This application is based on and incorporates herein by reference Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-392114 filed on Nov. 21, 2003.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an injection control system of an internal combustion engine for performing an injection quantity learning operation.
2. Description of Related Art
As a method of inhibiting generation of combustion noise and nitrogen oxides in a diesel engine, a method of performing a pilot injection for injecting a very small quantity of fuel before a main injection is known. Since a command value of the pilot injection quantity is small, improvement of accuracy of the small quantity injection is necessary to sufficiently exert the effects of the pilot injection of inhibiting the generation of the combustion noise and the nitrogen oxides. Therefore, an injection quantity learning operation for measuring a deviation between the command injection quantity of the pilot injection and a quantity of actually injected fuel (an actual injection quantity) and for correcting the injection quantity on a software side is necessary.
A fuel injection control system disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-185633 can perform the injection quantity learning operation highly accurately. The control system performs a single injection from an injector into a specific cylinder of an engine when the engine is in a no-injection state, in which a command injection quantity outputted to the injector is zero or under. The engine is brought to the no-injection state if fuel supply is cut when a position of a shift lever is changed or when a vehicle is decelerated, for instance. The control system calculates an actual injection quantity based on a variation of an engine rotation speed caused by the single injection. If an error is generated between the actual injection quantity and the command injection quantity of the pilot injection, the control system corrects the command injection quantity in accordance with the error.
Usually, the command injection quantity is corrected by calculating an injection period correction value from a characteristic shown in
Characteristics of an injector of a diesel engine are shown in
If a second single injection is performed based on an injection pulse width TQ2 shown in
Thus, in the case where the actual injection quantity Q deviates largely along the decreasing direction and the actual injection quantity Q provided after the correction remains zero, the constant correction value is calculated regardless of the degree of the deviation of the characteristic of the injector. Therefore, the effect of shortening the period necessary to complete the correction by increasing the correction value as the deviation increases cannot be achieved. As a result, the correction takes a long time.
If the actual injection quantity Q deviates largely along the increasing direction from the command injection quantity Qc, the single injection quantity injected for the injection quantity learning operation will increase excessively. If the injection is continued at the command injection quantity, noise will be generated and emission will be deteriorated.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an injection control system of an internal combustion engine capable of shortening a period to complete a correction and of preventing noise generation and emission deterioration, which will be caused if an excessive quantity of fuel is injected in an injection quantity learning operation.
According to an aspect of the present invention, an injection control system of an internal combustion engine includes determining means, commanding means, measuring means, calculating means, and correcting means. The determining means determines whether a learning condition for performing an injection quantity learning operation is established. The commanding means commands an injector to perform a single injection into a specific cylinder of the engine when the learning condition is established. The measuring means measures a state variation of the engine caused by performing the single injection. The calculating means calculates a correction value for increasing or decreasing a command injection quantity corresponding to the single injection, based on the state variation of the engine. The correcting means corrects the command injection quantity by increasing or decreasing the command injection quantity in accordance with the correction value. The calculating means sets at least one of a modification value for modifying the correction value and a modification speed, at which the correction value is modified, to a greater value in the case where the command injection quantity is increased in the correction than in the case where the command injection quantity is decreased in the correction.
When an actual injection quantity is very small, there is a possibility that the injection quantity remains zero even if the injection quantity is corrected and renewed. In such a case, it takes a long time to obtain a desired correction value. In contrast, according to the present invention, the calculating means sets at least one of the modification value and the modification speed to a greater value in the case where the command injection quantity is increased in the correction than in the case where the command injection quantity is decreased in the correction. Therefore, the period for converging the correction value can be shortened.
Features and advantages of embodiments will be appreciated, as well as methods of operation and the function of the related parts, from a study of the following detailed description, the appended claims, and the drawings, all of which form a part of this application. In the drawings:
Referring to
As shown in
The ECU 6 sets a target value of a rail pressure Pc of the common rail 2 (a pressure of the fuel accumulated in the common rail 2). The common rail 2 accumulates the high-pressure fuel, which is supplied from the fuel pump 4, to the target value of the rail pressure Pc. A pressure sensor 7 and a pressure limiter 8 are attached to the common rail 2. The pressure sensor 7 senses the rail pressure Pc and outputs the rail pressure Pc to the ECU 6. The pressure limiter 8 limits the rail pressure Pc so that the rail pressure Pc does not exceed a predetermined upper limit value.
The fuel pump 4 has a camshaft 9, a feed pump 10, a plunger 12 and an electromagnetic flow control value 14. The camshaft 9 is driven and rotated by the engine 1. The feed pump 10 is driven by the camshaft 9 and draws the fuel from the fuel tank 3. The plunger 12 reciprocates in a cylinder 11 in synchronization with the rotation of the camshaft 9. The electromagnetic flow control valve 14 regulates a quantity of the fuel introduced from the feed pump 10 into a pressurizing chamber 13 provided inside the cylinder 11.
