Industrial Consultancy & Sponsored Research (IC&SR) , IIT Madras
Controlling Temperature of a Glow Plug During Operation in a Hot Surface Ignition Engine
Categories for this Invention
Category: Automobile and Transportation
Industry: Automobile
Application: Diesel Engine
Market Drivers: Automotive Glow Plugs Market size is estimated at USD 4.67 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 5.69 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 4.01%.
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Problem Statement
- Generally, during cold weather, it becomes difficult to ignite fuel in engines(typically diesel engines) because such engines require pre-heating of the fuel above a target temperature.
- The pre-heating of the fuel is accomplished by glow plugs.   Â
- During operation, initially the glow plug is supplied power so that its temperature(surface temperature) rises up to the target temperature level which is sufficient for ignition of the fuel-air mixture.
- Thus, it becomes essential to precisely control the surface temperature of the glow plug in a cost-effective and reliable manner.
Technology
- A method and system for controlling temperature of glow plug during operation in hot surface ignition engine.
- The present invention in which the control system of the temperature of a glow plug as shown in fig 1. consists of
- Microcontroller/processor for controlling the temperature of the glow plug during operation in the ignition engine.
- Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) driver unit to generate a PWM pulse to control power input provided by a DC power source to the glow plug.
- Proportional Integral Derivative (PID) to adjust a power input to the glow plug by adjusting a duty cycle of the PWM pulse by communicating with the microcontroller.
- voltage sensor and current sensor to measure the value of voltage across & current passing through the glow plug.
- A Microcontroller connected with the PWM & two sensors for the determination of
- Determining the Target surface temperature of the glow plug.
- Determining the Target core temperature of the glow plug.
- Determining the Target resistance of the glow plug.
- Determining the Instant resistance of the glow plug.
- The present invention in which the method/process of controlling the temperature of a glow plug is reproduced as below in fig 2.
- The resistance of the glow plug  may be calculated using the equation below.
 Average resistance = Average voltage across glow plug / Average current through glow plug
Key Features / Value Proposition
- The Control system in which the Ignition engine is a methanol hot surface ignition engine.
- The glow plug is powered by a power source  connected between the glow plug  and the PWM driver unit .
- The surface temperature can be controlled in an indirect way by controlling the resistance of glow plug
- Sensors involved like Hall-effect sensor, a fluxgate current sensor, a magneto-resistive current sensor.
- Having Three-dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation for mapping the process.
- Having Semiconductor Memory & data can be Storable as electronically.
- Target surface temperature up to 1000°C.
- Target core temperature up to 1050°C.
- Target resistance value of maximum 2 Ω.
- Instant resistance value of maximum 1.2 Ω.
- Prolonged service life of the glow plug.
Questions about this Technology?
Contact For Licensing
sm-marketing@imail.iitm.ac.in
ipoffice2@iitm.ac.in
Research Lab
Prof. RAMESH A
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Intellectual Property
IITM IDF Ref. 2187
Patent No: IN 532113
Technology Readiness Level
TRL – 4
Technology validated in lab scale.