Start control apparatus for an internal combustion engine

• US 8,006,671 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2009
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Takubo, Hideki, Maeda, Osamu
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo; Hieu T
• Application Number:
  US12/354,936
• Publication Number:
  US 20090314260A1
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 123/491, 123/543, 123/558, 123/179.15, 123/179.21, 701/113
• US Class Current: 123/491
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0605 to adjust the fuel pressure or temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/084 Blends of gasoline and alcohols, e.g. E85
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/087 with determination of densities, viscosities, composition, concentration or mixture ratios of fuels
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/088 by estimation, i.e. without using direct measurements of a corresponding sensor
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0606 Fuel temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0611 Fuel type, fuel composition or fuel quality
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0025 Controlling engines characterised by use of non-liquid fuels, pluralities of fuels, or non-fuel substances added to the combustible mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/064 at cold start F02D41/067 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/345 Controlling injection timing F02D41/365 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 31/16 Other apparatus for heating fuel
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 53/02 with fuel-heating means, e.g. for vaporising
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

A start control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, which takes an amount of a fuel vaporized from a heated fuel into consideration to prevent deterioration of startability due to an overrich or overlean condition caused by an excessive or insufficient amount of the vaporized fuel and to realize improvement of cold startability. The start control apparatus includes: a heater (14) for heating a fuel to be supplied to the internal combustion engine; fuel heating control unit (22) for energizing the heater when a cooling water temperature is less than an internal combustion engine start possible water temperature value to heat the fuel; and start time fuel setting unit (26) for setting a start time fuel injection amount of the internal combustion engine according to a fuel temperature after the fuel is heated by the fuel heating control unit (22), an alcohol concentration, and the cooling water temperature.

Claims

1. A start control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

a heater for heating a fuel to be supplied to the internal combustion engine;

fuel heating control means for energizing said heater when a cooling water temperature is less than an internal combustion engine start possible water temperature value to heat the fuel; and

start time fuel setting means for setting a start time fuel injection amount of the internal combustion engine according to a fuel temperature after the fuel is heated by said fuel heating control means, an alcohol concentration, and the cooling water temperature.

2. The start control apparatus for an internal combustion engine according to claim 1, further comprising restart time fuel correction means for setting a restart time correction coefficient so as to reduce the start time fuel injection amount according to the start time fuel injection amount at a previous start, the fuel temperature after the fuel is heated at a restart, and the cooling water temperature at the restart when the internal combustion engine is restarted,

wherein said start time fuel setting means reduces the start time fuel injection amount by the restart time correction coefficient to set the obtained start time fuel injection amount, at the restart of the internal combustion engine.

3. The start control apparatus for an internal combustion engine according to claim 2, wherein said fuel heating control means sets the internal combustion engine start possible water temperature value according to the alcohol concentration.

4. The start control apparatus for an internal combustion engine according to claim 3, wherein said fuel heating control means energizes said heater during a heater ON duration time according to the cooling water temperature and the alcohol concentration.

5. The start control apparatus for an internal combustion engine according to claim 2, wherein said fuel heating control means energizes said heater during a heater ON duration time according to the cooling water temperature and the alcohol concentration.

6. The start control apparatus for an internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein said fuel heating control means sets the internal combustion engine start possible water temperature value according to the alcohol concentration.

7. The start control apparatus for an internal combustion engine according to claim 6, wherein said fuel heating control means energizes said heater during a heater ON duration time according to the cooling water temperature and the alcohol concentration.

8. The start control apparatus for an internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein said fuel heating control means energizes said heater during a heater ON duration time according to the cooling water temperature and the alcohol concentration.