GB2453159A - Estimating mass air flow rates for multiple intake internal combustion engines - Google Patents
Estimating mass air flow rates for multiple intake internal combustion engines Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2453159A GB2453159A GB0718924A GB0718924A GB2453159A GB 2453159 A GB2453159 A GB 2453159A GB 0718924 A GB0718924 A GB 0718924A GB 0718924 A GB0718924 A GB 0718924A GB 2453159 A GB2453159 A GB 2453159A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- air flow
- sensors
- mass air
- threshold
- engine
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
Classifications
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
- F02D—CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES
- F02D41/00—Electrical control of supply of combustible mixture or its constituents
- F02D41/02—Circuit arrangements for generating control signals
- F02D41/18—Circuit arrangements for generating control signals by measuring intake air flow
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01D—MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G01D3/00—Indicating or recording apparatus with provision for the special purposes referred to in the subgroups
- G01D3/02—Indicating or recording apparatus with provision for the special purposes referred to in the subgroups with provision for altering or correcting the law of variation
- G01D3/022—Indicating or recording apparatus with provision for the special purposes referred to in the subgroups with provision for altering or correcting the law of variation having an ideal characteristic, map or correction data stored in a digital memory
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01D—MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G01D3/00—Indicating or recording apparatus with provision for the special purposes referred to in the subgroups
- G01D3/08—Indicating or recording apparatus with provision for the special purposes referred to in the subgroups with provision for safeguarding the apparatus, e.g. against abnormal operation, against breakdown
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- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
- G01F1/00—Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow
- G01F1/68—Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow by using thermal effects
- G01F1/696—Circuits therefor, e.g. constant-current flow meters
- G01F1/6965—Circuits therefor, e.g. constant-current flow meters comprising means to store calibration data for flow signal calculation or correction
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
- G01F1/00—Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow
- G01F1/72—Devices for measuring pulsing fluid flows
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
- G01F15/00—Details of, or accessories for, apparatus of groups G01F1/00 - G01F13/00 insofar as such details or appliances are not adapted to particular types of such apparatus
- G01F15/02—Compensating or correcting for variations in pressure, density or temperature
- G01F15/028—Compensating or correcting for variations in pressure, density or temperature for low flow rates
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
- G01F15/00—Details of, or accessories for, apparatus of groups G01F1/00 - G01F13/00 insofar as such details or appliances are not adapted to particular types of such apparatus
- G01F15/02—Compensating or correcting for variations in pressure, density or temperature
- G01F15/04—Compensating or correcting for variations in pressure, density or temperature of gases to be measured
- G01F15/043—Compensating or correcting for variations in pressure, density or temperature of gases to be measured using electrical means
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
- G01F15/00—Details of, or accessories for, apparatus of groups G01F1/00 - G01F13/00 insofar as such details or appliances are not adapted to particular types of such apparatus
- G01F15/02—Compensating or correcting for variations in pressure, density or temperature
- G01F15/04—Compensating or correcting for variations in pressure, density or temperature of gases to be measured
- G01F15/043—Compensating or correcting for variations in pressure, density or temperature of gases to be measured using electrical means
- G01F15/046—Compensating or correcting for variations in pressure, density or temperature of gases to be measured using electrical means involving digital counting
-
- G01F25/0053—
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
- G01F25/00—Testing or calibration of apparatus for measuring volume, volume flow or liquid level or for metering by volume
- G01F25/10—Testing or calibration of apparatus for measuring volume, volume flow or liquid level or for metering by volume of flowmeters
- G01F25/15—Testing or calibration of apparatus for measuring volume, volume flow or liquid level or for metering by volume of flowmeters specially adapted for gas meters
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
- F02D—CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES
- F02D13/00—Controlling the engine output power by varying inlet or exhaust valve operating characteristics, e.g. timing
- F02D13/02—Controlling the engine output power by varying inlet or exhaust valve operating characteristics, e.g. timing during engine operation
- F02D13/0203—Variable control of intake and exhaust valves
- F02D13/0215—Variable control of intake and exhaust valves changing the valve timing only
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
- F02D—CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES
- F02D41/00—Electrical control of supply of combustible mixture or its constituents
- F02D41/0002—Controlling intake air
- F02D2041/001—Controlling intake air for engines with variable valve actuation
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
- F02D—CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES
- F02D2200/00—Input parameters for engine control
- F02D2200/02—Input parameters for engine control the parameters being related to the engine
- F02D2200/04—Engine intake system parameters
- F02D2200/0402—Engine intake system parameters the parameter being determined by using a model of the engine intake or its components
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
- F02D—CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES
- F02D2400/00—Control systems adapted for specific engine types; Special features of engine control systems not otherwise provided for; Power supply, connectors or cabling for engine control systems
- F02D2400/08—Redundant elements, e.g. two sensors for measuring the same parameter
Abstract
An engine having twin air intakes 1, 2 (fig. 1) is provided with mass air flow sensors 5, 6 (fig. 1) for providing an estimate of air flow into the throttle body 3 (fig. 1). During periods of engine operation where the sensor measurements are determined to be inaccurate, an estimate of air flow is provided by a look up table 9 (fig. 1). Accuracy of the sensors is determined by a comparison of their respective outputs.
