An apparatus for measuring aerosol particles includes a charging unit to form charged particles by charging particles of an aerosol sample flow by diffusion charging, and a collecting unit to provide an electric current by collecting charges from the charged particles by diffusion of the charged particles, the electric current being indicative of number density of aerosol particles of the aerosol sample flow.

The internal pressure of the collecting unit is maintained at a reduced value in order to provide a flat response of the electric current for detecting nanoparticles of different sizes.

An operating method for a fresh-air feed device for an internal combustion engine is configured for feeding fresh air from the environment surrounding the internal combustion engine into at least one combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine. A controllable throttle valve is configured for varying a through-flowable area of the fresh-air feed device and for at least partially shutting off the fresh-air feed device. The device has a compressor which is arranged upstream of the throttle valve in an intended through-flow direction from the environment into the combustion chamber, which is configured for conveying an air mass flow in the intended through-flow direction in the fresh-air feed device. A pre-compressor section of the device is arranged upstream of the compressor, an intermediate section is arranged downstream of the compressor device and upstream of the throttle valve, and a post-throttle section is arranged downstream of the throttle valve. A first air pressure sensor is arranged in the pre-compressor section, and a second air pressure sensor is arranged in the post-throttle section. In a first operating state, a first air pressure is measured via the first air pressure sensor. In a second step in the first operating state, a second air pressure is measured via the second air pressure sensor. Based on the second air pressure, a theoretical air pressure for the intermediate section is ascertained in a manner dependent on a theoretically through-flowable area set by the throttle valve. The theoretical air pressure is compared with the first air pressure or with a comparison value for the first air pressure. In the event of a deviation of the theoretical air pressure from the first air pressure or from the comparison value beyond an error threshold value, a corrective value for the ascertainment of the theoretical air pressure is determined.

An engine test method that causes a computer to execute a process including, acquiring, by a processer on the computer, a first test pattern in which an operation variable that is used for an engine test is changed in time series, inputting, based on the first test pattern, a first operation variable to a mathematical model that represents a time series response of an engine obtained by inputting a test pattern as a simulation of the engine test, monitoring, as a first monitoring parameter of engine abnormality, at least one of an air excess ratio, pressure and temperature of an intake manifold, pressure and temperature of an exhaust manifold, and a maximum cylinder pressure rise rate that are obtained by inputting the first operation variable to the mathematical model, holding, when the first monitoring parameter exceeds a first threshold value, the first operation variable until the first monitoring parameter is less than the first threshold value, creating, a history of the first operation variable in the simulation as a second test pattern, monitoring, as a second monitoring parameter, at least one of the air excess ratio, the pressure and the temperature of the intake manifold, the pressure and the temperature of the exhaust manifold, and the maximum cylinder pressure rise rate that are obtained by inputting a second operation variable to a real engine based on the second test pattern, holding, when the second monitoring parameter exceeds a second threshold value, the second operation variable until the second monitoring parameter is less than the second threshold value, and acquiring, time series data of the second operation variable and a controlled variable.

An air intake amount measurement device 200 includes an intake distributor 3 distributing intake air CYL to cylinders 11, 12, 13, and 14, a temperature detector 202 detecting a temperature Ti of the intake air CYL, a pressure detector 201 for detecting a pressure Pi of intake air CL, and a computing unit 100 that computes an air intake amount mfcyl of the intake air CYL on the basis of the temperature Ti transmitted from the temperature detector 202 and the pressure Pi transmitted from the pressure detector 201. The temperature detector 202 detects the temperature Ti of the intake air CYL at a region W spanning, out of an inside of the intake distributor 3, a first branch portion 31 and a second branch portion 32.

Methods and systems for operating an engine that includes adjustable poppet valve timing and an exhaust gas recirculation valve are described. In one example, the exhaust gas recirculation valve is opened and the timing of the poppet valves is retarded so that an amount of fresh air that is pumped by the engine to an after treatment device may be reduced.

A skip fire control system for an engine of a vehicle includes a set of sensors configured to measure a set of operating parameters of the engine corresponding to a volumetric efficiency of the engine, a set of sub-systems having a set of operational states that affect transitions between different firing patterns/fractions of the engine, and a controller configured to, based on the set of operating parameters and the set of operational states of the set of sub-systems, determine a best firing pattern/fraction by taking into account losses or penalties to transition at least some of the set of operational states of the set of sub-systems to obtain a target firing pattern/fraction, and control the engine based on the target firing pattern/fraction to maximize an efficiency of the engine.

A method for activating a boost pressure control for an internal combustion engine, which contains, in a through-flow direction, a compressor, a charge air line, a throttle valve, an intake manifold, at least one combustion chamber and a turbine speed-coupled to the compressor, an aperture of the throttle valve being controllable, a driving of the turbine being controllable by an exhaust gas flow, and the method including: predefining a setpoint intake manifold pressure; calculating a simplified inverse flow characteristic of the throttle valve; calculating a pseudo setpoint aperture of the throttle valve, based on the simplified inverse flow characteristic and the setpoint intake manifold pressure; and controlling the driving of the turbine, based on an exceeding of a maximum aperture of the throttle valve by the pseudo setpoint aperture of the throttle valve.

A controller for a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine, and a device for detecting a fire in a fluid conduit, the device having a fluid state sensor for detecting a state variable of a fluid that is conducted in the fluid conduit, are provided. The determination of a fire situation is performed in a manner dependent on a signal of the fluid state sensor.

Evaporative emission purge control systems and methods use a cost factor to incentivize operation of an internal combustion at torques favorable for purge. An evaporative emission control system is configured to collect fuel vapor. A controller determines whether an operating speed of the internal combustion engine is within a target purge region that is bounded by a lower speed threshold and an upper speed threshold of the internal combustion engine. When the operating speed of the internal combustion engine is within the target purge region, the controller applies a cost factor to operating points for the internal combustion engine, and based on the cost factor, the operating points are set to include an operating torque for the internal combustion engine to generate an intake pressure of the internal combustion engine at a level below atmospheric pressure for a purge of the evaporative emission control system.

Methods and systems are provided for diagnostics of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) components including an EGR pressure sensor. In one example, a method for an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system of a vehicle comprises diagnosing an excessive EGR flow rate via an MAP-MAF strategy, the MAP-MAF strategy including estimating an EGR flow rate based on a difference between an output of a manifold absolute pressure (MAP) sensor of the vehicle and an output of a mass airflow (MAF) sensor of the vehicle; and in response to stable intrusive conditions being met, intrusively commanding an EGR valve of the EGR system to a closed position to confirm the diagnosed excessive EGR flow rate. If the excessive flow is detected after the EGR valve is commanded to the closed position, a diagnostic code may be set.