A natural gas engine control method, device, equipment and medium

Abstract

The present invention discloses a control method, device, equipment and medium for a natural gas engine. The method comprises: obtaining operating parameters of the engine, and determining an optimal range of an intercooler temperature of the engine according to the operating conditions corresponding to the operating parameters; adjusting the intercooler temperature of the engine to an intercooler temperature lower limit value corresponding to the optimal range of the intercooler temperature by controlling the rotation speed of a fan when no detonation occurs in the engine; adjusting the ignition angle and the EGR rate of the engine to a first ignition angle and a first EGR rate, respectively, based on a first preset curve and the lower limit value of the intercooler temperature, and controlling the engine to operate at the first ignition angle and the first EGR rate so that the engine operates with minimum gas consumption, and returning to the step of obtaining the operating parameters of the engine; in such operation, the combustion efficiency of the engine can be improved, and the economy is good.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of engine technology, and in particular to a control method, device, equipment and medium for a natural gas engine. Background Art

[0002] In related art, to conserve engine accessory work, the engine intercooler temperature threshold is typically adjusted based on an upper threshold. Specifically, when the engine intercooler temperature exceeds the upper threshold, the fan speed is increased to cool the engine. When the engine intercooler temperature falls below the upper threshold, the fan speed is decreased to maintain the intercooler temperature near the upper threshold. While still meeting the engine's cooling requirements, the fan speed is kept low, reducing engine accessory work. However, this approach presents a problem: maintaining the engine intercooler temperature at the upper threshold results in low combustion efficiency and poor fuel economy. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present invention provides a control method, device, equipment and medium for a natural gas engine to improve the combustion efficiency and economy of the engine.

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a method for controlling a natural gas engine is provided, comprising:

[0005] Obtaining engine operating parameters, and determining an optimal engine intercooler temperature range according to the operating conditions corresponding to the operating parameters;

[0006] When the engine does not experience knock, the intercooler temperature of the engine is adjusted to the lower limit of the intercooler temperature corresponding to the optimal intercooler temperature range by controlling the speed of the fan;

[0007] Based on a first preset curve and the lower limit value of the intercooler temperature, the ignition angle and the EGR rate of the engine are adjusted to be a first ignition angle and a first EGR rate, respectively, and the engine is controlled to operate at the first ignition angle and the first EGR rate so that the engine operates with minimum gas consumption, and the step of obtaining the operating parameters of the engine is returned to; wherein, the first preset curve is a correspondence curve between the intercooler temperature, the ignition angle, the EGR rate and the gas consumption.

[0008] Optionally, adjusting the intercooling temperature of the engine to an intercooling temperature lower limit value corresponding to the intercooling temperature optimal range by controlling the rotation speed of the fan includes:

[0009] When the intercooler temperature of the engine is greater than the intercooler temperature upper limit corresponding to the intercooler temperature optimal range, the fan speed is controlled to increase, and when the intercooler temperature of the engine is less than or equal to the intercooler temperature upper limit, the fan speed is continuously controlled to increase until the intercooler temperature of the engine is adjusted to the intercooler temperature lower limit;

[0010] When the intercooler temperature of the engine is lower than the lower limit of the intercooler temperature, the fan speed is controlled to decrease until the intercooler temperature of the engine is adjusted to the lower limit of the intercooler temperature.

[0011] Optionally, before adjusting the intercooling temperature of the engine to the lower limit of the intercooling temperature corresponding to the optimal intercooling temperature range by controlling the rotation speed of the fan, the method further includes:

[0012] Acquiring knock parameters of the engine, and determining whether a knock condition occurs in the engine based on the knock parameters;

[0013] When a knock condition occurs in the engine, if the knock parameter exceeds a knock limit threshold, controlling the engine to reduce torque; if the knock parameter does not exceed the knock limit threshold, adjusting the engine's ignition angle to retard and the engine's EGR rate to increase, and returning to the step of obtaining the engine's knock parameter;

[0014] When the engine does not experience knock, the step of adjusting the intercooling temperature of the engine to the lower limit of the intercooling temperature corresponding to the optimal intercooling temperature range by controlling the rotation speed of the fan is performed.

