Air/fuel ratio detecting device and control system using same

Patent · Tue Apr 21 04:00:00 EDT 1987

OSTI ID:6812001

Kitahara, T

A device is described for detecting an air/fuel ratio of a fuel mixture by probing exhaust gas resulting from combustion of the fuel mixture, comprising: means for defining a sample gas receiving chamber adapted for receiving the exhaust gas; means for restricting diffusion of gas from the sample gas receiving chamber and thereinto; means for defining a reference gas receiving chamber adapted for receiving a reference gas; means for producing an oxygen ratio indicative signal indicative of the ratio of oxygen concentration within the sample gas receiving chamber to that within the reference gas receiving chamber; means responsive to the oxygen ratio indicative signal for calculating a deviation of the oxygen ratio indicative signal from a reference and generating a deviation indicative signal; means, including an oxygen ion-conductive solid electrolyte having thereon a pump cathode and a pump anode, for regulating the supply and discharge of oxygen to and from the sample gas receiving chamber in response to a pump electric current passing through the oxygen ion-conductive solid electrolyte between the pump cathode and anode; means for controlling the intensity and direction of the pump electric current in response to the deviation indicative signal in such a manner as to reduce the deviation toward zero; means for detecting the intensity of the pump electric current and generating a pump electric current indicative signal; means for detecting a pump electric voltage applied between the pump cathode and pump anode and generating a pump electric voltage indicative signal; and means receiving the pump electric current indicative signal and the pump electric voltage indicative signal for generating an air/fuel ratio indicative signal indicative of the air/fuel ratio.

• Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Yokohama
• Patent Number(s): US 4658790
• OSTI ID: 6812001
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
330100* -- Internal Combustion Engines
ANODES
CATHODES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
COMPUTERIZED CONTROL SYSTEMS
CONTROL SYSTEMS
CURRENTS
DIFFUSION
DISPERSIONS
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRODES
ELECTROLYTES
ELEMENTS
ENGINES
EXHAUST GASES
FLUID FLOW
FLUIDS
FUEL-AIR RATIO
GAS FLOW
GASEOUS WASTES
GASES
HEAT ENGINES
INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
METERS
MIXTURES
NONMETALS
OXIDATION
OXYGEN
OXYGEN METERS
PUMPS
SIGNALS
SOLID ELECTROLYTES
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
VEHICLES
WASTES