Method to control an electromagnetic actuator of an internal combustion engine

1. A method for controlling an electromagnetic actuator for a fuel pump, wherein the electromagnetic actuator is controlled by an electric current pulse of a Peak&Hold type subdivided into a peak phase and a hold phase; for each actuation of the electromagnetic actuator the method comprises:

acquiring an initial duration of the peak phase, during which a peak control current is to be supplied to the electromagnetic actuator to control a movement of a component of the electromagnetic actuator moving towards a position defined by a limit stop and acquiring a duration of the hold phase during which a hold control current is to be supplied to the electromagnetic actuator to maintain the component of the electromagnetic actuator in the position defined by the limit stop;

determining an effective duration of the peak phase by progressively decreasing the initial duration of the peak phase by a first change of duration, and

supplying the peak control current to the electromagnetic actuator for the peak phase to control the movement of the component of the electromagnetic actuator moving towards the position defined by the limit stop and supplying the hold control current to the electromagnetic actuator for the hold phase to maintain the component of the electromagnetic actuator in the position defined by the limit stop.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 comprising the further steps of:

identifying one condition from among a low-load, a slow-running or low rpm condition of the internal combustion engine; and

allowing the effective duration of the peak phase, during which the peak control current is to be supplied to the electromagnetic actuator to control the movement of the component moving towards the position defined by the limit stop, to be determined by progressively decreasing the initial duration of the peak phase by a first change of duration, only in a case where the internal combustion engine is in the one condition from among the low-load, the slow-running or the low rpm condition.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 comprising the further steps of:

identifying one condition from among a high-load, a medium-load or a high-rpm condition of the internal combustion engine; and

preventing the effective duration of the peak phase, during which the peak control current is to be supplied to the electromagnetic actuator to control the movement of the component moving towards the position defined by the limit stop, from being determined by progressively decreasing the initial duration of the peak phase by a first change of duration, in a case where the internal combustion engine is in the one condition from among the high-load, the medium-load or the high-rpm condition.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1 comprising the further steps of:

determining a limit acceptability value for a fuel pressure value inside a common rail;

detecting the fuel pressure value inside the common rail; and

allowing the effective duration of the peak phase, during which the peak control current is to be supplied to the electromagnetic actuator to control the movement of the component moving towards the position defined by the limit stop, to be determined by progressively decreasing the initial duration of the peak phase by a first change of duration, only in a case where the fuel pressure value inside the common rail is higher than the limit acceptability value for the fuel pressure value inside a common rail.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1 comprising the further steps of:

determining a tolerance value;

detecting a fuel pressure value inside a common rail; and

preventing the effective duration of the peak phase, during which the peak control current is to be supplied to the electromagnetic actuator to control the movement of the component moving towards the position defined by the limit stop, from being determined by progressively decreasing the initial duration of the peak phase by a first change of duration, only in a case where the total reduction of the fuel pressure value inside the common rail for a number of successive working cycles is higher than the tolerance value.

6. The method as set forth in claim 4 comprising the further steps of:

detecting a fuel pressure value inside the common rail that is lower than the limit acceptability value for the fuel pressure value inside the common rail;

increasing the effective duration of the peak phase, during which the peak control current is to be supplied to the electromagnetic actuator to control the movement of the component moving towards the position defined by the limit stop, by a safety quantity; and

supplying the peak control current to the electromagnetic actuator for the peak phase.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1 comprising the further steps of:

determining an interval of acceptable values for an intensity of a sound signal generated by the movement of the component moving towards the position defined by the limit stop;

capturing the intensity of the sound signal generated by the movement of the component moving towards the position defined by the limit stop; and

allowing the effective duration of the peak phase, during which the peak control current is to be supplied to the electromagnetic actuator to control the movement of the component moving towards the position defined by the limit stop, to be determined by progressively decreasing the initial duration of the peak phase by a first change of duration, only in a case where the intensity of the sound signal generated by the movement of the component moving towards the position defined by the limit stop exceeds an acceptable limit value for the intensity of a sound signal generated by the movement of the component moving towards the position defined by the limit stop.