[0015] Optionally, obtaining an operating parameter of the engine, and determining an optimal range of the engine intercooler temperature according to the operating condition corresponding to the operating parameter includes:

[0016] The optimal range of the engine intercooler temperature is determined based on a second preset curve and the engine operating condition corresponding to the operating condition parameter, where the second preset curve is a corresponding relationship curve between the operating condition parameter and the optimal range of the engine intercooler temperature.

[0017] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control device for a natural gas engine, comprising:

[0018] An interval range determination module is used to obtain engine operating parameters and determine an optimal interval range of the engine's intercooler temperature according to the operating conditions corresponding to the operating parameters;

[0019] an intercooler temperature adjustment module, configured to adjust the intercooler temperature of the engine to a lower limit of the intercooler temperature corresponding to the intercooler temperature optimal range by controlling the speed of the fan when no detonation or misfire occurs in the engine;

[0020] An operating parameter adjustment module is used to adjust the ignition angle and EGR rate of the engine to a first ignition angle and a first EGR rate respectively based on a first preset curve and the lower limit value of the intercooler temperature, and control the engine to operate at the first ignition angle and the first EGR rate so that the engine operates with minimum gas consumption, and return to the step of obtaining the operating parameters of the engine; wherein the first preset curve is a corresponding relationship curve between the intercooler temperature, the ignition angle, the EGR rate and the gas consumption.

[0021] Optionally, the intercooler temperature adjustment module includes:

[0022] a first adjustment unit, configured to control the fan speed to increase when the intercooler temperature of the engine is greater than an intercooler temperature upper limit value corresponding to the intercooler temperature optimal range, and to continue controlling the fan speed to increase when the intercooler temperature of the engine is less than or equal to the intercooler temperature upper limit value until the intercooler temperature of the engine is adjusted to the intercooler temperature lower limit value;

[0023] The second adjustment unit is configured to control the fan speed to decrease when the intercooler temperature of the engine is lower than the intercooler temperature lower limit value, until the intercooler temperature of the engine is adjusted to the intercooler temperature lower limit value.

[0024] Optionally, it also includes:

[0025] a knock determination module, configured to obtain knock parameters of the engine and determine whether a knock condition occurs in the engine based on the knock parameters;

[0026] a first knock unit, configured to, when a knock condition occurs in the engine, control the engine to reduce torque if the knock parameter exceeds a knock limit threshold, and adjust an ignition angle retardation of the engine and an EGR rate increase of the engine if the knock parameter does not exceed the knock limit threshold, and return to the step of obtaining the knock parameter of the engine;

[0027] The second detonation unit is configured to, when the engine does not experience a detonation condition, execute the step of adjusting the intercooling temperature of the engine to an intercooling temperature lower limit value corresponding to the intercooling temperature optimal range by controlling the speed of the fan.

[0028] Optionally, the interval range determination module includes:

[0029] The interval range determination unit is used to determine the optimal interval range of the engine intercooler temperature based on a second preset curve and the engine operating condition corresponding to the operating condition parameter, wherein the second preset curve is a correspondence curve between the operating condition parameter and the optimal interval range of the engine intercooler temperature.

[0030] According to a third aspect of the present invention, an electronic device is provided, comprising:

[0031] at least one processor; and

[0032] a memory communicatively connected to the at least one processor; wherein,

[0033] The memory stores a computer program executable by the at least one processor. The computer program is executed by the at least one processor so that the at least one processor can execute the natural gas engine control method according to any embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores computer instructions for enabling a processor to implement the natural gas engine control method according to any embodiment of the present invention when the computer instructions are executed.

