Modern engines require enhancement of electronic controls to achieve better fuel economy, higher power density and satisfactory emissions levels while operating safely.
Military vehicles should be capable to run safely and efficiently on any fuel available in the field, therefore on-board fuel identification and adaptation of engine controls to the type of fuel becomes extremely important. In these conditions, the use of an inexpensive, nonintrusive sensor is highly desirable.
The development of a technique based on the measurement of the instantaneous crankshaft speed and engine dynamics could be a convenient solution.
Several such methods have been elaborated at the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Wayne State University. Each of these methods yields plausible results regarding on-board fuel identification