Abstract:
A method of operating internal combustion engine in which a first fuel pump delivers fuel from a fuel tank, and at least a part of the delivered fuel travels via at least one inlet valve into at least one working chamber of a second fuel pump embodied as a positive-displacement pump which delivers the fuel to a fuel accumulation line. In order to increase the efficiency during operation of the engine, the inlet valve opens when there is a particular pressure difference between the working chamber and a region upstream of the inlet valve and that the pressure upstream of the inlet valve is changed in order to change the relative opening duration of the inlet valve and therefore the fuel quantity arriving into the working chamber of the second fuel pump.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The current invention relates to a method for operating an internal combustion engine, in particular with direction injection, in which a first fuel pump delivers fuel from a fuel tank and in which at least a part of the delivered fuel travels on via at least one inlet valve into at least one working chamber of a second fuel pump embodied as a positive-displacement pump, which delivers the fuel to a fuel accumulation line.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0004]    A method of operating an internal combustion engine in the above manner is known from DE 199 26 308 A1, which discloses a pump apparatus for fuel, which has a main delivery pump embodied as a high-pressure pump, preceded by a presupply pump. The presupply pump is embodied as a mechanical fuel pump and delivers a fuel flow from a tank via a fuel line. The main delivery pump is a radial piston pump driven by a camshaft. The radial piston pump feeds into a fuel accumulation line, which is also commonly referred to as a “rail”. From the fuel accumulation line, in which the fuel is stored at high pressure, the fuel travels to the injection valves, which supply the fuel to combustion chambers of the engine.  
           [0005]    An inlet valve, which is embodied as the check valve, is provided at the entry to the working chamber of the positive-displacement pump. During a displacement stroke of the piston, this inlet valve closes the working chamber off from the region oriented toward the presupply pump. The known pump apparatus is provided with a metering unit between the presupply pump and the main delivery pump. This metering unit can throttle the influx of fuel into the working chamber of the pump so powerfully that it is only partially filled or is not filled at all. This serves to reduce the drive moment of the main delivery pump in those cases in which the main delivery pump should not supply the entire fuel quantity. For example, this is the case when the injection valves inject only a small amount of fuel into the combustion chamber of the engine.  
           [0006]    In order to achieve the throttling, it must be possible for the throttle valve used to be precisely adjusted over a broad range. However, a throttle valve of this kind is expensive. Moreover, when a throttle valve is used, even when the valve is completely open, the pressure always drops by a certain amount due to the presence of the valve. This can lead to a reduction in the efficiency of the pump apparatus.  
         OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The object of the current invention, therefore, is to modify a method of the type mentioned above so that the associated internal combustion engine is less expensive to produce and operates with a higher efficiency.  
           [0008]    This object is attained with a method of the type mentioned above in that the inlet valve opens when there is a particular pressure difference between the working chamber and a region upstream of the inlet valve and that the pressure upstream of the inlet valve is changed in order to change the relative opening duration of the inlet valve and therefore the fuel quantity arriving into the working chamber of the second fuel pump.  
           [0009]    With the method according to the invention, a throttle valve between the first and second fuel pump can be eliminated. This reduces the costs of producing the pump apparatus and consequently also the costs of producing the engine. Furthermore, the full cross section is available at any time for the delivery of fuel so that no pressure losses occur upstream of the second fuel pump, or at least none of any consequence. This considerably increases efficiency during operation of the engine.  
           [0010]    These advantages according to the invention are achieved by virtue of the fact that the fuel quantity that travels into the working chamber of the second fuel pump is achieved not by narrowing the cross section of the inlet, but by limiting the time during which the fuel can travel into the working chamber of the second fuel pump. The “relative” opening duration of the inlet valve here is not understood to be an absolute time value, but an opening time that relates the duration of a working stroke of the pump elements associated with the corresponding working chamber.  