8. The method as set forth in claim 7 comprising the further steps of:

detecting the intensity of the sound signal generated by the movement of the component moving towards the position defined by the limit stop that is lower than the acceptable limit value for the intensity of the sound signal generated by the movement of the component moving towards the position defined by the limit stop;

increasing the effective duration of the peak phase, during which the control current is to be supplied to the electromagnetic actuator to control the movement of the component moving towards the position defined by the limit stop, by a safety quantity; and

supplying the peak control current to the electromagnetic actuator for the peak phase.

9. The method as set forth in claim 4 comprising the further steps of:

providing a microphone to capture an intensity of a sound signal generated by the movement of the component moving towards the position defined by the limit stop;

providing a pressure sensor inside the common rail to detect the fuel pressure value; and

comparing the fuel pressure value inside the common rail detected by the pressure sensor and the intensity of the sound signal generated by the movement of the component moving towards the position defined by the limit stop detected by the microphone, so as to determine a lack of actuation of the electromagnetic actuator.

10. The method as set forth in claim 9 comprising the further step of diagnosing a fault of the microphone or of the pressure sensor as a function of the comparison between the fuel pressure value inside the common rail detected by the pressure sensor and the intensity of the sound signal generated by the movement of the component moving towards the position defined by the limit stop.

11. The method as set forth in claim 1 comprising the further step of determining the effective duration of the peak phase, during which the peak control current is to be supplied to the electromagnetic actuator to control the movement of the component moving towards the position defined by the limit stop, according to the equation:

Δ T i =ΔT i-1 −ΔT P1

wherein, ΔT i is the effective duration of the peak phase, during which the peak control current is to be supplied for an i-th actuation of the electromagnetic actuator;

ΔT i-1 is the effective duration of the peak phase, during which the peak control current is to be supplied for an (i−1)-th actuation of the electromagnetic actuator;

ΔT P1 is a first change of duration; and

i is a number of actuations of the electromagnetic actuator.

12. The method as set forth in claim 1 comprising the further step of determining the effective duration of the peak phase, during which the peak control current is to be supplied to the electromagnetic actuator to control the movement of the component moving towards the position defined by the limit stop, according to the equation:

Δ T i =ΔT (i-NA1) −ΔT P1

wherein, ΔT i is the effective duration of the peak phase, during which the peak control current is to be supplied for an i-th actuation of the electromagnetic actuator;

ΔT (i-NA1) is the effective duration of the peak phase, during which the peak control current is to be supplied for an (i-N A1 )-th actuation of the electromagnetic actuator;

ΔT P1 is a first change of duration;

N A1 is a first predetermined number of actuations of the electromagnetic actuator; and

i is a number of actuations of the electromagnetic actuator.

13. The method as set forth in claim 6 comprising the further steps of:

determining a number of safety actuations of the electromagnetic actuator;

repeating a number of safety actuations of the electromagnetic actuator, in which the peak control current is to be supplied to the electromagnetic actuator for the peak phase.

14. The method as set forth in claim 6 comprising the further step of determining the duration of the peak phase, during which the peak control current is to be supplied to the electromagnetic actuator to control the movement of the component moving towards the position defined by the limit stop, according to the following equation:

Δ T i =ΔT i-1 −ΔT P2

wherein, ΔT i is the effective duration of the peak phase, during which the peak control current is to be supplied for an i-th actuation of the electromagnetic actuator;

ΔT i-1 is the effective duration of the peak phase, during which the peak control current is to be supplied for an (i−1)-th actuation of the electromagnetic actuator;

ΔT P2 is a second change of duration; and

i is a number of actuations of the electromagnetic actuator.