[0035] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a control method, device, apparatus, and medium for a natural gas engine are provided. The method includes: obtaining engine operating parameters, determining an optimal range of the engine's intercooler temperature based on the operating conditions corresponding to the operating parameters; adjusting the engine's intercooler temperature to an intercooler temperature lower limit corresponding to the optimal range of the intercooler temperature by controlling the fan speed when the engine is not experiencing knock; adjusting the engine's ignition angle and EGR rate to a first ignition angle and a first EGR rate, respectively, based on a first preset curve and the intercooler temperature lower limit, controlling the engine to operate at the first ignition angle and the first EGR rate to minimize gas consumption, and returning to the step of obtaining the engine's operating parameters; wherein the first preset curve is a curve representing the corresponding relationship between the intercooler temperature, ignition angle, EGR rate, and gas consumption. Thus, when the engine is not experiencing knock, the engine's intercooler temperature is maintained at the intercooler temperature lower limit, the engine's ignition angle can be advanced, and the EGR rate can be reduced, thereby improving the engine's combustion efficiency and achieving better fuel economy.

[0036] It should be understood that the content described in this section is not intended to identify the key or important features of the embodiments of the present invention, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Other features of the present invention will become readily understood through the following description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0038] Figure 1 It is a structural diagram of a natural gas engine in the related art;

[0039] Figure 2 This is a flow chart of a natural gas engine control method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 3 This is a flow chart of a control method for a natural gas engine proposed in a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 4 is a block diagram of a control device for a natural gas engine according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 5 It is a structural diagram of an electronic device for implementing the control method of a natural gas engine according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the solutions of the present invention, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0044] It should be noted that the terms "first", "second", etc. in the description and claims of the present invention and the above-mentioned drawings are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that the numbers used in this way can be interchanged where appropriate, so that the embodiments of the present invention described herein can be implemented in an order other than those illustrated or described herein. In addition, the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. For example, a process, method, system, product or device that includes a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units clearly listed, but may include other steps or units that are not clearly listed or inherent to these processes, methods, products or devices.

[0045] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a natural gas engine in the related art. Figure 1As shown, the natural gas engine includes: a natural gas intake line 001, an air intake line 002, a mixer 003, an intake line 004, a combustion chamber 005, an exhaust line 006 and an exhaust gas recovery line 007. Natural gas enters through the natural gas intake line 001, and air enters through the air intake line 002. After being mixed in a certain proportion by the mixer 003, the natural gas enters the combustion chamber 005 through the intake line 004. After combustion in the combustion chamber 005, the exhaust gas is discharged through the exhaust line 006. Part of the exhaust gas is mixed with air again through the exhaust gas recovery line 007, and part of the exhaust gas is processed and discharged by the post-processor.

[0046] When part of the exhaust gas is mixed with air again through the exhaust gas recovery line 007, it is cooled by the intercooler. The cooled exhaust gas and air mixture is then mixed with natural gas again before entering the combustion chamber 005. This can increase the EGR rate (the ratio of the amount of recirculated exhaust gas to the total amount of intake air drawn into the cylinder). However, the temperature of the intercooler will increase. When the temperature of the intercooler rises to a certain temperature, a fault will occur. The temperature of the intercooler can be monitored and cooled when the intercooler overheats. Traditional natural gas engine thermal management controls the water temperature and intercooler temperature to an upper limit. Only when the water temperature and intercooler temperature reach the upper limit temperature will the fan speed no longer increase, thereby saving engine accessory work.

[0047] Figure 2 This is a flow chart of the control method of the natural gas engine proposed in the embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 As shown, the control method of the natural gas engine includes:

[0048] S101 , obtaining engine operating parameters, and determining an optimal engine intercooler temperature range according to the operating conditions corresponding to the operating parameters.

[0049] Among them, the engine operating conditions generally include starting conditions, idling conditions, small load conditions, medium load conditions, large load conditions, full load conditions and acceleration conditions. These conditions can be determined by corresponding operating condition parameters. For example, in the starting condition, it can be determined by vehicle speed, pedal opening, etc. For example, in the idling condition, it can be determined by pedal opening. Small and medium load conditions can be determined by required torque, etc., and acceleration conditions can be determined by vehicle speed. Operating condition parameters generally include vehicle speed, required torque, pedal opening, actual torque, ambient temperature or ambient pressure, etc. The corresponding operating condition can be determined by one or more of the operating condition parameters.

