| Denso and NGK plan to supply the growing market for diesel
glow-plug pressure sensors. Meanwhile, OEMs are starting to look for technologies
that can do the same in gasoline engines.
Mercedes powertrain chief Dr Leopold Mikulic said: “Cylinder pressure
sensors are the key components in highly efficient and low emisison combustion
systems – gasoline or diesel.”
In-cylinder pressure sensing is a crucial part of improving powertrains’
efficiency. By feeding back combustion pressure data to the ECU in real-time,
engine management systems can alter the injection timing to optimise emissions.
Denso executive vice-president Oyuki Ogawa said: “To control the
combustion better, we have to sense the pressure in the chamber. We have
some experience already and are developing a sensor for diesels.”
Beru will have glow-plug pressure sensors in production in 2008 and 2009
for General Motors and Volkswagen. VW. Siemens VDO has a system in development
also. Engineers from NGK confirmed the firm was working on the technology,
but gave no further details.
OEMs wishing to monitor gasoline combustion pressures are so far limited
to mounting expensive laboratory systems beneath the intake ports. Integrating
a sensor into a spark plug is difficult. The high voltage it carries can
disturb the sensor.
© Automotive Engineer, 2007
|
|