In the fuel pump 4, when the plunger 12 moves from a top dead center to a bottom dead center in the cylinder 11, the quantity of the fuel discharged from the feed pump 10 is regulated by the electromagnetic flow control valve 14, and the fuel opens a suction valve 15 and is drawn into the pressurizing chamber 13. Then, when the plunger 12 moves from the bottom dead center to the top dead center in the cylinder 11, the plunger 12 pressurizes the fuel in the pressurizing chamber 13. Thus, the fuel opens a discharge valve 16 from the pressurizing chamber 13 side and is pressure-fed to the common rail 2.
The injectors 5 are mounted to the respective cylinders of the engine 1 and are connected to the common rail 2 through high-pressure pipes 17. Each injector 5 has an electromagnetic valve 5a, which operates responsive to a command outputted from the ECU 6, and a nozzle 5b, which injects the fuel when the electromagnetic valve 5a is energized.
The electromagnetic valve 5a opens and closes a low-pressure passage leading from a pressure chamber, into which the high-pressure fuel in the common rail 2 is supplied, to a low-pressure side. The electromagnetic valve 5a opens the low-pressure passage when energized, and closes the low-pressure passage when deenergized.
The nozzle 5b incorporates a needle for opening or closing an injection hole. The pressure of the fuel in the pressure chamber biases the needle in a valve closing direction (a direction for closing the injection hole). If the electromagnetic valve 5a is energized and opens the low-pressure passage, the fuel pressure in the pressure chamber decreases, and the needle ascends in the nozzle 5b and opens the injection hole. Thus, the nozzle 5b injects the high-pressure fuel, which is supplied from the common rail 2, through the injection hole. If the electromagnetic valve 5a is deenergized and closes the low-pressure passage, the fuel pressure in the pressure chamber increases. Accordingly, the needle descends in the nozzle 5b and closes the injection hole. Thus, the injection is ended.
The ECU 6 is connected with a rotation speed sensor 18 for sensing an engine rotation speed (a rotation number per minute) a, an accelerator position sensor for sensing an accelerator position (a load of the engine 1) ACCP and the pressure sensor 7 for sensing the rail pressure Pc. The ECU 6 calculates the target value of the rail pressure Pc of the common rail 2, and injection timing and an injection quantity suitable for an operating state of the engine 1, based on information sensed by the above sensors. The ECU 6 electronically controls the electromagnetic flow control valve 14 of the fuel pump 4 and the electromagnetic valves 5a of the injectors 5 based on the results of the calculation.
In order to improve accuracy of a small quantity injection such as a pilot injection performed before a main injection, the ECU 6 performs an injection quantity learning operation explained below.
In the injection quantity learning operation, an error between a command injection quantity corresponding to the pilot injection and a quantity (an actual injection quantity) of the fuel actually injected by the injector 5 responsive to the command injection quantity (an injection command pulse) is measured. Then, the command injection quantity is corrected in accordance with the error.
Next, processing steps of the injection quantity learning operation performed by the ECU 6 according to the first embodiment will be explained based on a flowchart shown in
First, in Step S101, a cylinder for performing a single injection for the injection quantity learning operation is selected. More specifically, the cylinder for performing the injection quantity learning operation is selected based on a state of the correction (the injection quantity learning operation) performed before the present learning operation. If the present learning operation is the first one, a predetermined cylinder is selected or an arbitrary cylinder is selected.
Then, in Step S102, it is determined whether a learning condition for performing the single injection into the selected cylinder is established. The learning condition is established at least when the engine 1 is in a no-injection state, in which the command injection quantity outputted to the injector 5 is zero or under, and a predetermined rail pressure is maintained. The engine 1 is brought to the no-injection state if fuel supply is cut when a position of a shift lever is changed or when a vehicle is decelerated, for instance. If the result of the determination in Step S102 is “YES”, the processing proceeds to Step S103. If the result of the determination in Step S102 is “NO”, the processing is ended.
In Step S103, a basic energization period TQmap of the injection command pulse outputted to the injector 5 and a target value Ntrg of an engine state variation ΔN are calculated based on an injection quantity and an injection pressure (the rail pressure Pc) in an injection range in which the learning operation is required. The basic energization period TQmap can be calculated based on an injection pulse map, in which the basic energization period TQmap is matched with each injection quantity in advance. The engine state variation ΔN is a variation (an increase) in the engine rotation speed ω caused by the single injection, for instance. The target value Ntrg of the engine state variation ΔN can be calculated from a rotation speed variation map, in which the target value Ntrg is matched with each injection quantity in advance.
In Step S104, it is determined whether the present correction is the first one. If the result of the determination in Step S104 is “NO”, the processing proceeds to Step S105. If the result of the determination in Step S104 is “YES”, the processing proceeds to Step S106.
In Step S105, a correction value ΔTprev provided by the previous correction calculation is employed as a correction value ΔT.
In Step S106, the correction value ΔT is reset to zero (ΔT=0).
In Step S107, an injection period TQ of the injection for the learning operation is calculated based on the basic energization period TQmap calculated in Step S103 and the correction value ΔT calculated in Step S105 or Step S106.
In Step S108, the injection period TQ of the injection for the learning operation is outputted to the injector 5 to perform the single injection in the cylinder selected in Step S101.
In Step S109, the engine state variation ΔN caused by the single injection is measured.
