MEASUREMENT OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES

IN THIS PROPOSAL A RESEARCH PROGRAM IS DESCRIBED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN OPTICAL PRESSURE SENSOR FOR USE IN INSTRUMENTATION OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES. THE DEVICE USES PRINCIPLES OF OPTICS, WHICH HAVE SUCCESSFULLY BEEN APPLIED TO OTHER APPLICATIONS. THE PROPOSED SENSOR WILL NOTBE SENSITIVE TO ELECTRICAL NOISE, THERMAL SHOCK AND SIGNAL DRIFT, WHICH OFTEN TEND TO SEVERELY DEGRADE THE PERFORMANCE OF TRANSDUCERS IN COMMON USE, SUCH AS PIEZOELECTRIC AND STRAIN GAUGE TYPES. FURTHERMORE, THE PROPOSED SENSOR HAS THE POTENTIAL FOR MASS PRODUCTION FOR THE GENERAL MARKET AT MOST REASONABLE PRICES. SUCH A TRANSDUCER WOULD SERVE AS ANEXCELLENT RESEARCH TOOL, BUT PERHAPS EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY PERMIT THE MEASUREMENT OF CYLINDER PRESSURE OF CONSUMER VEHICLES. THIS INFORMATION WOULD HAVE EXTREMELY BENEFICIAL RESULTS IMPROVING FUEL ECONOMY AND CONTROLLING EMISSIONS, SINCE A GOOD CYLINDER PRESSURE SENSOR IS TANTAMOUNT FOR EFFECTIVE CLOSED-LOOP ENGINE CONTROL. THE USE OF SUCH CONTROLS WILL BECOME ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT AS FUEL QUALITY DECLINES (LOWER OCTANE) IN THE FUTURE, SINCE THE USE OF SUCHFUELS WILL NECESSITATE CLOSER ENGINE MONITORING IN ORDER TO PREVENT MISFIRE, KNOCK AND OTHER SIMILAR PROBLEMS.