Method for detecting a power loss condition of a reciprocating internal combustion engine
First Claim
1. A method for detecting a power loss condition of a reciprocating internal combustion engine, the engine having at least one cylinder and a rotating crank shaft, comprising the steps of:
- sensing rotational crank shaft speed for a plurality of designated crank shaft rotational positions over a predetermined number of cycles of rotation for each crank shaft position;
determining an average crank shaft speed fluctuation for each crank shaft position;
determining information representative of crank shaft kinetic energy variation due to each firing event in the cylinder;
determining information representative of an average fuel flow rate; and
determining information representative of a power loss for the cylinder as a function of crank shaft kinetic energy variation, average crank shaft speed and average fuel flow rate and responsively producing a representative power loss signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for detecting a power loss condition of an internal combustion engine, the engine having at least one cylinder and a crank shaft, the method including the steps of sensing rotational crank shaft speed for a plurality of designated crank shaft rotational positions over a predetermined number of cycles of rotation, determining an average crank shaft speed fluctuation for each crank shaft position, determining information representative of crank shaft kinetic energy variation due to each firing event in the cylinder, and determining information representative of an average fuel flow rate. Information representative of a power loss for the cylinder is determined as a function of the crank shaft kinetic energy variation, average crank shaft speed and average fuel flow rate and a representative power loss signal is responsively produced.
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Citations
6 Claims
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1. A method for detecting a power loss condition of a reciprocating internal combustion engine, the engine having at least one cylinder and a rotating crank shaft, comprising the steps of:
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sensing rotational crank shaft speed for a plurality of designated crank shaft rotational positions over a predetermined number of cycles of rotation for each crank shaft position; determining an average crank shaft speed fluctuation for each crank shaft position; determining information representative of crank shaft kinetic energy variation due to each firing event in the cylinder; determining information representative of an average fuel flow rate; and determining information representative of a power loss for the cylinder as a function of crank shaft kinetic energy variation, average crank shaft speed and average fuel flow rate and responsively producing a representative power loss signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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Specification