Glow Plug Control Apparatus for Consistent Heater Temperature
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Solution Overview
Problem
Variations in resistance among glow plugs lead to inconsistent engine startability and ignitability due to differences in heat generation section resistances and lead wire resistances, resulting in varying temperature rise times and maintained heater temperatures.
Innovation Solution
A glow plug electrification control apparatus that determines a target resistance suitable for each glow plug by measuring the temperature-raising-period resistance and maintaining-period resistance, using this data to control the electric current supply to maintain a consistent heater temperature across different glow plugs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the same cumulative electric power is supplied to glow plugs with different resistances, then the low-resistance glow plug reaches a higher temperature, but this causes inconsistent heater temperatures across different glow plugs
Solution Approach 1:
The control apparatus dynamically adjusts the cumulative electric power supply based on the measured resistance of each glow plug. By changing the power parameter according to resistance variations, the system ensures that glow plugs with different resistances reach and maintain consistent heater temperatures, resolving the temperature inconsistency problem while improving engine startability reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The system measures the resistance of each glow plug and uses this feedback information to adjust the cumulative electric power supply. This closed-loop control ensures that variations in glow plug resistance are compensated for, maintaining consistent heater temperatures across different glow plugs and improving overall system reliability
2Stability of the object's composition
If the resistance of the glow plug is controlled to match a target resistance to maintain heater temperature, then the heater temperature is maintained constant, but the control complexity increases due to variations in lead wire resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The control apparatus extracts and measures the resistance of the lead wire separately from the heat generation section resistance. By isolating the lead wire resistance component, the system can accurately determine the resistance of the glow plug itself and apply appropriate compensation, maintaining heater temperature stability without excessive control complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The control system uses the measured resistance value as an intermediary parameter to adjust the cumulative electric power supply. This intermediary approach allows the system to indirectly control heater temperature by adjusting power based on resistance measurements, simplifying the control mechanism while maintaining temperature stability
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 solution ensures that all glow plugs maintain a consistent heater temperature despite variations in resistance, improving engine startability and ignitability by accurately controlling the electric power supply based on real-time resistance measurements.
Implementation Method 1
a glow plug has a resistance heater which is caused to generate heat upon supply of electric current thereto
Data Source
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AI summary
A glow plug electrification control apparatus which can maintain the same heater temperature even when resistance varies among glow plugs to be used, and a glow plug electrification control system using the same. The apparatus (101) includes temperature-raising-period-resistance acquisition means for temperature-raising-period resistances Rg1(0.5), etc. of glow plugs (GP1-GPn) at predetermined timings during a temperature-raising period; maintaining-period electrification control means for maintaining the heater temperature Tgl(t), etc. at predetermined target temperatures Tm1, etc. after the temperature raising; and maintaining-period resistance acquisition means for acquiring maintaining-period resistances Rgl(t), etc. of the glow plugs GP1, etc. in a maintaining period.