Abstract: A method of operating an internal combustion engine includes the steps of: igniting a diesel fuel and air mixture in a combustion cylinder using spark ignition; sensing knock in the combustion cylinder; adjusting a spark timing and a fuel injection amount in the combustion cylinder dependent upon the sensed knock; and igniting the diesel fuel and air mixture in the combustion cylinder using compression ignition.

Abstract: An Engine Control Module includes an electronic controller for controlling the position of an EGR valve, the timing of opening and closing of the engine combustion valves, and the timing of the individual cylinder fuel injectors of an engine. Each engine cylinder includes a pressure sensor. Peak cylinder pressure is sent to the ECM during each firing cycle. The ECM is programmed with required maximum percentages of EGR and optimal combustion valve timing for each engine operating condition, and sets the EGR valve and/or the camshaft phaser accordingly to adjust combustion in all the engine cylinders. The ECM also compares the measured peak pressure for each cylinder and adjusts the timing of fuel injection for the next firing cycle to trim the measured peak pressure in each cylinder to a predetermined level at or below the maximum allowable peak firing pressure for the engine.

Abstract: A method of sensing the air/fuel ratio in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine that may be easily implemented by a respective low-cost device includes a pressure sensor and a learning machine that generates a sensing signal representing the air/fuel ratio by processing the waveform of the pressure in at least one cylinder of the engine. In practice, the learning machine extracts characteristic parameters of the waveform of the pressure and as a function of a certain number of them generates the sensing signal.

Abstract: An engine system for a power unit is disclosed. The engine system includes an exhaust system having at least one exhaust treatment device and an air induction system having at least one heater. The heater is configured to raise the temperature of an intake flow in the air induction system in response to a physical property of the exhaust treatment device.

Abstract: A control apparatus of an in-cylinder injection type spark ignition internal combustion engine provided with at least an in-cylinder fuel injection valve that injects fuel directly into a cylinder executes temperature increase promotion control that promotes an increase in temperature near a nozzle hole of the in-cylinder fuel injection valve when a detected temperature near the nozzle hole of the in-cylinder fuel injection valve is within a deposit forming temperature range.

Abstract: The relative combustion phasing of a homogenous charge compression ignition engine is controlled by controlling the introduction of ions and free radicals to cylinders in the engine. The engine has an engine housing with at least a first and second cylinder and an intake system that introduces a combustible mixture of air and fuel to the cylinders. A piston is disposed in each of the cylinders and is operable to compress a combustible mixture until the mixture auto ignites, without the introduction of a spark.

Abstract: A method for ascertaining a quality characteristic of a Diesel fuel for a Diesel internal combustion engine, having a device for determining the cylinder pressure curve of at least one cylinder, a process variable of the combustion being ascertained from the cylinder pressure curve, which characterizes the fuel quality.

Abstract: A workload calculation apparatus and method for an internal combustion engine, and an engine control unit are provided for accurately calculating a workload parameter indicative of the workload of the internal combustion engine.

Abstract: Method of controlling the combustion of an internal-combustion engine, in particular a direct-injection supercharged engine, notably of gasoline type, wherein the engine comprises at least one cylinder (12) with a combustion chamber (14) within which a compression stage takes place, followed by a stage of combustion of a fuel mixture by a spark-ignition means (34), characterized in that it consists in measuring a quantity related to at least one parameter representative of the state of the fuel mixture during said stages; in determining a value that depends on the amplitude of the measured quantity; in comparing the determined value with at least one threshold value representative of the quantity related to said parameter representative of the conventional state of the fuel mixture during said stages; in detecting the start of an abnormal combustion when the determined value exceeds said threshold value and when the ignition means is not actuated; in controlling the course of the abnormal combustion detected

Abstract: In an internal combustion engine the fuel is injected into an intake manifold. A quantity characterizing the injection quantity is a function of a predicted quantity which characterizes a predicted air charge. A setpoint quantity is used for determining the predicted quantity which characterizes a setpoint air charge.

Abstract: An actuator control apparatus is provided which has: an actuator provided in an internal combustion engine at a position distant from combustion chambers to change an engine state amount; a sensor that detects the actual operation position of the actuator; a controller that controls the actuator to bring the actual operation position to a target operation position set based on the engine operation state; a diagnosis portion that diagnoses the actuator to be in an abnormal state when the deviation of the actual operation position from the target operation position has been larger than a reference amount for a reference time; and a setting portion that sets, upon the diagnosis by the diagnosis portion, the reference time such that the lower the engine coolant temperature, the longer the reference time, and the lower the ambient temperature, the longer the reference time corresponding to the engine coolant temperature.

