Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a prechamber. In one example, a system comprises a reservoir fluidly coupled to a prechamber and a compressor. The reservoir is configured to store boost air or residual gases.

Abstract: An engine control apparatus includes an ignition control section and an injection control section. When the partial compression ignition combustion is carried out, the ignition control section causes an ignition plug to carry out: main ignition in which a spark is generated in a late period of a compression stroke or an initial period of a expansion stroke to initiate the SI combustion; and preceding ignition in which the spark is generated at earlier timing than the main ignition. Also, when the partial compression ignition combustion is carried out, the injection control section causes the injector to inject fuel at such timing that the fuel exists in a cylinder at an earlier time point than the preceding ignition. The energy of the preceding ignition is set to be higher when the in-cylinder pressure specified by the in-cylinder pressure specification section is high than when the in-cylinder pressure is low.

Abstract: The invention is provided with an ignition control section and an injection control section. When partial compression ignition combustion is carried out, the ignition control section causes an ignition plug to carry out: main ignition in which a spark is generated in a late period of a compression stroke or an initial period of an expansion stroke to initiate SI combustion; and preceding ignition in which the spark is generated at earlier timing than the main ignition. Also, when the partial compression ignition combustion is carried out, the injection control section causes an injector to inject fuel at such timing that the fuel exists in a cylinder at an earlier time point than the preceding ignition. Timing of the preceding ignition is more advanced when a swirl flow is gentle than when the swirl flow is strong.

Abstract: A system and method for transitioning a firing fraction of a variable displacement internal combustion engine when generating a desired torque output. During and following the transition to the second firing fraction, a combustion recipe is ascertained and used operating the cylinders of the variable displacement internal combustion engine to generate the desired torque output. The recipe is preferably optimized for the engine operating at the second firing fraction, at least relative to the previous charge of the previous combustion recipe used with the first firing fraction.

Abstract: Engine systems which are easier starting and more resistant to degradation and discharge of their batteries are desirable in a wide range of equipment markets. The present engine systems utilize a selection module which selective switches from a first state when the battery is adequately charged to a second state which enables the use of auxiliary components such as special starting stators and regulators which can power the engine control module even when the battery is too discharged to power the engine control module directly.

Abstract: A charge forming device includes a housing having an inlet chamber in which a supply of fuel is received, a vent passage communicating with the inlet chamber and a throttle bore with an inlet through which air is received, a throttle valve carried by the housing with a valve head movable relative to the throttle bore to control fluid flow through the throttle bore, a vent valve. The vent valve is carried by the housing and has a valve element that is movable between an open position wherein fluid may flow from the inlet chamber through the vent passage and a closed position where fluid is prevented or inhibited from flowing out of the inlet chamber through the vent passage, the vent valve being electrically actuated, and wherein the vent valve is actuated as a function of a pressure within the inlet chamber or the vent passage.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for processing signals from a crankshaft sensor including the following steps: detection of a stopping of the engine; simulation and transmission of a backwards-running square waveform; and simulation and transmission of a forwards-running square waveform. Also disclosed is a processing module configured to implement such a method.

Abstract: A method for evaluating the compression of the cylinders of an internal combustion engine of a vehicle having an electric starter motor and a respective starting battery, comprising: start capturing the battery voltage signal when the starter motor stars to rotate the internal-combustion engine so as to initiate operation of the engine under its own power; cease capturing the battery voltage signal when the engine enters operation under its own power; process the captured voltage signal for the location of local minimums; calculate the time difference between consecutive local minimums; detect if there is a variation of time between the calculated differences higher than a predetermined threshold between any said calculated time differences; and, if there is such variation, signal a potential engine malfunction. Also provided is a device for accomplishing the foregoing.

Abstract: Systems, devices and methods for diagnosing malfunctioning in a crankcase ventilation (CCV) system can include a controller receiving a plurality of pressure values. The plurality of pressure values include a first pressure value indicative of pressure of gases flowing between a crankcase and a breather assembly, a second pressure value indicative of pressure of gases flowing through a CCV tube from the breather assembly, and a third pressure value representing pressure of gases in a tube connected to the CCV tube. The controller can calculate a pair of pressure differences including a first pressure difference between the first pressure value and the second pressure value and a second pressure difference between the first pressure value and the third pressure value. The controller can detect a malfunctioning or defect in the CCV system based on the pair of pressure differences falling within a predefined clustering region.

Abstract: A soot control system for an internal combustion engine includes an internal combustion engine with a plurality of cylinders. A plurality of engine operating condition sensors are provided. An electronic control unit (ECU) with one or more processors and a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions, includes a Gaussian process model. The ECU is configured to receive data from the plurality of engine operating condition sensors. The ECU is configured to calculate a soot parameter of an actual air fuel ratio and calculate a soot parameter of a desired air fuel ratio using the Gaussian process model with the engine operating condition data as input to the Gaussian process model and compare the soot parameter of an actual air fuel ratio and a soot parameter of a desired air fuel ratio to generate a soot offset value.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for diagnosing a humidity sensor in an engine. In one example, a method may include heating intake air entering an intake passage of an engine using heat recirculated from an exhaust system of the engine. A response of the humidity sensor to the heating of the intake air may be used to assess an integrity of the humidity sensor.

