Adaptive control system for fuel injectors and igniters

• US 8,733,331 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2010
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Green Innovations, LLC
• Original Assignee: McAlister Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: McAlister, Roy E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gimie, Mahmoud
• Application Number:
  US12/913,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20110146619A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,308 Days
• Field of Search: 123/536, 123/538, 123/539, 123/623, 123/679, 123/620, 123/435, 123/143.B, 701/103, 701/104, 701/150, 731/140.5, 731/140.8, 731/141.1
• US Class Current: 123/623
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2075/125 Direct injection in the combustion chamber for spark ignition engines, i.e. not in pre-combustion chamber
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0694 operating with a plurality of fuels
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 35/021 using an ionic current sensor
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 37/02 one of the functions being ignition
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/064 at cold start F02D41/067 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/38 of the high pressure type
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0269 Outwardly opening valves, e.g. poppet valves
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 51/0671 the armature having an elongated valve body attached thereto
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 51/0675 the valve body having cylindrical guiding or metering portions, e.g. with fuel passages
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 57/005 the devices being sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 57/06 the devices being sparking plugs
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 13/00 Sparking plugs structurally combined with other parts of internal-combustion engines connection of ignition coil to spark plug connector F02P3/02; with fuel injectors F02M57/06 ; spark plug connector per se H01T13/04 – H01T13/06; predominant aspects of sparking plug, see H01T13/40 – H01T13/44
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 19/02 electric, e.g. layout of circuits of apparatus having glowing plugs
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 5/045 combined with electronic control of other engine functions, e.g. fuel injection in general F02D37/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/32 Hydrogen storage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for adjusting the operation of a gasoline-fueled engine based on monitored conditions within a combustion chamber of the engine. In some cases, the system monitors regions within the combustion chamber, identifies or determines a satisfactory condition, and applies an ionization voltage to a fuel injector to initiate a combustion event during the satisfactory condition. In some cases, the system monitors the conditions within the combustion chamber, determines a monitored condition is associated with an adjustment, and adjusts a parameters of a combustion event in order to adjust ionization levels within a combustion chamber.

Claims

1. A method for combusting fuel within a combustion chamber, the method comprising:

monitoring a region within a combustion chamber during use of an engine;

sensing a certain condition such as combustion, expansion, exhaust, intake, fuel ignition events as a function of pressure and/or radiation detection within the combustion chamber;

determining the certain condition at the monitored region within the combustion chamber has been satisfied; and

applying an ionization voltage across electrodes associated with the monitored region in response to determining the certain condition has been satisfied.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the certain condition at the monitored region within the combustion chamber has been satisfied includes determining a certain amount of fuel is within the monitored region.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the certain condition at the monitored region within the combustion chamber has been satisfied includes determining a certain ratio of fuel to air is within the monitored region.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the certain condition at the monitored region within the combustion chamber has been satisfied includes determining a certain amount of air-fuel-air mixture is within the monitored region.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the certain condition at the monitored region within the combustion chamber has been satisfied includes determining fuel is within the monitored region at a certain time period.

6. A method for adjusting the ionization level within a combustion chamber, the method comprising:

sensing a condition such as combustion, expansion, exhaust, intake, fuel ignition events as a function of pressure and/or radiation detection within the combustion chamber;

monitoring the condition during a combustion event within a combustion chamber during use of an engine;

comparing values for the monitored condition to satisfactory values for the monitored condition; and

adjusting one or more parameters associated with the combustion event within the combustion chamber.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein monitoring a condition during a combustion event within a combustion chamber includes monitoring torque produced per BTU of fuel value injected during fuel injection within the combustion event.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein monitoring a condition during a combustion event within a combustion chamber includes monitoring a maximum temperature of the combustion event.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein monitoring a condition during a combustion event within a combustion chamber includes monitoring pressure produced during the combustion event.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein adjusting one or more parameters associated with the combustion event within the combustion chamber increases an ionization level within the combustion chamber.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein adjusting one or more parameters associated with the combustion event within the combustion chamber decreases an ionization level within the combustion chamber.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein adjusting one or more parameters associated with the combustion event within the combustion chamber includes adjusting a pressure within the combustion chamber.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein adjusting one or more parameters associated with the combustion event within the combustion chamber includes adjusting a temperature of air within the combustion chamber.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein adjusting one or more parameters associated with the combustion event within the combustion chamber includes adjusting a start time for injecting fuel into the combustion chamber.

15. The method of claim 6, wherein adjusting one or more parameters associated with the combustion event within the combustion chamber includes adjusting a pressure of injection of fuel into the combustion chamber.

16. The method of claim 6, wherein adjusting one or more parameters associated with the combustion event within the combustion chamber includes adjusting a stratified ionization pattern within the combustion chamber.

17. The method of claim 6, wherein adjusting one or more parameters associated with the combustion event within the combustion chamber includes adjusting a duration for injecting fuel into the combustion chamber.

18. A system for adjusting parameters associated with a combustion event, the system comprising:

a monitoring module, wherein the monitoring module is configured to monitor conditions within a combustion chamber wherein the monitoring the conditions further includes sensing combustion, expansion, exhaust, intake, fuel ignition events as a function of pressure and/or radiation detection within the combustion chamber;

a determination module, wherein the determination module is configured to determine one or more monitored conditions satisfies a rule associated with adjusting parameters associated with the combustion chamber; and

a control module, wherein the control module is configured to adjust one or more parameters in response to the determination that one or more monitored conditions satisfies the rule.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the monitoring module is a component of a fuel injector within the combustion chamber;

and

wherein the control module transmits instructions to the fuel injector to cause the fuel injector to adjust operation of injecting fuel into the combustion chamber.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the monitoring module is a component of a fuel injector within the combustion chamber;

and

wherein the control module transmits instructions to the fuel injector to cause the fuel injector to adjust an ionization voltage applies to a fuel ignition gap between electrodes of the fuel injector.