           [0011]    The invention first proposes that in order to achieve a maximal opening duration of the inlet valve, the pressure in the region upstream of the inlet valve is increased to a pressure, which approximately corresponds to the maximal permissible pressure for the first fuel pump. The maximal opening duration of the inlet valve means in general that the inlet valve is open during the entire intake stroke in the working chamber and consequently, the second fuel pump executes a maximal delivery. The combination of this maximal opening duration of the inlet valve with the maximal permissible pressure for the first fuel pump permits a broad pressure range to be used for adjusting the opening duration. This in turn leads to a relatively high degree of precision in the adjustment of the opening duration of the inlet valve.  
           [0012]    Analogously, the invention proposes that in order to achieve a minimal opening duration of the inlet valve, the pressure in the region upstream of the inlet valve is reduced to a pressure, which approximately corresponds to the minimal pressure required for a lubrication of the second fuel pump. This modification is based on the concept that a part of the fuel flow delivered by the first fuel pump to the second fuel pump is used for the lubrication of the second fuel pump. Another purpose of this branching of a fuel flow is the cooling of the second fuel pump. This modification of the method according to the invention also broadens the pressure range available for controlling the opening duration of the inlet valve, which has a favorable effect on the precision of the opening duration adjustment.  
           [0013]    Another particularly preferable modification of the method according to the invention is the one in which the inlet valve does not open when the pressure in the region upstream of the inlet valve is minimal. In this instance, an actual zero-delivery of the second fuel pump can be achieved, which is advantageous, for example, during overrunning of the engine.  
           [0014]    The invention also proposes that the desired driving torque of the engine is at least indirectly used to determine a reference opening duration of the inlet valve of the second fuel pump and/or a reference pressure in a region upstream of the inlet valve of the second fuel pump. This modification of the method according to the invention has the advantage of permitting an extremely rapid reaction to the fuel requirements that correspond to the desired driving torque and consequently, the driving torque of the second fuel pump is minimal in every operating state of the engine.  
           [0015]    The invention also relates to a computer program, which is suitable for executing the method of the type mentioned above, when it is run on a computer. It is particularly preferable if the computer program is stored in a memory, in particular a flash memory.  
           [0016]    The invention also relates to a control and/or regulating unit for controlling and/or regulating at least one function of an internal combustion engine. In order to be able to embody the operation of the engine in the most favorable possible manner with regard to efficiency, the invention proposes that the control and/or regulating unit is provided with a computer program of the type mentioned above.  
           [0017]    The invention also relates to a fuel system for an internal combustion engine, in particular with direct injection, having a fuel tank, a first fuel pump that delivers from the fuel tank, and a second fuel pump embodied as a positive-displacement pump with at least one working chamber, which is connected on the inlet side by means of at least one inlet valve to the first fuel pump and is connected on the outlet the side to a fuel accumulation line.  
           [0018]    A fuel system of this kind is known from the above-mentioned DE 199 26 308 A1. In order to improve the efficiency during operation of a fuel system of this kind, and in order to reduce the costs for the fuel system, the invention proposes that the inlet valve opens when a particular pressure differential exists between the working chamber and a region upstream of the inlet valve and that a pressure adjusting device is provided, which can adjust the pressure in the region upstream of the inlet valve, so that influence can be exerted on the relative opening duration of the inlet valve and on the quantity of fuel arriving into the working chamber of the second fuel pump. With respect to the advantages of this, reference is hereby made to the explanations given above.  
           [0019]    In a modification to this, the invention proposes that the inlet valve includes a prestressed check valve. This component is simply designed and inexpensive.  
           [0020]    Advantageously, the pressure adjusting device includes an electrically adjustable pressure control valve, which is connected on the outlet side to a return. A pressure control valve, which limits the pressure downstream of the first fuel pump to a particular maximal value is provided anyway in conventional fuel systems. An electrically adjustable pressure control valve therefore incurs only slight cost increases—if any at all—and is operationally reliable. Particularly in connection with a first fuel pump that is embodied as an electric fuel pump and in this respect, achieves a constant delivery capacity, a pressure control valve of this kind can be used to adjust the pressure in the region between the first fuel pump and the second fuel pump in a simple manner.  
