Lecture-13

Prepared under
QIP-CD Cell Project

Internal Combustion Engines

Ujjwal K Saha, Ph.D.

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati

1

Gasoline Injection
In a multi-cylinder engine with a carburetor, it
is difficult to obtain a uniform mixture in each
cylinder. The various cylinders receive the airgasoline mixture in varying quantities and
richness. This problem is called the maldistribution and can be solved by the port
injection system by having the same amount of
gasoline injected at each intake manifold.

By adopting gasoline injection each cylinder

can get the same richness of the air-gasoline
mixture and the mal-distribution can be
avoided to a great extent.

Typical pattern of mixture distribution

in a multi-cylinder engine

Reasons for Gasoline Injection

To have uniform distribution of fuel in a

multi-cylinder engine
To improve the breathing capacity and
hence the volumetric efficiency
To reduce or eliminate detonation
To prevent fuel loss during scavenging in
case of two-stroke engines

Types of Injection Systems

Gasoline direct injection (GDI)
Port-Injection
(a) Timed
and
(b) Continuous
Manifold Injection
4

Groupings
The above fuel injection systems can be

grouped under two heads,viz., single-point

and multi-point injection. In the single point
injection system, one or two injectors are
mounted inside the throttle body assembly.
Fuel sprays are directed at one point or at
the center of the intake manifold. This type is
also known as throttle body injection.
Multipoint injection has one injector for each
engine cylinder, where fuel is injected in
more than one location. This is somewhat
more common and is often called port
injection system.
5

Continuous Injection Systems

This system usually has a rotary pump.

The pump maintains a fuel line gauge

pressure of about 0.75 to 1.5 bar. The
system injects fuel through a nozzle
located in the manifold immediately
downstream of the throttle plate. In a
supercharged engine, fuel is injected at
the entrance of the supercharger. The
timing and duration of the fuel injection is
determined by Electronic Control Unit
(ECU) depending upon the load and
speed.
6

Timed Injection Systems

This system has a fuel supply pump

which sends fuel at a low pressure of

about 2 bar when the engine is running at
maximum speed. A fuel metering or
injection pump and a nozzle are the other
parts of the system. The nozzle injects the
fuel in the manifold or the cylinder head
port at about 6.5 bar or into the
combustion chamber at pressures that
range from 16 to 35 bar. Timed injection
system injects fuel usually during the early
part of the suction stroke.
7

Gasoline injection in
four-stroke engines

Fuel injection
in two-stroke
engines

Electronic Fuel Injection System

Modern gasoline injection systems use engine
sensors, a computer, and solenoid operated fuel
injectors to meter and inject the right amount of
fuel into the engine cylinders.

These systems called electronic fuel injection

(EFI) use electrical and electronic devices to
monitor and control engine-operation.

An electronic control unit (ECU) or the

computer receives electrical signals in the from
of current or voltage from various sensors. It
then uses the stored data to operate the
injectors, ignition system and other engine
related devices. Typical sensors for an electronic
fuel injection system includes the following:

10

Typical Sensors
1. Exhaust gas or oxygen sensor - senses the
amount of oxygen in the engine exhaust
and calculates air fuel ratio. Sensor
output voltage changes in proportion to
air fuel ratio.
2. Engine temperature sensor - senses the
temperature of the engine coolant, and
from this data the computer adjusts the
mixture strength to rich side for cold
starting.
3. Air flow sensor - monitors mass or volume
of air flowing into the intake manifold for
adjusting the quantity of fuel.
11

Typical Sensors contd.

4. Air inlet temperature sensor - checks the
temperature of the ambient air entering
the engine for fine-tuning the mixture
strength.
5. Throttle position sensor - senses the
movement of the throttle plate so that the
mixture flow can be adjusted for engine
speed and acceleration.
6. Manifold pressure sensor - monitors
vacuum in the engine intake manifold so
that the mixture strength can be adjusted
with changes in engine load.
12

Typical Sensors contd.

7. Camshaft position sensor senses
rotation
of
engine
camshaft/crankshaft for speed and
timing of injection.
8. Knock sensor microphone type
sensor
that
detects
ping
or
resignation noise so that the ignition
timing can be retarded.

13

Electronic Fuel Injection System

The injector pulse width is an indication

of the period for which each injector is

energized and kept open. The computer
decides and controls the injector pulse
width based on the signals received from
the various sensors.

Under full load, the computer will sense

a wide-open throttle, high intake manifold

pressure, and high inlet airflow. The ECU
will then increase the injector pulse width
to enrich the mixture, which will enable
the engine to produce higher power.
14

Electronic Fuel Injection System

Under low load and idling conditions, the

ECU will shorten the pulse width by which

the injectors are kept in the closed position
over a longer period of time. Because of
this, air-fuel mixture will become leaner and
will result in better fuel economy.

