This content is not included in
your SAE MOBILUS subscription, or you are not logged in.
Ignition System Integrated AC Ion Current Sensing for Robust and Reliable Online Engine Control
Technical Paper
2000-01-0553
ISSN: 0148-7191, e-ISSN: 2688-3627
Annotation ability available
Sector:
Event:
SAE 2000 World Congress
Language:
English
Abstract
1
A recent breakthrough in understanding the origin of ion signals from operating combustion engines [12] led to a new approach in integrating advanced ion current sensing into a compact ignition system. Thus it is now possible to continuously monitor mixture, ignition and combustion properties through online ion current recordings via a novel AC technique. In this paper this AC technique is compared to the standard DC technique and its known drawbacks: expensive high voltage components, sensitivity to plug fouling and expensive electronics.
The AC technique is based on the specific properties of the electrical field of spark plugs being characterized by a point source with an extreme inhomogeneity of the electrical field due to the small center electrode. This causes a distinct diode characteristic of the ion signal: very low signals for negative voltages and high signals for positive ion sensing voltages, respectively. Using an AC sensing voltage provides thus a very simple, robust and reliable ion current detection scheme.
This AC technology is extremely simple to integrate into modern AC ignition systems since the sensing signal can be readily imposed on the primary ignition circuit without any need for additional components on the primary, or even more important, on the high voltage side. Additional advantages are: arbitrary high sensing voltages, simple control on the primary circuit, no separate sensing voltage source required and insensitivity to plug fouling.
This AC technique has been implemented into a lab-type ignition system which was successfully applied to various S.I. engines. In this paper the fundamentals of the AC technique and it's implementation will be described in detail. Special emphasis will be given to the inherent robustness and insensitivity to plug fouling. Since the shunt resistor formed by plug fouling can be determined quantitatively, it can be also used for continuously monitoring and controlling the performance of long life ignition systems. Characteristic examples of engine results will be presented.
Recommended Content
Authors
Citation
Wilstermann, H., Greiner, A., Hohner, P., Kemmler, R. et al., "Ignition System Integrated AC Ion Current Sensing for Robust and Reliable Online Engine Control," SAE Technical Paper 2000-01-0553, 2000, https://doi.org/10.4271/2000-01-0553.Also In
References
- Schnauffer K. K. Engine Cylinder Flame Propagation Studies by New Methods SAE Journal 1 17 1934
- Iinuma K. Ionization Current in Spark-Ignition Engines Report of the Technical College 3 Hosei University 1958
- Tanaka M. Motohashi K. Koinuma K. Some Experiments on the Ion Gap Type Combustion Analyzer Journal of Mechanical Laboratory of Japan 6 102 108 1961
- Wenzlawski K. Heintzen D. Ionenstrommessung an Zündkerzen von Ottomotoren als Klopferkennungsmittel Motortechnische Zeitschrift 51 118 122 1990
- Winch R. F. Mayes F. M. A Method for Identifying Preignition Society of Automotive Engineers 61 453 468 1953
- Ali M. Bradley D. Electrostatic Probe Diagnostics in Gasoline Engines Institute of Mechanical Engineers 68 33 39 1983
- An F. Rizzoni G. Upadhyay D. Combustion Diagnostics in Methane-Fueled SI Engines Using the Spark Plug as an Ionization Probe Society of Automotive Engineers, SAE paper 970033 1997
- Auzins J. Johansson H. Nytomt J. Ion-Gap Sense in Misfire Detection, Knock and Engine Control Society of Automotive Engineers, SAE paper 950004 1995
- Collings N. Doyle I. F. J. Hayhurst A. N. Kittelson D. B. Charged Species in the Exhaust of S.I. Engine as Studied with Langmuir Probes and a Mass Spectrometer Combust. Sci. and Tech. 62 31 59 1988
- Gebauer K. Signale der Verbrennung im Ottomotor zur Steuerung von Luftverhältnis oder Abgasrückführrate Thesis Universität Braunschweig 1994
- Reinmann R. Saitzkoff A.. Lassesson B. Strandh P. Fuel and Additive Influence on the Ion Current Society of Automotive Engineers, SAE paper 980161 1998 Reinmann R. Theoretical and Experimental Studies of the Formation of Ionized Gases in Spark Ignition Engines Lund Institute of Technology 1998
- Wilstermann H. Wechselspannungszündung mit integrierter Ionenstrommessung als Sensor für die Verbrennungs- und Motorregelung [AC-Current Ignition with Integrated Ion Current Sensing as Sensor for the Combustion and Engine Control] Düsseldorf/Germay 1999
- Conzelmann G. Knapp H. Über die Ionenstrommessung und einige neue Anwendungen dieses Meßverfahrens am Ottomotor Motortechnische Zeitschrift 9 337 1961
- Tanaka M. Motohashi K. Koinuma K. Some Experiments on the Ion Gap Type Combustion Analyzer Journal of Mechanical Laboratory of Japan 6 102 108 1961
- Almstadt K. Einfluß des Gemischzustandes an der Zündkerze auf die Entflammungsphase im Ottomotor TU Carolo-Wilhelmina zu Braunschweig 1985
- Brehob D. D. An Exhaust Ionization Sensor for Detection of Late Combustion with EGR Society of Automotive Engineers, SAE paper 892084 1984
- Anderson R. L. In-Cylinder Measurement of Combustion Characteristics Using Ionization Sensors Society of Automotive Engineers, SAE paper 860485 1986
- Lee A. Pyko J. S. Engine Misfire Detection by Ionization Current Monitoring Society of Automotive Engineers, SAE paper 950003 1995
- Ohashi Y. Fukui W. Tanabe F. Ueda A. The Application of Ionic Current Detection System for the Combustion Limit Society of Automotive Engineers, SAE paper 980171 1998
- Saggau B. Zündaussetzererkennung Technischer Bericht, Institut für Physikalische Elektronik, Univerität Stuttgart 1992
- Adolph N. Messung des Klopfens an Ottomotoren FVV-Bericht, RWTH Aachen 1983
- Asano M. Kuma T. Kajitani M. Takeuchi M. Development of New Ion Current Combustion Control System Society of Automotive Engineers, SAE paper 980162 1998
- Haahtela O. Die Entflammung im Ottomotor bei verschiedenen Motorbetriebsbedingungen und Zündanlagenparametern TU Carolo-Wilhelmina zu Braunschweig 1975
- Kollmeier H.-P. Untersuchungen über die Flammenausbreitung bei klopfender Verbrennung RWTH Aachen 1987
- Balles E. N. VanDyne A. Wahl A. M. Ratton K. Lai M. C. In-Cylinder Air/Fuel Ratio Approximation Using Spark Gap Ionization Sensing Society of Automotive Engineers, SAE paper 980166 1998
- Clements R. M. Smy P. R. The Variation of Ionization with Air/Fuel Ratio for a Spark Ignition Engine J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 505 509 1976
- Arrigoni V. Calvi F. Cornetti G. M. Pozzi U. Society of Automotive Engineers, SAE paper 730088 1973
- Collings N. Ma T. Knock Detection Alternatives for Production Engines Int. Conf. on Vehicle Monitoring
- Collings N. Dinsdale S. Eade D. Knock Detection by Means of the Spark Plug Society of Automotive Engineers, SAE paper 860635 1986
- Kammeyer K. D. Nachrichtenübertragung Teubner-Verlag Stuttgart 1992