A fuel injection valve includes a nozzle portion for injecting fuel, a fuel inlet port, a fuel supply main passage for supplying the fuel from the fuel inlet port to the nozzle portion, a pressure sensor for detecting fuel pressure in the fuel supply main passage, and a fuel introduce passage for supplying the fuel from the fuel supply main passage to the pressure sensor. The fuel supply main passage includes a first fuel supply passage extending in a first direction from the fuel inlet port to the pressure sensor and a second fuel supply passage extending in a second direction from the pressure sensor to the nozzle portion.

A system for pump assist to maximize fuel consumption in a natural gas powertrain includes a fuel delivery system including a natural gas storage tank supplying a first natural gas flow, a pressure sensor disposed to provide data regarding a natural gas pressure within the storage tank, and a natural gas pump operable to selectively boost the first natural gas flow to create a second natural gas flow with increased pressure. The system further includes an engine operable to utilize one of the natural gas flows to provide an output torque and including a fuel injector and a computerized fuel system controller programmed to monitor the data regarding the natural gas pressure within the storage tank, compare the data regarding the natural gas pressure within the storage tank to a threshold cut-off pressure for the fuel injector, and command activation of the natural gas pump based upon the comparing.

A system for an engine to determine in situ under specified conditions the auto-ignition quality of the fuel used in a compression ignition engine is provided. The system may include an ion current sensor. The ion current sensor may access an engine cylinder for obtaining ion current data. A control unit may be in communication with the ion current sensor for receiving the ion current data. The control unit being configured to determine the auto-ignition quality of the fuel based on features of the ion current data.

Methods and systems are provided for monitoring a fuel injector of an internal combustion engine. In one embodiment, a method includes: receiving a set of feature data, the feature data sensed from a fuel injector during a fuel injection event; processing, by a processor, the set of feature data with a decision tree model to generate a prediction of a fault status; and selectively generating, by the processor, a notification signal based on the prediction.

A system for controlling a compression ignition engine includes: a speed obtaining section which obtains an engine speed; and an injection amount setting section which sets, in a start period after the start of cranking, a fuel injection amount to be injected by injectors in next and subsequent cycles. If an engine speed achieved by combustion in an (n1)-th cycle is higher than or equal to a determination threshold value and lower than a lower limit of the resonance range, the injection amount setting section sets the fuel injection amount for the n-th cycle to a jump-over injection amount, and sets the fuel injection amount for the (n+1)-th cycle to a resonance induction reducing amount, which is smaller than the jump-over injection amount.

A fuel system is disclosed. The fuel system may include at least one fuel injector, the at least one fuel injector having an injector body and one or more piezoelectric sensors located in the injector body. The fuel system may include a controller configured to: obtain, from the one or more piezoelectric sensors, one or more pressure measurements associated with a fuel injection process; determine a timing of the fuel injection process based on the one or more pressure measurements; determine an adjustment to the timing based on a comparison of the timing to a reference timing; and adjust the timing of the fuel injection process based on the determined adjustment.

Temperature measuring device for measuring the temperature of a member, the member including a component controlled by a control signal, active at most during at least one limited activity interval, and transmitted to the component via two wires, a temperature probe connected to the two wires, in parallel with the component, and a diode, connected between a terminal of the component and a terminal of the probe connected to the same wire, in order to allow the passage of a current in the component only in a first direction, the temperature measurement being performed by a current flowing in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, outside of the activity interval.

A fuel passage leads a fuel from a pressure-accumulation vessel to a nozzle hole of a fuel injection valve. A fuel pressure sensor detects a fuel pressure in a fuel passage. An estimation device is applicable to a combustion system, which includes these components, and includes a mixing acquisition unit and an injection amount estimation unit. The mixing acquisition unit acquires the mixing ratio of various components contained in the fuel used for combustion in the internal combustion engine. The injection amount estimation unit estimates an injection amount of the fuel from the nozzle hole according to a change mode of the fuel pressure, which is detected with the fuel pressure sensor and associated with injection of the fuel from a nozzle hole, and the mixing ratio acquired with the mixing acquisition unit.

A method for monitoring an injector for common-rail injection systems includes detecting an electrical signal indicative of a deformation of a diaphragm of a head plate having a reaction surface facing a control chamber of the injector and processing the deformation signal to determine characteristic data of the operation of the injector.

A high pressure hydraulic system comprising: a hydraulic chamber containing pressurized fluid, a wall which encloses at least one part of the hydraulic chamber and has an integral diaphragm, a piezoelectric sensor isolated from the pressurized fluid contained in the hydraulic chamber by the diaphragm, and an elastic element arranged to apply an elastic force to the piezoelectric sensor, between the piezoelectric sensor and the diaphragm, so that a deformation of the diaphragm produced by a change in the pressure of the fluid contained in the hydraulic chamber causes a change in the elastic force that the elastic element applies to the piezoelectric sensor.