Computer that adjusts electronics in an internal combustion propulsion system
An
engine control unit
(
ECU
), also called an
engine control module
(
ECM
),
[1]
is a device which controls multiple systems of an
internal combustion engine
in a single unit. Systems commonly controlled by an ECU include the
fuel injection
and
ignition
systems.
The earliest ECUs (used by aircraft engines in the late 1930s) were mechanical-hydraulic units; however, most 21st-century ECUs function by
digital electronics
.
Functions
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The main functions of the ECU are typically:
The sensors used by the ECU include:
[2]
Secondary
[
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Other functions include:
In a
camless piston engine
(an experimental design not currently used in any production vehicles), the ECU has continuous control of when each of the
intake and exhaust valves
are opened and by how much.
[3]
[4]
Early systems
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One of the earliest attempts to use such a unitized and automated device to manage multiple engine control functions simultaneously was the created by
BMW
in 1939
Kommandogerat
system used by the
BMW 801
14-cylinder
radial engine
which powered the
Focke-Wulf Fw 190 V5
fighter aircraft.
[5]
This device replaced the 6 controls used to initiate hard acceleration with one control, however the system could cause surging and stalling problems.
[
citation needed
]
Usage in motor vehicles
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In the early 1970s, the
Japanese electronics industry
began producing
integrated circuits
and
microcontrollers
used for controlling engines.
[6]
The
Ford EEC
(Electronic Engine Control) system, which utilized the
Toshiba
TLCS-12 microprocessor, went into mass production in 1975.
[7]
The first Bosch engine management system was the
Motronic 1.0
, which was introduced in the 1979
BMW 7 Series (E23)
[8]
This system was based on the existing
Bosch Jetronic
fuel injection system, to which control of the ignition system was added.
[9]
In 1981, a
Delco Electronics
ECU was used by several
Chevrolet
and
Buick
engines to control their fuel system (a closed-loop carburetor) and ignition system.
[10]
By 1988, Delco Electronics was the leading producer of engine management systems, producing over 28,000 ECUs per day.
[11]
Usage in aircraft engines
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Such systems are used for many internal combustion engines in other applications. In aeronautical applications, the systems are known as "
FADECs
" (Full Authority Digital Engine Controls). This kind of electronic control is less common in piston-engined light fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters than in automobiles. This is due to the common configuration of a
carbureted
engine with a
magneto ignition
system that does not require electrical power generated by an
alternator
to run, which is considered a safety advantage.
[12]
See also
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]
References
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]