Description
Multiple Intake Internal Combustion Engines This invention relates to multiple intake internal combustion engines and particularly to a means for estimating the mass air flow into the engine.
Multiple air intakes, particularly twin air intakes are used on some engines in order to meet packaging requirements and/or improve performance.
Typically two separate intakes feed into a single throttle body. Usually, each intake is fitted with a mass air flow sensor for measuring the air flow through each intake. The readings from each sensor are summed in order to give an indication of the total amount of air being sucked into the engine past a butterfly valve located in the throttle body.
A measure of air flow (usually in grams per second) is required by the engine management system (EMS) in order that it may control engine operating systems such as the fuel injection system, for example.
An engine does not run well however if the air flow estimation is inaccurate because the scheduling of ignition, variable valve timing, fuelling and throttle all depend to some extent on this estimatcn. Hence an incorrect estimation of air flow can cause poor engine running.
It has been found that in cases of low throttle openings, the summation of the readings from the mass air flow sensors located in each intake of a twin intake engine does not give an accurate estimation of the true air flow through the throttle body.
At low throttle openings, the air flow tends to be so low that it is outside or almost outside the range of operation of currently available air flow sensors i.e. the sensors are not sensitive enough to give an accurate reading for comparatively low flow rates. Hence, too low a reading would be given for the actual flow through the throttle body.
Furthermore, at low throttle openings, and particularly in windy conditions, air can flow in through one intake only with just a fraction of that air flowing through the throttle body and the remainder flowing out through the other intake (in the reverse direction) . The sensors cannot distinguish between flow in one direction or another, so both sensors would indicate that the air flow into the throttle body was higher than the actual value.
Hence a means for improving the accuracy in an estimate of air flow through a throttle body would be advantageous.
The present invention comprises apparatus for estimating a value for mass air flow through a throttle body of an internal combustion engine, the engine being provided with an inlet manifold and an engine management system and the throttle body being connected to multiple air intakes, the apparatus including; an electronic module and a look up table connected thereto and a plurality of mass air flow sensors, one in each of the air intakes for providing a measurement of air flow through its respective intake to the electronic module, wherein the electronic module is adapted to provide an estimate of total mass air flow through the throttle body to the engine management system based on values stored in the look up table under conditions which meet a specified criterion and to provide an estimate of total mass air flow through the throttle body to the engine management system based on measurements provided by the mass air flow sensors under conditions which do not meet the specified criterion.
The specified criterion may be met under one or both of the following conditions; (ii the modulus of the difference between measurements made by two sensors is greater than a first threshold; (ii) any one of the measurements made by the sensors is below a second threshold.
In a further embodiment, the specified criterion is met when either the modulus of the difference between measurements made by two sensors is not greater than the first threshold, and when each of the measurements made by the sensors is not below the second threshold, and when the sum of the measurements made by the sensors exceeds a third threshold.
The first threshold may vary depending on a value of inlet manifold pressure and on engine speed.
Conveniently, a list of threshold values versus manifold pressure and engine speed may be stored in a memory accessible to the electronic module.
The look up table may comprise a list of mass air flow estimates versus inlet manifold pressure and engine speed.
Preferably, the look up table comprises a list of mass air flow estimates versus inlet manifold pressure, engine speed and variable valve timing.
Preferably, any changeover from an estimate based on sensor measurements to one based on look up table values (and vice versa) is performed gradually over time. This has the advantage of preventing any discontinuity in engine behaviour that might be apparent to the driver. This can be achieved in the electronic module, by stepping through a series of intermediate values, fed in sequence to the engine management system.
An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawinqs of which Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of apparatus for estimating a mass air flow in a throttle body of an internal combustion engine, and Fig. 2 is a flow thagram illustrating operation of the apparatus of Fig. 1.
with reference to Fig. 1, a twin air intake consisting of first and second branches 1, 2 is connected to a throttle body 3 housing a butterfly valve 4. The throttle body 3 is linked to the inlet manifold of an internal combustion engine (not shown) Each branch 1, 2 of the twin intake is fitted with an air flow mass sensor 5, 6 respectively. An output of each sensor 5, 6 is connected to an electronic module 7 which contains a store 8. The electronic module 7 has connections to a look up table 9 and to and from an engine management system (EMS) 10. The engine management system 10 is provided with data from various sensors, said data relating to engine speed, inlet manifold pressure, variable valve timing (VVT) ambient temperature and ambient pressure.