           [0021]    A particularly preferable modification of the fuel system according to the invention is the one in which the inlet valve is embodied so that it remains closed when a pressure in the region upstream of the check valve lies in the vicinity of the minimal opening pressure of the pressure control valve. In a simple fashion, this permits a fuel system to be achieved in which a zero-delivery to the injection valves is possible.  
           [0022]    Analogously to this, it is advantageous if the inlet valve is embodied so that it is open essentially during the entire intake stroke of the second fuel pump when a pressure in the region upstream of the inlet valve lies in the vicinity of the maximal opening pressure of the pressure control valve. In a simple fashion, this produces a full delivery and the entire pressure range possible in the low pressure region of the fuel system, i.e. in the region upstream of the check valve, is used for controlling the opening duration of the check valve.  
           [0023]    For safety reasons, though, it is advantageous if the opening pressure of the pressure control valve is minimal when it is without power. In the event of an interruption in the power supply or a failure of the control unit, this assures that no fuel or only a small amount of fuel reaches the second fuel pump and consequently only a small amount of fuel or no fuel at all can travel into the combustion chambers. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0024]    The invention will be better understood and further objects and advantages thereof will become more apparent from the ensuing detailed description of preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a fuel system with a second fuel pump, which is shown in a partially sectional view;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 2 shows a section through a region of the second fuel pump from FIG. 1; and  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 3 shows a graph in which the piston stroke, the pressure in the working chamber, the pressure upstream of an inlet valve of the second fuel pump, and the opening duration of this inlet valve are depicted over the angle of a drive shaft of the fuel pump. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0028]    In FIG. 1, a fuel system is labeled as a whole with the reference numeral  10 . It includes a fuel tank  12 , from which fuel  14  is delivered by an electric fuel pump  16 . The fuel pump  16  is connected to the fuel tank  12  by means of a fuel line  18  in which a filter  19  is disposed.  
         [0029]    A fuel line  20  leads from the electric fuel pump  16  to a mechanically driven high-pressure fuel pump  22 . This high-pressure fuel pump will be discussed in detail further below. Before the high-pressure fuel pump  22 , a branch line  24  containing a flow throttle  26  branches off from the fuel line  20 . The branch line  24  leads to a drive/crank chamber  28  in the high-pressure fuel pump  22 . From this, a return line  30  leads back to the fuel tank  12 . Between the electric fuel pump  16  and the junction of the branch line  24 , a connecting line  32  branches off from the fuel line  20 . This connecting line  32  leads to the return line  30 . A pressure control valve  34  is disposed in the connecting line  32 . The opening pressure of this pressure control valve can be electromagnetically adjusted.  
         [0030]    On the outlet side, the high-pressure fuel pump  22  is connected to a fuel accumulation line  36 . Fuel can be stored in this accumulation line at a very high-pressure. The fuel accumulation line  36  is connected to a number of injection valves  38 , which can inject the fuel into combustion chambers  40  of the engine (not numbered). The fuel system  10  also includes a control and regulating unit  42 , which is connected on the output side, among other things, to the pressure control valve  34 . On the input side, the control and regulating unit  42  receives, among other things, signals from a position sensor  44 , which senses the position of a gas pedal (not shown).  
         [0031]    The high-pressure fuel pump  22  is embodied as a radial piston pump. It includes a housing  45 , with three cylinders  46   a,    46   b , and  46   c  arranged in a star pattern. The cylinders  46   a ,  46   b , and  46   c  contain pistons  48   a  to  48   c , which can be set into a reciprocating motion by a camshaft  50  by means of a stroke ring  51 . The camshaft  50  is disposed in the above-mentioned drive/crank chamber  28 , in the radial center of the housing  45 . Each cylinder  46   a  to  46   c  is radially defined at the outside by a cylinder head  52 . The design and function of the cylinder  46   a  will be explained below in conjunction with FIG. 2 as an example for all of the cylinders  46   a  to  46   c . It should be noted that for the sake of clarity, not all of the reference numerals are furnished in FIG. 1.  