Abstract: An engine control unit includes pressure detector provided in a combustion chamber of the engine. A motoring pressure of the engine is estimated. A combustion starting time is detected when the difference between an internal pressure detected by the pressure detector and the pressure estimated by the ECU exceeds a predetermined value. When the internal pressure detected by the pressure detector reaches its peak after the combustion starting time has been detected, the crank angle at this time point is determined to correspond to the maximum internal cylinder pressure that is generated by combustion.

Abstract: An internal combustion cylinder assembly includes a cylinder having a cylinder head at an end thereof, a combustion chamber disposed in the cylinder head, a piston disposed slidably within the cylinder, the piston having a bottom dead center position distal from the combustion chamber and a top dead center position proximate to the combustion chamber, a pilot quantity of fuel disposed substantially dispersably within the cylinder, a working fluid disposed compressably within the cylinder, the piston compressing the working fluid and the pilot quantity of fuel as it slides from the bottom dead center position to the top dead center position, and wherein the pilot quantity of fuel is substantially a maximum quantity that will not support auto-ignition when the working fluid and the pilot quantity of fuel have been compressed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to: self-tuning engine control algorithms using inputs from transducers that measure pressure in the engine cylinders, and from an engine crankshaft rotational position sensor; methods of processing the input signals to “self-tune” or learn accurate values for a) pressure transducer voltage offset, b) crank position encoder error and c) engine compression ratio; improved pressure-ratio-based algorithms for calculating cylinder heat release fraction as a function of crank angle.

Abstract: A variable compression internal combustion engine having a compression that is variable via a compression relief valve (in addition to the intake and exhaust valves) that is precisely timed and controlled by a selectable timing hydraulic pump or other means and designed to relieve compression in the combustion chamber during a portion of the compression stroke of an engine.

Abstract: A method for transitioning operation of a spark-ignition, direct-injection internal combustion engine having a two-step, variable phase valvetrain between HCCI and SI modes includes providing a low-lift intake valve, un-throttled stoichiometric SI operation intermediate a low-lift exhaust and intake valve HCCI mode and a high-lift exhaust and intake valve, un-throttled SI mode.

Abstract: There is provided a method to determine a combustion parameter for an internal combustion engine. The method comprises monitoring cylinder pressure and crank angle during a combustion cycle, and determining a peak cylinder pressure, a crank angle location of the peak cylinder pressure, and a cylinder pressure at a closing of an intake valve. A combustion parameter is calculated based upon the peak cylinder pressure, the cylinder pressure at the closing of the intake valve for the combustion cycle, the crank angle location of the peak cylinder pressure, the cylinder volume at the location of the peak cylinder pressure, and the cylinder volume at the closing of the intake valve for the combustion cycle. The combustion parameter correlates to an instantaneous heat release of a cylinder charge for the combustion cycle.

Abstract: The invention precisely achieves an air fuel ratio control precision in each of operating regions of an engine, particularly a demand air fuel ratio at a time of an engine transition. In a fuel control system correcting a basic fuel amount in such a manner as to estimate a fuel adhered to an air intake pipe of an engine and an evaporated fuel from the adhered fuel so as to achieve a demanded air fuel ratio, a temperature of a fuel adhered portion is estimated on the basis of an amount relation between the fuel to be adhered and the already adhered fuel, or a heat quantity balance. A fuel adhesion amount and a fuel evaporation amount are determined on the basis of the estimated temperature.

Abstract: Pressure-based combustion parameters of an IC engine are determined based on engine cylinder pressure measurements and crank angle dependent cylinder volume data, where the pressure in a given engine cylinder is periodically sampled at scheduled crank angles to provide a measurement resolution that varies over the combustion cycle for that cylinder, and the cylinder volume data is retrieved from a table of pre-calculated data. The combustion parameter calculations are customized to suit the variable resolution pressure data, and the crank angles used to retrieve the pre-calculated cylinder volume data are offset from the scheduled crank angles to compensate for misalignment of the pressure measurements relative to the scheduled engine crank angles.

