A system comprising

a distribution grid (2) for a fuel,

combustion engines (3), which are coupled with the distribution grid (2) and are configured to combust the fuel, and

a computer system (4) comprising data connections (5) to the combustion engines (3) and a data storage device (6), wherein the computer system (4) is configured to receive engine operation parameters stemming from an operation of the combustion engines (3) at a first time and/or during a first time period via the data connections (5) and geographical data of the combustion engines (3) are stored in the data storage device (6), wherein

the computer system (4) has a processor (7) which is configured to compute a prediction for at least one characteristic parameter of the fuel at a second time and/or during a second time period later than the first time and/or the first time period and with respect to a geographical location, and

the computation of the prediction being based on the geographical data and the engine operation parameters of the combustion engines (3).

An abnormality determination device is applied to an electrostatic capacitance type fuel property sensor that has a sensing section that senses an electrostatic capacitance of a fuel to be detected. The abnormality determination device of the fuel property sensor acquires a first output that is an output when a predetermined voltage is applied to the sensing section and a second output that is an output when a voltage is not applied to the sensing section. The acquired first output and second output are compared and whether or not the fuel property sensor is abnormal is determined.

A control device for an internal combustion engine is provided. The internal combustion engine includes a cylinder, an in-cylinder pressure sensor, a fuel injection valve, and an alcohol concentration sensor. The control device includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to: carry out learning of fuel properties with the fuel injected from the fuel injection valve as a target; calculate a combustion speed parameter, showing a combustion speed, within the cylinder, of the fuel that is a learning target of the fuel properties, on a basis of the in-cylinder pressure; and determine that water is included in the fuel when the capacitance of the fuel detected by the alcohol concentration sensor is larger than a preset first threshold, and when the combustion speed of the fuel within the cylinder is smaller than a preset second threshold.

Within the scope of the invention, a device for monitoring the quality of a fuel stored in a fuel tank has been developed. The main field of application is diesel-operated vehicles. The fuel is therefore preferably diesel fuel. The device is defined by the fact that means for determining the boiling point of the fuel are provided. Furthermore, a method for monitoring the quality of a fuel stored in a fuel tank has also been developed within the scope of the invention. The main field of application is diesel-operated vehicles. The fuel is therefore preferably diesel fuel. The method is defined by the fact that the boiling point of the fuel or a deviation of this boiling point from a normal value is measured. During the analysis of real injection pumps which have failed it has been detected that an excessively low boiling point of the fuel can cause the fuel to outgas. As a result, bubbles in which the necessary lubrication is no longer provided locally form in the injection pump. Furthermore, the lubricating effect is dependent on the fuel having a certain minimum viscosity. A low boiling point is also correlated with a low viscosity. Therefore, overall, the boiling point (initial boiling point, IBP) is a particularly good indicator especially of those deviations from standard values for the fuel which entail particularly costly damage.

A fuel type estimation system configured to estimate a type variable related to a type of fuel in an engine system including an engine and a fuel supply apparatus includes a storage device and an execution device. The storage device is configured to store a mapping that uses, as inputs, input variables including an engine variable related to a condition of the engine and outputs the type variable. The execution device is configured to acquire the input variables, and estimate the type variable by applying the acquired input variables to the mapping.

In a fuel pressure control device for an internal combustion engine of the invention, a first map (FIG. 4A) for defining a first target fuel pressure for normal time and a second map (FIG. 5A) for defining a second target fuel pressure for suppressing noise and vibration smaller than the first target fuel pressure are stored. When an acquired fuel temperature is higher than a predetermined temperature, the first target fuel pressure defined in the first map is set as a target fuel pressure (steps 1 to 3), and when the fuel temperature is equal to or lower than the predetermined temperature, the second target fuel pressure defined in the second map is set as the target fuel pressure (steps 1, 5, and 6). The fuel pressure is controlled based on the set target fuel pressure (step 7).

Exemplary embodiments include a method for analysis of fuel supplied to a combustion engine during operation of the engine. The method can include obtaining respective indications of a temperature of the fuel supplied to the engine and a density of the fuel supplied to the engine; deriving a temperature-adjusted fuel density based on the indicated density of fuel in dependence of relationship between the indicated temperature of the fuel and a predefined reference temperature; and deriving, based at least on the temperature-adjusted fuel density, a heating value that is descriptive of the amount of heat released during combustion of a predefined amount of the fuel.

A system comprising a distribution grid (2) for a fuel, combustion engines (3), which are coupled with the distribution grid (2) and are configured to combust the fuel, and a computer system (4) comprising data connections (5) to the combustion engines (3) and a data storage device (6), wherein the computer system (4) is configured to receive engine operation parameters stemming from an operation of the combustion engines (3) at a first time and/or during a first time period via the data connections (5) and geographical data of the combustion engines (3) are stored in the data storage device (6), wherein the computer system (4) has a processor (7) which is configured to compute a prediction for at least one characteristic parameter of the fuel at a second time and/or during a second time period later than the first time and/or the first time period and with respect to a geographical location, and the computation of the prediction being based on the geographical data and the engine operation parameters of the combustion engines (3).

A fuel type estimation system configured to estimate a type variable related to a type of fuel in an engine system including an engine and a fuel supply apparatus includes a storage device and an execution device. The storage device is configured to store a mapping that uses, as inputs, input variables including an engine variable related to a condition of the engine and outputs the type variable. The execution device is configured to acquire the input variables, and estimate the type variable by applying the acquired input variables to the mapping.

Present invention optimizes utilization of different fuels in various single and multi-fueled engines. The fuel system and optimization controller links fuel properties (physical, reactionary, combustion etc.) to on-board computer systems during the refueling process. This link enables fuel and additive producers an opportunity to optimize combustion parameters of their proprietary fuel blends to increase performance, fuel efficiencies and reduce emissions.