Multi-Coil Ignition Control for Misfire Suppression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Engine misfires occur due to insufficient combustion of air-fuel mixtures, leading to unburned fuel being exhausted, particularly in conditions involving EGR gas or lean combustion, where existing ignition control systems fail to adequately manage ignition timing and energy delivery.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for controlling an ignition coil that includes multiple ignition coils and a controller to selectively perform multi-stage or single-stage ignitions based on engine operation regions, adjusting the number of ignitions and dwell time to enhance combustion efficiency and prevent misfires, using sensors to detect misfire conditions such as engine speed and oxygen concentration changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multi-stage ignition is performed in EGR or lean combustion regions, then combustion reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ignition system dynamically switches between single-stage and multi-stage ignition modes based on real-time engine operating conditions (EGR rate, load, speed). The controller adjusts ignition strategy adaptively, performing multi-stage ignition only when needed in EGR or lean combustion regions, thereby maintaining combustion reliability while avoiding unnecessary complexity in normal operating conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes ignition parameters (number of ignition stages, dwell time, ignition timing) based on detected engine operating regions. When EGR gas is used or lean combustion is performed, the controller transitions to multi-stage ignition with adjusted parameters, resolving the contradiction by optimizing reliability only when required rather than maintaining fixed complex control.
2Reliability
If the number of ignitions or dwell time is increased during misfire events, then misfire suppression is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller applies excessive ignition action (increased number of ignitions or extended dwell time) only partially and temporarily, specifically during detected misfire events. Once misfire is suppressed, the system returns to normal ignition parameters. This resolves the contradiction by using high energy consumption only when necessary for misfire suppression rather than continuously.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from misfire detection (based on cylinder pressure or crankshaft speed variations) to dynamically adjust ignition strategy. When misfire is detected, the controller increases ignition energy delivery; when combustion is normal, it returns to standard parameters. This feedback mechanism ensures energy is consumed only when needed for misfire suppression.
3Device complexity
If single-stage ignition is used in normal operating regions, then device complexity is reduced, but combustion efficiency may deteriorate under EGR or lean conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The ignition system dynamically adapts its complexity based on operating conditions. In normal regions, simple single-stage ignition is used; in EGR or lean combustion regions, the system transitions to multi-stage ignition. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by maintaining simplicity when sufficient while enabling enhanced efficiency only when required by specific operating conditions.
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 system effectively minimizes misfire occurrences by increasing ignition energy and duration during misfire events, particularly in lean combustion conditions, thereby improving combustion efficiency and reducing unburned hydrocarbon emissions while preventing ignition coil degradation.
Implementation Method 1
a first ignition coil including a first primary coil and a first secondary coil, a second ignition coil including a second primary coil and a second secondary coil, a spark plug including a pair of electrodes configured to generate a spark discharge by a discharge current generated by the first ignition coil and the second ignition coil
Data Source
AI summary
An embodiment system for controlling an ignition coil includes a first ignition coil including a first primary coil and a first secondary coil, a second ignition coil including a second primary coil and a second secondary coil, a spark plug including a pair of electrodes configured to generate a spark discharge by a discharge current generated by the first ignition coil and the second ignition coil, and a controller configured to selectively perform a multi-stage ignition through the first ignition coil and the second ignition coil or a single-stage ignition through the first ignition coil or the second ignition coil depending on an operation region of an engine and, in response to a misfire occurring in the engine while performing the multi-stage ignition, to adjust a number of ignitions or a dwell time.