Method and device for monitoring an exhaust-gas turbocharger

• US 8,291,752 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2007
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Bierl, Rudolf, Lesser, Martin, Meyer, Andreas, Steuber, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): MCCALL, ERIC SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US12/308,316
• Publication Number:
  US 20100000309A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,972 Days
• Field of Search: 731/146.9, 731/147.7
• US Class Current: 73/114.77
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 37/14 Control of the alternation between or the operation of exhaust drive and other drive of a pump, e.g. dependent on speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 39/16 Other safety measures for, or other control of, pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/285 the sensor having a signal processing unit external to the engine control unit
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/025 Engine noise, e.g. determined by using an acoustic sensor
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0007 for control of turbo-charged or super-charged engines control of the pumps per se F02B37/12
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/18 by measuring intake air flow
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/66 by measuring frequency, phase shift or propagation time of electromagnetic or other waves, e.g. using ultrasonic flowmeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/44 for measuring angular speed G01P3/56 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and a device for monitoring an exhaust-gas turbocharger of an internal combustion engine. In order to create an inexpensive and also reliably operating method and a corresponding device for monitoring an exhaust-gas turbocharger, it is proposed that a sound transducer which is designed to record rotational-speed dependent turbocharger operating noise is provided, which sound transducer is connected to an electronic system for frequency analysis for the output of a turbocharger rotational speed signal.

Claims

1. A device for monitoring an exhaust-gas turbocharger of an internal combustion engine, the device comprising:

at least one sound transducer adapted to receive a rotational-speed-dependent turbocharger operating noise and output a signal; and

an electronic system coupled to the at least one transducer for frequency analysis of a high frequency ultrasonic component and a low frequency ultrasonic component of the signal, the electronic system adapted to output a turbocharger rotational speed signal, based at least in part on the low frequency component of the signal,

wherein the high frequency ultrasonic component is significantly higher than the low frequency ultrasonic component.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sound transducer is arranged in an air inlet duct of the internal combustion engine.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sound transducer is an ultrasonic transducer.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the electronic system comprises a frequency analysis unit for identifying a frequency band of the turbocharger operating noise and determining a respective current turbocharger rotational speed based at least in part on a turbocharger operating frequency of the turbocharger operating noise.

5. The device according to claim 3, wherein the at least one sound transducer is matched to frequency band of the turbocharger operating noise.

6. The device according to claim 3, further comprising means for dividing the output signal of the at least one sound transducer into a relatively high frequency component and a relatively low frequency component.

7. A method for monitoring an exhaust-gas turbocharger of an internal combustion engine, the method comprising:

receiving a rotational-speed-dependent operating noise of the turbocharger by at least one sound transducer;

outputting a signal of the at least one sound transducer based at least in part on the rotational-speed-dependent operating noise of the turbocharger; and

dividing the output signal of the at least one sound transducer into a relatively high frequency ultrasonic component and a relatively low frequency ultrasonic component;

providing the high frequency ultrasonic component and the low frequency ultrasonic component to separate units for electrical processing; and

evaluating the relatively low output signal of the at least one sound transducer in an electronic system to determine a turbocharger rotational speed,

wherein the high frequency ultrasonic component is significantly higher than the low frequency ultrasonic component.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the at least one sound transducer is used as a component of an air mass flow rate sensor.

9. A device for monitoring an exhaust-gas turbocharger of an internal combustion engine, the device comprising:

a first sound transducer adapted to generate sound wave;

at least one second transducer adapted to receive a rotational-speed-dependent turbocharger operating noise and the generated sound wave dependent on an air mass flow rate and to output a signal; and

an electronic system coupled to the at least one second transducer for analysis of the signal, the electronic system adapted to output a turbocharger rotational speed signal and the air mass flow rate.

10. The device according to claim 9, further comprising:

a divider for dividing an output signal of the second transducer into a relatively high frequency component and a relatively low frequency component.

11. The device according to claim 9, wherein the electronic system further comprising:

a first means for processing the relatively high frequency component of the output signal representing the air mass flow rate; and

a second means for processing the relatively low frequency component of the output signal representing the rotational-speed-dependent turbocharger operating noise.