초록 ▼

A fuel system for an engine has a source of pressurized fuel, a rail, and a plurality of fuel injectors. The fuel system also has a sensor to sense a parameter of the pressurized fuel, and a controller. The controller is configured to generate a flow control offset value indicative of a difference

A fuel system for an engine has a source of pressurized fuel, a rail, and a plurality of fuel injectors. The fuel system also has a sensor to sense a parameter of the pressurized fuel, and a controller. The controller is configured to generate a flow control offset value indicative of a difference between the value of the parameter and a desired value for the parameter, and to control operation of the source in response to the flow control offset value when the sensor is determined to be functioning properly. The controller is also configured to store the flow control offset value in a memory of the controller when the sensor is determined to be functioning properly and to associate the flow control offset value with at least one operating condition of the engine. The controller is further configured to control operation of the source in response to previously stored flow control offset value when the sensor is determined to be malfunctioning.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A fuel system for an engine, comprising: a source of pressurized fuel; a rail configured to receive the pressurized fuel; a plurality of fuel injectors in parallel fluid communication with the rail; a sensor configured to sense a parameter of the pressurized fuel within the r

What is claimed is: 1. A fuel system for an engine, comprising: a source of pressurized fuel; a rail configured to receive the pressurized fuel; a plurality of fuel injectors in parallel fluid communication with the rail; a sensor configured to sense a parameter of the pressurized fuel within the rail and to generate a signal corresponding to the value of the parameter; and a controller in communication with the engine, the source of pressurized fuel, and the sensor, the controller being configured to: generate a flow control offset value indicative of a difference between the value of the parameter and a desired value for the parameter; control operation of the source in response to the flow control offset value when the sensor is determined to be functioning properly; store the flow control offset value in a memory of the controller when the sensor is determined to be functioning properly and associate the stored flow control offset value with at least one operating condition of the engine; and control operation of the source in response to previously stored flow control offset values when the sensor is determined to be malfunctioning. 2. The fuel system of claim 1, wherein the at least one operating condition is a first operating condition and the controller is configured to further associate the stored flow control offset value with a second operating condition of the engine. 3. The fuel system of claim 2, wherein the first and second operating conditions of the engine include engine speed and engine load. 4. The fuel system of claim 1, wherein the parameter is pressure. 5. The fuel system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control at least one of injection duration and injection timing of the plurality of fuel injectors based on the signal from the sensor when the sensor is determined to be functioning properly and to control the at least one of injection duration and injection timing for the plurality of fuel injectors based on a predetermined value for the parameter when the sensor is determined to be malfunctioning. 6. The fuel system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control at least one of injection duration and injection timing of the plurality of fuel injectors based on the signal from the sensor when the sensor is determined to be functioning properly and to control the at least one of injection duration and injection timing for the plurality of fuel injectors based on a previously stored flow control offset value and the desired value for the parameter when the sensor is determined to be malfunctioning. 7. The fuel system of claim 1, wherein: the engine includes a plurality of pistons, each of the plurality of pistons being movable through an intake stroke, a compression stroke, a power stroke, and an exhaust stroke to complete a cycle; and the controller is configured to limit each of the plurality of fuel injectors to a single injection per cycle of an associated one of the plurality of pistons when the sensor is determined to be malfunctioning. 8. The fuel system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to predict a fuel consumption amount of an impending injection event and to control operation of the source in further response to the prediction. 9. A method of operating a fuel system for an engine, the method comprising: pressurizing a supply of fuel and directing the pressurized fuel to a plurality of fuel injectors via a common rail; sensing a parameter of the pressurized fuel within the common rail with a sensor associated with the common rail; generating a flow control offset value indicative of a difference between the value of the parameter and a desired value for the parameter; controlling operation of a source of the pressurized fuel in response to the flow control offset value when the sensor is determined to be functioning properly; storing the flow control offset value in a memory of the fuel system when the sensor is determined to be functioning properly and associating the stored flow control offset value with at least one operating condition of the engine; and controlling operation of the source of the pressurized fuel in response to previously stored flow control offset values when the sensor is determined to be malfunctioning. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one operating condition is a first operating condition and the method further includes associating the stored flow control offset value with a second operating condition of the engine. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first and second operating conditions include engine speed and engine load. 12. The method of claim 9, wherein the parameter is pressure. 13. The method of claim 9, further including: controlling at least one of injection duration and injection timing of the plurality of fuel injectors based on the value of the sensed parameter when the sensor is determined to be functioning properly; and controlling the at least one of injection duration and injection timing of the plurality of fuel injectors based on a predetermined value for the parameter when the sensor is determined to be malfunctioning. 14. The method of claim 9, further including: controlling at least one of injection duration and injection timing of the plurality of fuel injectors based on the value of the sensed parameter when the sensor is determined to be functioning properly; and controlling the at least one of injection duration and injection timing of the plurality of fuel injectors based on a previously stored flow control offset value and the desired value for the parameter when the sensor is determined to be malfunctioning. 15. The method of claim 9, wherein the engine includes a plurality of pistons, each of the plurality of pistons being movable through an intake stroke, a compression stroke, a power stroke, and an exhaust stroke to complete a cycle, and the method further includes limiting each of the plurality of fuel injectors to a single injection per cycle of an associated one of the plurality of pistons when the sensor is determined to be malfunctioning. 16. The method of claim 9, further including: predicting a fuel consumption amount of an impending injection event; and controlling operation of the source in further response to the prediction. 17. An engine, comprising: an engine block forming a plurality of cylinders; a plurality of pistons disposed within the plurality of cylinders to form a plurality of combustion chambers; and a fuel system configured to inject pressurized fuel into the plurality of combustion chambers, the fuel system including: a source of pressurized fuel; a rail configured to receive the pressurized fuel; a plurality of fuel injectors in parallel fluid communication with the rail; a sensor configured to sense a pressure of the pressurized fuel within the rail and to generate a signal corresponding to the value of the pressure; and a controller in communication with the engine, the source of pressurized fuel, and the sensor, the controller being configured to: generate a flow control offset value indicative of a difference between the sensed pressure value and a desired pressure value; control operation of the source in response to the flow control offset value when the sensor is determined to be functioning properly; store the flow control offset value in a memory of the controller when the sensor is determined to be functioning properly and associate the stored flow control offset value with the current speed and load of the engine; and control operation of the source in response to previously stored flow control offset values when the sensor is determined to be malfunctioning. 18. The engine of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to control at least one of injection duration and injection timing of the plurality of fuel injectors based on the sensed pressure when the sensor is determined to be functioning properly and to control the at least one of injection duration and injection timing for the plurality of fuel injectors based on a predetermined pressure value when the sensor is determined to be malfunctioning. 19. The engine of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to control at least one of injection duration and injection timing of the plurality of fuel injectors based on the sensed pressure when the sensor is determined to be functioning properly and to control the at least one of injection duration and injection timing for the plurality of fuel injectors based on a previously stored flow control offset value and the desired pressure value when the sensor is determined to be malfunctioning. 20. The engine of claim 17, wherein: the engine includes a plurality of pistons, each of the plurality of pistons being movable through an intake stroke, a compression stroke, a power stroke, and an exhaust stroke to complete a cycle; and the controller is configured to limit each of the plurality of fuel injectors to a single injection per cycle of an associated one of the plurality of pistons when the sensor is determined to be malfunctioning. 21. The engine of claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to predict a fuel consumption amount of an impending injection event and to control operation of the source in further response to the prediction.