Electronic Unit Injectors & Unit Pumps (EUIs & EUPs)

Above: Types of high-pressure fuel systems

Unit Injectors are less commonly also called Combined Pump and Nozzle
Acronyms are: MUI, (Mechanical Unit Injectors) EUI, (Electronic Unit Injectors) and
HEUI. (Hydraulically actuated Electronic Unit Injector)
The pumping plunger and nozzle are located in the same body and a camshaft actuates
the injector. A common fuel manifold will supply all the injectors.

Functions
Electronic unit injectors are mechanically pressurized and electronically controlled. This
means injection timing, duration, and metering are controlled by the ECM or electronic
governor.
Unit injection systems functions are incorporated into one unit the following functions:
Time fuel delivery
Pressurize the fuel for combustion
Atomize and distribute fuel in the combustion chamber


Unit injection high-pressure fuel systems are capable of the highest spray in pressures
because of the mechanism responsible for pressurizing fuel. Currently, spray-in pressures
are approximately 30,000 psi or 2000 bar. This compares with 17,000 for the very best
PLN and 8,000 for the best distributor type fuel system. (1-bar + 14.7psi = 1-
atmosphere).

Generally, an engine-mounted camshaft is used to pressure fuel. Due to the camshafts
size and the surface area of the injector lobe usually the widest lobe on the camshaft,
the greatest mechanical forces are transmitted to pressurize fuel. This contrast sharply
with the size limitations of PLN pumps camshafts.

Injection delay
Some injection delay can take place when pushrods transmit force to the injectors since
pushrods may bend, flex or compress. However, overhead cam engines can transmit
mechanical forces without any injection delay. Furthermore, since fewer parts are
involved in the injector-train mechanism other benefits include: simplifying engine
construction, minimizing wear surfaces and clearance requirements to compensate fort
thermal expansion of parts.

Electronic Unit Pumps (EUPs)
Unit injection pumps use separate
pumping elements to pressurize
fuel. Pressurization is
accomplished using an engine-
mounted camshaft that provides
for high pressurization of fuel.
The pump is connected to the fuel
nozzle through a high-pressure
fuel line. While this system
features of higher spray-in
pressures than a few other fuel
systems, though not as high as unit

injectors, the use of the high-pressure fuel line and delivery valves in the pump
incorporates injection delay to the design.
These system feature spray-in pressures of 26,500psi.
EUPs are adapted to engines formerly using PLN fuel systems because they
require minimal amounts of engine modification.
Currently, the electronically controlled EUPs are used on several on highway
engines Mack E-7 E-tech/ASSET, Series 55 Detroit Diesel, MBE 400 & 900
engines.

Operation
When considering EUI operation, two major designs are used. The most common one
used by most manufacturers includes a solenoid operated spill or poppet valve. This
valve allows fuel below the injector plunger to spill to the low-pressure fuel return when
current is not supplied to the solenoid. By energizing the solenoid, the spill valve closes,
fuel is trapped below an injector plunger, pressurized and delivered to a conventional
type of nozzle valve.
Metering and timing of fuel is controlled by solenoid on-off times and the duration of
injection.
To control both the start of injection timing and the quantity of fuel metered, the ECM
sends out a PWM (pulse-width-modulated) electrical signal to each injector. The initial
PWM signal determines the start of the injection, while the duration of this signal
determines how long the injector can effectively spray fuel into the combustion chamber
as the plunger is forced down by the rocker lever assembly

Caterpillar, Detroit Diesel, Volvo and United technologies use this style of injector. The
operation of the spill valve is similar to the Unit pump operation.

Cummins uses a different type of unit injector which utilizing two plungers one for
timing and another for metering. See information on Cummins Electronically controlled
Injector (ECI).

