Engine Ion Sensor

August 8, 2017

Jennifer Shuttleworth

Detroit Engineered Products (DEP) Inc. (Troy, MI) offers a commercial prototype of an Engine Ion Sensor that increases fuel economy, lowers hazardous emissions and can enable multiple fuel types. According to the company, the DEP Engine Ion Sensor has multi-purposed spark plugs and glow plugs (gasoline and diesel engines) to acquire and interpret the ion signal from each combustion event that takes place on a cycle-by-cycle, cylinder-by-cylinder basis. The DEP Engine Ion Sensor can provide many engine performance parameters acting as a “super sensor” for misfire, knock, pre-ignition, NOx, soot (particulates), flame speed, peak pressure, burn duration, IMEP (indicated mean effective pressure) and more. Intelligent algorithms inside DEP’s patented mini-controller, developed by the company, provide active feedback and control to the engine control unit, resulting in what the company claims is a strong increase in fuel economy, reduced NOx and soot emissions and options for the use of cheaper and more plentiful biofuels.