In Step S110, the engine state variation ΔN is compared with the target value Ntrg. If the engine state variation ΔN is greater than the target value Ntrg, the processing proceeds to Step S111. If the engine state variation ΔN is equal to the target value Ntrg, the processing proceeds to Step S112. If the engine state variation ΔN is less than the target value Ntrg, the processing proceeds to Step S113.
In Step S111, a modification value T2 is calculated based on a correction map shown in
In Step S112, the correction value ΔT calculated in Step S105 or Step S106 is employed as the correction value ΔTprev.
In Step S113, a modification value T3 is calculated based on a correction map shown in
The correction value ΔTprev calculated in Step S111, Step S112 or Step S113 is used in the next correction.
Next, the correction maps shown in
The correction map shown in
The correction map shown in
In the present embodiment, the modification value T3 used to increase the correction value ΔT is greater than the modification value T2 used to decrease the correction value ΔT. Therefore, the period necessary to converge the correction value ΔT can be shortened.
The inclination of the correction map used to decrease the correction value ΔT is increased so that the modification value T2 for decreasing the correction value ΔT is increased if the difference between the engine state variation ΔN and the target value Ntrg exceeds the permissible value “A”. Thus, the generation of the noise or the deterioration of the emission due to the injection of the excessive quantity of the fuel can be minimized.
Next, an injection quantity learning operation performed by an ECU 6 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be explained based on a flowchart shown in
In the injection quantity learning operation according to the second embodiment, a modification speed of the injection period (a speed for modifying the injection period) is changed in accordance with a difference (an absolute value) between the engine state variation ΔN and the target value Ntrg.
The modification speed is associated with a learning data acquisition continuation number N. The learning data acquisition continuation number N is the number of times the ECU 6 continuously acquires the data based on a certain injection pulse width. As the ECU 6 acquires more data continuously based on the certain injection pulse width (or as the learning data acquisition continuation number N increases), time length of the injection quantity learning operation based on the certain injection pulse width extends and the modification speed of the injection period (the injection pulse width) is decreased.
The injection system has a characteristic that the injection quantity varies among injections. Therefore, in the case where the data acquisition is performed only once, it is difficult to determine whether the deviation between the engine state variation ΔN and the target value Ntrg is the variation among the injections or the variation due to a change with time.
Therefore, in the injection quantity learning operation of the second embodiment, in order to eliminate the variation among the injections, the learning data acquisition is performed multiple times based on the same injection pulse width TQ, and the acquired data are averaged to perform the correction. This number of times of the data acquisition based on the same injection pulse width is referred to as the learning data acquisition continuation number N.
Next, the injection quantity learning operation according to the second embodiment will be explained based on the flowchart shown in
Steps from Step S201 to Step S204, and steps from Step S206 to Step S209 of the second embodiment are the same as the steps from Step S101 to Step S104 and the steps from Step S106 to Step S109 of the first embodiment respectively.
In Step S205 of the flowchart shown in
In Step S210, a learning data acquisition number counter “num” is incremented by one, and an average ΔNave of variations ΔN of the entire data measured in Step S209 is calculated. The number of the acquired data corresponds to the learning data acquisition number counter “num”.
In Step S211, the averaged variation ΔNave is compared with a target value Ntrg. If the averaged variation ΔNave is greater than the target value Ntrg, the processing proceeds to Step S212. If the averaged variation ΔNave is equal to the target value Ntrg, the processing proceeds to Step S213. If the averaged variation ΔNave is less than the target value Ntrg, the processing proceeds to Step S214.
In Step S212, the learning data acquisition continuation number N is calculated based on a correction map shown in
In Step S213, the learning data acquisition continuation number N is set at one (N=1), and the present correction value ΔT is employed as the correction value ΔTprev.
In Step S214, the learning data acquisition continuation number N is calculated based on a map shown in
In Step S215, it is determined whether the learning data acquisition number counter “num” is “equal to or greater than” the learning data acquisition continuation number N. If the result of the determination in Step S215 is “YES”, the processing proceeds to Step S216. If the result of the determination in Step S215 is “NO”, the data acquisition based on the same injection period TQ is repeated.
In Step S216, the correction value ΔTprev calculated in Step S212, Step S213 or Step S214 is employed as the correction value Tprevf used in the next correction, and the learning data acquisition number counter “num” is reset to zero (num=0).
Next, the correction maps shown in
The correction map shown in
Each one of the correction maps shown in
The correction map shown in
(Modifications)
By combining the first embodiment and the second embodiment, the modification value and the modification speed (the learning data acquisition continuation number N) of the injection period can be changed in accordance with the difference between the actual variation caused by the injection and the target value. This scheme can be realized by replacing the specified value α, which is used to modify the correction value ΔT of the injection period in Step S212 and Step S214 of the flowchart shown in
The increase in the rotation speed ω is employed as the engine state variation ΔN in the first and second embodiments. Alternatively, an air fuel ratio, a cylinder pressure and the like can be employed as the engine state variation ΔN, instead of the increase in the rotation speed ω.
The present invention should not be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but may be implemented in many other ways without departing from the spirit of the invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2003-392114 | Nov 2003 | JP | national |