Patent ID: 8312868

Claim:
A method for operating an internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder coupled to a tank ventilation system with a line configured to provide pneumatic communication between the tank ventilation system and the at least one cylinder, the line having at least one sensor having at least one heating element and at least one temperature sensor configured for determining a hydrocarbon content, said method comprising: sensing a temperature of a gas flow from the internal combustion engine by the at least one temperature sensor; heating the gas flow by the at least one heating element of the at least one temperature sensor; determining, based at least in part on a measurement signal from the at least one sensor, a hydrocarbon content of a gas flow flowing from the tank ventilation system to the at least one cylinder in the line; determining, based at least in part on the determined hydrocarbon content, a first characteristic variable for a fuel quantity to be metered; determining at least one second characteristic variable representing a temperature of the gas flow; controlling, based at least in part on at least one of the first characteristic variable and the at least one second characteristic variable, a metering of fuel into the at least one cylinder; and controlling, based at least in part on the determined hydrocarbon content, a valve configured to control a metering of gas flow into the at least one cylinder.