Fuel Pump Wear Compensation via Inflection Point Calibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fuel pumps in internal combustion engine systems operate under open-loop control, leading to inaccuracies due to component tolerance and wear, resulting in increased energy consumption and CO2 emissions, as wear cannot be reliably predicted and compensated for.
Innovation Solution
A method to determine the inflection point representing component tolerance and wear of a fuel pump by incrementally increasing the rotational speed of the fuel pump motor, measuring phase current, and approximating straight lines to find the intersection point, which is used to calibrate the pump and adjust its operation for improved accuracy and energy efficiency without requiring closed-loop control or pressure sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the fuel pump delivers more fuel from the beginning to compensate for wear, then the fuel delivery accuracy is improved, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary characterization of the fuel pump during manufacturing to determine its specific delivery curve. This pre-acquired data is stored and used throughout the vehicle's service life to calculate accurate fuel delivery quantities without requiring the pump to operate at higher-than-necessary speeds, thereby avoiding excessive energy consumption while maintaining delivery accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters by using the characterized delivery curve to determine the exact rotational speed required for each fuel demand. Instead of using fixed or overly conservative speed settings, the control unit calculates the precise speed needed based on the pump's actual delivery characteristics, optimizing the balance between delivery accuracy and energy efficiency throughout the pump's service life.
2Device complexity
If open-loop control is used for fuel pump operation, then the system complexity is reduced, but the fuel delivery accuracy deteriorates due to tolerance and wear
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary characterization of the fuel pump during manufacturing to determine its specific delivery curve. This pre-acquired data is stored and used throughout the vehicle's service life to calculate accurate fuel delivery quantities without requiring the pump to operate at higher-than-necessary speeds, thereby avoiding excessive energy consumption while maintaining delivery accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a form of feedback by using the pre-characterized delivery curve to continuously adjust the rotational speed calculations. The control unit references the stored delivery characteristics and applies them to each operating condition, creating a closed-loop effect without requiring physical sensors or complex real-time measurement systems.
3Measurement precision
If the fuel pump operates with increased rotational speed to compensate for wear, then the fuel delivery accuracy is maintained, but the CO2 emissions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the operational parameters by using the characterized delivery curve to determine the exact rotational speed required for each fuel demand. Instead of using fixed or overly conservative speed settings, the control unit calculates the precise speed needed based on the pump's actual delivery characteristics, optimizing the balance between delivery accuracy and energy consumption, thereby reducing CO2 emissions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system converts the potential harm of wear-induced delivery inaccuracies into a benefit by using the characterized delivery curve to calculate compensating rotational speed adjustments. Rather than blindly increasing speed, the system intelligently adjusts parameters based on the pump's actual state, maintaining accuracy while minimizing unnecessary energy consumption and emissions.
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 method provides accurate fuel delivery, reduces energy consumption, and improves the CO2 balance by compensating for inaccuracies in fuel pump operation, allowing for efficient actuation and calibration of the fuel pump over its service life without the need for sensor-based actual value acquisition.
Implementation Method 1
incrementally increasing a rotational speed n of a fuel pump motor in order to increase the pressure upstream of the shut-off point
Implementation Method 2
simultaneously determining a phase current i that occurs in the fuel pump motor
Data Source
AI summary
A method for calibrating a fuel pump for use in a fuel supply system of a device having internal combustion engine includes determining a tolerance-conditioned and wear-conditioned deviation of the fuel pump with respect to its delivery behavior so that the calibration permits energy-consumption-optimized actuation of the fuel pump.