15. The method as set forth in claim 6 comprising the further step of determining the duration of the peak phase, during which the peak control current is to be supplied to the electromagnetic actuator to control the movement of the component moving towards the position defined by the limit stop, according to the following equation:

Δ T i =ΔT (i-NA2) −ΔT P2

wherein, ΔT i is the effective duration of the peak phase, during which the peak control current is to be supplied for an i-th actuation of the electromagnetic actuator;

ΔT (i-NA2) is the effective duration of the peak phase, during which the peak control current is to be supplied for an (i-N A2 )-th actuation of the electromagnetic actuator;

ΔT P2 is a second change of duration;

N A2 is a second predetermined number of actuations of the electromagnetic actuator; and

i is a number of actuations of the electromagnetic actuator.

16. The method as set forth in claim 15 , wherein:

Δ T P2 /N A2< ΔT P1 /N A1

wherein, ΔT P1 is a first change of duration;

N A1 is a first predetermined number of actuations of the electromagnetic actuator;

ΔT P2 is the second change of duration; and

N A2 is the second predetermined number of actuations of the electromagnetic actuator.

17. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the initial duration of the peak phase, during which the peak control current is to be supplied to the electromagnetic actuator to control the movement of the component moving towards the position defined by the limit stop, is chosen among the following possibilities:

a last value of the duration of the peak phase, during which the electromagnet is to be excited with the peak control current; or

a reference initial duration of the peak phase, during which the electromagnet is to be excited with the peak control current and which is determined in a preliminary set up phase; or

a weighted mean between the last value of the duration of the peak phase, during which the electromagnet is to be excited with the peak control current, and the reference initial duration of the peak phase, during which the electromagnet is to be excited with the peak control current and which is determined in a preliminary set up phase; or

a corrected reference initial duration of the peak phase, during which the electromagnet is to be excited with the peak control current and which is determined in a preliminary set up phase, corrected according to one of the following formulas:

Δ T (j) =ΔT START(j) +ΔT (j-1) −ΔT START(j-1)

Δ T (j) =ΔT START(j) *(Δ T (j-1) /ΔT START(j-1) )

wherein:

ΔT (j-i) is a last value of the duration of the peak phase, during which the electromagnet is to be excited with the peak control current;

ΔT START(j-1) is a last value of the reference initial duration of the peak phase, during which the electromagnet is to be excited with the peak control current and which is determined in a preliminary set up phase as a function of at least one condition selected from among:

a battery voltage, a temperature of the winding of the electromagnetic actuator; a temperature of the fuel used, and a speed of the internal combustion engine; and

ΔT START(j) is a value of the reference initial duration of the peak phase, during which the electromagnet is to be excited with the control current and which is determined in a preliminary set up phase as a function of at least one condition selected from among: the battery voltage, the temperature of the winding of the electromagnetic actuator; the temperature of the fuel used, and the speed of the internal combustion engine.

18. The method as set forth in claim 15 , wherein the reference initial duration of the peak phase and/or the first change of duration and/or the first number of actuations of the electromagnetic actuator and/or the safety quantity and/or the number of safety actuations of the electromagnetic actuator and/or the second change of duration and/or the second number of actuations of the electromagnetic actuator are variable and are determined as a function of a plurality of parameters selected from among: the battery voltage, the temperature of the winding of the electromagnetic actuator; the temperature of the fuel used, and the speed of the internal combustion engine.

19. The method as set forth in claim 1 comprising the further step of increasing an amplitude of the peak control current supplied to the electromagnet during the peak phase so as to reduce operating dispersions.

20. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic actuator is an electromagnetic actuator of a fuel pump of a direct-injection system comprising an intake channel, which is regulated by an intake valve, and a flow-rate adjusting device, which is mechanically coupled to the intake valve and comprises a control rod, which is coupled to the intake valve, and a ferromagnetic anchor, which is integral to the control rod; the method comprises supplying the peak control current to the electromagnetic actuator to control the movement of the assembly made up of the control rod and the ferromagnetic anchor, which moves towards the position defined by a fixed ferromagnetic anchor.