Current ramping and injector response time.
A peak and hold current strategy is used to operate the solenoid. This means a high
voltage is applied initially to the injector solenoid to ensure rapid poppet valve response
time. The higher voltage will shorten injector response time by minimizing the effect of
reactive inductance of the injector solenoid. Reactive inductance refers to the high
electrical resistance of a coiled wire when current is initially applied. This high resistance
causes slower injector response to the electric signal resulting in injection delay and
injection timing variations between cylinders and shot-to-shot variations. The expanding
magnetic field induces current flow in the opposite direction of current producing the
magnetic field. Until the magnetic field is stationary, the coil will have significant
resistance. After the magnetic field has stabilized less current is required to overcome
injector coil resistance and keep the poppet valve closed. Maintaining the current at high
levels would only overheat the coil. The ECM will drop the current flow to the injector.
Manufacturers monitor response time to injectors in order to make adjustments to timing
for each cylinder. To accomplish this, the ECM will measure the time it takes for current
to rise to its desired value which closes the poppett valve. The voltage drop across the
injector is measured and timed. The delay factor between the time the electrical signal is
applied to the injector coil and the time it takes to rise to the required value is applied to
the next injection signal to correct the delay factor. So if the response time is 5-
milliseconds, the ECM will send the electrical signal 5-milli seconds sooner for the next
injection.

Some manufacturers use 70 - 110-volts DC PWM current to operate the injector. This can
reduce response time. Detroit Diesel uses 12-volts to operate their injectors so injector
response time is longer. Injector response time is an important piece of diagnostic
information. If injectors have different resistances, bad connectors or become hot, their
response time will change. Monitoring response time indicates whether there may be a
problem with an injector circuit.






Newer unit injector technology.
Rate shaping is accomplished electronically in the newest injectors. The problem with
doing this using older injector technology was the size, weight and inertia of older poppet
valve cartridges. Newer injectors such as Detroits N3 use smaller cartridges valves
containing the solenoid and poppet valve which operate faster to achieve electronic
control of rate shaping.
Caterpillar EUIs using ACERT injectors use 5 separate injection events all controlled
electronically.
1. Pilot Injection
2. Main Injection Step One
3. Main Injection Step Two
4. Main Injection Step Three
5. Post Injection
Rate shaped unit injectors can be adapted to use three different injection rate profiles to
achieve either good fuel economy (lean), good emissions (clean), or optimum power
(mean).

Injector cup with coolant circulating around injector remoeves heat.

Trim Codes
Since variations between flow rates of injectors can
occur due to manufacturing tolerances, identical
injectors can deliver different quantities of fuel despite
the using the same length of PWM signal. This
produces emission problems and cylinder imbalance
conditions. To correct this condition, manufacturers
will flow test all injectors and compare them against a
nominal standard value. Depending on whether the
injector flows more or less fuel, a numerical value is
applied to the injector. This trim code or E trim
value is entered into ECM injector data where
adjustments to fuel flow can be made electronically.
A CD accompanies Cat ACERT service injectors.
Injector data is entered into ECM computer memory
when the injector is replaced.


Injector failures
Water contamination is the greatest concern
because it is the most common form of
contaminant. Water may be introduced into
the fuel supply during fuelling when warm,
moisture laden air condenses on the cold
metal walls of fuel storage tanks or dissolve
into the cooler fuel. The effects of water in
diesel fuel can be serious. Since water
cannot pass easily through nozzle orifices,
water can accumulate, vaporize and then
cause a tip to blow off an injector. Water
causes galling and seizure of injector
plungers since it disrupts the lubricating
film strength of fuel. Water can combine
with sulphur in the fuel to form corrosive
acids.

Dirt can cause premature wear and
shortened injector life. The cartridge valve
or poppett valve is easily damaged by the
continuous abrasive action of dirt. While
most filters can remove particles down to 10
microns in size, the most damaging dirt
particles are between 6-8 microns in size
according to SWR lab. Micro-glass filters
are the preferred filter medium for EUIs.
These filters have a nominal rating of 2
microns meaning 90% of particles 2 microns or larger are removed. Fuel Pro can remove
particles down to 5-microns.



Above: Injector seized and one with tip blown-off









Fuel temperature
Diesel fuel provides cooling of the injection system. However, the temperature of the fuel
may vary considerably due to engine operating temperature. As fuel temperature
increases, fuel viscosity decreases, along with the lubrication capabilities of the fuel.
When the system is operated with elevated fuel temperatures, the injectors will operate at
reduced internal clearances. As a result, dirt and smaller particulate material may cause
injection durability concerns. Installing a fuel cooler or operating with fuel tanks above
half-full may also help eliminate concern. Maintaining proper fuel temperatures will help
provide proper fuel injection system functioning.
Testing EUIs
Bench testing of EUI injectors is not practical in the field. If an injector is suspected
defective, a cylinder cut-out test can be performed to identify the bad injector.
An injector swap can be done between a suspected injector and a good injector to
differentiate between a defective injector or some other cylinder condition.