High-Pressure Fuel Pump Valve Noise Reduction via Current Waveform Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing control methods for high-pressure fuel supply pumps fail to accurately detect the timing of electromagnetic valve opening, leading to inconsistent noise reduction effects due to individual pump variations, and struggle with detecting valve closure noise in fluctuating current waveforms.

Innovation Solution

A control device for high-pressure fuel supply pumps that uses an engine control unit (ECU) to detect the collision timing between the anchor and fixed core by processing current waveforms, reducing the driving current before the collision to minimize noise, and adjusting spring forces to ensure proper valve closure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a current reduction method is used to lower energizing current value before electromagnetic valve opening, then collision noise is reduced, but accurate detection of valve opening timing becomes difficult due to individual pump variations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecollision noiseVSAvoidvalve opening timing detection accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary learning to detect and store the individual valve opening timing of each pump before normal operation. This preliminary detection of the specific timing characteristic allows the control system to subsequently reduce current at the precise moment before valve opening, achieving noise reduction while accounting for individual pump variations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from current waveform analysis to detect valve opening timing during a learning phase, then applies this detected timing information to control current reduction in subsequent operations. The feedback loop enables the system to adapt to individual pump characteristics and maintain accurate timing detection despite variations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Ease of operation

If voltage is repeatedly turned ON and OFF to control the electromagnetic valve, then valve operation is achieved, but current value fluctuates making collision timing detection difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevalve control operationVSAvoidcollision timing detection
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs a preliminary learning operation during which voltage is applied to detect collision timing in a controlled manner. This preliminary detection phase occurs before normal repeated ON/OFF operations, allowing the system to store collision timing information that can be used during subsequent valve control operations without being affected by the fluctuations of repeated voltage switching.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces direct mechanical observation of collision timing with electrical signal detection through current waveform analysis. By detecting changes in current waveform characteristics (such as impedance changes) when collision occurs, the system can electronically identify collision timing without being disrupted by the mechanical ON/OFF cycling of the valve.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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

Effectively reduces collision sound when the electromagnetic valve is closed by accurately determining the collision timing and controlling the current waveform, enhancing noise reduction and operational efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

a fixed core (39) configured to suck the anchor (36) with an electromagnetic force

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic force: Electromagnet

Data Source

PatentEP3467298B1Device for controlling high-pressure fuel supply pump, and high-pressure fuel supply pump
Publication Date: 2023.07.26 ASTEMO LTD
  • EP3467298B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3467298B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3467298B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

To reduce collision noise caused when an electromagnetic valve of a high-pressure fuel supply pump is opened. Therefore, in a control device for controlling a high-pressure fuel supply pump including: an anchor; a fixed core configured to attract the anchor with an electromagnetic force; a suction valve configured to be opened or closed when the anchor is sucked by the fixed core; and an electromagnetic force generation unit configured to generate the electromagnetic force when applied with a driving voltage, it can be achieved by providing a control unit configured to perform control to lower a driving current from a peak current before a timing at which the anchor is sucked by the fixed core and collides in an operation state where an engine is under no load and an engine rotation speed is equal to or less than a set rotation speed.