Process for the determination of the correct fuel flow rate to a vehicle engine for carrying out diagnostic tests

1. A diagnostic method for the determination of a true fuel flow rate supplied to a tested vehicle engine under various operating conditions, in particular an industrial vehicle, the method including:

determination of a load applied to the tested vehicle engine by deceleration (Δn/Δt) of the tested vehicle engine from a first to a second preset rotation speed, in an absence of fuel supply;

determination of the true fuel flow rate as reference fuel flow rate, corresponding to a flow rate measured on a reference engine of a same type as the tested vehicle engine as a function of the load the tested vehicle engine is subjected to wherein the true flow rate value is utilized to determine possible faults;

detection of a series of parameters comprising:

intake air flow rate (Air hfm ) by a specific sensor ( 8 );

supercharging pressure (p boost ) and supercharging temperature (T boost ) by appropriate sensors ( 19 , 10 );

percentage of oxygen (λ) present in the exhaust gases is sensed by an appropriate sensor, including a lambda sensor ( 9 );

flow rate of fuel (Q f ) supplied to the engine per time unit;

determination of three mathematically independent magnitudes of air flow rates each based on at least part of said parameters; and

comparison of said three magnitudes, for the determination of possible operation faults, characterized in that said fuel flow rate (Q f ) is said true flow rate.

2. A diagnostic method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the diagnostic method is carried out by an electronic system for management of the tested vehicle engine or by an electronic apparatus connected to a management system.

3. A diagnostic method according to claim 1 , wherein said true flow rate value is compared with an indicated flow rate value, by a management system for the operation of the tested vehicle engine.

4. A method according to claim 1 , characterized in that said three magnitudes are the intake air flow rate (Air hfm ) detected by the sensors ( 8 , 9 , 10 , 19 ), an intake air flow rate (Air asmod ) calculated according to said supercharging temperatures and pressure, the first and second preset engine rotation speeds and a volumetric efficiency value (E V ); an intake air flow rate (Air lsu ) calculated from the supplied true fuel flow rate and the percentage of oxygen in the exhaust gases.

5. A diagnostic method according to claim 4 , characterized in that said flow rate is compared with an indicated flow rate, by a management system for the operation of the tested vehicle engine.

6. A method according to claim 1 , characterized in that said three magnitudes are a first virtual fuel flow rate calculated from the intake air flow rate (Air hfm ) detected by the sensors ( 8 , 9 , 10 , 19 ) and from the percentage of oxygen measured in the exhaust gases, a second virtual fuel flow rate calculated on a basis of said supercharging temperature and pressure, the first and second engine rotation speeds, a volumetric efficiency value (E v ), the percentage of oxygen measured in the exhaust gases, and said true fuel flow rate.

7. A diagnostic method according to claim 6 , characterized in that said flow rate is compared with an indicated flow rate, by a management system for the operation of the tested vehicle engine.

8. A diagnostic method according to claim 1 , characterized in that said flow rate is compared with an indicated flow rate, by a management system for the operation of the tested vehicle engine.

9. A diagnostic method according to claim 1 characterized in that the method is carried out by a management system for operation of an engine.

10. A diagnostic method according to claim 1 characterized in that the method is carried out by an electronic apparatus adapted to be connected to a management system for operation of an engine.