Using resistance equivalent to estimate temperature of a fuel-njector heater

摘要

A temperature of the heater 110 of a fuel-injector is determined for control and monitoring. The heater driver, upon receipt of a turn-on signal, generates a current within a component of a heated fuel injector, which generates an appropriate loss to generate heat for a variable spray fuel injection system. The heater driver regulates the energy to the heated component based on the electrical resistance of that component as a function of temperature and a predetermined reference value for that temperature. A voltage equivalent heater resistance 112 is determined by dividing (at 113) the voltage drop across the heater by the measured electrical current through the heater. The voltage drop may be measured using a pair of Kelvin connections 104-2. The current may be measured using a current sense resistor 122.