Fuel Injection Timing Drift Detection and Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Internal combustion engines face challenges in accurately detecting and compensating for fuel injection timing drifts, which affect combustion efficiency and emission standards, due to physical variations and wear in fuel injectors.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses crank synchronous pressure data during fuel flow cutout periods to measure start-of-injection timing, calculates timing drift, and generates a compensation scheme to adjust fuel injection timing, thereby flagging potential faults.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional engine position sensor diagnostics are used to detect timing shifts, then timing drift detection is provided, but phase shift error cannot be detected at finer resolution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces fuel pressure sensor data as an intermediary measurement medium to detect injection timing drift. By monitoring pressure changes in the fuel rail during injection events, the system achieves finer resolution timing detection without requiring additional dedicated timing sensors or complex sensor modifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical/engine position sensor-based timing detection with a pressure-based detection method. By substituting the mechanical sensing approach with pressure field measurement, the system achieves higher measurement precision while maintaining diagnostic system simplicity.
2Productivity
If fuel injection timing is not actively monitored and corrected, then system complexity is reduced, but combustion efficiency and emission performance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where fuel pressure sensor data is continuously monitored to detect injection timing drift. The detected timing offset is then used to generate compensation signals that adjust the injection timing, creating a closed-loop control system that maintains optimal combustion efficiency and emission performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the existing fuel pressure sensor data, already collected for other purposes, to simultaneously perform timing drift detection and compensation. This self-service approach allows the system to maintain high combustion efficiency without adding separate monitoring and correction subsystems.
3Manufacturing precision
If precise control of fuel injection timing is implemented, then combustion efficiency and fuel efficiency are improved, but measurement and control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the fuel pressure sensor serve multiple functions: it simultaneously monitors fuel rail pressure for fuel management purposes and detects injection timing events by identifying pressure drop patterns. This multi-functionality enables precise timing measurement without requiring dedicated timing sensors or increasing measurement system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
At least some embodiments of present disclosure direct to a fuel injection timing drift detection and/or compensation system. In some cases, the system collects or receives a series of fuel pressure data measured by one or more fuel pressure sensors. The system is configured to receive an indication of fuel flow cutout and a start-of-injection command signal. The system calculates a set of pressure drops using the series of fuel pressure data and identifies a selected pressure drop greater than a predetermined threshold to determine a measured start-of-injection timing based on the selected pressure drop. The system is further configured to evaluate whether a fuel injection drifting occurs based on received start-of-injection command signal and the measured start-of-injection timing. In some cases, the fuel injection drifting is used to either compensate fuel injection timing or raise a flag indicating the drifting.