Ignition Control System Energy Density Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ignition control systems for internal combustion engines face challenges in accurately determining the combustion state of lean air-fuel mixtures, leading to potential misfire errors and unnecessary energy consumption due to the degradation of spark plugs and ignition transformers during multiple discharge operations.
Innovation Solution
An ignition control system that calculates energy density and integrates parameters correlated with the discharge spark's energy to determine the combustion state, performing re-discharge only when the integrated value falls below a threshold, thereby optimizing combustion and reducing energy waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple discharge operations are performed during a single ignition cycle, then the combustion state can be improved, but the spark plug and ignition transformer become significantly degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter being measured from secondary voltage alone to a combination of primary voltage, primary current, and their product (energy). This allows for more accurate determination of combustion state, enabling the system to perform discharge only when necessary, thus reducing the number of discharge operations and extending the service life of the spark plug and ignition transformer while maintaining reliable combustion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback control by measuring the primary voltage and primary current during discharge, calculating the energy, and using this information to determine whether combustion is normal or abnormal. Based on this feedback, the system decides whether to perform additional discharge operations, optimizing the balance between combustion reliability and component durability.
2Ease of operation
If secondary voltage alone is used to determine combustion state, then the detection method is simple, but erroneous determination occurs in high flow fields where combustion ions are carried away by airflow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes from using a single parameter (secondary voltage) to using multiple parameters (primary voltage, primary current, and their product energy). This multi-parameter approach provides more accurate combustion state determination even in high flow fields where combustion ions are carried away, as the energy calculation accounts for the actual discharge characteristics regardless of ion carryover.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the indirect measurement method (measuring secondary voltage after discharge) with a direct measurement method (measuring primary voltage and primary current during discharge). This substitution provides more reliable and accurate combustion state determination by directly monitoring the discharge energy rather than inferring it from post-discharge voltage levels.
3Reliability
If re-discharge is performed multiple times during a single ignition cycle, then misfire can be prevented, but energy is wasted due to unnecessary discharge operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses feedback control by calculating the energy from primary voltage and primary current measurements, comparing it against thresholds to determine combustion state. This feedback mechanism allows the system to perform re-discharge only when combustion is actually abnormal, preventing misfires while avoiding unnecessary discharge operations that would waste energy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the control parameter from secondary voltage to a combination of primary voltage, primary current, and their product (energy). This provides more accurate assessment of combustion state, enabling the system to distinguish between normal and abnormal combustion more reliably, thus performing re-discharge only when necessary to prevent misfires without wasting energy.
Data Source
AI summary
In an ignition control system, a primary current control unit performs discharge generation control one or more times during a single combustion cycle. The discharge generation control allows a spark plug to generate a discharge spark. A parameter calculating unit successively calculates a parameter correlated with energy of a discharge spark. An energy density calculating unit successively calculates energy density that is energy per unit length of the discharge spark. When the energy density is greater than a predetermined value during a predetermined period after a primary current is interrupted during a single combustion cycle, an integrated value calculating unit calculates an integrated value by integrating the parameter during the predetermined period. The primary current control unit performs the discharge generation control again when the integrated value calculated by the integrated value calculating unit is less than a predetermined determination threshold.