Abstract: A method of controlling an engine system includes controlling a fuel injector to perform a zero-fueling injector operation during operation of the engine, the zero-fueling injector operation including a non-zero injector on-time resulting in zero fueling by the injector, determining an injection system pressure change associated with the zero-fueling injector operation, modifying at least one fuel injection control parameter in response to the injection system pressure change, and using the modified fuel injection control parameter to control injection of fuel by the fuel injector during operation of the engine.

Abstract: At least some embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to pump assemblies. In some embodiments, the pump is a high-pressure pump for an engine. The pump includes: an inlet valve configured to receive fuel; an armature coupled to the inlet valve and configured to actuate the inlet valve; and a pump barrel comprising a barrel guide, the barrel guide comprising a protrusion and configured to guide a motion of the armature.

Abstract: Provided are methods and fuel injection systems implemented with a plurality of injectors coupled with a common rail, the common rail coupled with a pressure sensor, and the pressure sensor coupled with a processor. The method includes: identifying, by the processor, one of the injectors to calculate a pressure change rate of the common rail associated therewith; receiving, by the processor, pressure measurements of the common rail from the pressure sensor before and during an injection event within a measurement window; using, by the processor, a pre-injection mean pressure of the common rail to determine a rail pressure drop range that is specific to the identified injector; and calculating, by the processor, the pressure change rate associated with the identified injector based on the pressure measurements of the common rail taken during the rail pressure drop range.

Abstract: A method for operating an engine fueling system to manage fuel in an accumulator supplying fuel to an engine including multiple cylinders comprising monitoring fuel load in the accumulator, determining that the engine is operating in a cylinder deactivation mode such as a skip-fire mode during which one or more fueling events to one or more of the cylinders is being skipped, and controlling a supply of fuel from a fuel pump to the accumulator during the cylinder deactivation mode operation. In embodiments, controlling the supply of fuel includes causing fuel to be supplied from the fuel pump to the accumulator if the monitored fuel load is less than or equal to a first fuel load, and causing fuel to be not supplied from the fuel pump to the accumulator if the monitored fuel load is greater than the first load value. Controlling the supply of fuel may comprise controlling the supply of fuel during each fueling event cycle of each deactivated cylinder.

Abstract: A pump inlet valve includes a valve body and a plunger assembly. The valve body includes a valve body cavity. The plunger assembly is arranged within the valve body cavity and includes a plunger body, a plunger barrel formed at the plunger body so as to form a plunger barrel volume, and a plunger. The plunger is configured to move within the plunger barrel to thereby allow a fluid to flow past the plunger assembly when the plunger is in an open position and to inhibit the fluid from flowing past the plunger assembly when the plunger is in a closed position. The plunger is configured to allow continuous fluid communication between the plunger barrel volume and a supply inlet, through which fluid is supplied to the pump inlet valve.

Abstract: A pumping assembly includes at least one removable unit barrel pumping assembly coupled to a housing of the pumping assembly. The pumping assembly further includes a drive member having a roller configured to engage a portion of the unit barrel pumping assembly during operation of the pumping assembly. The roller is configured to include a plurality of geometric shapes to distribute load forces during operation of the pumping assembly.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for controlling pressure of an engine, including a controller structured to implement the method and an engine system including the controller. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a method based on a mass balance analysis of a fuel system to determine how much mass needs to be pumped to maintain or achieve a certain pressure for the engine. In some embodiments, the method analyzes how much mass can be pumped by each pumping event based on current engine conditions. The analysis is performed over the smallest repeatable pump events and cylinder events cycle, or “subcycle,” based on the number of pump events and cylinder events for a given engine configuration.

Abstract: A plunger is provided for reciprocating inside the barrel of a fuel pump. The plunger has a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end of the plunger includes a cavity that defines a depressed volume within the plunger. A volume filler is disposed in the cavity, where the volume filler is constrained in the cavity by a retaining element.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a high-pressure fuel pump having barrel sets comprising offset, opposing barrel units within the same plane and having plungers disposed therein. The high-pressure fuel pump further includes a camshaft having at least one offset lobe and a cam ring encircling the lobe and in contact with the plungers, which translate the rotational movement of the camshaft to longitudinal movement of the plungers, controlling inflow, compression, and outflow of fuel within the pump.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for analyzing and optimizing the injection of fluid into an internal combustion engine via a common rail system. Once various injection parameters are determined for a given injection system, these data may be used to model the effect of sequential injection events for the system. A processer can then be used to run the model and to adjust sequential fuel injection events to optimize engine performance and fuel usage.

