Method and apparatus for operating an engine
First Claim
1. A method for operating an internal combustion engine having at least one combustion chamber, means for forming a combustible air/fuel mixture within the combustion chamber, means for detecting the luminosity within the combustion chamber during each cycle of operation of the engine from prior to initiation of combustion until after completion of combustion, generating a curve based on the detected luminosity, determining at least the location of minimum luminosity derivative of the luminosity curve in relation to output shaft angle and measuring at least one parameter of the engine based on at least the determined location of minimum luminosity derivative of the luminosity curve.
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Abstract
An internal combustion engine is provided having a luminosity detector and an arrangement for measuring certain parameters and running conditions of the engine such as air/fuel ratio in response to sensed combustion conditions within the combustion chamber based on particular gain independent parameters of the luminosity signal and selected engine parameters such as speed. The gain independent luminosity parameters can also be used in an engine control loop to ajust the various parameters of the engine like air/fuel ratio so as to obtain the desired luminosity characteristics and to obtain better running of the engine.
44 Citations
27 Claims
- 1. A method for operating an internal combustion engine having at least one combustion chamber, means for forming a combustible air/fuel mixture within the combustion chamber, means for detecting the luminosity within the combustion chamber during each cycle of operation of the engine from prior to initiation of combustion until after completion of combustion, generating a curve based on the detected luminosity, determining at least the location of minimum luminosity derivative of the luminosity curve in relation to output shaft angle and measuring at least one parameter of the engine based on at least the determined location of minimum luminosity derivative of the luminosity curve.
- 22. A method for operating an internal combustion engine having at least one combustion chamber, means for forming a combustible air/fuel mixture within the combustion chamber, means for detecting the luminosity within the combustion chamber during each cycle of operation of the engine from prior to initiation of combustion until after completion of combustion, generating a curve based on the detected luminosity, determining a characteristic of at least one gain independent parameter of the luminosity curve in relation to output shaft angle and measuring gas temperature at exhaust valve opening based on the determined characteristic of at least one gain independent parameter.
- 24. A method for operating an internal combustion engine having at least one combustion chamber, means for forming a combustible air/fuel mixture within the combustion chamber, means for detecting the luminosity within the combustion chamber, generating a curve based on the detected luminosity, determining at least the location of minimum luminosity derivative of the luminosity curve in relation to output shaft angle, measuring at least one parameter of the engine based on at least the determined location of minimum luminosity derivative of the luminosity curve and adjusting at least one parameter of the engine to attain the desired location of the determined minimum luminosity derivative of the luminosity curve to compensate for engine aging.
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27. A method for operating an internal combustion engine having at least one combustion chamber, means for forming a combustible air/fuel mixture within the combustion chamber, means for detecting the luminosity within the combustion chamber during each cycle of operation of the engine from prior to initiation of combustion until after completion of combustion, generating a curve based on the detected luminosity, determining at least a derivative on the luminosity curve in relation to output shaft angle and measuring indicated mean effective pressure based on at least the determined derivative on the luminosity curve.
Specification