System and method for controlling fuel injection characteristics in an engine

1. An engine control system for an engine having a crankshaft, a cylinder configured to combust a volume of fuel during a combustion cycle, and a fuel rail configured to deliver the volume of fuel to the cylinder, the engine control system comprising:

a first control module that determines a fuel combustion parameter, the fuel combustion parameter including at least one of (i) a total amount of heat released by the volume of fuel during the combustion cycle and (ii) a rate at which heat is released during the combustion cycle; and

a second control module that:

controls a first one of at least two fuel delivery parameters based on a difference between (i) the total amount of heat released by the volume of fuel during the combustion cycle and (ii) a target heat release amount; and

controls a second one of the at least two fuel delivery parameters based on a difference between (i) the rate at which heat is released during the combustion cycle and (ii) a target rate of heat release, wherein the at least two fuel delivery parameters include at least two of (i) a duration of time over which the volume of fuel is delivered to the cylinder, (ii) a time at which a fuel injector starts delivering the volume of fuel to the cylinder, and (iii) a fuel pressure in the fuel rail.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second control module is configured to control the duration of time over which the volume of fuel is delivered to the cylinder based on the difference between (i) the total amount of heat released by the volume of fuel during the combustion cycle and (ii) the target heat release amount.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second control module is configured to control the fuel pressure in the fuel rail based on the difference between (i) the rate at which heat is released during the combustion cycle and (ii) the target rate of heat release.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first control module and the second control module is configured to determine an angular position of the crankshaft at which a predetermined amount of the volume of fuel has been combusted.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the second control module is configured to control a third one of the at least two fuel delivery parameters based on a difference between (i) the angular position of the crankshaft at which the predetermined amount of the volume of fuel has been combusted and (ii) a target angular position of the crankshaft.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the second control module:

determines an ignition score based on the difference between (i) the angular position of the crankshaft at which the predetermined amount of the volume of fuel has been combusted and (ii) the target angular position of the crankshaft; and

activates a display to display the ignition score to a vehicle operator.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fuel combustion parameter is determined based on (i) a pressure within the cylinder and (ii) an angular position of the crankshaft.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second control module:

determines a volumetric energy density for the volume of fuel based on the fuel combustion parameter; and

activates a display to display the volumetric energy density to a vehicle operator.

9. A method for controlling delivery of fuel to an engine including a crankshaft and a cylinder, the method comprising:

determining a fuel combustion parameter that includes at least one of (i) a total amount of heat released by a volume of fuel during a combustion cycle and (ii) a rate at which heat is released during the combustion cycle;

controlling a first one of at least two fuel delivery parameters based on a difference between (i) the total amount of heat released by the volume of fuel during the combustion cycle and (ii) a target heat release amount; and

controlling a second one of the at least two fuel delivery parameters based on a difference between (i) the rate at which heat is released during the combustion cycle and (ii) a target rate of heat release, wherein the at least two fuel delivery parameters include at least two of (i) a duration of time over which the volume of fuel is delivered to the cylinder, (ii) a time at which a fuel injector starts delivering the volume of fuel to the cylinder, and (iii) a fuel pressure in a fuel rail.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising controlling the duration of time over which the volume of fuel is delivered to the cylinder based on the difference between (i) the total amount of heat released by the volume of fuel during the combustion cycle and (ii) the target heat release amount.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising controlling the fuel pressure in the fuel rail based on the difference between (i) the rate at which heat is released during the combustion cycle and (ii) the target rate of heat release.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising controlling an angular position of the crankshaft at which a predetermined amount of the volume of fuel has been combusted.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising controlling a third one of the at least two fuel delivery parameters based on a difference between (i) the angular position of the crankshaft at which the predetermined amount of the volume of fuel has been combusted and (ii) a target angular position of the crankshaft.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

determining an ignition score based on the difference between (i) the angular position of the crankshaft at which the predetermined amount of the volume of fuel has been combusted and (ii) the target angular position of the crankshaft; and

activating a display to display the ignition score to a vehicle operator.

15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising determining the fuel combustion parameter based on (i) a pressure within the cylinder and (ii) an angular position of the crankshaft.

16. The method of claim 9 , further comprising determining a volumetric energy density for the volume of fuel based on the fuel combustion parameter.

17. An engine control system for an engine having a crankshaft, a cylinder configured to combust a volume of fuel during a combustion cycle, and a fuel rail configured to deliver the volume of fuel to the cylinder, the engine control system comprising:

a first control module that determines a fuel combustion parameter, the fuel combustion parameter including at least one of (i) a total amount of heat released by the volume of fuel during the combustion cycle and (ii) a rate at which heat is released during the combustion cycle; and

a second control module that controls a fuel delivery parameter based on the fuel combustion parameter, the fuel delivery parameter including at least one of (i) a duration of time over which the volume of fuel is delivered to the cylinder, (ii) a time at which a fuel injector starts delivering the volume of fuel to the cylinder, and (iii) a fuel pressure in the fuel rail,

wherein the first control module:

stores in a volatile memory a first set of values corresponding to the fuel combustion parameter; and

stores in a non-volatile memory a second set of values corresponding to the fuel combustion parameter, and

wherein the second control module:

controls the fuel delivery parameter based on the first set of values of the fuel combustion parameter when responding to a first operating parameter of the engine; and

controls the fuel delivery parameter based on the second set of values of the fuel combustion parameter when responding to a second operating parameter of the engine, wherein the first operating parameter of the engine includes at least one of an ambient temperature and an operator input, and the second operating parameter of the engine includes a fuel characteristic.

18. A method for controlling delivery of fuel to an engine including a crankshaft and a cylinder, the method comprising:

determining a fuel combustion parameter that includes at least one of (i) a total amount of heat released by a volume of fuel during a combustion cycle and (ii) a rate at which heat is released during the combustion cycle;

controlling a fuel delivery parameter based on the fuel combustion parameter, the fuel delivery parameter including at least one of (i) a duration of time over which the volume of fuel is delivered to the cylinder, (ii) a time at which a fuel injector starts delivering the volume of fuel to the cylinder, and (iii) a fuel pressure in a fuel rail;

storing in a volatile memory a first set of values corresponding to the fuel combustion parameter;

storing in a non-volatile memory a second set of values corresponding to the fuel combustion parameter;

controlling the fuel delivery parameter based on the first set of values of the fuel combustion parameter when responding to a first operating parameter of the engine; and

controlling the fuel delivery parameter based on the second set of values of the fuel combustion parameter when responding to a second operating parameter of the engine, wherein the first operating parameter of the engine includes at least one of an ambient temperature and an operator input, and the second operating parameter of the engine includes a fuel characteristic.