Abstract: The start of the combustion (CRK) of a mixture in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine is determined in accordance with a pressure (pc) that is measured in the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A method for controlling an engine airflow, the engine having at least one cylinder, the engine also having an intake manifold and an outlet control device for controlling flow from the intake manifold into the cylinder, comprising of generating a desired engine torque, generating a desired cylinder air charge amount based on said desired engine torque and changing the outlet control device to provide said desired cylinder air charge amount and thereby provide said desired engine torque.

Abstract: In a direct-injection internal combustion engine, a variable intake valve, of which valve timing can be varied, is used as an air intake valve through which an air intake path and a combustion chamber communicate with each other. The direct-injection internal combustion engine includes: a variable-intake-valve control section that controls the valve timing of the variable intake valve; and an intake-air temperature acquisition section that acquires a temperature of the intake air introduced into the combustion chamber. When the fuel is injected into the combustion chamber via a fuel injection valve during a compression stroke or an expansion stroke, if the acquired intake-air temperature is low, the closing timing of the variable intake valve is advanced, so that the actual compression ratio is increased.

Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine, particularly of a motor vehicle. The internal combustion engine has a combustion chamber and an injection valve by which fuel is able to be supplied to the combustion chamber, directly or via an intake manifold. In the method, a maximum combustion chamber pressure and a signal for a start of the injection of fuel is determined, and the signal for the start of injection is influenced as a function of the maximum combustion chamber pressure. A signal for an injection duration of fuel is determined and influenced as a function of the maximum combustion chamber pressure.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method for controlling operation of a homogeneous charge combustion ignition engine operating in an auto-ignition mode. The method comprises determining a desired combustion phasing; and, controlling a mass flowrate of externally recirculated exhaust gas based upon an actual combustion phasing. A closed-loop control scheme is executed to control the mass flowrate of externally recirculated exhaust gas based upon a difference between the actual and the desired combustion phasing.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method to operate a direct-injection engine operative at various air/fuel ratios. The method comprises monitoring in-cylinder pressure, along with a corresponding engine crank position to periodically to determine instantaneous in-cylinder pressure states corresponding to the engine crank position during compression and expansion. Pressure ratios are determined based upon the instantaneous in-cylinder pressure states. A combustion heat release is determined based upon the pressure ratios. An aspect of the invention comprises extending the operation to diesel, diesel premixed and to HCCI engines.

Abstract: A method for improving engine intake manifold pressure control of an internal combustion engine is described. According to one aspect of the description, the manifold pressure may be controlled to reduce fuel consumption and engine emissions during at least some operating conditions.

Abstract: An ECU of an internal combustion engine estimates an anticipated air amount in response to a demand for the internal combustion engine and causes an injector to inject an initial amount of fuel determined in accordance with the anticipated air amount so that an air-fuel ratio of a mixture in a combustion chamber is lower than a target value, and thereafter, calculates an amount of intake air aspired into the combustion chamber based on an in-cylinder pressure in the combustion chamber at a given timing during a compression stroke and before ignition, and causes the injector to inject a correction amount of fuel determined based on the calculated amount of the intake air and the initial amount of the fuel so that the air-fuel ratio of the mixture in the combustion chamber corresponds to the target value.

Abstract: An engine controller controls an actuator for selectively executing spark-ignited combustion and compression-ignited combustion of an internal combustion engine in accordance with an engine operational state. The controller is comprises of a deterioration recognition section for recognizing a deterioration state of the engine or the actuator during the spark-ignited combustion. The engine controller is configured to change at least one of a switching condition between the spark-ignited combustion and compression-ignited combustion and an operational condition for the compression-ignited combustion, during the spark-ignited combustion, in accordance with the deterioration state of the engine or the actuator recognized by the deterioration recognition section.

Abstract: A method of operating an internal combustion engine including at least a combustion chamber having a piston disposed therein, the method comprising during a first number of cycles after start-up of the engine, supplying at least a first fuel to the combustion chamber, and combusting said first fuel and during a second number of cycles after said first number of cycles, supplying said first fuel and a second fuel to the combustion chamber to form a substantially homogeneous mixture, and compressing said mixture with said piston to cause auto-ignition of said mixture.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine is provided with a plurality of valves, including a main driving valve and a driven valve, each of which can be lifted in response to an instruction from a control apparatus, and a lift sensor which detects a lift amount of the main driving valve. The control apparatus controls the lift of the driven and main driving valves based on an output of the lift sensor. The engine may also include a proximity sensor which detects whether the position of the driven valve is within a predetermined range, and a crank angle sensor. The control apparatus monitors the output of the proximity sensor to determine whether the driven valve is out of synchronization with respect to the crank angle, and performs an initial driving control that initializes the positions of the driven and main driving valves corresponding to the driven valve when loss of synchronization is detected.

