A Distinction Method of Fuel Property for Automotive Engines Using a Dynamic Reference Model

A distinction method is proposed for distinguishing the fuel property (volatility) of automotive engines based on a dynamic reference model. This method can determine whether the fuel property is heavy or light. The reference fuel response when an engine is accelerating is calculated based on the fuel injection amount and the dynamic reference model, which provides a medium response for heavy and light properties. The actual fuel response is detected based on the air intake amount and the measured air-fuel ratio. If the actual response is faster than the reference response, the fuel property is judged as light. If the actual response is slower, the fuel property is judged as heavy. This judgment is well-founded because the faster the fuel response, the lighter the fuel property. Simulations showed that the proposed method determines the fuel property accurately.