The EMS 10 is a conventional one and requires an estimate of total mass air flow through the throttle body 3 in order to schedule engine running parameters such as ignition timing, fuelling etc. The sensors 5 and 6 are also conventional and provide a measurement of air flow in each branch 1, 2 in the form of an output voltage which is monitored by the electronic module 7.
Specifically the module 7 monitors the outputs Ml, M2 from each sensor 5, 6 the sum of the outputs (Ml + M2) , which is the total mass air flow, and the difference of the outputs (JM1-M21) The store 8 contains pre-determined threshold values for Ml and M2 and for IM1-M21 for a multiplicity of engine speeds and inlet manifold pressures. These threshold values are accessed by and used by the module 7 in a manner to be described below.
The look up table (LUT) 9 is also accessed by the module 7, in a manner to be described below, and contains estimates for total mass air flow (through the throttle body 3) for a multiplicity of engine speeds, inlet manifold pressure and variable valve timing. These estimates are pre-computed from engine test data.
The operation of the electronic module 7, whose purpose is to provide an accurate estimate of mass air flow (through the throttle body 3) to the EMS 10, will now be described with reference to Fig. 2.
While the engine is running, the module 7 continuously monitors the values Ml, M2 received from the sensors 5, 6 and continuously computes (Ml + M2) and 1M1-M21 (step 11). It also receives current values for engine speed and inlet manifold pressure via the EMS 10. The value for inlet manifold pressure is, ideally, not the raw measurement from the appropriate sensor, but a value corrected for ambient pressure and ambient temperature.
At regular intervals the module 7 obtains, from the store 8, a threshold value for M1-M21 for the current values of engine speed and (corrected) inlet manifold pressure. It compares this threshold difference with the measured difference (step 12) If the measured difference is greater than the appropriate threshold value listed in the store 8, then this signifies that one or both of the readings Ml, M2 is inaccurate. In this case, the module 7 interrogates the LUT 9 for a pre-computed air flow estimate to supply to the EMS 10. Knowing the current engine speed, corrected inlet manifold pressure and variable valve timing, as supplied via the EMS 10, the module 7 selects the appropriate air flow estimate from the list of pre-computed estimates in the LUT 9 (step 13) Conversely, if it is determined at step 12 that the measured difference is equal to or less than the relevant threshold value as listed in the store 8, then the module progresses to step 14 where it compares the current values of Ml and M2 with a pre-set threshold value obtained from the store 8. If either Ml or M2 is below this pre-set threshold, then this signifies that the air flow in at least one of the branches 1, 2 is too low for the sensors 5, 6 to give a reliable reading. In such a case, the module 7 performs the task as described above with reference to step 13 i.e. selects an appropriate estimate from the LUT 9 for outputting to the EMS 10.
If it is determined at step 14 however that neither of the readings Ml, M2 is less than the pre-set threshold value, then the module 7 computes an estimate of mass air flow based on the measured sum Ml + M2 (step 15) for outputting to the EMS 10.
When a point is reached where it is necessary to switch from an estimate based on the measurements (Ml + M2) to one extracted from the LUT 9, the module generates a sequence of graded values, over a period of time, so that the transition from the original estimate is gradually increased (or decreased as the case may be) to the new estimate.
So at step 16 it is determined if the previous estimate was accessed from the LJUT 9 and at step 17 it is determined if the previous estimate was determined from the measurements Ml, M2. If so, in either case, then a smoothing function is applied and the sequence of estimates is subsequently applied to the EMS 10 (step 18 or 19) and the monitoring process is resumed.
It will be appreciated that steps 12 and 14 can be transposed, i.e. performed in the reverse sequence to that illustrated, or even performed simultaneously.
In a further embodiment, an additional comparison is made between the total air flow estimate based on measurements derived at step 15 (Ml + M2) with a threshold value of total air flow accessed by the module 7 from the store 8 and appropriate to the current engine speed manifold pressure conditions.
