Method for operating a self-igniting internal combustion engine and corresponding control device

• US 7,778,762 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2009
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Fischer, Wolfgang, Karrelmeyer, Roland, Loeffler, Axel, Graf, Gerald
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh; Hai H
• Application Number:
  US12/399,917
• Publication Number:
  US 20090228190A1
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: 701/103, 123/472, 123/479, 123/480, 123/490, 123/90.11
• US Class Current: 701/103
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/001 for engines with variable valve actuation
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/025 Engine noise, e.g. determined by using an acoustic sensor
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 35/023 by determining the cylinder pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 35/028 by determining the combustion timing or phasing
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0002 Controlling intake air
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0047 Controlling exhaust gas recirculation [EGR] temperature control with cooler in recirculation circuit F02M26/33
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/006 using internal EGR control of valve overlap for internal EGR F02D13/0261; arrangements for internal EGR F02M26/01
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/008 Controlling each cylinder individually
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/3035 a mode being the premixed charge compression-ignition mode
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/403 with pilot injections
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

Operating a self-igniting internal combustion engine includes: specifying a setpoint combustion position and a setpoint combustion noise feature; operating at least one cylinder of internal combustion engine for at least one cycle while maintaining a first injector control variable and/or an air valve control variable and a second injector control variable and/or a second air valve control variable; ascertaining actual combustion position and actual combustion noise feature of the at least one cylinder; comparing the actual combustion position to the setpoint combustion position and, in case the actual combustion position deviates from the setpoint combustion position, determining anew the first injector control variable and/or the air valve control variable; and comparing the actual combustion noise feature to the setpoint combustion noise feature and, in case the actual combustion noise feature deviates from the setpoint combustion noise feature, determining anew the second injector control variable and/or the air valve control variable.

Claims

1. A method for operating a self-igniting internal combustion engine, comprising:

(a) specifying a setpoint combustion position and a setpoint combustion noise feature;

(b) operating at least one cylinder of the internal combustion engine for at least one cycle while maintaining a specified first injector control variable and/or an air valve control variable and a specified second injector control variable and/or an air valve control variable;

(c) ascertaining an actual combustion position and an actual combustion noise feature of the at least one cylinder;

(d) comparing the actual combustion position to the setpoint combustion position and, in case the actual combustion position deviates from the setpoint combustion position, determining anew the first injector control variable and/or the air valve control variable;

(e) comparing the actual combustion noise feature to the setpoint combustion noise feature and, in case the actual combustion noise feature deviates from the setpoint combustion noise feature, determining anew the second injector control variable and/or the air valve control variable.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a maximum pressure gradient in the at least one cylinder of the internal combustion engine is determined as the actual combustion noise feature.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first injector control variable and/or the first air valve control variable includes an injection position of a pilot injection and/or an injection position of a main injection.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising:

specifying a third injector control variable and/or a third air valve control variable;

additional maintaining of the third injector control variable and/or the third air valve control variable in step (b);

comparing the first injector control variable and/or the first air valve control variable, determined anew in step (d), to a specified value range; and

,

if the newly determined first injector control variable and/or the first air valve control variable lies outside the specified value range, determining anew the third injector control variable and/or the third air valve control variable.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the first injector control variable and/or the first air valve control variable is the injection position of the main injection and the third injector control variable and/or the air valve control variable includes the injection position of the pilot injection and/or a ratio of a pilot injection quantity and a main injection quantity.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second injector control variable and/or the second air valve control variable includes the pilot injection quantity, the main injection quantity and/or the sum of the pilot injection quantity and the main injection quantity.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

specifying an exhaust gas valve control variable;

executing step (b) a plurality of times while additionally maintaining the exhaust gas valve control variable and the step (c);

determining at least one standard deviation from the actual combustion positions ascertained by executing the step (c) a plurality of times;

comparing the at least one determined standard deviation and/or the sum of the determined standard deviations to at least one specified comparison value; and

in case the at least one determined standard deviation and/or the sum of the determined standard deviations deviates from the at least one specified comparison value, determining anew the exhaust gas valve control variable.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the exhaust gas valve control variable includes an exhaust gas valve opening time, an exhaust gas valve closing time, an exhaust gas valve opening duration, an internal exhaust gas quantity and/or an external exhaust gas quantity.

9. A control device for operating a self-igniting internal combustion engine, comprising:

an output device which is designed to specify a setpoint combustion position, a setpoint combustion noise feature, a first injector control variable and/or a first air valve control variable and a second injector control variable and/or a second air valve control variable;

an injector control device and/or an air valve control device, which is designed to control an injector and/or an air valve of the self-igniting internal combustion engine in such a way that, during the operation of the internal combustion engine, for at least one cylinder and at least one cycle, the first injector control variable and/or the air valve control variable and the second injector control variable and/or the second air valve control variable are maintained;

a first evaluation device which is designed to receive an actual combustion position of the at least one cylinder, determined by a sensor, and to compare it to the specified setpoint combustion position and, in case the actual combustion position deviates from the setpoint combustion position, to determine anew the first injector control variable and/or the first air valve control variable; and

a second evaluation device which is designed to receive an actual combustion noise feature, determined by a sensor, of the at least one cylinder, and to compare it to the specified setpoint combustion noise feature and, in case the actual combustion noise feature deviates from the setpoint combustion noise feature, to determine anew the second injector control variable and/or the second air valve control variable.

10. The control device as recited in claim 9, wherein the self-igniting internal combustion engine is an Otto engine.