The air-fuel ratio feedback control is performed by using a first correction value which is determined depending on a difference between a detected air-fuel ratio (A/F) of an air-fuel mixture and a target A/F and a second correction value which is determined depending on the property of the fuel. Further, fuel property learning control is carried out to correct the first correction value and the second correction value so that an absolute value of the first correction value is not more than a threshold value, when the absolute value of the first correction value is larger than the threshold value after performing the charging with fuel. A combustion continuing correction value range, which is a range of the second correction value to allow the A/F of the mixture to be included in an A/F range in which combustion can be continued, is stored, and the second correction value is set to a value within the combustion continuing correction value range if the A/F feedback control and the fuel property learning control are interrupted.

An ECU, as a combustion system control device, includes various control units such as a first estimation unit, a second estimation unit, a comparison/selection unit, and an injection control unit. The first estimation unit estimates, as a first estimation value, the mixing ratio of each molecular structure species contained in fuel based on the value detected by an in-cylinder pressure sensor that is a combustion sensor. The second estimation unit estimates, as a second estimation value, the above mixing ratio based on the values detected by a density sensor and a dynamic viscosity sensor that are property sensors. The comparison/selection unit compares the first estimation value with the second estimation value to select an estimation value with higher estimation accuracy, and various control units such as the injection control unit control the operation of a combustion system by using the selected estimation value.

A deposit estimation device includes an acquisition unit, a soot calculation unit, an adhesion index calculation unit, and a deposit amount estimation unit. The acquisition unit acquires the mixing ratio of each of a plurality of types of molecular structures contained in a fuel to be used for combustion of a combustion system. The soot calculation unit calculates a soot generation index, representing how likely a soot component is to be generated due to combustion, based on the mixing ratio acquired by the acquisition unit. The adhesion index calculation unit calculates an adhesion index, representing how likely a soluble organic component generated due to combustion is to adhere, based on a value detected by a sensor for detecting the property of a fuel or the mixing ratio acquired by the acquisition unit. The deposit amount estimation unit estimates a deposit amount of a soluble organic component that has adhered to a predetermined portion of the combustion system, based on the soot generation index calculated by the soot calculation unit and the adhesion index calculated by the adhesion index calculation unit.

A lubricity estimation device is applied to a fuel supply system that supplies a fuel to an internal combustion engine, and includes a mixing ratio estimation unit and a lubrication index calculation unit. The mixing ratio estimation unit estimates the mixing ratio of each of plural types of molecular structures included in the fuel. The lubrication index calculation unit calculates a lubrication index, representing the lubricity of an outer peripheral portion S1 of the piston of a fuel pump and an outer peripheral portion of the valve body of a fuel injection valve by the fuel, based on the mixing ratio estimated by the mixing ratio estimation unit.

A fuel metering system for an internal combustion engine having a fuel injection timing unit to indicate a timepoint during one or more engine strokes, a fuel metering element have a predetermined full stroke volume for metering fuel into an air-fuel mixing location during one or more of the engine strokes, and a fuel metering element controller to control the delivery of fuel by causing the fuel metering element to deliver one of a full stroke volume and a fraction of a full stroke volume to achieve a desired AFR. In some embodiments, power generator circuitry is provided to harvest power from the ICE to power at least one of the fuel injection timing unit, the fuel metering element, and the fuel metering controller.

A vehicle having a dimethyl ether (DME) fuel storage and delivery system for an internal combustion engine, includes a DME fuel filter in the DME fuel storage and delivery system, a DME fuel pump having a fuel inlet downstream of the filter, and, at least one sensor having at least one transducer, the at least one transducer being disposed at the filter and the at least one sensor being operable to detect a change in at least one electrical property of the at least one transducer for determining DME fuel quality according to a secondary effect of a DME fuel condition.

A control system for a spark-ignited gaseous fuel engine includes a fuel quality sensing mechanism, and a control device structured to receive data produced by the fuel quality sensing mechanism indicative of a change in energy content of a stream of gaseous fuel and air, and to vary an amount of an augmenting fuel that is injected into the stream of gaseous fuel and air based on the data. The strategy has application to low energy gaseous fuel and air mixtures such as are produced in mine ventilation.

A system includes an impedance gas sensor configured to be in contact with one or more hydrocarbons. The impedance sensor includes electrodes and a sensing region circuit that is configured to have a sensing material and to generate electrical stimuli to the sensing material upon exposure to one or more hydrocarbons at one or more of a reduced heater voltage or a reduced sensing region temperature as compared to a prescribed heater voltage or a prescribed sensing region temperature. The system also includes one or more processors configured to receive electrical signals from the sensor, where the electrical signals are representative of impedance responses of the sensing material to one or more hydrocarbons. The one or more processors also are configured to analyze the impedance responses and determine an amount of at least one hydrocarbon of interest in the one or more hydrocarbons.

A system includes an impedance gas sensor configured to be in contact with one or more hydrocarbons. The impedance sensor includes electrodes and a sensing region circuit that is configured to have a sensing material and to generate electrical stimuli to the sensing material upon exposure to one or more hydrocarbons at one or more of a reduced heater voltage or a reduced sensing region temperature as compared to a prescribed heater voltage or a prescribed sensing region temperature. The system also includes one or more processors configured to receive electrical signals from the sensor, where the electrical signals are representative of impedance responses of the sensing material to one or more hydrocarbons. The one or more processors also are configured to analyze the impedance responses and determine an amount of at least one hydrocarbon of interest in the one or more hydrocarbons.

A powertrain arrangement for use with additized Dimethyl Ether (DME) fuel, the additized DME comprising DME and a lubricity additive, is provided. The powertrain arrangement includes a powertrain comprising an engine adapted for use with the additized DME fuel, a fuel tank, a conductivity sensor in the fuel tank; the conductivity sensor being arranged to transmit a signal, corresponding to a conductivity of fuel in the fuel tank, a temperature sensor in the fuel tank, the temperature sensor being arranged to transmit a signal corresponding to a temperature of the fuel in the fuel tank, and a controller configured to receive and process the conductivity signal and the temperature signal and to send a control signal to control functioning of the powertrain in response to the conductivity signal and the temperature signal. A measuring apparatus and method are also provided.