IP Library Granted Patent US 9,617,940
Granted Patent B2
US 9,617,940 · App. 14/459,438 · Granted Apr 11, 2017

Engine diagnostic system and an associated method thereof

Inventors: Adam Edgar Klingbeil (Ballston Lake, NY); Eric Richard Dillen (Edinboro, PA)
Assignee: General Electric Company
F02D41/221F02D19/061F02D19/0623F02D19/0692F02D41/0025F02D41/222F02D41/3005F02D35/027F02D41/1446
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,617,940
App. No.
14/459,438
Granted
Apr 11, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method involves controlling a fuel injector to inject a first quantity of a fuel into a cylinder from a plurality of cylinders, of an engine and detecting a first value of a parameter associated with the engine. The method further involves controlling the fuel injector to inject a second quantity of the fuel different from the first quantity of the fuel, into the cylinder of the engine and detecting a second value of the parameter associated with the engine. The method also involves comparing the first value with the second value and detecting a hardware anomaly associated with the engine based on the comparison of the first value with the second value.

Claims (66)

1. A method comprising:

controlling a fuel injector to inject a first quantity of a fuel into a cylinder of a plurality of cylinders, of an engine;

detecting a first value of a parameter associated with the engine;

controlling the fuel injector to inject a second quantity of the fuel different from the first quantity of the fuel, into the cylinder of the engine;

detecting a second value of the parameter associated with the engine;

comparing the detected first value with the detected second value; and

detecting a hardware anomaly associated with the engine based on the comparison of the detected first value with the detected second value, wherein the parameter comprises at least one of an exhaust gas temperature, an amount of exhaust emissions, and an injection duration for a remaining number of cylinders of the plurality of cylinders.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the parameter comprises the exhaust gas temperature and the hardware anomaly comprises an exhaust gas temperature sensor anomaly.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the parameter comprises the amount of exhaust emissions and the hardware anomaly comprises an exhaust emission sensor anomaly.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the parameter comprises the injection duration for a remaining number of cylinders of the plurality of cylinders and the hardware anomaly comprises a fuel injector anomaly.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fuel comprises a first fuel, the engine comprises a dual fuel engine, and the fuel injector comprises a first fuel injector.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

controlling the first fuel injector to inject a first quantity of the first fuel into the cylinder of the dual fuel engine; and

detecting the first value of the parameter.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

controlling the first fuel injector to inject a second quantity of the first fuel different from the first quantity of the first fuel, into the cylinder of the dual fuel engine; and

detecting the second value of the parameter.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising controlling a second fuel injector to inject a constant quantity of a second fuel into the cylinder of the dual fuel engine.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising detecting a normality of the first fuel injector if the detected first value is different from the detected second value and the hardware anomaly of the first fuel injector if the detected first value is approximately equal to the detected second value.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

controlling the second fuel injector to inject a first quantity of the second fuel into the cylinder of the dual fuel engine; and

detecting the first value of the parameter.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

controlling the second fuel injector to inject a second quantity of the second fuel different from the first quantity of the second fuel, into the cylinder of the dual fuel engine; and

detecting the second value of the parameter.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising controlling the first fuel injector to inject a constant quantity of the first fuel into the cylinder of the dual fuel engine.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising detecting a normality of the second fuel injector if the detected first value is different from the detected second value and the hardware anomaly of the second fuel injector if the detected first value is approximately equal to the detected second value.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising disabling the first fuel injector and controlling the second fuel injector to increase a quantity of the second fuel injected into the cylinder of the dual fuel engine.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising detecting the hardware anomaly comprising a knock sensor anomaly if a knock sensor detects an engine knock.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising disabling the fuel injector and detecting the hardware anomaly comprising a knock sensor anomaly if a knock sensor detects an engine knock.

