Abstract: This disclosure teaches a method of controlling a direct injection internal combustion engine and predicting the behaviour of a direct injection internal combustion engine. An estimation of initial cylinder pressure, air flow and EGR flow (if applicable) is used to establish a system that provides engine behaviour by integrating an injection module, combustion module and engine control module to provide data indicative of engine behaviour such as brake torque and power, air flow, EGR flow, cylinder pressure, brake specific fuel consumption, start of combustion, heat release rate, turbo-charger speed and other variables. These values can then be used to adjust commanded variables such as start of injection, commanded pulse width, rail pressure to meet operator demand. Also the output data can be used as a tool to determine how a conceptualised engine design will behave.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine with direct gasoline injection and controlled ignition, having at least one cylinder, a cylinder head, sealing the cylinder, a piston, arranged to run in the cylinder, a combustion chamber, defined by the piston and the cylinder head, a gasoline injector into the combustion chamber, an ignition device, for producing an ignition of the air/gasoline mixture in the combustion chamber, inlet and exhaust valves, selectively sealing the combustion chamber and a system for recirculation of at least a part of the exhaust gas into the combustion chamber during the air intake phase, wherein the pressure provided for the injection device is greater than 250 bars, such as to homogenize the air/gasoline/recycled exhaust gas mixture and increase the speed of combustion.

Abstract: A method for controlling an alternator includes determining a rotor position of the alternator using data obtained from a first data source when a first condition is met, and determining the rotor position for the alternator using data obtained from a second data source when a second condition is met.

Abstract: An ignition apparatus for an internal combustion engine can eliminate connecting leads for electrically connecting between an igniter and a connector can be eliminated or shortened. In the ignition apparatus, individual terminals (14a, 14b, 15a, 15b) in the form of connector side terminals of an igniter (9) are directly connected to individual terminals (10a, 10b, 11a, 11b) in the form of input terminals of a connector (8), and individual terminals (18a, 18b, 19a) in the form of transformer side terminals of the igniter (9) are directly connected to individual terminals (16a, 16b, 17a), respectively, which are winding terminals of a transformer (1).

Abstract: A homogenous charge compression ignition engine is operated by compressing a charge mixture of air, exhaust and fuel in a combustion chamber to an autoignition condition of the fuel. The engine may facilitate a transition from a first combination of speed and load to a second combination of speed and load by changing the charge mixture and compression ratio. This may be accomplished in a consecutive engine cycle by adjusting both a fuel injector control signal and a variable valve control signal away from a nominal variable valve control signal. Thereafter in one or more subsequent engine cycles, more sluggish adjustments are made to at least one of a geometric compression ratio control signal and an exhaust gas recirculation control signal to allow the variable valve control signal to be readjusted back toward its nominal variable valve control signal setting.

Abstract: A control system for adjusting levels of emissions exiting an engine includes a NOx sensor that generates a NOx signal in response to oxides of nitrogen (NOx) in an exhaust gas and a control module that communicates with the cam phaser. The rotational position of the cam phaser controls an actuation time when the camshaft opens the exhaust valve during rotation of the camshaft. The control module further receives the NOx signal, and calculates a NOx level of the exhaust gas based on the NOx signal. The control module compares the NOx level to a predetermined threshold range and adjusts the cam phaser to achieve a rotational position that releases a desired level of NOx from the engine when the NOx level exceeds the predetermined threshold range. The control module further stores the rotational position in a storage device when the NOx level is within the predetermined threshold range.

Abstract: An ignition timing value of the internal-combustion engine is calculated by using correction terms including a first correction term that is calculated based on a controlled variable without reflecting a desired value and a second correction term that is calculated based on a difference between the controlled variable and the desired value. The first correction term can be calculated based on the controlled variable with no influence of the desired value. Thus, a sudden change does not occur in the feedback controlled variable even in a situation where the difference between the controlled variable and the desired value changes step-wise. Besides, the first correction term is a proportional term (51) and the second correction term is an integral term (55). The controlled variable is a rotational speed of the internal-combustion engine (NE) that is detected by a detector for detecting the engine rotational speed.

Abstract: A split phase fuel conditioner 10 includes a main body 20 defining an ignition chamber 22. A transfer passage 24 is in fluid communication between the ignition chamber 22 and chamber 14. A valve 28 selectively opens and closes a throat 26 of the transfer passage 24 to control fluid communication between chamber 22 and chamber 14. A first injector 30 injects a first fuel volume into ignition chamber 22. A second fuel injector 32 injects a second volume of fuel directly into transfer passage 24 through the first valve 28. The first fuel volume is ignited in the chamber 22 to form an ignition plasma. Valve 28 is opened allowing the ignition plasma to condition the second fuel volume by vaporising the second fuel volume. The ignition plasma then sweeps the conditioned second fuel volume into the combustion chamber where it combusts in a controlled manner.

Abstract: An electronic engine fuel controller that is simple, low cost, easily installed, and configurable for any internal combustion engine. The system is intended for upgrading older carbureted vehicles or vehicles that have been modified beyond the limits of the OEM controller. It takes advantage of modern microcontroller technology with integrated memory, digital input/output, sensor and timer channels to produce a low parts count, as well as reliable operation in a large variety of vehicles, even when installed by people with little experience or knowledge in this area. Operation is by sensing a tachometer signal from the existing distributor, ignition coil, toothed wheel or similar device that produces one electronic pulse for each cylinder cycle. When a pulse is received, software in the micro measures engine operating parameters, calculates fuel parameters, and fires one or more injectors depending on how the system is configured.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine is provided which can operate by either the homogeneous charge compression ignition system or the spark ignition system using a single fuel. In the internal combustion engine using a fuel containing a hydrocarbon, the fuel contains o-xylene of 10 to 70 wt. % of the total weight, and the engine operates by either homogeneous charge compression ignition or spark ignition depending on the load. The fuel contains o-xylene of 30 to 50 wt. % of the total weight. The fuel contains, for example, n-heptane as the base fuel, and o-xylene of 10 to 70 wt. %, preferably 30 to 50 wt. %, of the total base fuel. The internal combustion engine operates by homogeneous charge compression ignition at low or medium load and by spark ignition at high load.

