Patent ID: 6237575
Filing Date: 2001-05-29
Classification: F02D,F02M

Abstract:
In a vehicle having an internal combustion engine and equipped with a fuel vapor system which uses vapors from a fuel with air supplied said engine as a pre-vaporized fuel to at least partially assist in fueling said engine, the improvement comprising:a) an infrared hydrocarbon sensor for sensing a first air to fuel ratio or a hydrocarbon concentration of said pre-vaporized fuel, said infrared sensor including means for preventing generation of an infrared radiation beam by said infrared sensor at temperatures greater than an auto-ignition temperature of said pre-vaporized fuel; and,b) an engine control for controlling a second air to fuel ratio of air and said fuel supplied said engine based on said sensed hydrocarbon concentration or said first air to fuel ratio of said pre-vaporized fuel.