[Wolfgang Mai, Jens Pache] DE Kronberg In a method for controlling a tank vent valve (28) of a tank vent device (102) for an internal combustion engine (101) of a motor vehicle (100), the tank vent valve (28) is disposed in a vent line (27) between a fuel vapor reservoir (25) and an intake manifold (4) of the internal combustion engine (101). According to the method, the internal combustion engine (101) is switched off, and the tank vent valve (28) is opened when the internal combustion engine (101) has been switched off, if a signal is sensed according to which a start of the internal combustion engine (101) is expected to be imminent.

[Jens Pache, Gerd Rosel] DE Kaufungen In a method for operating an internal combustion engine with a crankcase breather venting into an intake tract, operating parameters of the internal combustion engine are measured 102. A mass flow of fuel from the crankcase into the intake tract is determined as a function of the operating parameters measured 103. The internal combustion engine is controlled 111 or monitored 108 as a function of the mass flow of fuel from the crankcase into the intake tract.

[Gerhard Eser, Wolfgang Mai, Jens Pache] DE Hemau The tank venting device has a fuel vapor reservoir connected to a fuel tank to deliver escaping fuel vapors to the fuel vapor reservoir, and is connected to the internal combustion engine in such a manner that during a tank venting operation the fuel vapors contained in the fuel vapor reservoir are delivered as regeneration gas. To check the operability of the venting device the fuel concentration in the regeneration gas is ascertained at a minimum of two different points in time during the venting operation. The fuel concentration values in the regeneration gas are compared with respective reference values representing the regeneration gas fuel concentration in the situation in which no additional fuel vapors are delivered during the venting operation. The assessment of the venting device operability is carried out by comparison of the values ascertained for the fuel concentration in the regeneration gas with the reference values.

[Andreas Althof, Stefan Fuehling, Wolfgang Mai, Knut Meyer, Jens Pache, Matthias Wiese] DE Dortmund In a control method for an internal combustion engine (1) which has a fuel tank (18), a fuel vapor storage device (25) for storing the escaping fuel vapors and a controllable valve (28) for adjusting the stream of fuel vapors fed to the intake tract (4) during a period of tank ventilation, the valve (28) is controlled in such a way according to the method that the stream of fuel vapors varies during the tank ventilation period. The regeneration of the fuel vapor storage device is intended to be improved thereby.

[MAI, Wolfgang, PACHE, Jens] Vahrenwalder Strasse 9 30165 Hannover;Im Eich 3 65760 Eschborn;Friedrich-Ebert-Strasse 14 65824 Schwalbach a. Ts. The method relates to an internal combustion engine (1) comprising a fuel tank (18), a fuel vapor reservoir (25), wherein according to the method during the tank vent period - before opening the tank vent valve (28) a reference value is updated if a condition is met, and otherwise the existing reference value is maintained, - before opening the tank vent valve (28) an opening period is determined as a function of at least one variable, - the tank vent valve (28) is controlled such that the flow achieves the target flow value by the end of the opening period that was determined, - the load level of the fuel vapor reservoir (25) is computed based on the reference value, - a fuel amount is computed based on the load level, - and the fuel amount to be metered by means of the injection valve (22) is corrected based on the computer fuel amount.

[Wolfgang Mai, Jens Pache] DE Kronberg A tank venting device for a motor vehicle has a fuel tank, a fuel vapor accumulator for storing fuel vapors escaping from the fuel tank and a connection line, via which the fuel vapors may flow from the fuel tank into the fuel vapor accumulator. Furthermore, an overpressure line having an overpressure valve is provided, via which the fuel vapors may flow from the fuel tank into the fuel vapor accumulator when the overpressure valve is open. An attachment of the connection line on the fuel vapor accumulator and an attachment of the overpressure line on the fuel vapor accumulator are situated at different points on the fuel vapor accumulator. The operational reliability of a tank venting procedure may thus be increased and the adsorption capacity of the fuel vapor accumulator may be used better.

[Wolfgang Mai, Jens Pache] DE Eschborn In a method for correcting the fuel concentration in a regeneration gas flow of a tank venting device, the fuel concentration is determined, and a defined regeneration gas flow rate is set and supplied to the engine to use the regeneration gas in the combustion process. Then, a reference composition is determined and the flow rate is varied. Then, a first injection amount correction value is determined based on the fuel concentration and the flow rate adjustment amount. A pre-specified quantity of fuel is corrected by the first correction value and the exhaust gas composition is determined again after the corrected fuel quantity has been supplied. A second correction value is determined by which the corrected fuel quantity is further corrected to set the exhaust gas composition to the reference composition. The fuel concentration of the regeneration gas flow is corrected by the first and the second correction values.

[Wolfgang Mai, Jens Pache] DE Eschborn According to a method for controlling an internal combustion engine by which the tank ventilation operation and an adjustment of the basic mixture can be carried out simultaneously, the engine is operated with an open tank ventilation valve. A first fuel amount correction value is determined for correction of a basic pilot control value for the amount of injected fuel. The regeneration gas volume flow rate is subsequently varied by a predefined change amount. A second fuel amount correction value is determined for correction of the basic pilot control value. Based on the first and second correction values and the flow rate change amount, a third fuel amount correction value is calculated by which the basic pilot control value would have to be corrected to again regulate the exhaust gas composition with a closed tank ventilation valve. Based on the third correction value the basic pilot control value is corrected.

[Stephane Closet, Wolfgang Mai, Jens Pache] DE Lindau A method for controlling a tank ventilation device (102) for a motor vehicle (100) is proposed in which first of all a tank vent valve (28) of the tank ventilation device (102) is closed. Then, the value of a control signal for the tank vent valve (28) is increased in the sense of an opening of the tank vent valve (28) until a leak detection means (23, 31) associated with the tank ventilation device (102) recognizes a leak in the tank ventilation device (102). The value of the control signal at which the leak in the tank ventilation device (102) is recognized is identified as the opening control value for opening the tank vent valve (28). In this way, the opening control value for the tank vent valve (28) can be determined with a high frequency and precision.

[MAI, Wolfgang, PACHE, Jens] Vahrenwalder Straße 9 30165 Hannover;Oberurseler Str. 59a 61476 Kronberg;Rehheckenweg 42 34260 Kaufungen A method is proposed for controlling a tank vent valve (28) of a tank vent device (102) for an internal combustion engine (101) of a motor vehicle (100), wherein the tank vent valve (28) is disposed in a vent line (27) between a fuel vapor reservoir (25) and an intake manifold (4) of the internal combustion engine (101). According to the method, the internal combustion engine (101) is switched off, and the tank vent valve (28) is opened when the internal combustion engine (101) has been switched off, if a signal is sensed according to which a start of the internal combustion engine (101) is expected to be imminent.