Abstract: A multi cylinder homogeneous charge compression ignition engine includes actuators and an engine controller configured to reduce variations in combustion phasing and/or combustion energy release among the different engine cylinders. By sensing both the phasing and magnitude of the combustion energy release, the engine controller generates control signals to combustion phase controllers and combustion energy release controllers for the engine cylinders. The control signals may be different from one another to reduce variations across the group of engine cylinders. A combustion energy release controller may be a direct injection fuel injector, and the combustion phase controller may be a variable intake valve actuator. Reducing variations in these aspects of the combustion events, allows the engine to operate at higher speeds and loads.

Abstract: An engine comprising a detonation chamber in thermal communication with a tank, a fuel system connected to the chamber, and a controller wherein energy from fuel detonations in the chamber is transferred to a fluid in the tank. By rapidly transferring the energy from the chamber, the detonation produces little or no toxic by-products. The fluid in the tank is energized to provide power for a wide range of machines from large equipment to small appliances.

Abstract: A control system for an internal combustion engine having at least one fuel injection valve for injecting fuel into a combustion chamber of the engine and burning the injected fuel by compression ignition. A fuel injection control parameter for controlling at least one fuel injection valve is changed. A combustion state of the engine is then detected. A cetane number of the fuel is then estimated based on the changed fuel injection control parameter and the detected combustion state.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine that can be operated in compression ignition mode, comprising a fuel injector (2) for each cylinder; a fuel injection control unit (4) for controlling fuel injection quantity and a piston (5) in each cylinder whose compression action causes a mixture of air and fuel to be ignited. The engine is further provided with inlet and outlet valves (6, 7) and sensors (12-16) for measuring various engine operating parameters, is disclosed. During compression ignition mode, the control unit controls the fuel injector to perform a first fuel injection before, and a second fuel injection after top dead center of the piston stroke during or after a negative valve overlap period. A method for operating the engine and a computer readable storage device (4) having stored therein data representing instructions executable by a computer to implement a compression ignition for an internal combustion engine is also described.

Abstract: An air-fuel ratio control system for an internal combustion engine, which is capable of accurately estimating an exhaust gas state parameter according to the properties of fuel, thereby making it possible to properly control the air-fuel ratio of a mixture.

Abstract: A method of operating an engine, comprising of performing homogeneous charge compression ignition combustion during a first operating condition, and performing spark ignition combustion during a second operating condition, where an amount of directly injected alcohol in at least one of said homogeneous charge compression ignition combustion and said spark ignition combustion is varied in response to at least an operating parameter.

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: An air-fuel ratio controlling apparatus includes an internal pressure detector for detecting an internal pressure of a combustion chamber of the engine. The apparatus estimates a motoring pressure of the engine and determines a start-of-combustion time, a time point when a difference between the internal pressure and the motoring pressure exceeds a predetermined value in a compression stroke and a combustion stroke of the engine. Firing delay for each cylinder is calculated from as a duration from sparking to the start-of-combustion time. Air-fuel ratio of each cylinder is estimated based on the firing delay and fuel injection amount for each cylinder is calculated to make the air-fuel ratio of plural cylinders uniform.

Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine enables an improved determination of a preferred position of a shaft of the internal combustion engine. The preferred position of the shaft is derived here on the basis of a signal characterizing a course of combustion of the internal combustion engine as a function of a phase relation determined between this signal and the preferred position of the shaft.

Abstract: A method for improving engine starting for an engine having a variable event valvetrain is described. According to one aspect of the description, valve timing is adjusted during a start to reduce engine emissions and fuel consumption.

