Sensor Fuel pressure sensor ~ Knock sensor f Lambda sensor + heater ind Titania) Guha Stoakes Automotive Sensors & Waveform Analysis Table 4.2 Examples of sensors and their purpos Description ressul is a form of h petrol and Diesel engines, the fuel pressure sensor is Roars HaNclat ‘a signal to the engine management unit which pressure transducer. It provides (naa lee lal help regula injection time and maint to. rus pcesure too igh, tne engine wil un rich, i the ful pressure is too ow, the engine will run week. pressure created by the combustion process, the piston should be just after cylinders, and monitors the engine for pinking. If engine ‘ping’ occurs, the ignition timing is retarded in stages of two degrees until pinking stops. When engine ‘ping’ is no longer detected, the ignition timing is advanced in stages of cone degree unti pinking once again reoccurs. This way, ignition timing is always kept in the optimal operating window. ‘An exhaust gas oxygen sensor (sometimes known as a Lambda sensor) is ‘mounted in the exhaust system before the catalytic converter. Its job is to monitor the oxygen content of the exhaust gas and help the engine management system check if it is operating within the tolerance of air/fuel ratio. If the engine is running weak, there will be too much oxygen left over after ‘combustion. If the engine is running rich, there will not be enough oxygen left over after combustion. There are two main types of standard exhaust gas oxygen sensor, Zirconia and Titania, When these materials come into contact with the oxygen in exhaust gasses, they change their resistance and a corresponding signal is sent to the ECU, Many exhaust gas oxygen sensors also contain an electrically operated heating element to ensure that they reach their required ‘operating temperature 48 soon as possible, and therefore work effectively. Wideband or broadband oxygen sensors are used for the same purpose as @ Standard lambda sensor, however, they use a component called a nerst cell t measure exhaust gas oxygen content. These sensors provide a much more stable signal that is proportional to oxygen content and are therefore more accurate, Post-catalyst oxygen sensors are used to determine the operating efficiency of the catalytic converter by comparing its readings with io ofthe eee Sensor. If the catalyst is operating efficiently, a greatly reduced signal will be (measured post-cat as much of the oxygen left over from combustion has been used up in the catalytic reaction to reduce the harmful exhaust pollutants.Automoti Qitomotive Sensors laveform Analysis Table 4.2 Examy ples of sensor: }Ors and their pu irpose Sensor On vehicles with direct petal wet nner etn NOK 0 ‘lean bum’ mod. injection which Or tion which operate in a Fi Sencr of SC anon and reduced erisins, he posta on conditions i ith an NOx sensor. This i a ge) erosucion cl Ne rey sn eter ede rome : nitrogen). Vi design shape and size as a Lamboe a ual an NOx sensor is very similar in the NOx cont ambda sensor, but it will have the ability to monit ae cleat ot the exhaust gas. A three-way catalytic cervertar abla ruc satay ven ans ogre oleae aoe released fo stmosphers I values of NOx ojo ass rnc, he peed sensor catalyst requires regeneration. vehicle 5 wT With moder multiplexed network systems, vie speed canbe determined nt Sources, such as ABS wheel speed sensors; however, it's not uncommon fora dedicated component o be used for his purpose ‘Often uinted on the transmission output, they can be inductive or Hall effect with operation similar oa crankshaft sensor. Some vehice speed sensors (VSS) ave their own gear drive connected directly to the transmission and signalling is internal to the sensor itself. sun load sensors The sun load sensor is a small photoelectric cell, whose resistance changes in relation to the amount of sunlight hitting it. It is normally mounted on the dashboard of the car behind the windscreen. In direct sunlight, you will feel hotter than the actual ambient cabin temperature due to the radiation produced by the sun’s rays. Its the job of the sun load sensor to pick up this added solar radiation and adjust the loading on the climate control system to compensate, regardless of passenger compartment temperature Steering angle and torque coor = JA steering torque sensor is used to determine how much effort is beng placed atthe steering by the driver or road conditions. This information "ren used to regulate the amount of power assistance give by the steering or help a stability Cetrol system to maintain handling. It normally consists of two Hall effect censors mounted either side of a torsion bar ited on the steering column. As ‘a tured the two signals produced are compared and depending a ee sass they are, tis wil ve an indication of he effrtorsue placed onthe see ng variable resistance and optical. ing angle sensor are ° Another two types of Steer ering is turned from ff to ght a votogs it stance, as the st ie re arena volts wil be sent tothe ECU which correspond to Signe ig position. Many vehices produce @ Pee Ts reading when turning ior Bee ea Mee ieoand a receiver that is clei chon ah has small windows, As the steering is Stl nop produced as the ight from the LED is picked-u or Camel yates nmnsoors Gaaham StokerGusham Stoatey \ Automotive Sensors & Waveform Analysis "ABS — Anti-lock Braking System. TRC — Traction Control System. EBD — Electronic Brake force Distribution. VC — Vehicle Stability Control. MRE ~ Magnetic Resistive Element. Potentiometer — a form of variable resistor. Drive-by-wire — a system where the mechanical cable has been removed, and the throttle butterfly is controlled by electronics and motors instead Depression — a low pressure or vacuum. Thermistor — a thermal resistor. Negative Temperature Coefficient NTC —a sensor in which resistance falls as ‘temperature increases. Positive Temperature Coefficient PTC — a sensor in which resistance rises as temperature increases. Reluctor ~ a form of