(7) Knocking Control
A. Resetting the pilot injection
The knocking control is used to reset the pilot injection flow in closed loop for each injector. This method
allows the correction of any injector deviations over a period of time. The principle of use of the knocking
control is based on the detection of the combustion noises.
The sensor is positioned in such a way as to receive the maximum signal for all the cylinders. The raw
signals from the knock sensor are processed to obtain a variable which quantifies the intensity of the
combustion. This variable, known as the ratio, consists of the ratio between the intensity of the
background noise and the combustion noise.
A first window is used to establish the background noise level of the knocking control signal for each
cylinder. This window must therefore be positioned at a moment when there cannot be any
combustion.
The second window is used to measure the intensity of the pilot combustion. Its position is such that
only the combustion noises produced by the pilot injection are measured . It is therefore placed just
before the main injection. 1.
2.
The knock sensor does not allow any evaluation of the quantity injected. However, the pulse value will
be measured when the injector starts injection and this pulse value is called the MDP (Minimum Drive
Pulse). On the basis of this information, it is possible to efficiently correct the pilot flows. The pilot
injection resetting principle therefore consists of determining the MDP, in other words the pulse
corresponding to the start of the increase in value of the ratio (increase of vibration due to fuel
combustion).
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This is done periodically under certain operating conditions. When the resetting is finished, the new
minimum pulse value replaces the value obtained during the previous resetting. The first MDP value is
provided by the C3I. Each resetting then allows the closed loop of the MDP to be updated according to
the deviation of the injector.
B. Detection of leaks in the cylinders
The accelerometer is also used to detect any injector which may have stuck open. The detection
principle is based on monitoring the ratio. If there is a leak in the cylinder, the accumulated fuel self-
ignites as soon as the temperature and pressure conditions are favorable (high engine speed, high load
and small leak).
This combustion is set off at about 20 degrees before TDC and before main injection.
The ratio therefore increases considerably in the detection window. It is this increase which allows the
leaks to be detected. The threshold beyond which a fault is signaled is a percentage of the maximum
possible value of the ratio.
Because of the severity of the recovery process (engine shut-down), the etection must be extremely
robust.
An increase in the ratio can be the consequence of various causes:
Pilot injection too much
Main combustion offset
Fuel leak in the cylinder -
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If the ratio becomes too high, the strategy initially restricts the pilot injection flow and retards the main
injection. If the ratio remains high despite these interventions, this shows that a real leak is present, a
fault is signaled and the engine is shut down.
C. Detection of an accelerometer fault
This strategy permits the detection of a fault in the sensor or in the wiring loom connecting the sensor to
the ECU.
It is based on detection of the combustion. When the engine is idling, the detection window is set too low
for the combustion caused by the main injection. If the ratio increases, this shows that the knock sensor
is working properly, but otherwise a fault is signaled to indicate a sensor failure. The recovery modes
associated with this fault consist of inhibition of the pilot injection and discharge through the injectors.
