Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Brian Keith Allston

James F Burkhard

Daniel Francis Kabasin

John E Kirwan

Michael Raymond Salemi

Bob Xiaobin Li

Charles Anthony Iannone

Albert Martin Knebel

James M Haller

John S Lylak, Jr

Orlando Volpato

A heated fuel injector system and controller that includes a temperature sensing means to provide closed-loop control of a heating element heating fuel dispensed by a heated fuel injector. Closed-loop control provides more accurate temperature control of the heating element so that fuel heating is provided as quickly as possible while also protecting the fuel from being boiled and protecting the heated fuel injector from being damaged by excessive temperature. By monitoring how the signal from the temperature sensing means varies over time, fault conditions such as a lack of fuel flow, and fuel ethanol percentage may be detected.

Heated fuel injector system

A method for controlling a glow plug at a desired temperature. In a glow plug off state, the glow plug temperature status is monitored to prepare for the next combustion event. When ignition is requested, a determination is made as to how long full voltage can be applied to bring the glow plug to ignition temperature. A resistance/temperature map is provided to determine the resistance as a function of temperature. Another map is provided of temperature as a function of powering time at a full battery voltage in a First Heating Phase to ensure that the surface temperature of the glow plug will reach a predetermined temperature required to start combustion of an air/fuel mixture. A third map is provided of a PWM duty cycle for a Second Heating Phase to maintain the temperature of the glow plug to ensure flame propagation without damage to the glow plug.

Method for controlling glow plug ignition in a preheater of a hydrocarbon reformer

A combined gasoline and hydrogen fueling system for a gasoline-powered internal combustion engine, including, preferably, a rapid-start catalytic reformer for producing reformate gas containing hydrogen from gasoline. The reformate from the reformer is swept by air into the intake manifold of the cold engine where it is mixed with intake air and then drawn into the cylinders and ignited conventionally to start the engine. A computer-based reformer control system optimizes the amount of reformate formed and the resulting reformate/air mixture. The reformer control system interfaces or is integral with a computer-based gasoline and air supply system for the engine, the two systems cooperating to optimize a mixture of gasoline and reformate in the intake manifold at all times during warming of the engine and its exhaust catalyst to steady-state operating temperature. Preferably, flow of reformate is terminated thereafter.

Method and apparatus for fueling an internal combustion engine

A vacuum management system for an engine with variable valve lift includes a vacuum control valve at the entrance to the intake manifold to increase vacuum within the manifold as needed and preferably only when it can be done without impairing fuel economy or engine performance. Vacuum may then be used for any of various vacuum-assisted devices and functions, for example, boosting a vehicle braking system. The numerical relationships among important operating parameters are determined in a laboratory, and a programmable engine control module (ECM} is provided with algorithms and tables of such values by which the ECM is able to vary valve lift and vacuum control valve position to provide optimum flow across the intake valves and optimum manifold vacuum under all engine operating conditions.

Vacuum management system for engine with variable valve lift

A vacuum system for an engine with variable valve lift includes a controllable vacuum-forming valve at the entrance to the intake manifold and a programmable engine control module (ECM) to increase vacuum as desired within the manifold by modulating the valve as needed to optimize fuel economy. To provide vacuum brake assist, a brake booster diaphragm is connected conventionally to the manifold and a vacuum storage tank and check valve are disposed between the booster diaphragm and the manifold. During periods of vehicle deceleration, when engine load is low, the ECM may switch the VVL-controlled intake valves to a higher lift to increase the pumping capacity of the engine, while simultaneously partially closing the vacuum-forming valve to create vacuum in the intake manifold, the brake booster, and the vacuum storage tank at little or no expense to engine performance.

Vacuum system for engine with variable valve lift

An improved method and apparatus for opening and closing a high performance shape memory alloy (SMA) fuel injector that minimizes performance variations due to changes in ambient temperature. When opening the injector to commence fuel injection, a relatively high voltage is applied to an SMA element of the injector to quickly heat the element to its high temperature state, quickly opening the valve. The current level is monitored as a measure of the element resistivity, and when the determined resistivity indicates that the high temperature state transition is complete, the voltage is reduced to a hold value, sufficient to continue resistivity measurement. When the determined resistivity indicates that the element is beginning to transition back to the ambient temperature state, the high voltage is re-applied to begin a new control cycle. To close the injector, the electric heating is discontinued, and fuel circulating through the injector cools the element to its ambient temperature state. The variability in opening response is reduced because the high voltage is significantly higher than a voltage that would thermally damage the SMA element if sustained, and the resistivity feedback during application of the high voltage is used to control the timing of the current reduction. The variability in closing response is reduced by the repeated switching between high and low voltage control, which controls the temperature of the element, and thereby maintains the element in a state of readiness to return to the ambient temperature state. Additionally, the repeated switching between high and low voltage control limits the peak temperature of the SMA element, and prevents damage to the element if the circulating fuel fails to adequately cool the element. Finally, the use of current measurement in the control circuit permits reliable determination of the resistivity of the SMA element without requiring external thermal sensors.

Method and apparatus for controlling a shape memory alloy fuel injector

Internal combustion engine air/fuel ratio control provides for individual engine cylinder air/fuel ratio balancing through sensing of individual cylinder air/fuel ratio and through comparison of sensed individual cylinder air/fuel ratio to a target air/fuel ratio with air/fuel ratio control command correction prescribed on a cylinder-by-cylinder basis. The target air/fuel ratio may be determined as an overall average cylinder actual air/fuel ratio. An additional control loop is provided for driving a value representing overall engine air/fuel ratio toward a desired air/fuel ratio, such as the stoichiometric ratio. Correction values are learned gradually for each engine cylinder and stored and recalled as a function of an engine operating level.

Growing community of inventors

Rochester, NY, United States of America

Brian Keith Allston