toothed pulse wheel used in conjunction with inductive speed sensors. Transistors — jature electronic switches with no moving parts. Tolerance ~ an acceptable difference between an upper and lower limit. Stratified — consisting of layers. een ‘ ‘ 7 cei eee that starts and maintains a chemical reaction, but is not Multiplexed — a system which can conduct multiple tasks at the same time. Photoelectric — electronic effects produced by light.Automotive Soi & Waveform ‘Analyste osciloscoPe quick set up guide for use with Sens. ors: easuring voltage: Connect the tip ofthe black lead to a good Sodywork or engine. This wil then only leave you witeaee even neeaten terminal, mata omy about Now connect the red probe to the circuit to be tested. “Adjust the scales until you see an image on the screen, «After some practice, you will become familiar with the patterns and waveforms created by different | vehicle systems. Wheel speed sensors (inductive, MRE, Hall Effect) snivtock braking systems, traction control and vehicle stabiity systems rely on accurate speed measurements ‘oming rom each wheel. Except for manoeuvring or comering coraitions, when road wheels wil move on 8 Stare tate or curve. all four wheels should be traveling at roughly the same speed. If any wheels found Yo be ‘Gaing a a significantly different speed than the others, the contra system will assume "at is relates to wheel slip caused by either acceleration or deceleration. When combined with signals from either the brake light or eee Cleat the ECU can then decide whether to intervene with ABS or traction conto Inductive wheel speed sensor from Its environment without external power ‘An inductive wheel speed sensor is passive, ‘fom the ECU, Ituses a change in a magnetic toothed wheel (Known as a reluctor) to a ti Itage outputAutomotive Sen: & Waveform anatcrt oscilloscope quick set up guide for use with sens, ors: essuring voltage: K lead to a good source ¢ Ey 4 res tenet oe est nin bodywork or engine. This wil *Now connect the red probe to the circuit to be tested ‘Adjust the scales until you see an image on the screen, “After s01me practice, you will become familar with the pattems and waveforms created by diferent, J Wheel speed sensors (inductive, MRE, Hall Effect) ‘Antilock braking systems, traction control and vehicle stability systems rely on accurate speed measurements coming from each wheel. Except for manoeuvring or cornering conditions, when road wheels will move on a fferent aro or curve, all four wheels should be traveling at roughly the same speed. If any wheel is found to be rotating at a significantly different speed than the others, the control system will assume that this relates to wheel slip caused by either acceleration or deceleration. When combined with signals from either the brake light or ‘accelerator circuit, the ECU can then decide whether to intervene with ABS or traction control. Inductive wheel speed sensor passive, as it takes information from ief created by a rotating its environment without external power toothed wheel (known as a reluctor) to d of the wheel. wheel speed sensor is ge in a magnetic flAutomotive Sensors & Waveform Analysis {| jf 1 4 a I T i] lalalua = ff | | Connect to the 3 circuit using: : / | z Voltage Probes - or Clips Figure 4.3 Inductive wheel speed sensor Table 4.3 Waveform analysis inductive wheel speed sensor Waveform Description component fe 1 This shows the positive voltage produced by the inductive wheel speed sensor as the reluctor tooth moves towards it. Its height (or amplitude) will vary with speed. (i.e. it will " get taller as the wheel speed increases, or shorter as the wheel speed slows down). "This shows the negative voltage produced by the inductive wheel speed sensor as the "reluctor tooth moves away from it. _ The frequency of the waveform (how close together the alternating peaks and troughs form) wil ese otra aeenee eee Cae _the speed incteases and further a the wheel slows down).Automotive Se & Waveform Analy 8 are Rai user eae agnetic Resistive Element (MRE) wheel speed sensor sc Resistive Element (MRE) wheel speed sensor is often similar in i \ppearance to an inductive wheel aeensce. may also have only two wires in its harness plug, however, is constuction and operation is vary gens instead ofa toothed reluctor wheel, a magnetic pulse ring wit Le orcs tered wheal ara 19 with alternating north and south magnetic poles rotated it internal resistor that is sensitive t sensor itself has an r fo the change of strength in a magnetic field. reference voltage (often around 5 volts) is passed through the MRE sensor ey as the laa ring is rotated past, ‘aooesponding alternating voltage is created at the output wire and sent to the ECU for interpretation. ‘As an MRE sensor uses a reference voltage to generate a signal, it cannot be ‘tested in-situ with the hamess plug disconnected in the same way that an inductive /sensor can. ‘itis good practice to conduct the test by back-probing the sensor wires (possibly at ‘the ECU hamess), switch on the ignition and spin the wheel. In this way, it won't matter which type of sensor you are measuring, a waveform should be produced “and can then be analysed. MRE wheel C a ANAutomotive Sensors & Waveform Analysis Throttle pedal sensors (analogue and digital) ‘As most vehicles are now drve-by-wire(\.. no throttle cable, but instead controlled by postion of the accelerator pedal i vital for the ECU to calculate driver demands. For safety reasons, most accelerator pedal position sensors are ‘multitrack potentiometers, providing back-up ‘Signals that can be compared by the ECU to ensure the reliably fof the information provided. As the throttle pedal ietpressed by the driver, an analogue signal is produced, showing 4 tising and falling voltage which is proportional iis Prcjance wth driver inputs (even showing snap open and close ofthe motors and electronics) the to the position of the pedal and will react in throttle). | | Throttle pedal sensor