         [0032]    The piston  48  is guided so that it can slide in a sleeve  54 . This sleeve is pressed against the cylinder head  52  by a compression spring  56 . A step-shaped blind bore  58  is provided in the cylinder head  52 . Its lower region in FIG. 2 has a larger diameter and defines a working chamber  60 , whereas its upper region in FIG. 2 has a smaller diameter and defines an inlet chamber  62 . The two regions are separated from each other by conical transition surface, which constitutes a valve seat  64 .  
         [0033]    The blind bore  58  contains a cylindrical valve element  66 . This valve element has an elongated, cylindrical guide section  68  and a head section  70 . The head section  70  has a larger diameter than the guide section  68 . A compression spring  72 , which is clamped between the piston  48  and the head section  70  of the valve element  66 , presses the head section  70  against the valve seat  64 .  
         [0034]    The circumferential surface of the inlet chamber  62  has a circumferential annular groove  74  let into it, into which an inlet conduit  76  feeds. The valve element  66 , together with the valve seat  64 , constitutes an inlet valve  78 , through which fuel can travel into the working chamber  60  and which is designed so that it opens when an approximate pressure difference of 2 bar between the working chamber  60  and the inlet chamber  62  is exceeded. The working chamber  60  is connected to an outlet valve  82  by means of an outlet conduit  80 . Like the inlet valve  78 , this outlet valve  82  is embodied as a spring-actuated check valve, but its valve element is a valve ball.  
         [0035]    The fuel system  10  functions in the following manner: (The detailed functions of the high-pressure fuel pump  22  will, for their part, be described using the example of the cylinder  46   a . They also apply analogously to the cylinders  46   b  and  46   c )  
         [0036]    In order to achieve a full delivery, the pressure control valve  34  is triggered by the control and regulating unit  42  so that the pressure in the fuel line  20  between the electric fuel pump  16  and the high-pressure fuel pump  22  is approximately 5 bar. This pressure level is the maximum pressure that can be achieved by the electric fuel pump  16  and is labeled with the reference numeral  86  in FIG. 3. During a delivery stroke (the stroke curve of the piston  48  is labeled with the reference numeral  87  in FIG. 3), the camshaft  50  moves the piston  48  toward the valve element  66  so that the volume of the working chamber  60  is reduced and the spring  72  is compressed. By means of this and due to the pressure difference between the working chamber  60  and the inlet chamber  62 , the valve element  66  is pushed with the head section  70  against the valve seat  64 . The inlet valve  78  is thus closed. If the pressure in the working chamber  60  is slightly higher than the pressure in the fuel accumulation line  36 , the outlet valve  82  opens and the working volume enclosed in the working chamber  60  can be pushed into the fuel accumulation line  36 .  
         [0037]    After the end of a delivery stroke, an intake stroke begins. In it, the compression spring  56  moves the piston  48  away from the valve element  66  so that the volume of the working chamber  60  increases. This reduces the pressure in the working chamber  60 , which causes the outlet valve  82  to close. The inlet valve  78  is also closed at first. The spring  72  and the area ratios on the head  70  of the valve element  66  are designed so that the inlet valve  78  opens only when the pressure in the working chamber  60  is approximately 2 bar less than the pressure in the inlet chamber  62 . The curve that represents the pressure in the working chamber  60  is labeled with the reference numeral  88  in FIG. 3. Thus the inlet valve  78  opens as soon as a pressure of less than or equal to 3 bar prevails in the working chamber  60 . When the inlet valve  78  is open, then fuel can flow from the fuel tank  12 , through the fuel line  18 , the electric fuel pump  16 , the fuel line  20 , the inlet conduit  76 , the annular groove  74 , and the inlet chamber  62 , into the working chamber  60 .  