Abstract: A control system and method to dynamically determine a parametric value for combustion chamber deposits (CCD), e.g. in a controlled auto-ignition engine, including in-situ evaluation of thickness of CCD, based on a sensor which monitors combustion. It includes a temperature sensor operative to monitor the combustion chamber, and a CCD parameter that is based upon a peak combustion temperature measured at a crank angle. A CCD parameter can also be determined utilizing an in-cylinder pressure monitor, wherein a combustion chamber deposit parameter is based upon crank angle location of a peak in-cylinder pressure parameter.

Abstract: The CAM signal of a four-stroke internal combustion engine that also includes a CRANK signal having a sync feature is decoded by defining an observation window of predefined duration with respect a pulse transition of the CAM signal. The CAM signal is uniquely decoded during the observation window by monitoring for a pulse transition of the CAM signal and the sync feature of the CRANK signal.

Abstract: A device and a method for controlling and/or regulating an internal combustion engine, in particular an internal combustion engine having direct injection. A regulation adjusts a combustion state variable, that characterizes the combustion state, to a setpoint value. A control and/or a regulation influences a torque variable that characterizes the torque of the internal combustion engine and/or the noise variable that characterizes the noise of the internal combustion engine, using a control variable.

Abstract: A fuel vapor purge system is configured to execute a highly accurate leak diagnosis with respect to a fuel vapor leak. After the engine is stopped, the temperature of the fuel vapor rises temporarily and then decreases until it reaches the outside ambient temperature. During this period, the purge line is closed off and a minimum value reached by the purge line pressure is detected. The difference between the minimum value of the purge line pressure and the atmospheric pressure is compared to a threshold value. The purge system is diagnosed as “normal” if the difference is equal to or larger than the threshold value and a “leaking” if the difference is less than the threshold value.

Abstract: A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, comprising crank angle calculation means for calculating a crank angle between edges which are detected by a first crank angle sensor and a second crank angle sensor, on the basis of a crank cycle between the edges, and engine-rotation-direction detection inhibit means for inhibiting detection of an engine rotation direction on the basis of the calculated crank angle, wherein the engine-rotation-direction detection inhibit means inhibits the detection of the engine rotation direction in a case where the crank angle calculated by the crank angle calculation means has satisfied a predetermined inhibit decision condition.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, there is provided a method of providing a first fuel injection schedule having one or more injections per cylinder per compression stroke at a first discrete power level selected from a plurality of discrete power levels of an engine. The method further includes providing a second fuel injection schedule having a plurality of injections per cylinder per compression stroke at a second discrete power level selected from the plurality of discrete power levels of the engine, wherein the first and second fuel injection schedules comprise different injection characteristics from one another.

Abstract: A Calibration Method for Air Intake Tracts for Internal Combustion Engines is disclosed. The method tunes the replacement cold air intake so that the Original Equipment Mass Airflow Sensor will function with the emissions control system without check engine light illumination. The method uses the exhaust effluent composition to benchmark the OEM intake system and then to match the cold air intake to that benchmark test result. The method could use the exhaust effluent composition for calibration as well as verification, or the method could use Sensor signal output for calibration and then exhaust effluent composition for verification of the design specification.

Abstract: An internal-combustion engine, comprises at least one cylinder, at least one intake pipe and at least one exhaust pipe associated to the cylinder, at least one intake valve and at least one exhaust valve, which control passage through the intake and exhaust pipes, wherein there are provided first sensor device(s) for detecting the temperature in the intake pipe, second sensor device(s) for detecting the pressure in the intake pipe, third sensor device(s) for detecting the engine r.p.m., and fourth device(s) for detecting or calculating the temperature in the exhaust pipe. An electronic control unit pre-arranged for receiving the signals at output from the first second and third sensor device(s) calculates the amount of fresh air taken in by the engine on the basis of a mathematical model that is of general applicability and that, in particular, is applicable irrespective of the technological implementation specifically used for a system for variable valve actuation with which the engine can be provided.

Abstract: A structured combustion chamber for an engine has a cylinder head with an intake hole portion communicating between an intake port and a combustion chamber and an exhaust hole portion which makes a communication between an exhaust port and the combustion chamber, an intake valve for opening and closing the intake hole portion, and a continuous variable valve lift mechanism for lifting the intake valve in a stepless fashion, a flow promoting device is provided to promote a motion of an air current in the combustion chamber when a quantity of lift of the intake valve driven by the continuous variable valve lift mechanism is small and further to suppress a decrease in flow rate of an intake air coming through the intake hole portion into the combustion chamber when the quantity of lift of the intake valve driven by the continuous variable valve lift mechanism reaches a maximum.

Abstract: A required-generate-current (RGC) is calculated according to conditions of the electric loads and a charging state of the battery. The required-alternator-drive-torque (RADT) is estimated according to the required-generate-current (RGC). A required engine torque is calculated by adding the required-alternator-drive-torque (RADT) and the required-vehicle-drive-torque (RVDT) together. The engine torque which is realized at next calculating timing is estimated in consideration of a response delay of the engine. The differential torque between the estimated engine torque and the required-vehicle-drive-torque (RVDT) is calculated as the permission torque. The command current corresponding to the permission torque is calculated. The control current of the alternator is controlled in such a manner as to generate current corresponding to the command current at the next calculating timing.