The present disclosure relates generally to controlling a fuel injector in a fuel system, and more particularly to electronically trimming a fuel injector based on a detected arrival timing of a valve.
Internal combustion engines employ a range of operating and logic strategies for controlling associated fuel systems. In a typical fuel system a plurality of fuel injectors are each associated with one of a plurality of combustion cylinders in an engine. The fuel injectors are electronically controlled and receive electrical control currents from an engine control system. The control currents cause energizing of solenoids or other electrical actuators in or associated with the fuel injectors to adjust valves therein that determine the timing and manner of injection of fuel.
One fuel system configuration widely applied in the field of compression-ignition diesel engines utilizes a direct operated nozzle check that is opened and closed to start and end fuel injection based on a hydraulic pressure applied to a surface of the nozzle check. A spill valve in the fuel injector controls fluid connection between a plunger cavity and a low-pressure space or outlet. When the spill valve is open a plunger in the fuel injector reciprocates passively to exchange fuel between a plunger cavity and the low pressure space. When the spill valve is closed the plunger can pressurize fuel in the fuel injector, with fuel injection started and ended based on controlling the direct operated nozzle check.
Engineers have experimented for decades with energization of electrical actuators for such valves in fuel injectors. Controlling energization of the solenoids in various ways can result in various desired properties of fuel injection, including fuel injection timing, fuel injection pressure, and fuel injection rate shape in some instances. Energizing solenoids in fuel injectors of course requires electrical energy. In some systems the electrical energy is supplied by a battery. In other systems the electrical energy is supplied by a higher voltage power supply resident on or associated with an electronic control module of the fuel control system. Recent research has focused on ways to avoid unneeded energy consumption in fuel systems. Engineers are also continually searching for improved and alternative ways to monitor and control specific aspects of fuel injector operation to various ends including emissions mitigation and overall system efficiency. United States Patent Application Publication No. US20210140386A1 illustrates a typical spill valve fuel injector arrangement.
In one aspect, a method of controlling a fuel injector in a fuel system for an engine includes switching between a boosted voltage power supply and a lower voltage power supply during energizing a solenoid actuator to move a valve in a fuel injector from a first position to a second position. The method further includes generating a solenoid energizing waveform including a pull-in tier produced by a boosted voltage incipient current, a boosted voltage second current, and a lower voltage later current, based on the switching between a boosted voltage power supply and a lower voltage power supply. The method further includes detecting an arrival timing of the valve at the second position based on a property of the lower voltage later current, and trimming the fuel injector based on the detecting an arrival timing of the valve at the second position.
In another aspect, a fuel system for an engine includes a fuel injector having a solenoid actuator and a valve operably coupled to the solenoid actuator and movable between a first position and a second position, a boosted voltage power supply, and a lower voltage power supply. The fuel system further includes a fueling control unit structured to energize the solenoid actuator using the boosted voltage power supply and the lower voltage power supply to adjust the valve from the first position to the second position, and to switch between the boosted voltage power supply and the lower voltage power supply to generate a solenoid energizing waveform including a pull-in tier produced by a boosted voltage incipient current, a boosted voltage second current, and a lower voltage later current. The fueling control unit is further structured to detect an arrival timing of the valve at the second position, and to trim the fuel injector based on the detected arrival timing of the valve.
In still another aspect, a fuel control system for a fuel system in an engine includes a fueling control unit having a solenoid energizing waveform controller. The solenoid energizing waveform controller is structured to energize a solenoid actuator for a valve in a fuel injector using a boosted voltage power supply and a lower voltage power supply to adjust the valve from a first position to a second position. The solenoid energizing waveform controller is further structured to switch between the boosted voltage power supply and the lower voltage power supply to generate a solenoid energizing waveform including a pull-in tier produced by a boosted voltage incipient current and a boosted voltage second current, in a first engine cycle. The solenoid energizing waveform controller is further structured to detect an arrival timing of the valve at the second position, and to trim the fuel injector via varying at least one of a current duration or a start of current timing of a boosted voltage incipient current, in a subsequent engine cycle, based on the detected arrival timing of the valve at the second position.
Referring to
Engine system 10 further includes a fuel system 20. Fuel system 20 will typically include a plurality of fuel injectors each positioned to extend partially into one of a plurality of combustion cylinders in engine 12. In
Fuel injector 22 also includes an injection control valve assembly 32. Injection control valve assembly 32 is operable to control a closing hydraulic pressure in pressure control chamber 38 to enable opening and closing of DOC 28. Injection control valve assembly 32 includes an injection control valve 34 movable to open and close a valve seat 36. When valve seat 36 is opened pressure control chamber 38 can fluidly connect to a low pressure space 54 defined by injector housing 24 enabling DOC 28 to open and permit spraying of fuel from nozzle outlets 30. When valve seat 36 is closed an increased hydraulic pressure is seen in pressure control chamber 38 and causes DOC 28 to close. An armature 40 is coupled with injection control valve 34. Armature 40 is associated with a solenoid actuator 42 that can be energized to magnetically attract armature 40 and open valve seat 36. When solenoid actuator 42 is deenergized a biasing spring 52 urges injection control valve 34 closed against valve seat 36.
