Abstract: A method to control the combustion of an internal combustion engine, which comprises determining a combustion model, which provides a spark advance depending on an objective value of the rate of water to be injected, on the rotation speed, on the intake efficiency and on an open-loop contribution of a combustion index; calculating a first closed-loop contribution of the spark advance depending on the combustion index; calculating a second closed-loop contribution of the spark advance depending on a quantity indicating the knocking energy; and calculating the objective value of the spark advance angle to be operated through the sum of the spark advance value provided by the combustion model and of the first closed-loop contribution or, alternatively, of the second closed-loop contribution.

Abstract: A method to control the combustion of an internal combustion engine, which comprises determining a combustion model, which provides a spark advance depending on an objective value of the rate of water to be injected, on the rotation speed, on the intake efficiency and on an open-loop contribution of a combustion index; calculating a first closed-loop contribution of the spark advance depending on the combustion index; calculating a second closed-loop contribution of the spark advance depending on a quantity indicating the knocking energy; and calculating the objective value of the spark advance angle to be operated through the sum of the spark advance value provided by the combustion model and of the first closed-loop contribution or, alternatively, of the second closed-loop contribution.

Abstract: A method to control the combustion of an internal combustion engine comprising determining a combustion model providing a spark advance value depending on an objective value of a quantity representing the incidence of a low-pressure EGR circuit, of the rotation speed, of the intake efficiency and of an open-loop contribution of a combustion index; calculating a first closed-loop contribution of the spark advance depending on the combustion index; calculating a second closed-loop contribution of the spark advance depending on a quantity indicating the knocking energy; and calculating the objective value of the spark advance angle to be operated through the sum of the spark advance value provided by the combustion model and of the first closed-loop contribution or, alternatively, of the second closed-loop contribution.

Abstract: A method to control the combustion of an internal combustion engine comprising determining a combustion model providing a spark advance value depending on an objective value of a quantity representing the incidence of a low-pressure EGR circuit, of the rotation speed, of the intake efficiency and of an open-loop contribution of a combustion index; calculating a first closed-loop contribution of the spark advance depending on the combustion index; calculating a second closed-loop contribution of the spark advance depending on a quantity indicating the knocking energy; and calculating the objective value of the spark advance angle to be operated through the sum of the spark advance value provided by the combustion model and of the first closed-loop contribution or, alternatively, of the second closed-loop contribution.

Abstract: A method to determine the injection pattern in the intake stroke of the combustion cycle of the cylinders of a direct-injection internal combustion engine, which includes determining the overall quantity of fuel to be injected for each combustion cycle of each cylinder during the intake stroke; determining the maximum quantity of fuel to be injected for each partial injection as a function of the value of the start of injection angle, of the speed and of the load of the internal combustion engine; and determining the number of partial injections and the objective quantity to be injected for each partial injection as a function of the quantity of fuel to be injected for each combustion cycle of each cylinder during the intake stroke and of the maximum quantity of fuel to be injected for each partial injection.

Abstract: A method for recognizing the type of fuel actually used in an internal combustion engine; the recognition method includes the steps of: sensing the intensity of the vibrations generated by the internal combustion engine within a measurement time window; determining the value of at least one synthetic index by processing the intensity of the vibrations generated by the internal combustion engine within the measurement time window; comparing the synthetic index with at least one predetermined comparison quantity; and recognizing the type of fuel actually used as a function of the comparison of the synthetic index to the comparison quantity; and forcedly altering, when detecting the intensity of the vibrations, the engine control with respect to the normal standard engine control, so as to enhance the behavioral differences of the different types of fuel that can be used by the internal combustion engine.

Abstract: Method to detect and control detonation phenomena in an internal combustion engine provided with a number of cylinders and with at least two detonation sensors. For each combustion cycle as a function of the cylinder and of the engine point that is being explored, the method comprises the steps of processing the signal coming from each detonation sensor so as to determine a detonation energy for each detonation sensor; calculating a detonation index for each detonation sensor and controlling the internal combustion engine as a function of a total detonation index through the algebraic sum of the detonation indexes for each detonation sensor.

Abstract: A method to determine the injection pattern in the compression stroke of the combustion cycle of the cylinders of a direct-injection internal combustion engine, comprising the steps of determining the initial quantity of fuel and an objective quantity of fuel to be injected for each partial injection of a maximum number of partial injections; determining an effective quantity of fuel to be injected for each partial injection as a function of the respective initial quantity of fuel and of the respective objective quantity of fuel; and determining an objective pattern of partial injections to be performed in the compression stroke as a function of the value of the end of injection angle and of the effective quantity of fuel to be injected for each partial injection of a maximum number of partial injections to be performed in the compression stroke.

