Detecting faults in electronic combustion engine control systems by acoustic parameters

Introduction. The process of ensuring the operability of transport and technological machines (TTM) presupposes regular checking of its technical condition by diagnosing various units, assemblies and systems, including electronic systems for monitoring and controlling the functioning of the internal combustion engine (ICE). However, in real operation, there may arise situations in which conducting operational diagnostics of power plants is problematic. Such situations contain, for example, the work of transport and technological machines in hard-to-reach poorly developed regions with the absence of maintenance centers nearby.

Materials and methods. One of the key evolution areas of modern power plants is the introduction of automated control and monitoring systems based on the use of electronic and microprocessor technologies. Such systems significantly increase the efficiency of the engine, however, due to their complexity and design features, the number of potentially possible internal combustion engine malfunctions increases, which requires the development and implementation of special approaches to their diagnosis and maintenance. One of the solutions to the problem of electronic control systems’ operational diagnostics of an internal combustion engine is to assess the operational condition by the acoustic noise it produces, recorded with the use of a portable device, processed and analyzed by specialized software. The advantage of this method is in its simplicity and the possibility of conducting diagnostics in the field, directly at places where the machines are being used. The purpose of this study was an experimental assessment of the fundamental possibility of identifying malfunctions of electronic control systems of an internal combustion engine by comparing acoustic characteristics in normal operation and in conditions of limited functionality caused by failures in electronic control systems of its operation. A gasoline engine was used as an object of research, which is an element of the GNFA training stand designed to study electronic control systems for internal combustion engines. During the study, various possible malfunctions of the electronic control systems of the engine were set at the stand, causing its operation to switch to the mode of limited functionality, and noise parameters were measured and analyzed in comparison with the parameters of a serviceable internal combustion engine.

Results. Various kinds of malfunctions of the electronic control systems of the internal combustion engine have been analyzed and some have been identified in which the engine switches to a mode of limited functionality while maintaining its operability, i.e. it operates intermittently, with reduced power, increased fuel consumption, etc. A comparative analysis of the acoustic parameters of a serviceable engine in the presence of such malfunctions, followed by spectral decomposition to substantiate the rules for their identification.

Discussions and conclusions. The results of the conducted research can serve as a basis for the development of the method for rapid acoustic diagnostics of electronic control systems for power plants with the use of mobile portable equipment.

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