A METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MONITORING AN ENGINE CYLINDER IN AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE, A METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING COMBUSTION IN SAID ENGINE CYLINDER AND AN IGNITION APPARATUS FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE

摘要

A method for monitoring an engine cylinder in an internal combustion engine includes, for each engine cycle, detection of the ionisation current generated in the cylinder in a predetermined time interval of a combustion cycle, generation of a signal representing the ionisation current and comparing a maximum value of the signal with a threshold value. Successively, the value of one or more parameters associated with the signal can be changed with respect to an equal number of corresponding reference values when the maximum value of the signal exceeds the threshold value, to reduce the maximum value of the signal in the time interval of a successive combustion cycle. The presence of water in the cylinder can be determined when the maximum value of the signal exceeds the threshold value for a predetermined first number of combustion cycles occurring within a predetermined period of time.