Industry first in-cylinder combustion sensor providing combustion and emission parameters in real time
INTRODUCTION
The automotive industry is one of the most competitive in which organizations compete by differentiating themselves based on style, utility, price, technology and many niche features. In today’s market automakers are required to meet stringent emission standards in addition to internal targets for fuel economy and performance in order to stay competitive. With the need to reduce humanity’s environmental footprint increasing daily, DEP is providing a solution that can help in achieving the automakers’ objective.
CHALLENGES
Achieving better fuel economy is a common goal for automakers. Many techniques have been investigated to directly or indirectly monitor the combustion process including: (1) Crank shaft dynamics to detect misfiring, found to fail in multi-cylinder engines and at high engine speeds, (2) Optical sensors, found to lack accuracy and durability (3) Techniques based on Neural analysis, found to be limited to certain operating windows, beyond which they are not accurate, (4) Pressure transducers.
SOLUTION
Based on these techniques, the engineer’s team come up with in-cylinder combustion sensor which will give real time feedback to the engine’s electronic controller. The advanced IC sensor has the ability to produce basic information about engine combustion, performance, and emissions parameters on a cylinder-to-cylinder, and a cycle-by-cycle basis. These unique abilities are necessary to control and fine tune the production engine to meet its targets over its life time. This is a truly innovative solution because a single device can provide feedback for real-time applications that are done by timing, combustion, performance, emission, and pressure sensors.
RESULTS
The product is the result of collaboration of DEP and an academic institution who developed the IP and is allowing DEP to help its vision reach the markets. The IC sensor has applications in low volume areas such as racing industries and developmental engines, high volume areas like two and four wheelers, and all geographies. The major advantage of this project is providing a disruptive technology that will help build a world with fewer emissions by achieving greater fuel economy.