Internal-combustion engines – Engine speed regulator – Idle speed control
Patent
1997-02-03
1998-09-22
Dolinar, Andrew M.
Internal-combustion engines
Engine speed regulator
Idle speed control
123690, 123585, 73119A, F02D 4122
Patent
active
058099654
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for controlling the proper operation of the air assistance to a fuel injector.
In an internal combustion engine, it is important for the air/fuel mixture to be as homogeneous as possible in order to guarantee proper combustion and good performance in the engine.
It is well known to inject air at the level of the injector nozzle in order to improve the homogeneity of the air/fuel mixture. This air assistance creates an area of turbulence which makes it possible to break up the droplets of injected fuel. Thus, the fuel droplets are smaller in size and more numerous in a given quantity of fuel. The contact surface between the air and the droplets is substantially increased. The result of this air assistance is a better combustion of the mixture, less pollution, a reduced starting time for the catalyst, an engine torque which is maintained at an optimal level even when the richness of the mixture is less than 1 (during the start-up phase of the engine).
Because of this, air assistance is utilized with increasing frequency in strategies for controlling an internal combustion engine. This air assistance is quite often limited to the start-up phase of the engine and is not continued when the engine is hot, since in this case it causes an additional air flow which can disturb the engine (for example during a return to the engine idling mode).
The new standards (particularly American) regarding the control of the emission of pollutants by automobiles require not only that the conditions for the combustion of the air/fuel mixture be optimal, but that the proper operation of the devices which allow this optimal combustion is monitored continuously. Because of this, it is necessary to ensure that the device for air assistance to the injection is operating properly.
The object of the present invention is to design a process and a device for controlling the proper operation of the air assistance. However, its intent is not to add additional sensors so as not to increase the cost and complicate the embodiment of the electronic computer associated with the engine.
To this end, the present invention relates to a process for controlling the proper operation of an air-assisted injector during the start-up phase of an internal combustion engine.
This injector is adapted for delivering a predetermined quantity of fuel to the engine. The process according to the invention is characterized in that it consists of: quantity of air can be injected during the air assistance phase.
This verifies the proper functioning of the air supply device by verifying that a certain quantity of air can be introduced. This verification takes place apart from the air assistance phase, during a stabilized idle phase. Because of this, it is not necessary to use additional sensors, since it advantageously uses the sensors which are already used to adjust the idle.
Preferably, in order to complete the verification of the proper operation of the air assistance, it is also verified that the engine is supplied with a lean air/fuel mixture during the air assistance phase. To this end, a richness measuring probe (already present in any electronically controlled motor) is used to verify that a lean mixture is burned during the entire air assistance phase. Of course, when this probe detects a rich mixture, an air assistance system failure code is emitted in order to inform the driver.
Other objects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention are described, by way of non-limiting examples, in the following description in reference to the appended drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an internal combustion engine equipped with an air assistance system, in which a pressure sensor is placed after a butterfly valve,
FIG. 2 is a schematic view analogous to FIG. 1, in which an air intake flowmeter is placed immediately downstream from an air filter,
FIG. 3 shows a graph of the efficiency of the catalyst as a function of the temperature of the e
REFERENCES:
patent: 5289808 (1994-03-01), Takahashi et al.
patent: 5487372 (1996-01-01), Iida et al.
Patent Abstracts of Japan, abstract of JP 7-151040, Yoshihara et al, Jun. 13, 1995.
Patent Abstracts of Japan, vol. 18, No. 34, (M-1544), Jan. 19, 1994, for JP 5-263734 (Itakura et al), Oct. 12, 1993.
Dolinar Andrew M.
Greenberg Laurence A.
Lerner Herbert L.
Siemens Automotive S.A.
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