Method and apparatus for determining an approximation for fuel volatility on-board a vehicle
First Claim
1. A method for adjusting a delivery rate of fuel to an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle during subsequent start up cycles comprising the steps of:
- measuring at least one characteristic of fuel (14) corresponding to a temperature of the fuel, a volume of the fuel, and a concentration of oxygenates within the fuel; and
determining an approximation of a measure of the volatility of the fuel (18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30) as a function of at least one of the measured characteristics corresponding to the temperature, volume, and concentration of oxygenates of the fuel, wherein a delivery rate of fuel to the internal combustion engine to be controlled is adjusted during a subsequent start up cycle based on the approximation of the measure of the volatility of the fuel on-board the vehicle.
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for determining an approximation to a measure of the volatility of fuel on-board a vehicle having an internal combustion engine. The method includes the steps of measuring at least one characteristic of the fuel corresponding to a temperature of the fuel, a volume of the fuel, and a concentration of oxygenates within the fuel; determining an approximation of the a measure of the volatility of the sample volume of fuel using a linear function based on the at least one measured characteristic of the fuel corresponding to temperature, volume, and concentration of oxygenates of the fuel. Preferably, at least one temperature measurement is associated with a predetermined volume of the sample as the sample is evaluated. The method can include determining whether a fuel contains ethanol, and if not, whether the fuel is a winter blend of fuel or a summer blend of fuel. The method to determine whether ethanol is present can include the steps of bringing the fuel into contact with a sensing element; measuring a characteristic of the fuel corresponding to concentration of oxygenates, such as the change in capacitance or resistance of the sensing element; and calculating the dielectric constant or the conductivity of the sample respectively. The method to determine the type of non-ethanol containing fuel can be based on two temperature measurements taken at two predetermined volumes during the evaporation process.
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Citations
43 Claims
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1. A method for adjusting a delivery rate of fuel to an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle during subsequent start up cycles comprising the steps of:
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measuring at least one characteristic of fuel (14) corresponding to a temperature of the fuel, a volume of the fuel, and a concentration of oxygenates within the fuel; and
determining an approximation of a measure of the volatility of the fuel (18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30) as a function of at least one of the measured characteristics corresponding to the temperature, volume, and concentration of oxygenates of the fuel, wherein a delivery rate of fuel to the internal combustion engine to be controlled is adjusted during a subsequent start up cycle based on the approximation of the measure of the volatility of the fuel on-board the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for adjusting a delivery rate of fuel to an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle during subsequent start up cycles comprising the steps of:
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collecting a sample volume of fuel (10) on-board the motor vehicle in association with operation of a fuel distribution system;
heating the collected sample volume of fuel (12) to evaporate the collected sample volume down to a predetermined volume X, where X is a percentage of the collected sample volume in the range of 50% or more;
measuring at least one characteristic of fuel (14) corresponding to temperature of the fuel during heating of the collected sample volume of fuel to be evaporated to the predetermined volume X and corresponding to volume of the fuel during heating of the collected sample volume of fuel to be evaporated to the predetermined volume X;
measuring a characteristic of the fuel (16) corresponding to a concentration of oxygenates within the fuel; and
determining an approximation of a measure of fuel volatility of the fuel (18, 20, 26, 28, 30) as a function of at least one of the measured characteristics corresponding to the temperature, volume, and concentration of oxygenates of the fuel, wherein a delivery rate of fuel to the internal combustion engine to be controlled is adjusted during a subsequent start up cycle based on the at least one measured characteristic of the fuel on-board the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An on-board system for adjusting a delivery rate of fuel to an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle during subsequent start up cycles comprising:
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means for measuring (44) at least one characteristic corresponding to a temperature of the fuel, a volume of the fuel, and a concentration of oxygenates within the fuel; and
means for determining (40) an approximation of a measure of the volatility of the fuel as a function of the at least one measured characteristic corresponding to the temperature, volume, and the concentration of oxygenates within the fuel, wherein a delivery rate of fuel to the internal combustion engine to be controlled is adjusted during a subsequent start up cycle based on the approximation of the measure of the volatility of the fuel on-board the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. An on-board system for adjusting a delivery rate of fuel to an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle during subsequent startup cycles comprising:
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means for collecting (46) a sample volume of fuel on-board the motor vehicle in association with operation of a fuel distribution system;
means for heating (80) the collected sample volume of fuel to evaporate the collected sample volume down to a predetermined volume X, where X is a percentage of the collected sample volume in the range of 50% or more;
means for measuring (83) at least one characteristic corresponding to temperature of the fuel during heating of the collected sample volume of fuel to be evaporated to the predetermined volume X and the volume of the fuel during heating of the collected sample volume of fuel to be evaporated to the predetermined volume X;
means for measuring (50) a characteristic corresponding to a concentration of oxygenates within the fuel; and
means for determining (40) an approximation of a measure of the volatility of the fuel as a function of the measured characteristics corresponding to the temperature and the concentration of oxygenates of the fuel, wherein a delivery rate of fuel to the internal combustion engine to be controlled is adjusted during a subsequent start up cycle based on the measured characteristics of the fuel on-board the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification