Methods, devices and systems for glow plug operation of a combustion engine

摘要

A glow plug control apparatus for an engine of a motor vehicle, comprising at least one glow plug; a power source to apply electric power to the at least one glow plug; and a control unit comprising a microprocessor configured and arranged to determine glow plug supply power to be applied from the power source to the at least one glow plug based on input from stored vehicle data and from a plurality of engine sensors, wherein the input includes data of engine operating parameters including fresh air intake mass airflow, intake manifold total mass airflow, intake manifold temperature, coolant temperature, glow plug temperature and total fuel injection quantity.

主权项

1. A glow plug control apparatus for an engine of a motor vehicle, comprising:
at least one glow plug; a power source to apply electric power to the at least one glow plug; a control unit; wherein the control unit receives input data from stored vehicle data and from a plurality of engine sensors, wherein the input data includes data of engine operating parameters including fresh air intake mass airflow, intake manifold total mass airflow, intake manifold temperature, coolant temperature, reference glow plug temperature and total fuel injection quantity; wherein the control unit calculates, with an equation, a glow plug supply power level to be provided from the power source to the at least one glow plug based on the input data with at least one microprocessor; wherein the control unit causes the glow plug supply power level to be provided from the power source to the at least one glow plug; and wherein the reference glow plug temperature is not part of a feedback loop.