Fuel injector 22 also includes a spill valve assembly 44. Spill valve assembly 44 includes a spill valve 46 coupled with an armature 48 and a solenoid actuator 50. When solenoid actuator 50 is energized armature 48 is magnetically attracted toward solenoid actuator 50. When solenoid actuator 50 is deenergized biasing spring 52 urges armature 48 and spill valve 46 away from solenoid actuator 50. Fuel injector 22 also includes a plunger 56 movable in a plunger cavity 58. In an implementation plunger 56 is mechanically cam-actuated by way of rotation of camshaft 16, in a generally known manner. When spill valve 46 is open, upward movement of plunger 56 causes fuel to be drawn into plunger cavity 58 such as by way of a spill passage 64 from low pressure space 54. Downward movement of plunger 56 causes the fuel to be discharged from plunger cavity 58 through spill passage 64 and back to low pressure space 54. When spill valve 46 is closed fluid communication between plunger cavity 58 and low pressure space 54 is blocked and advancement of plunger 56 causes fuel pressure in plunger cavity 58 to increase. The increased fuel pressure is communicated by way of a nozzle supply passage 60 to the vicinity of nozzle outlets 30. When DOC 28 is lifted, at a desired timing, fuel sprays from nozzle supply passage 60 out of nozzle outlets 30. Another fluid passage 62 fluidly connects between nozzle supply passage 60 and injection control valve 34. In the illustrated embodiment spill valve assembly 44 is resident in fuel injector 22. In other embodiments a spill valve assembly could be positioned externally to fuel injector 22. Also in the illustrated embodiment the hydraulic control fluid used for direct control of DOC 28 is fuel. In other instances a different fluid, such as engine oil, could be used for direct control of a nozzle outlet check. Plunger 56 may be equipped with a tappet contacted by cam lobe 18. In other instances, a rocker arm actuation assembly could be interposed plunger 56 and camshaft 16.
Fuel system 20 also includes a fuel control system 70. Fuel control system 70 includes an electronic control module or ECM 72 having thereon an electronic control unit or ECU 74. ECU 74 can be, or can include, a programmable logic controller such as a microprocessor or microcontroller and suitable computer readable memory storing program control instructions which, when executed, cause fuel injector 22 to operate according to the present disclosure. Any suitable computer readable memory such as RAM, ROM, EPROM, DRAM, SDRAM, FLASH, or still another could be used. Fuel control system 70 also includes a lower voltage power supply such as a battery 78, and a boosted, higher voltage power supply 80. Battery 78 is shown as part of ECM 72 but could be a separate apparatus in other embodiments. Higher voltage power supply or HVPS 80 is shown physically separated from ECM 72 but could also be a part of ECM 72 in some embodiments. As will be further apparent from the following description, fuel control system 70 is uniquely configured to operate fuel injector 22, and other such fuel injectors as might be included in fuel system 20, in a multi-shot fuel injection mode under different or broader engine operating conditions than is the case with certain other known control system arrangements. Moreover, as also further discussed herein, fuel control system 70 is capable of operating fuel injector 22, and other such fuel injectors as might be included in fuel system 20, using a relatively reduced energy optimized waveform and, based on detecting valve arrival timing, trim fuel injectors in fuel system 20.
