The previous series explained the fundamentals of the electronically controlled diesel fuel injection system

(ECD system). It was developed by DENSO as a countermeasure for environmental problems such as
exhaust gas and noise caused by diesel vehicles.
Next is a series introducing the fundamentals of the DENSO common rail system.

1 Common Rail System Development and Global Manufacturers

• In conventional injection pumps, injection pressure depended on the engine speed, and maximum injection pressure
was limited. There were also difficulties with other types of injection control, such as pilot injection. Addressing these
issues in a revolutionary manner, DENSO introduced the world's first commercial application of the common rail system.
Reference
Two types of common rail system are in use today.
One is a system that pressurizes the fuel and injects it
directly into the cylinders. This is called the "common rail HEUI System
system". This system has been adopted in passenger cars. Injector
Other companies, such as R. Bosch, Siemens, and Delphi
also offer their commercial versions of this system today.
High-Pressure
The other system is the Hydraulic Electric Unit Injection Engine Oil
(HEUI) system, which was developed by Caterpillar in the
United States. This system uses pressurized engine oil to Hydraulic
pressurize fuel by actuating the piston of the nozzle (injector) Pump
through which the pressurized fuel is injected. (Refer to the Fuel Tank
diagram on the right.)

Various Sensors Engine

ECU

2 What is the Common Rail System?

The common rail system uses a type of accumulation chamber called a rail to store fuel pressurized by the supply
pump, and injectors controlled by solenoid valves to spray the high-pressure fuel into the cylinders. The engine ECU
controls the injection quantity and timing of the injectors, and the pressure of fuel accumulated in the rail.

High-Pressure High-Pressure
Fuel Fuel

Rail

Supply Pump Injector

Electric Signal Electric Signal

Engine ECU

11 SERVICE TECH Vol.473 04-8

 3 Features of the Common Rail System
• Because the engine ECU controls the injection system (including the injection pressure, injection rate, and injection
timing), the injection system is independent, and thus unaffected by the engine speed or load.
• Because the engine ECU controls injection quantity and timing to a high level of precision, multi-injection is possible
in a single injection stroke.
• This ensures a stable injection pressure at all times, particularly in the low engine speed range, and dramatically
decreases the amount of black smoke ordinarily emitted by a diesel engine during start-up and acceleration. As a
result, exhaust gas emissions are cleaner and reduced, and higher power output is achieved.

3-1 Injection Control Features

Injection Pressure Control
• Injection pressure is controlled to enable high-pressure injection to be performed at low engine speeds.
• Optimizes control to minimize particulate matter∗ and NOx emissions.
∗ Particulate matter is known to affect the respiratory system at high concentration levels. It consists of soluble organic matter
such as unburned oil or unburned diesel fuel in the exhaust gases, and insoluble organic matter such as soot (black smoke)
and sulfuric gas.

Injection Timing Control

Enables optimized control in accordance with driving conditions to obtain finely tuned injection timing (advance
angle).

Injection Rate Control

A small amount of fuel is sprayed before the main injection to improve engine start ability and reduce engine noise.
This small amount of fuel is controlled to optimize the injection rate (the injection quantity within a given unit of time).

Injection Quantity Control

For example, the cylinder injection quantity is corrected to ensure a uniform engine speed.

Common Rail System

Injection Pressure Control Injection Timing Control Injection Rate Control

Optimization / High Pressurization Injection

Rate
Main Injection
Injection Particulate
Pressure Matter
Electronically Controlled System
Common Rail
System
Crankshaft Angle

Injection Quantity Control

Example:
Advance
Angle Cylinder Injection Quantity Correction
Conventional
Pump
Injection Engine Injection
Quantity Speed Quantity
EngineSpeed InjectionPressure
1 3 2 4

SERVICE TECH Vol.473 04-8

12
 4 Common Rail System and Supply Pump Transitions
4-1 System Transitions
The first-generation common rail system for trucks was created in 1995, the first in the world. In 1999 the system
was adopted in passenger vehicles and small trucks, and became a second-generation system in the middle of 2001.
This system is now compatible with a wide variety of vehicle types, from small and large trucks to passenger vehicles.
The supply pump is an integral part of the common rail system. In 1999 the HP2 supply pump was used in small
trucks and passenger vehicles. This was followed in 2001 by the HP3, a more compact and lightweight supply
pump. The HP4 pump was released in 2003, and was developed based on the HP3 for use in medium trucks.
Systems that use HP0 and HP2 pumps are called "first generation", while systems that use HP3 and HP4 pumps
are called "second generation".
1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006

Common Rail System First-Generation Common Rail System Second-Generation Common Rail System

HP0
Large Trucks
120MPa
Pre-Stroke Control

HP4
180MPa
Suction
Medium Trucks
Control

HP3
HP2 180MPa
Suction Control
135MPa ~ 145MPa
Small Trucks Suction Control

Passenger Vehicles

4-2 Higher Injection Pressure and the Supply Pump

Fuel sprayed from the nozzle turns into finer particles as the fuel injection pressure increases. This improves
combustion and reduces the amount of particulate matter in the exhaust gas. Conventionally, the maximum injection
pressure of the in-line pump (A type) and the distributor pump (VE type) was 60MPa. Due to advancement in high-
pressure applications however, recently developed fuel injection systems inject fuel at a pressure of 100MPa or
higher. The second-generation common rail system injects fuel at an extremely high pressure of 180MPa.

In-Line Pump (A Type)

Mechanical Pump Distributor Pump (VE Type)

NB Type Pump
ECD V3 Pump
1 MPa is approximately
ECD V Series
ECD V4 Pump 120 equivalent to 10.2 kgf/cm².

(First Generation) HP0 Pump 120

Common Rail Series HP2 Pump 145
(Second Generation) HP3,4 Pump 180

50 100 150 200

Injection Pressure (MPa)

13 SERVICE TECH Vol.473 04-8

 5 Common Rail System Configuration
• The common rail control system can be broadly divided into the following four areas: sensors, engine ECU, EDU,
and actuator.
• A block diagram of the overall system is shown below. Various sensors are used to detect the engine operating
conditions. These conditions include the intake air quantity, coolant temperature, intake air temperature, engine
speed and accelerator position. The engine ECU controls the actuators in accordance with the signals from these
sensors.
Block Diagram

Sensors Engine ECU Actuators

Supply Pump
Airflow Meter

Coolant Temperature Sensor

Intake Air Temperature Sensor

EDU Injector
Engine Speed Sensor

Crankshaft Position Sensor

Accelerator Position Sensor

Cylinder Recognition Sensor

Intake Restriction
Fuel Temperature Sensor Control
(Rotary Solenoid)
Rail Pressure Sensor
etc.
etc.

Sensors
The sensors detect the condition of the engine and the pump unit, convert this information into an electric signal,
and send it to the engine ECU.

Engine ECU
The engine ECU receives signals from the sensors, calculates the proper injection quantity and timing for optimal
engine operation, and sends signals to the actuators.

EDU
The EDU generates high voltage to enable high-speed injector actuation.
(The EDU is built into the engine ECU circuit in some vehicles.)

Actuators
The actuators operate to provide optimal injection quantity and timing in accordance with actuation signals
received from the engine ECU.

SERVICE TECH Vol.473 04-8 (Bi-monthly publication)

Date of publication : August 20, 2004 C 2004
Editorial department : Service Department, DENSO
100% recycled papers are used in this magazine. SERVICE TECH Vol.473 04-8
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