Abstract: A gas injector has an injector lance, a drive unit, a push rod and a valve. The injector lance has a free end for injecting gas into an external unit. The drive unit generates a linear movement of the push rod, as a result of which the push rod actuates the valve and exposes a valve through-passage opening, in order for the gas to be injected. The valve through-passage opening is arranged in the region of the free end of the injector lance ). The gas injector can be designed to be relatively small and narrow. It minimizes switching delays, avoids dead spaces and prevents contamination of the valve.

Abstract: A knocking sensor detecting vibration of an engine body and a pressure sensor detecting a pressure of a combustion chamber are provided. A value representing the knocking strength is acquired from output values of the pressure sensor. Weights of a neural network are learned using a value representing the vibration of the engine body detected by the knocking sensor as an input value of the neural network and using the acquired value representing the knocking strength as training data. The value representing the knocking strength is estimated from the output values of the knocking sensor by using the learned neural network.

Abstract: An injector (1) for injecting fuel and an additional fluid, is provided in that the injector (1) is designed for optimal space-saving yet exhibiting a simple construction. This construction results in a precise injection of a fuel and an additional fluid into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. The arrangement has two solenoid valves, the first valve (2) and the second valve (3). The second solenoid valve (3) has a second nozzle needle (9) which is arranged in the injector (1), and the first nozzle needle (7) of the first solenoid valve (2) and the second nozzle needle (9) of the second solenoid valve (3) are arranged one behind the other on a longitudinal axis (10) of the injector (1). Further, the nozzle needles (7, 9) can be controlled independently of one another.

Abstract: A fuel system for an internal combustion engine includes a fuel injector, and a fueling control unit electrically connected to a solenoid in the fuel injector. The fueling control unit energizes the solenoid with a lift current pulse to lift an armature, then energizes the solenoid with a separate capture current pulse to capture the armature at a lifted position. The solenoid is deenergized a dwell time while the armature is in flight toward the lifted position. Armature lifting speed is retarded based on the deenergizing of the solenoid so as to limit bouncing of a valve pin in the fuel injector against a stop. The techniques assist in linearizing a fuel delivery curve.

Abstract: A method of controlling a cylinder cut-out mode for an engine comprising the steps of: a) activating a cylinder cut-out mode in which one or more cylinders of the engine are deactivated; b) while the cylinder cut-out mode is active, monitoring one or more deactivation variables; the one or more deactivation variables comprising one or more of: an inlet manifold air temperature; an engine load factor; an engine speed; and an engine coolant temperature; and c) deactivating the cylinder cut-out mode in order to reactivate any deactivated cylinders when at least one of the deactivation variables exceeds its threshold value.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems for estimating exhaust air mass-flow in an aftertreatment system. An embodiment includes a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system including at least one catalyst, a differential pressure (dP) sensor operatively coupled to the SCR system, a temperature sensor, and a controller. The dP sensor is configured to measure a value of a differential pressure across the SCR system, determine a first output value from the dP sensor, and a first temperature output value from the temperature sensor. The first output value is indicative of the value of the differential pressure across the SCR system. The first temperature output value is indicative of a temperature of the SCR system. The controller is further configured to estimate an exhaust air mass-flow output from the aftertreatment system using the first output value from the dP sensor and the first temperature output value from the temperature sensor.

Abstract: A method of operating a fuel injection system for a motor vehicle includes one or more of the following: operating a fuel injector to perform a fuel injection, the fuel injector being in fluid communication with a fuel rail; sampling a rail pressure in the fuel rail during the fuel injection; regulating the rail pressure at a desired injection pressure, Pinj, to the fuel injector; measuring an overall leakage on variations of the rail pressure across an engine cycle for the motor vehicle and between two engine positions of an internal combustion engine for the motor vehicle; and restarting a new measurement cycle for a new pressure measurement target.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for balancing a plurality of fuel injectors via a diagnostic. In one example, a method may include adjusting a fuel injection pattern to increase an occurrence of a fuel injection being preceded by a same-cylinder bank fuel injection. The method may further include skipping fuel injections resulting in the fuel injection being preceded by an opposite-cylinder bank fuel injection.

Abstract: A system includes an engine adapted to output a torque, a parasitic load adapted to receive a portion of the torque from the engine, and a controller communicably coupled to the parasitic load. The controller is configured to determine an actual exhaust temperature value of an exhaust gas flow exiting the engine and a minimum fuel amount to be injected into the engine. The controller is configured to compare the actual exhaust temperature value with an exhaust temperature threshold value of the exhaust gas flow to determine a first difference between the actual exhaust temperature value and the exhaust temperature threshold value. The controller is configured to determine a target torque output of the engine based on the first difference and the minimum fuel amount. The controller is configured to cause the torque to be increased to attain the target torque output using the parasitic load.