If the module 7 determines that the estimate based on measurements exceeds this threshold then a value of total air flow from the LUT 9 appropriate to the current engine speed, manifold pressure and valve timing is selected for outputting to the EMS 10. -10-
Claims (8)
1. Apparatus for estimating a value for mass air flow through a throttle body of an internal combustion engine, the engine being provided with an inlet manifold and an engine management system and the throttle body being connected to multiple air intakes, the apparatus including; an electronic module and a look up table connected thereto and a plurality of mass air flow sensors, one in each of the air intakes for providing a measurement of air flow through its respective intake to the electronic module, wherein the electronic module is adapted to provide an estimate of total mass air flow through the throttle body to the engine management system based on values stored in the look up table under conditions which meet specified criterion and to provide an estimate of total mass air flow through the throttle body to the engine management system based on measurements provided by the mass air flow sensors under conditions which do not meet the specified criterion.
2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the specified criterion is met when either the modulus of the difference between measurements made by two sensors is greater than a first threshold or any one of the measurements made by the sensors is below a second threshold. -11 -
3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the specified criterion is met when either the modulus of the difference between measurements made by two sensors is not greater than the first threshold, and when each of the measurements made by the sensors is not below the second threshold, and when the sum of the measurements made by the sensors exceeds a third threshold.
4. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim and further including a store containing a list of first, second and third threshold values.
5. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the look up table comprises a list of total mass air flow estimates versus inlet manifold pressure and engine speed.
6. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 in which the look up table comprises a list of mass air flow values versus inlet manifold pressure, engine speed and variable valve timing.
7. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the electronic module is further adapted to enable a smooth transition betwc* en estimates based on measurements and estimates based on look up table values by generating a sequence of intermediate values. -12-
8. Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GBGB0619434.4A GB0619434D0 (en) | 2006-10-03 | 2006-10-03 | Multiple intake internal combustion engines |
Publications (3)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
GB0718924D0 GB0718924D0 (en) | 2007-11-07 |
GB2453159A true GB2453159A (en) | 2009-04-01 |
GB2453159B GB2453159B (en) | 2012-04-25 |
Family
ID=37435087
Family Applications (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
GBGB0619434.4A Ceased GB0619434D0 (en) | 2006-10-03 | 2006-10-03 | Multiple intake internal combustion engines |
GB0718924.4A Active GB2453159B (en) | 2006-10-03 | 2007-09-28 | Estimating mass air flow rates for multiple intake internal combustion engines |
Family Applications Before (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
GBGB0619434.4A Ceased GB0619434D0 (en) | 2006-10-03 | 2006-10-03 | Multiple intake internal combustion engines |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
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GB (2) | GB0619434D0 (en) |
Citations (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
DE3133514A1 (en) * | 1981-08-25 | 1983-03-17 | Interton-Electronic GmbH, 5000 Köln | Consumption measuring device for motor vehicles |
DE3516303A1 (en) * | 1985-05-07 | 1986-11-13 | Robert Bosch Gmbh, 7000 Stuttgart | Method for transforming the signal characteristic of a sensor signal |
EP0628715A2 (en) * | 1993-04-08 | 1994-12-14 | Hitachi, Ltd. | Engine control equipment and its air meter |
EP0924495A2 (en) * | 1997-12-19 | 1999-06-23 | Hitachi, Ltd. | Air flow measurement apparatus |
JP2005002932A (en) * | 2003-06-13 | 2005-01-06 | Toyota Motor Corp | Control system of internal combustion engine |
EP1783348A1 (en) * | 2004-07-07 | 2007-05-09 | HONDA MOTOR CO., Ltd. | Device, method, and program for estimating intake air amount |
-
2006
- 2006-10-03 GB GBGB0619434.4A patent/GB0619434D0/en not_active Ceased
-
2007
- 2007-09-28 GB GB0718924.4A patent/GB2453159B/en active Active
Patent Citations (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
DE3133514A1 (en) * | 1981-08-25 | 1983-03-17 | Interton-Electronic GmbH, 5000 Köln | Consumption measuring device for motor vehicles |
DE3516303A1 (en) * | 1985-05-07 | 1986-11-13 | Robert Bosch Gmbh, 7000 Stuttgart | Method for transforming the signal characteristic of a sensor signal |
EP0628715A2 (en) * | 1993-04-08 | 1994-12-14 | Hitachi, Ltd. | Engine control equipment and its air meter |
EP0924495A2 (en) * | 1997-12-19 | 1999-06-23 | Hitachi, Ltd. | Air flow measurement apparatus |
JP2005002932A (en) * | 2003-06-13 | 2005-01-06 | Toyota Motor Corp | Control system of internal combustion engine |
EP1783348A1 (en) * | 2004-07-07 | 2007-05-09 | HONDA MOTOR CO., Ltd. | Device, method, and program for estimating intake air amount |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
GB0619434D0 (en) | 2006-11-08 |
GB2453159B (en) | 2012-04-25 |
GB0718924D0 (en) | 2007-11-07 |
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Legal Events
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COOA | Change in applicant's name or ownership of the application |