultaneously
2Object-generated harmful factors
If multiple sensors and control mechanisms are added to optimize combustion, then emissions control improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller serves multiple functions: it receives signals from oxygen, pressure, and temperature sensors; calculates the oxygen-to-fuel ratio; determines the optimal fuel delivery rate; and actuates the fuel delivery device. This multi-functionality consolidates control logic into a single unit, managing emissions control without proportionally increasing system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The controller acts as an intermediary that processes information from multiple sensors and translates it into appropriate fuel delivery commands. Rather than having separate control mechanisms for each parameter, the controller integrates all sensor inputs and coordinates the fuel delivery adjustment, simplifying the overall control architecture while maintaining effective emissions control
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
The system effectively controls fuel delivery to achieve improved SFC and reduced emissions by ensuring complete combustion, thereby enhancing engine performance and emissions control.
Implementation Method 1
an intake sensor configured to transmit an oxygen signal indicative of an amount of oxygen at an intake of an engine
Implementation Method 2
a pressure sensor configured to transmit a pressure signal indicative of a pressure in the combustor
Implementation Method 3
a temperature sensor configured to transmit a temperature signal indicative of a temperature in the combustor
Implementation Method 4
a combustor of the engine... determine a reference specific fuel consumption (SFC) of the engine... ensuring complete combustion
Data Source
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AI summary
An engine control system (10) that includes an intake sensor (18); a fuel delivery device (25) to control a rate of fuel delivery to an engine combustor (46, 110); a combustor pressure sensor (20); a combustor temperature sensor (22); and a controller (14). The controller is configured to receive at least one of an oxygen intake signal, a combustor pressure signal, and a combustor temperature signal; determine at least one of a reference specific fuel consumption (SFC) of the engine (12) or a reference amount of a respective exhaust gas of a plurality of exhaust gases based on the oxygen signal, the pressure signal, and the temperature signal; compare at least one of the reference SFC or the reference amount of a respective exhaust gas to a respective threshold value; and control the fuel delivery device to control the rate of fuel delivery based on the comparison. A method for controlling an engine and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions are also described.