CPC F02M 53/06 (2013.01) [F02D 19/0605 (2013.01); F02D 19/0655 (2013.01); F02M 31/125 (2013.01); F02D 2200/0612 (2013.01)] | 18 Claims |
1. A method of detecting a percentage of ethanol in fuel used by an engine, the method comprising:
initiating a heating cycle in a component of a fuel delivery system of the engine, the component including a heater;
monitoring the temperature of the heater as a function of time, the heater being operated during the heating cycle;
obtaining the heater temperature at a first time t1 at which a slope of the heater temperature as a function of time reaches a predetermined threshold value indicative of fuel boiling;
obtaining the heater temperature at a subsequent time t2 at which the slope of the heater temperature approaches a value of the slope prior to the time t1 and which is greater than the predetermined threshold value indicative of fuel boiling;
calculating a difference ΔT between the heater temperature at time t2 and the heater temperature at the first time t1; and
determining the percentage of ethanol in the fuel as a function of the calculated temperature difference ΔT and the first time t1.
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