Abstract: A method for estimating the cylinder interior pressure of an internal combustion engine from a cylinder pressure model having at least the input variables load, speed of rotation, and crank angle (Ppressure model), which forms the cylinder interior pressure (Pgas) to be determined, corrected by a pressure correction value (?Pgas). The pressure correction value (?Pgas) is determined from an observation of the alternating moments at the crankshaft. The modeled value of the cylinder interior pressure from the pressure model is obtained as a pre-control value, and corrected with a correction value formed from the measured value of the non-uniformity of rotation.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine (1) provided with a valve mechanism (VM) able to change a valve opening characteristic of at least one of an intake valve (Vi) and exhaust valve (Ve), a cylinder pressure sensor (15) for detecting a cylinder pressure in a combustion chamber (3), and an ECU (20), wherein the ECU (20) calculates the amount of air sucked into the combustion chamber (3) based on an intake air pressure during valve overlap between the intake valve (Vi) and the exhaust valve (Ve), the exhaust gas pressure during valve overlap, a cylinder pressure during the compression stroke detected by a cylinder sensor (15), and a gas passage effective area during valve overlap.

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 invention relates to an internal combustion engine provided with at least one cylinder and comprising a fuel injection system, an intake air charging system for supplying air under pressure to an air intake manifold, a controller for controlling the fuel injection system, a spark ignition system and the intake air charger. The control unit is adapted to switch the engine from a first combustion mode using a higher manifold pressure to a second combustion mode using a lower manifold pressure, and further adapted to control the intake air charging system to cause a surge in the intake air, in order to evacuate the higher manifold pressure. The invention further relates to a method for controlling the internal combustion engine and a vehicle provided with such an internal combustion engine.

Abstract: A method and associated arrangement for achieving an adjusted engine setting utilizing engine output and/or fuel consumption. An engine that consumes fuel is run. Fuel consumption and/or engine operation output is determined. A value is determined utilizing the determined fuel consumption and/or the determined engine operation output. The engine setting is adjusted to cause the determined value to change toward a desired value.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine (1) generates power by burning a mixture of fuel and air in a combustion chamber (3). The internal combustion engine (1) is provided with a crank angle sensor (14), an in-cylinder pressure sensor (15) detecting an in-cylinder pressure at the time when a crank angle detected by the crank angle sensor (14) reaches a predetermined angle, and an ECU (20). The ECU (20) calculates a combustion rate at predetermined timing based upon a control parameter which is a product of an in-cylinder pressure detected by the in-cylinder pressure sensor (15) and a value obtained by exponentiating an in-cylinder volume at the timing of detecting the in-cylinder pressure with a predetermined index, and corrects ignition timing by each ignition plug (7) so that the calculated combustion rate is equal to a target value.

Abstract: Presented is a device that provides a correction factor to compensate for varying fuel and air properties in an ion signal sensed in combustion chamber of reciprocating and continuous combustion engines, on a predetermined basis during the combustion of conventional petroleum-based fuels, other alternate fuels, and renewable fuels. The device uses an ion current reference sensor device and a processing module to provide a correction factor to the ion signal(s). The ion current reference sensor device is positioned near the chamber(s) of the engine and fuel provided to the chamber(s) is routed to provide a diffusion flame and the resultant ion current from the flame is measured and provided to the processing module at discrete intervals during the combustion process. Alternatively, a pre-mixed flame is used. The processing module provides a scaling factor to be applied to the ion signal and/or calibration points used to detect combustion conditions.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of performing feedback control of the operation of an internal combustion engine based on a signal from a vibration sensor and a crankshaft angle sensor. An energy factor can be computed based on these sensor signals which provides an estimate of the combustion phasing and combustion intensity. A vector of energy factors can be computed as a function of crank angle degree over a particular window of engine rotation of interest. Based on the energy factor vector, combustion phasing can be estimated.

Abstract: A gas-mixture-ignition-time estimation apparatus for an internal combustion engine estimates the temperature of a premixed gas mixture for PCCI combustion (i.e., cylinder interior temperature Tg), while relating it to the angle CA, on the basis of a state quantity of the cylinder interior gas at the time of start of compression (CAin) (heat energy of the cylinder interior gas at the time of start of compression), the amount of a change in the state quantity of the cylinder interior gas attributable to compression in a compression stroke (minute piston work), and the heat generation quantity of a cool flame generated in PCCI combustion prior to autoignition (hot flame) (cool flame heat generation quantity Aqlto). A time when the cylinder interior temperature Tg reaches a predetermined autoignition start temperature Tig is estimated as an autoignition start time (Caig) of the premixed gas mixture related to PCCI combustion.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a charge motion flap which influences the combustion in at least one combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine. The function of the charge motion flap is monitored. At least one actual value of a variable characterizing the combustion in the combustion chamber is evaluated and the evaluation result is used for function monitoring of the charge motion flap.