Those skilled in the art will be familiar with the concept of electronic trimming. In the fuel systems field electronic trimming can be used to vary the timing, duration, magnitude, and potentially other properties of electrical control currents sent to electrical actuators in a fuel injector to improve or optimize fuel injector performance. The present disclosure provides a unique electronic trimming strategy implemented in methodology and control logic that can exploit and improve precision and accuracy in determining a valve arrival timing, such as an arrival time of spill valve 46 at a closed position using an optimized solenoid energizing waveform. It will be recalled fuel injector 22 includes a solenoid actuator 50 for spill valve 46. It will also be recalled fuel system 20 includes boosted voltage or HVPS power supply 80 and lower voltage power supply or battery 78. Fueling control unit 74 and energizing waveform controller 76, the capabilities and functionalities of which are referred to at times interchangeably herein, may be structured to energize solenoid actuator 50 using HVPS 80 and battery 78 to adjust spill valve 46 from a first position, such as an open position, to a second position, such as a closed position. Fueling control unit 74 may be further structured to switch between HVPS 80 and battery 78 during energizing solenoid actuator 50 to generate a solenoid energizing waveform including a pull-in tier produced by a boosted voltage incipient current, a lower voltage earlier current, a boosted voltage second current, and a lower voltage later current. The boosted voltage incipient current may be a starting current that initiates motion of spill valve 46. The lower voltage earlier current follows the boosted voltage incipient current and precedes the boosted voltage second current. In some embodiments, the boosted voltage second current may have a duration less than a duration of the boosted voltage incipient current and less than a duration of the lower voltage earlier current. The solenoid energizing waveform is discussed in further detail herein, but can thus be understood to include an incipient or first electrical current produced by HVPS 80, a second current produced by battery 78, a third current produced by HVPS 80, and a fourth current produced by battery 78. These four currents make up the pull-in tier whereby spill valve 46 is moved from its first, open position to its second, closed position. Following the pull-in tier the solenoid energizing waveform can include a keep-in tier applied as spill valve 46 reaches and settles at its second, closed position, and a hold-in tier applied to maintain spill valve 46 at its second, closed position. Electrical control currents applied in the keep-in tier and the hold-in tier can be produced using battery 78. Relatively late in the pull-in tier fueling control unit 74 can detect an arrival timing of spill valve 46 at the second, closed position. In a manner and for purposes further discussed herein, fueling control unit 74 may also be structured to trim fuel injector 22 based on the detected arrival timing of spill valve 46 at the second, closed position.
Referring also now to
It will be recalled arrival timing of spill valve 46 at the second, closed position is detected by fueling control unit 74. In an implementation, fueling control unit 74 is further structured to detect the arrival timing of spill valve 46 at the second, closed position based on a property of the lower voltage later current 260. It can be further noted from
It will also be recalled fueling control unit 74 is structured to electronically trim fuel injector 22 based on the detected arrival timing of spill valve 46 at the second position. In
As noted, varying current duration can be prioritized and varying start of current timing can be deprioritized. This can be understood to mean that fueling control unit 74 will first attempt to trim fuel injector 22 by varying current duration and, if not successful, trim fuel injector 22 by varying start of current timing. Varying start of current timing can be understood in view of
It will be recalled current duration may be prioritized and start of current timing deprioritized. With continued focus on
Referring to the drawings generally, but also now focusing on
From block 330 flowchart 300 advances to a block 340 to monitor current to detect valve arrival timing as discussed herein. It will be understood that blocks 310, 320, 330, and 340 can occur in a first engine cycle. It will also be appreciated that moving the subject valve from its first position to its second position could occur multiple times in a given engine cycle thus producing multiple fuel pressurization events. It can be desirable in certain instances to employ multiple fuel injections in a given engine cycle. One such instance includes when operating an engine at a relatively high engine speed. At relatively high engine speeds it can be necessary to inject a relatively large quantity of fuel. Injecting all of the fuel in a single-shot injection can be associated with increased noise, increased harshness, vibrations, and can be associated with other undesirable operating parameters. According to the present disclosure an optimized energy waveform, where a lower voltage current can be used after a boosted voltage incipient or starting current, energy savings can be realized. Such energy savings can make multiple shots practicable in instances where they might otherwise not be practicable, as an energy or power output capacity of an ECM is not exceeded.
At a block 350 valve arrival time error is calculated. From block 350 flowchart 300 advances to a block 360 to trim the fuel injector via closed loop control based on the valve arrival time error. As discussed herein trimming the fuel injector can include trimming the fuel injector according to multiple, successive loop calculations prioritizing varying of current duration and deprioritizing varying of start of current timing. In some instances, trimming the fuel injector could be successful by way of adjusting only the current duration. In other instances trimming the fuel injector to obtain a desired valve arrival timing or minimize a valve arrival time error could require multiple loop calculations in a plurality of subsequent engine cycles.
The present description is for illustrative purposes only, and should not be construed to narrow the breadth of the present disclosure in any way. Thus, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications might be made to the presently disclosed embodiments without departing from the full and fair scope and spirit of the present disclosure. Other aspects, features and advantages will be apparent upon an examination of the attached drawings and appended claims. As used herein, the articles “a” and “an” are intended to include one or more items, and may be used interchangeably with “one or more.” Where only one item is intended, the term “one” or similar language is used. Also, as used herein, the terms “has,” “have,” “having,” or the like are intended to be open-ended terms. Further, the phrase “based on” is intended to mean “based, at least in part, on” unless explicitly stated otherwise.
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