         [0038]    When the piston  48  reaches the bottom dead center, the intake stroke ends and a new delivery stroke begins. This means that the camshaft  50  once again pushes the piston  48  toward the valve element  66 . Consequently, the pressure in the working chamber  60  increases and the spring  72  is once again compressed. As soon as the pressure difference between working chamber  60  and the inlet chamber  62  is less than 2 bar, the inlet valve  78  closes. Thus in this instance, the opening duration of the inlet valve  78  (pressure in the fuel line  20  or in the inlet chamber  62  of 5 bar) corresponds approximately to the duration of the intake stroke of the piston  48 . This duration is indicated in FIG. 3 by a bar graph that is labeled with the reference numeral  90 .  
         [0039]    If a smaller fuel quantity is to be delivered by the high-pressure fuel  22 , then the pressure control valve  34  is triggered by the control and regulating unit  42  so that the pressure in the fuel line  120  is only approximately 3 bar, for example. Correspondingly, a pressure of only approximately 3 bar also prevails in the inlet chamber  62 . The pressure level of 3 bar is labeled with the reference numeral  92  in FIG. 3.  
         [0040]    Analogous to the above description, the pressure in the working chamber  60  decreases during an intake stroke when the inlet valve  78  is closed and the outlet valve  82  is likewise closed. If the pressure difference between the working chamber  60  and the inlet chamber  62  exceeds approximately 2 bar, then the inlet valve  78  opens. This is the case when there is a pressure of approximately 1 bar in the working chamber  60 . As can be seen in FIG. 3, this is considerably later than a pressure of 5 bar in the inlet chamber  62 .  
         [0041]    After the passage through the bottom dead center and the beginning of the subsequent delivery stroke, the pressure in the working chamber  60  increases again. If the pressure in the working chamber  60  exceeds a pressure of 1 bar or the pressure difference between the inlet chamber  62  and the working chamber  60  is less than 2 bar, then the inlet valve  78  closes. The corresponding opening duration of the inlet valve  78  is likewise depicted in FIG. 3 by means of a bar graph that is labeled with the reference numeral  94 . It is easy to see that the opening duration  94  is considerably shorter than the opening duration  90 , which was achieved with a pressure of approximately 5 bar in the fuel line  20 . A shorter opening duration of the inlet valve  78 , however, also means that less fuel can flow into the working chamber  60 . Consequently, the fuel quantity arriving into the working chamber  60  and therefore the entire fuel quantity delivered by the high-pressure fuel pump  22  to the fuel accumulation line  36  can be changed or adjusted by reducing the pressure in the fuel line  20 .  
         [0042]    If a zero-delivery is to be produced, the control and regulating unit  42  switches off the power supply to the pressure control valve  34  so that the pressure in the fuel line  20  and consequently in the inlet chamber  62  is only approximately 2 bar. This is the pressure at which just enough fuel is traveling through the flow throttle  26  and the branch line  24  into the drive/crank chamber  28  to assure the lubrication and cooling of the moving parts of the high-pressure fuel pump  22 . The pressure level of 2 bar is labeled with the reference numeral  96  in FIG. 3.  
         [0043]    As is also shown in FIG. 3, the pressure in the working chamber  60  (curve  88 ) during an intake stroke never falls below approximately 0.2 to 0.3 bar. At a pressure in the inlet chamber  62  of 2 bar, therefore, the pressure difference between the working chamber  60  and the inlet chamber  62  is at most approximately 1.7 to 1.8 bar. This pressure difference, however, is insufficient to lift the valve element  66  up from the valve seat  64  counter to the force exerted by the compression spring  72 . Therefore in this instance, the inlet valve  78  does not open at all so that in addition, no fuel can flow into the working chamber  60 .  
         [0044]    The control and regulating unit  42  triggers the pressure control valve  34  as a function of the signals, which it receives from the position sensor  44 . The fuel quantity supplied by the high-pressure fuel pump  22  can thus be adjusted as a function of the torque desired to by the operator of the internal combustion engine. The method with which the fuel system  10  is operated is stored as a computer program in memory of the control and regulating unit  42 .  
         [0045]    The foregoing relates to preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention, it being understood that other variants and embodiments thereof are possible within the spirit and scope of the invention, the latter being defined by the appended claims.