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Method and system for calculating effective fuel economy

  • US 5,578,748 A
  • Filed: 09/25/1995
  • Issued: 11/26/1996
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method for determining and displaying on a visual display the effective fuel economy (MPGeff) of a fuel consuming engine during a time interval Δ

  • t in a vehicle, the method comprising;

    providing a vehicle having a mass and said fuel consuming engine;

    determining an enthalpy of reaction (Δ

    HR) of the fuel, which represents the energy released per unit mass by combustion following actual injection of fuel into the engine;

    determining an amount of chemical energy (Ef) contained in the fuel based on the enthalpy of reaction of the fuel;

    sensing a vehicle speed at predetermined periods of time during the time interval and generating corresponding velocity signals (vi, vi-1);

    determining a change in kinetic energy (Δ

    EKE) of the vehicle during the time interval based solely on the velocity signals and the mass of the vehicle;

    determining a change in potential energy (Δ

    EPE) of the vehicle;

    determining the effective fuel economy of the vehicle based on the chemical energy, the change in kinetic energy and the change in potential energy;

    generating an electrical signal for receipt by the visual display corresponding to the determined effective fuel economy; and

    displaying the determined effective fuel economy.

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