ActiveTorque
Engine control technology set to drive down fuel consumption
QSEIF funding: $123,500
Project dates: 2005
Project details
ActiveTorque developed new technology which provides optimal control of engine operation based on instantaneous real-time measurement and optimisation of engine torque and power using a brand new type of sensor.
About the technology
ActiveTorque’s torque sensor measures the torque produced every time the fuel-air mixture explodes within an engine cylinder. This information is fed to the control software, which makes a small adjustment to the timing when a spark is delivered to trigger the next cylinder to fire. If the torque output increases on the next power stroke, the software knows that it has adjusted the timing in the right direction.
The new engine control technology was applied to an existing car engine and fuel consumption compared against fuel consumption of the engine with its original control system. Depending on the engine speed and throttle setting, ActiveTorque achieved fuel savings between 2–7%, with an overall improvement of 3.3% simply by controlling ignition timing.
Project status
Although the technology did not prove commercially viable, the University of Queensland’s Uniquest is taking the technology’s intellectual property forward and is using it in other new technologies.
Please consult the fact sheet (PDF, 159K)* for more information regarding this project.
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Last updated 28 October 2011