Development of Harsh Environment MEMS Sensors for Greener Internal Combustion Engines

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The primary objective of the present proposal is to enable cost-effective real-time in-cylinder monitoring and control of the combustion process in conventional and "greener" internal combustion engines (ICEs). This will be done through the development of reliable in-cylinder multifunctional Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) sensors. Monitoring and control of in-cylinder parameters of ICEs is a costly and intrusive process, requires highly accurate measurements (error <0.5% FSO - full scale output), and has usually been restricted to research and test engines. Current Engine Management Systems (EMS) for production ICEs infer the characteristics of the combustion through comparison of measurements done outside the cylinder (e.g. at the manifold and exhaust) with pre-loaded data obtained from laboratory test engines and are therefore, prone to error. Although promising non-intrusive in-cylinder sensor technologies are being developed for control of production ICEs (e.g. ion current sensors, piezoelectric pressure sensors, optical sensors, etc.). Major barriers for their implementation are cost, accuracy (errors >5% FSO) and lack of durability.