Sensorless control of electromagnetic fuel injectors

韦斯特波特创新公司是一家加拿大公司，也是天然气发动机技术和车辆的世界领导者。韦斯特波特的天然气技术已开发并集成到从小型乘用车到大型商用半挂牵引车等各种汽车应用中。日益严格的排放标准和波动的汽油和柴油价格使韦斯特波特的天然气替代品蓬勃发展。韦斯特波特的高压直喷（HPDI）喷油器是一种领先的技术，它使用高速电磁执行器来打开或关闭液压阀，从而驱动喷油针。然而，韦斯特波特的HPDI喷射器缺乏控制中间针定位的能力，因为致动器由于不能集成位置传感器而只能在开/关状态下操作。 ** 本提案详细说明了与韦斯特波特创新公司（Westport Innovations Inc.）开展的为期42个月的合作研究项目。和不列颠哥伦比亚省大学（UBC）。该项目旨在开发一种新型的无传感器控制策略和一种恒定气隙螺线管致动器，以实现中间位置控制。通过中间位置控制，不仅可以实现减少寄生喷射、磨损和噪声的软密封，而且可以实施新的针升程和速率成形策略，这将减少燃料消耗和有害排放。该项目的成功将导致世界上第一个商业上可行的HPDI注射器能够强大的中间定位。通过这项研究，天然气发动机技术将变得更加可行。此外，这项研究将有助于使加拿大成为天然气发动机技术的领导者，同时减少温室气体排放和对传统化石燃料的依赖。********

Westport Innovations Inc. is a Canadian company and world leader in natural gas engine technology and vehicles. Westport's natural gas technology has been developed and integrated into a variety of automobile applications that range from small passenger vehicles to large commercial semi-trailer tractors. Increasingly stringent emissions standards and volatile gasoline and diesel fuel prices are allowing Westport's natural gas alternatives to flourish. Westport's high pressure direct injection (HPDI) injector is a leading-edge technology that uses high speed electromagnetic actuators to open or close a hydraulic valve, which in turn drives the injection needle. However, Westport's HPDI injectors lack the ability to control intermediate needle positioning since the actuator can only be operated in an on/off state, due to the infeasibility of being able to integrate a position sensor. **This proposal details a 42 month collaborative research project with Westport Innovations Inc. and the University of British Columbia (UBC). The proposed project aims to developing a novel sensorless control strategy and a constant air gap solenoid actuator to allow for intermediate position control. With intermediate position control, one can not only achieve soft seating which reduces parasitic injections, wear and acoustic noise, but new needle lift and rate-shaping strategies can be implemented that will decrease fuel consumption and harmful emissions. The success of this project will result in the world's first commercially feasible HPDI injector capable of robust intermediate positioning. Through this research, natural gas engine technology will be made more viable. Furthermore, this research will help make Canada a leader in natural gas engine technology while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and its dependence on conventional fossil fuels. ********