Engine Fuel Pressure Pulsation Prediction Model

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing control systems for internal combustion engines struggle to accurately control fuel injection amounts due to fuel pressure pulsation, which is influenced by multiple factors and cannot be effectively managed by considering only the engine's rotating speed.

Innovation Solution

A control device that includes an electronic control unit capable of calculating amplitudes, vibration frequencies, and initial phases of waves caused by various factors within the low-pressure fuel passage, using a model formula to predict fuel pressure values at arbitrary crank angles, thereby synthesizing the waves and adjusting fuel injection accordingly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If fuel injection amounts are controlled on the basis of detection value of fuel pressure sensor, then fuel injection control can be implemented, but fuel injection amounts become uncontrollable due to fuel pressure pulsation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefuel injection controlVSAvoidfuel injection amount control
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a fuel pressure prediction value as an intermediary between the actual fuel pressure sensor readings and the fuel injection control. This predicted value, calculated based on engine operating conditions and pulsation characteristics, mediates the control process to eliminate the harmful effect of pressure pulsation while maintaining ease of control implementation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a copy or model of the fuel pressure behavior through prediction calculations based on engine operating conditions. This copied pressure information, which excludes pulsation effects, is then used for control purposes, allowing accurate fuel injection control without being affected by the actual pulsating pressure readings

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Device complexity

If correction values are defined in advance for every rotating speed without using actual fuel pressure value, then pulsation control is simplified, but fuel injection amount control becomes inappropriate due to insufficient consideration of pulsation factors

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol system complexityVSAvoidfuel injection amount precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameters used for control from simple engine rotating speed to a comprehensive set including engine rotating speed, load, and calculated fuel pressure prediction values. This parameter transformation enables precise fuel injection control while maintaining reasonable system complexity through systematic calculation approaches

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of operation

If only engine rotating speed is considered for pulsation correction, then control is simplified, but fuel injection amount control becomes inappropriate due to insufficient accuracy

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol simplicityVSAvoidfuel pressure prediction accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the fuel pressure pulsation into distinct components based on different sources (injection valve operations, pump operations). By calculating correction values for each segmented pulsation source separately and combining them, the system achieves high prediction accuracy while maintaining operational simplicity through modular calculation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3199788B1Control device for internal combustion engine
Publication Date: 2019.05.22 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
  • EP3199788B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3199788B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3199788B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A control device for an internal combustion engine (10) is equipped with an electronic control unit (41). The electronic control unit (41) is configured to: i) calculate amplitudes of respective waves, respectively, originating from a plurality of factors that causes fuel pressure pulsation within a low-pressure fuel passage (25), vibration frequencies of the respective waves within a crank angle range of 360 degrees, initial phases of the respective waves, and central fuel pressure values of the respective waves; and ii) predict a fuel pressure value at an arbitrary crank angle according to a model formula showing a synthesized wave obtained by synthesizing the respective waves, on a basis of the amplitudes, the vibration frequencies, the initial phases, and the central fuel pressure values of the respective waves calculated.