Abstract: A method and system is provided of controlling a pump having a pumping element comprising: determining, by a controller, a suspension of one or more fuel delivery events for a pumping element of the at least one pumping element; subsequent to determining the suspension of the one or more fuel delivery events, providing, by the controller, a first command to open an inlet valve of the pumping element to remove a portion of residual fluid within a pumping chamber based on pressure within the pumping chamber of the pumping element; and subsequent to providing the first command, providing, by the controller, a second command to close the inlet valve of the pumping element based on a top dead center (TDC) position of the pumping element.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a high-pressure fuel pump including a barrel unit, a plunger, and a camshaft assembly having an eccentric cam lobe including a surface of the lobe. A follower is provided between the plunger and the surface of the lobe of the camshaft assembly to facilitate translation between the rotational movement of the camshaft assembly to axial movement of the plunger. The follower includes arcuate surfaces configured to mate with corresponding arcuate surfaces of the lobe of the cam shaft assembly and the plunger, respectively.

Abstract: A fuel injector includes an injector body comprising an internal injector cavity, a flow passageway, and a drain conduit. The flow passageway is in fluid communication with at least one injector orifice. The fuel injector further includes a valve assembly comprising a valve seat and a valve member in fluid communication with the fuel circuit. The valve member is configured to move between an open position allowing fuel flow through the at least one injector orifice and a closed position inhibiting fuel flow through the at least one injector orifice. The fuel injector also includes a nozzle valve element fluidly coupled to the valve assembly, an actuator operably coupled to the valve assembly and the nozzle valve element, and a flexible member configured to elastically deform in response to pressure in the fuel injector. The flexible member is configured to inhibit flow to the drain circuit during an injection event.

Abstract: A method of controlling an engine system includes controlling a fuel injector to perform a zero-fueling injector operation during operation of the engine, the zero-fueling injector operation including a non-zero injector on-time resulting in zero fueling by the injector, determining an injection system pressure change associated with the zero-fueling injector operation, modifying at least one fuel injection control parameter in response to the injection system pressure change, and using the modified fuel injection control parameter to control injection of fuel by the fuel injector during operation of the engine.

Abstract: A plunger is provided for reciprocating inside the barrel of a fuel pump. The plunger has a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end of the plunger includes a cavity that defines a depressed volume within the plunger. A volume filler is disposed in the cavity, where the volume filler is constrained in the cavity by a retaining element.

Abstract: A fluid pump comprising a fluid inlet configured to receive a fluid, a plunger configured to reciprocate within a cylinder from a top dead center position to a bottom dead center position and back to the top dead center position during a given pumping cycle, a pumping chamber defined by the cylinder and the plunger, the pumping chamber being configured to receive the fluid from the fluid inlet, a control valve configured to open to allow fluid to be provided to the pumping chamber, and close after the plunger has passed the bottom dead center position, and a fluid outlet configured to receive a delivery amount of the fluid from the pumping chamber, wherein a first amount of fluid is configured to be provided to the pumping chamber, the first amount of fluid being greater than the delivery amount of fluid.

Abstract: A method of controlling an engine system includes controlling a fuel injector to perform a zero-fueling injector operation during operation of the engine, the zero-fueling injector operation including a non-zero injector on-time resulting in zero fueling by the injector, determining an injection system pressure change associated with the zero-fueling injector operation, modifying at least one fuel injection control parameter in response to the injection system pressure change, and using the modified fuel injection control parameter to control injection of fuel by the fuel injector during operation of the engine.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for controlling pressure of an engine, including a controller structured to implement the method and an engine system including the controller. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a method based on a mass balance analysis of a fuel system to determine how much mass needs to be pumped to maintain or achieve a certain pressure for the engine. In some embodiments, the method analyzes how much mass can be pumped by each pumping event based on current engine conditions. The analysis is performed over the smallest repeatable pump events and cylinder events cycle, or “subcycle,” based on the number of pump events and cylinder events for a given engine configuration.

Abstract: A method and system is provided of controlling a pump having a pumping element comprising: determining, by a controller, a suspension of one or more fuel delivery events for a pumping element of the at least one pumping element; subsequent to determining the suspension of the one or more fuel delivery events, providing, by the controller, a first command to open an inlet valve of the pumping element to remove a portion of residual fluid within a pumping chamber based on pressure within the pumping chamber of the pumping element; and subsequent to providing the first command, providing, by the controller, a second command to close the inlet valve of the pumping element based on a top dead center (TDC) position of the pumping element.

Abstract: A method for operating an engine fueling system to manage fuel in an accumulator supplying fuel to an engine including multiple cylinders comprising monitoring fuel load in the accumulator, determining that the engine is operating in a cylinder deactivation mode such as a skip-fire mode during which one or more fueling events to one or more of the cylinders is being skipped, and controlling a supply of fuel from a fuel pump to the accumulator during the cylinder deactivation mode operation. In embodiments, controlling the supply of fuel includes causing fuel to be supplied from the fuel pump to the accumulator if the monitored fuel load is less than or equal to a first fuel load, and causing fuel to be not supplied from the fuel pump to the accumulator if the monitored fuel load is greater than the first load value. Controlling the supply of fuel may comprise controlling the supply of fuel during each fueling event cycle of each deactivated cylinder.