17. A computer readable medium, having instructions stored thereon which, when executed, causes a processor-based unit for an engine to perform a method, the method comprising:

controlling a fuel injector to inject a first quantity of a fuel into a cylinder of a plurality of cylinders, of an engine;

receiving a detected first value of a parameter associated with the engine, from a parameter sensor;

controlling the fuel injector to inject a second quantity of the fuel different from the first quantity of the fuel, into the cylinder of the engine;

receiving a detected second value of the parameter associated with the engine, from the parameter sensor;

comparing the detected first value with the detected second value; and

detecting a hardware anomaly associated with the engine based on the comparison of the detected first value with the detected second value, wherein the parameter comprises at least one of an exhaust gas temperature, an amount of exhaust emissions, and an injection duration for a remaining number of cylinders of the plurality of cylinders.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the fuel comprises a first fuel, the engine comprises a dual fuel engine, and the fuel injector comprises a first fuel injector.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the method further comprises:

controlling the first fuel injector to inject a first quantity of the first fuel into the cylinder of the dual fuel engine; and

detecting the first value of the parameter.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the method further comprises:

controlling the first fuel injector to inject a second quantity of the first fuel different from the first quantity of the first fuel, into the cylinder of the dual fuel engine; and

detecting the second value of the parameter.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 20 , wherein the method further comprises controlling a second fuel injector to inject a constant quantity of a second fuel into the cylinder of the dual fuel engine.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 21 , wherein the method further comprises detecting a normality of the first fuel injector if the detected first value is different from the detected second value and the hardware anomaly of the first fuel injector if the detected first value is approximately equal to the detected second value.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 22 , wherein the method further comprises:

controlling the second fuel injector to inject a first quantity of the second fuel into the cylinder of the dual fuel engine; and

detecting the first value of the parameter.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 23 , wherein the method further comprises:

controlling the second fuel injector to inject a second quantity of the second fuel different from the first quantity of the second fuel, into the cylinder of the dual fuel engine; and

detecting the second value of the parameter.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 24 , wherein the method further comprises controlling the first fuel injector to inject a constant quantity of the first fuel into the cylinder of the dual fuel engine.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 25 , wherein method further comprises detecting a normality of the second fuel injector if the detected first value is different from the detected second value and the hardware anomaly of the second fuel injector if the detected first value is approximately equal to the detected second value.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 26 , wherein the method further comprises disabling the first fuel injector and controlling the second fuel injector to increase a quantity of the second fuel injected into the cylinder of the dual fuel engine.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 27 , wherein the method further comprises detecting the hardware anomaly comprising a knock sensor anomaly if a knock sensor detects an engine knock.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the method further comprises disabling the fuel injector and detecting the hardware anomaly comprising a knock sensor anomaly if a knock sensor detects an engine knock.

30. A system comprising:

an engine comprising a plurality of cylinders and a plurality of fuel injectors coupled to the corresponding plurality of cylinders;

a controller coupled to the plurality of fuel injectors; wherein the controller is configured to:

control a fuel injector of the plurality of fuel injectors to inject a first quantity of a fuel into a cylinder of the plurality of cylinders, of the engine;

receive a detected first value of a parameter associated with the engine, from a parameter sensor;

control the fuel injector of the plurality of fuel injectors to inject a second quantity of the fuel different from the first quantity of the fuel, into the cylinder of the engine;

receive a detected second value of the parameter associated with the engine, from the parameter sensor;

compare the detected first value with the detected second value; and

detect a hardware anomaly associated with the engine based on the comparison of the detected first value with the detected second value, wherein the parameter comprises at least one of an exhaust gas temperature, an amount of exhaust emissions, and an injection duration for a remaining number of cylinders of the plurality of cylinders.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 6, 2018
From: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
To: GE GLOBAL SOURCING LLC
Reel/Frame 048891/0130 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 14, 2014
From: KLINGBEIL, ADAM EDGAR; DILLEN, ERIC RICHARD
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Reel/Frame 033534/0400 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160047329A1 · Feb 18, 2016