METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AN AMOUNT OF FUEL AND VEHICLE INCLUDING SAME

• US 20140278006A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Lent, Stanley D., VanLandingham, Joshua D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,638,117 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/104
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/021 Engine temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0611 Fuel type, fuel composition or fuel quality
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0025 Controlling engines characterised by use of non-liquid fuels, pluralities of fuels, or non-fuel substances added to the combustible mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2422 Selective use of one or more tables
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/3005 Details not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A method is provided for operating a vehicular engine that comprises a plurality of pistons and a plurality of cylinders. The method comprises detecting an engine temperature and detecting an alcohol concentration of fuel. The method further comprises selecting an amount of fuel according to the engine temperature and the alcohol concentration and selectively dispensing the amount of fuel to the cylinders.

Claims

1. A method for operating a vehicular engine that comprises a plurality of pistons and a plurality of cylinders, the method comprising:

detecting an engine temperature;

detecting an alcohol concentration of fuel;

selecting an amount of fuel according to the engine temperature and the alcohol concentration; and

selectively dispensing the amount of fuel to the cylinders.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting at least one engine timing event;

generating an event signal for each engine timing event; and

reducing the amount of fuel in response to the event signal.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein reducing the amount of fuel in response to the event signal further comprises reducing the amount of fuel according to a fuel enrichment map.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein reducing the amount of fuel according to a fuel enrichment map further comprises interpolating the fuel enrichment map from a plurality of predetermined fuel enrichment maps.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

selecting the predetermined fuel enrichment maps according to the alcohol concentration; and

interpolating the fuel enrichment map according to the alcohol concentration.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting an amount of fuel according to the engine temperature and the alcohol concentration further comprises:

selecting an initial amount of fuel according to the engine temperature and the alcohol concentration; and

reducing subsequent amounts of fuel in response to the event signal.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising

generating an initial event signal that indicates engine startup;

and

selecting the initial amount of fuel in response to the initial event signal.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising reducing subsequent amounts of fuel until the amount of fuel reaches a threshold value.

9. A method for operating a vehicular engine that comprises a plurality of pistons and a plurality of cylinders, the method comprising:

detecting an engine temperature;

detecting an alcohol concentration of fuel;

providing a predetermined fuel enrichment map that defines a relationship between a fuel enrichment coefficient and an engine temperature for a range of engine timing events;

determining a fuel enrichment coefficient from the predetermined fuel enrichment map; and

operating fuel injectors according to the calculated fuel enrichment coefficient.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprises detecting the engine timing events and wherein operating fuel injectors according to the calculated fuel enrichment coefficient further comprises operating the fuel injectors according to the calculated fuel enrichment coefficient upon detection of an initial engine timing event.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein providing a predetermined fuel enrichment map further comprises providing a plurality of predetermined fuel enrichment maps, each predetermined fuel enrichment map being associated with an alcohol concentration value.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein providing a predetermined fuel enrichment map further comprises interpolating a fuel enrichment map from the plurality of predetermined fuel enrichment maps according to the detected alcohol concentration and wherein determining a fuel enrichment coefficient further comprises determining a fuel enrichment coefficient from the interpolated fuel enrichment map

13. The method of claim 10 wherein determining a fuel enrichment coefficient from the predetermined fuel enrichment map further comprises determining an initial fuel enrichment coefficient from the predetermined fuel enrichment map and wherein operating the fuel injectors according to the calculated fuel enrichment coefficient further comprises operating the fuel injectors according to the initial fuel enrichment coefficient.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising reducing the initial fuel enrichment coefficient according to the predetermined fuel enrichment map.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein determining a fuel enrichment coefficient from the fuel enrichment map further comprises determining subsequent fuel enrichment coefficients from the predetermined fuel enrichment map and wherein operating the fuel injectors according to the calculated fuel enrichment coefficient further comprises operating the fuel injectors according to the subsequent fuel enrichment coefficients.

16. A vehicle comprising:

an engine comprising;

an intake manifold in fluid communication with an ambient air source;

a cylinder bank in fluid communication with an output of the intake manifold and comprising a plurality of pistons and a plurality of cylinders;

a crankshaft coupled with each of the pistons;

a plurality of fuel injectors coupled with the cylinder bank and operable to dispense fuel to the cylinders;

an engine temperature sensor configured to detect an engine temperature;

a crankshaft position sensor configured to detect at least one top center event and to generate an event signal for each top dead center event; and

an alcohol sensor configured to detect an alcohol concentration of fuel; and

a controller electrically coupled with the plurality of fuel injectors, the engine temperature sensor, the engine timing sensor, and the alcohol sensor, the controller comprising a predetermined fuel enrichment map, wherein the controller is configured to facilitate operation of the fuel injectors to selectively dispense an amount of fuel according to the engine temperature and the alcohol concentration of fuel.

17. The vehicle of claim 16 wherein the controller is configured to reduce the amount of fuel in response to the event signal and according to the predetermined fuel enrichment map.

18. The vehicle of claim 16 wherein the controller further comprises a plurality of predetermined fuel enrichment maps, the controller being configured to interpolate a fuel enrichment map from the plurality of predetermined fuel enrichment maps according to the alcohol concentration.

19. The vehicle of claim 16 wherein the engine temperature sensor comprises a coolant temperature sensor.

20. The vehicle of claim 16 wherein the predetermined fuel enrichment map defines a relationship between a fuel enrichment coefficient and an engine temperature for a range of top dead center events.