Electronic fuel injection system has a cold

start injector too. This is an extra injector that

sprays fuel into the center of the engine
intake manifold, when the engine is cold. It
serves the same purpose as the carburetor
choke. The cold start injector ensures easy
engine startup in very cold weather.
15

MPFI System
The main purpose of the Multi-Point Fuel

Injection (MPFI) System is to supply a

proper ratio of gasoline and air to the
cylinders. These system function under two
basic arrangements viz.,
(i) Port injection
(ii) Throttle body injection

16

Port Injection
In

this system, the

injector is placed on
the side of the intake
manifold
near
the
intake port. The injector
sprays gasoline into the
air, inside the intake
manifold.
The gasoline mixes with the air in a

reasonably
uniform
manner.
This
mixture of gasoline and air then passes
through the intake valve and enters into
the cylinder.
17

Port Injection contd.

Every

cylinder is provided with an

injector in its intake manifold. If there are
six cylinders, there will be six injectors.
Figure shows simplified view of a port or
multi point fuel injection (MPFI) system.

18

Throttle Body Injection

Figure illustrates the simplified sketch of

throttle body injection system (single point

injection). This throttle body is similar to the
carburetor throttle body, with the throttle
valve controlling the amount of air
entering the intake manifold.

19

Remark
As

already
mentioned,
fuelinjection systems can be either timed
or continuous. In the timed injection
system, gasoline is sprayed from the
injectors in pulses. In continuous
injection system, gasoline is sprayed
continuously from the injectors.

20

Remark
The port injection system and the

throttle-body injection system may be

either pulsed systems or continuous
systems. In both systems, the amount of
gasoline injected depends upon the
engine speed and power demands.
In some literature MPFI systems are

classified into two types viz.,

D-MPFI and L-MPFI.

21

D-MPFI System
The D-MPFI system is the manifold fuel

injection system. In this type, the vacuum in

the intake manifold is first sensed. Further, it
senses the volume of air by its density. Figure
shows the block diagram regarding the
functioning of the D-MPFI system.
Air

Intake manifold
vacuum sensor
Mixture of
air and gasoline
Engine

Gasoline
Injection into
intake manifold

Injector
Injection
volume control
ECU

RPM sensor
22

D-MPFI System contd.

As air enters into the intake manifold, the

manifold pressure sensor detects the intake

manifold vacuum and sends the information
to the ECU. The speed sensor also sends
information about the rpm of the engine to
the ECU.
The ECU in turn sends commands to the

injector to regulate the amount of gasoline

supply for injection. When the injector
sprays fuel in the intake manifold the
gasoline mixes with the air and the mixture
enters the cylinder.
23

L-MPFI System
The L-MPFI system is a port fuel- injection

system. Here, the fuel metering is regulated

by the engine speed and the amount of air
that actually enters the engine. This is called
air-mass metering or air-flow metering. This
block diagram of L-MPFI system is shown.
Air

Air flow sensor

Gasoline
Mixture of
fuel and air
Engine
RPM
sensor

Injection
near port

Injector
Injection
volume control
ECU

24

L-MPFI System contd.

As air enters into the intake manifold, the

air flow sensor measures the amount of air

and sends information to the ECU. Similarly,
the speed sensor sends information about
the speed of the engine to the ECU.
The

ECU processes the information

received
and
sends
appropriate
commands to the injector to regulate the
amount of gasoline supply for injection.
When injection takes place, the gasoline
mixes with the air and mixture enters the
cylinder.
25

Functional Divisions of
MPFI System
The MPFI system can be functionally

divided into the following there main

components:
(i) Electronic Control System
(ii) Fuel System
(iii) Air Induction System

26

MPFI Electronic Control System

Sensors
(Input)

Air flow meter

cold start injector

time switch

To cold start injectorr

To injectors
(Output)

Ignition signal

Electronic control unit (ECU)

The MPFI- electronic control system is shown in

the above block diagram. The sensors that
monitor intake air temperature, the oxygen, the
water temperature, the starter signal and the
throttle position send signals to the ECU.

27

MPFI Electronic Control System

contd.
The air-flow sensor sends signals to the

ECU regarding the intake air volume. The

ignition sensor sends information about
the engine speed. The ECU processes all
these signals and sends appropriate
commands to the injectors to control the
volume of the fuel for injection. When
necessary the cold-start injector timing
switch off the ECU operates the cold start
injector which is a part of the fuel system.
28

MPFI Fuel System

Here, fuel is supplied by

the fuel pump. At the time of

starting,
the
cold
start
injector is operated by the
cold start
injector time
switch.
The
cold
start
injector injects fuel into the
air intake chamber, thus
enriching the air-fuel mixture.
The
pressure
regulator
regulates the pressure of the
fuel. The injectors receive
signals from the ECU and
inject the fuel into the intake
manifold.
29

MPFI Air Induction System

Here,

the
air
cleaner, the air-flow
meter, the throttle
body and the air
valve supply a proper
amount of air to the
air intake chamber
and intake manifold.
The quantity of air
supplied is just what is
required for complete
combustion.
30

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