Abstract: A method to control the temperature of the exhaust gases of a supercharged internal combustion engine, the method comprising: determining the minimum air/fuel ratio of the exhaust gases downstream of the exhaust manifold as a function of the flow rate of air that is not involved in the combustion taking place inside the cylinders and flows directly from the intake manifold into the exhaust pipe; detecting an air/fuel ratio of the exhaust gases downstream of the exhaust manifold by means of a sensor; and controlling the supercharged internal combustion engine as a function of the comparison between the air/fuel ratio of the exhaust gases detected by the sensor and/or the minimum air/fuel ratio of the exhaust gases with a number of threshold values.

Abstract: A method to control the temperature of the exhaust gases of a supercharged internal combustion engine, the method comprising: determining the minimum air/fuel ratio of the exhaust gases downstream of the exhaust manifold as a function of the flow rate of air that is not involved in the combustion taking place inside the cylinders and flows directly from the intake manifold into the exhaust pipe; detecting an air/fuel ratio of the exhaust gases downstream of the exhaust manifold by means of a sensor; and controlling the supercharged internal combustion engine as a function of the comparison between the air/fuel ratio of the exhaust gases detected by the sensor and/or the minimum air/fuel ratio of the exhaust gases with a number of threshold values.

Abstract: Method to detect and control detonation phenomena in an internal combustion engine provided with a number of cylinders and with at least two detonation sensors; for each combustion cycle as a function of the cylinder and of the engine point that is being explored, the method comprises processing the signal coming from each detonation sensor so as to determine a detonation energy for each detonation sensor; calculating a detonation index for each detonation sensor and controlling the internal combustion engine as a function of a total detonation index through the algebraic sum of the detonation indexes for each detonation sensor.

Abstract: A method for detecting the development of detonation phenomena in an internal combustion engine (1) which includes determining the variance (?i) of each combustion taken into account for a given cylinder (2) and in a given engine point as a function of the comparison between the detonation energy (?i) of each combustion taken into account and the self-learnt mean detonation energy (?i_m) for the given cylinder (2) and in the given engine point; calculating the maximum variance (?i_max) for a given cylinder (2) and in a given engine point with a reduction of the spark advance actuated in the given cylinder (2); and determining the development of detonation phenomena for each combustion taken into account as a function of the comparison between the maximum variance (?i_max) and the variance (?i) of each combustion taken into account for a given cylinder (2) and in a given engine point.

Abstract: A method to determine the injection pattern in the compression stroke of the combustion cycle of the cylinders of a direct-injection internal combustion engine, comprising the steps of determining the initial quantity of fuel and an objective quantity of fuel to be injected for each partial injection of a maximum number of partial injections; determining an effective quantity of fuel to be injected for each partial injection as a function of the respective initial quantity of fuel and of the respective objective quantity of fuel; and determining an objective pattern of partial injections to be performed in the compression stroke as a function of the value of the end of injection angle and of the effective quantity of fuel to be injected for each partial injection of a maximum number of partial injections to be performed in the compression stroke.

Abstract: A method to determine the injection pattern in the intake stroke of the combustion cycle of the cylinders of a direct-injection internal combustion engine, which includes determining the overall quantity of fuel to be injected for each combustion cycle of each cylinder during the intake stroke; determining the maximum quantity of fuel to be injected for each partial injection as a function of the value of the start of injection angle, of the speed and of the load of the internal combustion engine; and determining the number of partial injections and the objective quantity to be injected for each partial injection as a function of the quantity of fuel to be injected for each combustion cycle of each cylinder during the intake stroke and of the maximum quantity of fuel to be injected for each partial injection.

Abstract: A method for detecting the development of detonation phenomena in an internal combustion engine (1) which includes determining the variance (?i) of each combustion taken into account for a given cylinder (2) and in a given engine point as a function of the comparison between the detonation energy (?i) of each combustion taken into account and the self-learnt mean detonation energy (?i—m) for the given cylinder (2) and in the given engine point; calculating the maximum variance (?i—max) for a given cylinder (2) and in a given engine point with a reduction of the spark advance actuated in the given cylinder (2); and determining the development of detonation phenomena for each combustion taken into account as a function of the comparison between the maximum variance (?i—max) and the variance (?i) of each combustion taken into account for a given cylinder (2) and in a given engine point.

Abstract: A method for recognising the type of fuel actually used in an internal combustion engine; the recognition method includes the steps of: sensing the intensity of the vibrations generated by the internal combustion engine within a measurement time window; determining the value of at least one synthetic index by processing the intensity of the vibrations generated by the internal combustion engine within the measurement time window; comparing the synthetic index with at least one predetermined comparison quantity; and recognising the type of fuel actually used as a function of the comparison of the synthetic index to the comparison quantity; and forcedly altering, when detecting the intensity of the vibrations, the engine control with respect to the normal standard engine control, so as to enhance the behavioural differences of the different types of fuel that can be used by the internal combustion engine.