Injector Failure Detection via 0.5th Harmonic Angle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for detecting injector failure in internal combustion engines are complex, cumbersome, and costly, requiring sequential forced anomalous combustion events and comparisons of amplitudes across multiple spectral ranges, making it difficult to quickly and simply identify a failed injector during normal engine operation.
Innovation Solution
A method involving discrete Fourier transformation of the crank angle signal to capture and store angles and amounts of the 0.5th harmonic, allowing for sequential shutdown and identification of failed injectors, with continuous comparison to a threshold value to detect and isolate injector failures without the need for extensive spectral comparisons or sequential shutdown of all injectors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sequential forced anomalous combustion events are used to detect injector failure, then detection reliability is improved, but device complexity and detection time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential information needed for injector failure detection by focusing on the amount and angle of the 0.5th harmonic component from the crank angle signal. Instead of performing full spectral analysis across multiple frequency ranges, the method isolates and monitors this specific harmonic parameter, thereby simplifying the detection process while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary action by sequentially turning off individual injectors before actual operation to capture and store the characteristic 0.5th harmonic angles for each injector in advance. These pre-stored reference values are then used during normal operation for rapid comparison, eliminating the need for sequential forced anomalous combustion events during actual detection.
2Measurement precision
If full spectral analysis with amplitude comparison across multiple frequency ranges is performed, then detection precision is improved, but detection time and computational cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential information needed for injector failure detection by focusing on the amount and angle of the 0.5th harmonic component from the crank angle signal. Instead of performing full spectral analysis across multiple frequency ranges, the method isolates and monitors this specific harmonic parameter, thereby simplifying the detection process while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the monitoring parameter from full spectral amplitude comparisons to specifically tracking the amount and angle of the 0.5th harmonic component. This parameter transformation enables precise injector failure detection with significantly reduced computational requirements and faster response time.
3Measurement precision
If sequential injector shutdown testing is performed for each cylinder, then identification accuracy is improved, but productivity and operational efficiency decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by sequentially turning off individual injectors before actual operation to capture and store the characteristic 0.5th harmonic angles for each injector in advance. These pre-stored reference values are then used during normal operation for rapid comparison, eliminating the need for sequential forced anomalous combustion events during actual detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy of the normal operational state by storing reference 0.5th harmonic angles for each injector when all injectors are functional. During failure detection, these stored reference copies are compared against current measurements to identify failures without disrupting engine operation.
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
Enables quick and simple identification of failed injectors during normal engine operation, reducing the complexity and cost of detection, and preventing potential engine damage by allowing for timely intervention and prevention of further failure.
Implementation Method 1
a crank angle signal is measured and then transformed into the frequency range by way of discrete Fourier-transformation
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for detecting the failure of injectors in an internal combustion engine, comprising the following steps: measuring a crank angle signal; transforming the crank angle signal into the frequency range by means of a discrete Fourier transformation; switching off each injector once and in a sequential manner; detecting and storing an angle of the harmonic of the 0.5th order of the Fourier-transformed crank angle signal for each switched-off injector once and in a sequential manner; continuous detection and storage of an angle and an amount of the harmonic of the 0.5th order of the Fourier-transformed crank angle signal; continuous comparison of the continuously detected amount with a predetermined threshold value, and determining a failure of the injector when the amount exceeds the predetermined threshold value; comparing the continuously detected angle with the angles stored for each switched-off injector when a failure of the injector is detected, and identifying the failed injector with an injector, for which a matching, stored angle is found.