A control device for a high pressure fuel pump (33) for fuel injection (14) in which values of at least seven parameters of an engine speed, an engine load, a lubrication oil temperature, an amount of fuel supplied to the high pressure fuel pump (33), a temperature of intake air fed into the engine, a temperature of fuel discharged from the high pressure fuel pump (33), and a vehicle speed are acquired, and a learned neural network learned in weights using acquired values of the seven parameters as input values of the neural network and using as training data the temperature of fuel discharged from the high pressure fuel pump (33) acquired after a fixed time period from when acquiring the values of the seven parameters is stored, At the time of an engine operation, the temperature of fuel discharged from the high pressure fuel pump (33) after the fixed time period is estimated by using the learned neural network from the current estimated temperature of fuel discharged from the high pressure fuel pump (33).

A method is described for operating an electric fuel pump constituting a low-pressure pump in a fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine, having a high-pressure reservoir and a high-pressure pump, of a motor vehicle. The electric fuel pump is operated at least temporarily, during a time period during which the internal combustion engine is switched off during operation of the motor vehicle, with a minimum value for a control application variable for the electric fuel pump.

A control device for a high pressure fuel pump (33) for fuel injection (14) in which values of at least seven parameters of an engine speed, an engine load, a lubrication oil temperature, an amount of fuel supplied to the high pressure fuel pump (33), a temperature of intake air fed into the engine, a temperature of fuel discharged from the high pressure fuel pump (33), and a vehicle speed are acquired, and a learned neural network learned in weights using acquired values of the seven parameters as input values of the neural network and using as training data the temperature of fuel discharged from the high pressure fuel pump (33) acquired after a fixed time period from when acquiring the values of the seven parameters is stored, At the time of an engine operation, the temperature of fuel discharged from the high pressure fuel pump (33) after the fixed time period is estimated by using the learned neural network from the current estimated temperature of fuel discharged from the high pressure fuel pump (33).

Methods and systems are provided for characterizing aged fuel, which loses volatility over time. In one example, a method may include estimating a fuel vapor pressure during an engine cold start using a pre-determined fuel distillation curve and adjusting one or more combustion parameters based on the estimated fuel vapor pressure. Because the fuel vapor pressure directly relates to the fuel volatility, adjusting the one or more combustion parameters based on the estimated fuel vapor pressure may reduce aged fuel-related engine performance degradation, such as hesitation and emissions during cold start.

Methods and systems are provided for temperature control of a high pressure pump (HPP) of a direct injection system. When direct injection is disabled, the HPP and the associated direct injectors are intermittently operated when the HPP temperature rises above a modeled threshold temperature. The HPP and injectors are operated until the HPP temperature falls below the modeled threshold temperature.

A method for ascertaining a viscosity of a fuel with the aid of an electric fuel pump which is integrated into a fuel circuit including an overflow valve which includes a permanently open discharge channel, a fuel supply and delivery being adjusted with the aid of the electric fuel pump in the fuel circuit at a specific pressure and the viscosity of the fuel being ascertained by taking into account a delivery rate of the electric fuel pump.

In some embodiments, a vehicle includes a temperature monitoring controller. The temperature monitoring controller is a processor, control module, or other suitable hardware that is configured to receive temperature sensor values from an engine control module (ECM) when an ignition bus is in a powered on state, and to decide when the engine should be automatically started in order to maintain a temperature above a low temperature threshold. The temperature monitoring controller periodically causes an ignition bus of the vehicle to be placed in the powered on state when the engine is shut down in order to collect temperature sensor values. The temperature monitoring controller determines whether to automatically start the engine, and if not, determines how long to wait before collecting temperature sensor values again based on a rate of change of the temperature sensor values.

A thermal management system for controlling cooling of an engine system during shutdown, the engine system includes an engine configured to provide power to a working machine, wherein the thermal management system includes a controller which is configured to receive a signal indicative of an engine shutdown command. The controller is further configured to derive, infer or receive a temperature parameter of the engine system and to determine whether the temperature parameter of the engine system is above a first predetermined threshold; and wherein the controller is configured to signal the progressive reduction of a speed of the engine prior to issuing a signal to shutdown the engine in the event that the first predetermined threshold is exceeded when the engine shutdown command is received, thereby cooling the engine system prior to engine shutdown.

Methods and systems are provided for an engine to infer fuel temperature from a measured rate of change in a pressure of a fuel passage between a low pressure fuel pump and a high pressure fuel pump during certain operating conditions, including when the low pressure fuel pump is switched off. The operation of the low pressure fuel pump may be adjusted responsively to a change in the inferred fuel temperature.

A control system includes an internal combustion engine and a control device. The internal combustion engine includes a pressurization device. The pressurization device includes a housing having a cylindrical shape, a piston, a pressurization chamber, a piston chamber, a pressurization control chamber, and a switching device configured to selectively connect the pressurization control chamber with a high pressure fuel channel or a low pressure fuel channel. The control device estimates the temperature of the low pressure fuel channel. When the estimated temperature of the low pressure fuel channel is lower than the temperature of the pressurization device, and the temperature of the pressurization device is higher than a predetermined cooling request temperature, the control device controls the switching device to connect the pressurization control chamber with the low pressure fuel channel.