METHOD FOR DETERMINING AND REGULATING THE GLOW PLUG TEMPERATURE

摘要

The subject of the invention is the regulation of the glow plug temperature, wherein the measured voltage between the electrode (2) and the glow tube (3) is used to regulate the electric power supplied to the glow part of the plug. The plug is preferably supplied by a pulse width modulated voltage. By changing the pulse width or its period, the average electric heating power is changed. The voltage between the electrode and the glow tube is measured in time intervals, when there is no power supply voltage applied to the glow part. The temperature of the glow part of the plug is determined from this voltage, because it is comprised mainly of the thermal voltage of the glow part of the plug when it is hot. The regulation of the glow plug heating enables to keep a constant temperature of the glow part of the plug, without any knowledge about its cooling or heating. Consequently, the controller receives only the on and off commands and optionally the desired temperature of the plug at a given moment. To maintain a constant temperature, the controller does not have to receive data about the regime of engine operation that would allow to infer the necessary heating power. Since the data about the regime of engine operation are not required, it is also not necessary to assess their effect on the cooling and heating of the plug.