System and process for detection of weak cylinders in a diesel engine
First Claim
1. A method of analyzing the operation of a multi-cylinder engine to identify cylinders delivering substandard performance, the method comprising:
- operating the engine to attain a steady-state operating temperature;
operating the engine in an analysis mode at substantially constant speed or load;
gathering data indicative of fuel usage of the engine cylinders when the engine is operating on all cylinders in said analysis mode;
gathering data indicative of the fuel usage of the engine cylinders when the engine is operating with the operation of at least one cylinder arrested in said analysis mode until data gathering has been performed with each of the cylinders successively arrested; and
analyzing said gathered data to identify the engine operations for which fuel usage was affected to a lesser degree by the arrest of cylinder operation to identify cylinders delivering substandard performance.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for detecting conditions indicative of substandard performance of cylinders in a diesel engine includes an engine control unit disposed in operable communication with the engine and a computer disposed in informational communication with the engine control unit. The engine control unit is in operable communication with the engine through a communication element. The system measures the required fuel with all cylinders operating and enables a recommendation to be made with respect to corrective or maintenance measures that should be undertaken with respect to the cylinder. A method for utilizing the system includes comparing fuel requirements of the engine operating under power of all cylinders and under the successive arrest of each of the cylinders. The process is repeated until each cylinder is individually removed and all of the data can be compiled and considered to determine the performance of each individual cylinder.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method of analyzing the operation of a multi-cylinder engine to identify cylinders delivering substandard performance, the method comprising:
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operating the engine to attain a steady-state operating temperature;
operating the engine in an analysis mode at substantially constant speed or load;
gathering data indicative of fuel usage of the engine cylinders when the engine is operating on all cylinders in said analysis mode;
gathering data indicative of the fuel usage of the engine cylinders when the engine is operating with the operation of at least one cylinder arrested in said analysis mode until data gathering has been performed with each of the cylinders successively arrested; and
analyzing said gathered data to identify the engine operations for which fuel usage was affected to a lesser degree by the arrest of cylinder operation to identify cylinders delivering substandard performance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of analyzing the operation of a multi-cylinder engine to identify cylinders delivering substandard performance, the method comprising:
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operating the engine in an analysis mode at substantially constant speed or load;
gathering data indicative of fuel usage of the engine cylinders when the engine is operating on all cylinders in said analysis mode;
gathering data indicative of the fuel usage of the engine cylinders when the engine is operating with the operation of at least one cylinder arrested in said analysis mode until data gathering has been performed with each of the cylinders successively arrested wherein the data gathered is representative of the average fuel usage of all operating cylinders for a series of cylinder firings of a selected number; and
analyzing said gathered data to identify the engine operations for which fuel usage was affected to a lesser degree by the arrest of cylinder operation to identify cylinders delivering substandard performance. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. A method of analyzing the operation of a multi-cylinder engine to identify cylinders delivering substandard performance, the method comprising:
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operating the engine in an analysis mode at substantially constant speed or load wherein the engine comprises a fuel injection system for each cylinder and wherein the duration of time during which each system delivers fuel is measured, with the duration of time being representative of the quantity of fuel delivered to the respective cylinder;
gathering data indicative of fuel usage of the engine cylinders when the engine is operating on all cylinders in said analysis mode;
gathering data indicative of the fuel usage of the engine cylinders when the engine is operating with the operation of at least one cylinder arrested in said analysis mode until data gathering has been performed with each of the cylinders successively arrested; and
analyzing said gathered data to identify the engine operations for which fuel usage was affected to a lesser degree by the arrest of cylinder operation to identify cylinders delivering substandard performance.
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10. A method for analyzing the performance of individual cylinders of an engine, comprising:
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maintaining the engine at at least one of a selected load and a selected speed;
arresting and restoring one of the cylinders of the engine for a period of time until each of the cylinders of the engine have been arrested and restored while the others of the cylinders operate;
calculating an average fuel volume required by the operating cylinders during said period of time when the one cylinder is arrested; and
comparing said average fuel volume with an average fuel volume of each of the other cylinders. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
acquiring a set of fuel value data points;
determining a standard deviation of said set of fuel value data points; and
comparing said standard deviation with a preselected value.
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18. The method of claim 10 wherein the cylinder is an inquiry set of cylinders.
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19. The method of claim 10 wherein said engine is supported on a motor vehicle.
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20. The method of claim 19 wherein the method is performed when said motor vehicle is in operational travel.
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21. The method of claim 19 wherein said method is performed when said motor vehicle is operationally idle.
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22. A system in a vehicle with an engine for detecting conditions indicative of substandard performance of the engine while the engine is operating at a steady state and at operational temperature and while the vehicle is traveling for at least one of a set load or a set speed, the system comprising:
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an engine control unit disposed in operable communication with the engine to control the engine while the vehicle is traveling; and
a computer disposed in informational communication with said engine control unit, the computer having the ability to communicate with the engine control unit while the vehicle is traveling. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
a dynamic signal transmitted from said computer and received by said engine control unit; and
a feedback signal transmitted from said engine control unit and received by said computer.
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29. The system of claim 28 wherein said dynamic signal controls an amount of fuel dispensed to the engine.
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30. The system of claim 28 wherein said feedback signal provides a quantitative determination of an amount of fuel dispensed to the engine.
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31. The system of claim 28 wherein said feedback signal comprises a quantity of discrete portions of information, each quantity of discrete information being characteristic of a corresponding cylinder of the engine.
Specification