Electronic Systems and Computer Technology - Decreasing Fuel Consumption and Exhaust Gas Emissions in Transportation - page 93

Chapter 6
Electronic Systems and Computer
Technology
Manufacturers of ships, airplanes, and vehicles introduced the first electronic
equipment at the beginning of the 1980s. These systems have different names in
road transportation, aviation, and marine transport, but they universally mean an
internal system of monitoring and regulating all operation functions with elec-
tronic systems and computer technology.
Self Diagnosis is closely connected with the development of electronic tech-
nology. Electronics and computer technology opened novel possibilities for
diagnosing errors and regulating optimal conditions in all vehicles, airplanes, and
ships over the last few decades.
6.1 Construction of Electronic Systems
In transportation, most mechanical, physical, and chemical parameters are analog
quantities. The signals are usually variable and continuous. They have to be transformed
into analog electric signals, which represent information by voltage, or capacity current,
etc. Analog signals can be precisely transmitted by frequency modulation from the
sensor to the electronic circuit or from the electronic circuit to the actuator or to the
display [ 1 ].
Historically, the analog system determined the measurement of all important
physical parameters of vehicles, airplanes, and ships including engine and auxiliary
devices, and the environment. The advantage of analog electronic regulators is their
simplicity. The justification is mostly only carried out with potentiometers. Analog
electronic systems measure, e.g., the fuel level in the tank, the humidity of the
intake air, the temperature, and the pressure in the engine's combustion chamber
are often placed in the cylinder head, the concentration of exhaust gas substances,
such as the oxygen concentration in the exhaust pipe, etc. (see Fig. 6.1 )[ 2 ].
Sensors which produce analog signals need an Analog-Digital Converter
(ADC). One of the most important sensor types, the k sensor provides an analog