[0050] Because the amount of heat dissipated by the engine varies under different operating conditions, the required intercooler cooling capacity and, consequently, the optimal intercooler operating temperature range also vary. During the calibration phase, the optimal intercooler operating temperature range can be calibrated based on different operating conditions. In actual use, when the corresponding operating conditions are detected, the optimal engine intercooler temperature range can be determined.

[0051] S102 , when no engine knock occurs, adjusting the engine intercooler temperature to an intercooler temperature lower limit value corresponding to an optimal intercooler temperature range by controlling the fan speed.

[0052] When engine knock occurs, the engine ignition angle cannot be advanced any further and needs to be retarded to alleviate the knock. However, when the engine intercooler temperature is adjusted to the lower limit of the intercooler temperature, the ignition angle generally advances. Therefore, in the embodiment of the present invention, when the engine does not experience knock, there is still some margin for advancing the engine ignition angle. Therefore, the engine intercooler temperature is adjusted to the lower limit of the intercooler temperature range corresponding to the optimal intercooler temperature range to utilize this margin for advancing the engine ignition angle.

[0053] It will be appreciated that the aforementioned detonation may be detonation or misfire.

[0054] S103, based on the first preset curve and the lower limit of the intercooler temperature, adjust the ignition angle and EGR rate of the engine to the first ignition angle and the first EGR rate respectively, and control the engine to operate at the first ignition angle and the first EGR rate so that the engine operates with the lowest gas consumption, and return to the step of obtaining the operating parameters of the engine; wherein the first preset curve is a correspondence curve between the intercooler temperature, the ignition angle, the EGR rate and the gas consumption.

[0055] It is understood that the first preset curve can be pre-calibrated. When the engine intercooler temperature is adjusted to the lower limit of the intercooler temperature, the engine's ignition angle and EGR rate can be adjusted accordingly. The adjusted first ignition angle and first EGR rate can better match the current lower limit of the intercooler temperature, placing the engine's gas consumption in the optimal economic zone. For example, adjusting the engine's ignition angle to advance and reducing the EGR rate can improve engine combustion efficiency and improve engine economy.

[0056] Optionally, adjusting the intercooler temperature of the engine to an intercooler temperature lower limit value corresponding to the intercooler temperature optimal range by controlling the fan speed includes:

[0057] When the engine's intercooler temperature is greater than the intercooler temperature upper limit corresponding to the intercooler temperature optimal range, the fan speed is controlled to increase, and when the engine's intercooler temperature is less than or equal to the intercooler temperature upper limit, the fan speed is continued to be controlled to increase until the engine's intercooler temperature is adjusted to the intercooler temperature lower limit;

[0058] When the intercooler temperature of the engine is lower than the intercooler temperature lower limit, the fan speed is controlled to decrease until the intercooler temperature of the engine is adjusted to the intercooler temperature lower limit.

[0059] It should be noted that when the engine intercooler temperature is within the optimal intercooler temperature range, the fan speed can be controlled to increase, causing the engine intercooler temperature to continue to decrease until it reaches the lower limit of the intercooler temperature. When the engine intercooler temperature is outside the optimal intercooler temperature range, the fan speed can be controlled to achieve closed-loop regulation of the engine intercooler temperature. For example, when the engine intercooler temperature is greater than the upper limit of the intercooler temperature corresponding to the optimal intercooler temperature range, the fan speed is controlled to increase; when the engine intercooler temperature is less than the lower limit of the intercooler temperature, the fan speed is controlled to decrease.

[0060] During the adjustment process, the engine intercooler temperature can be obtained in real time through a temperature sensor, and the fan speed can be obtained through a speed sensor to form a closed-loop adjustment.

[0061] Optionally, before adjusting the intercooler temperature of the engine to the lower limit of the intercooler temperature corresponding to the optimal intercooler temperature range by controlling the fan speed, the method further includes:

[0062] Obtaining engine knock parameters, and determining whether the engine has a knock condition based on the knock parameters;

[0063] When the engine knock condition occurs, if the knock parameter exceeds the knock limit threshold, the engine is controlled to reduce torque; if the knock parameter does not exceed the knock limit threshold, the engine ignition angle is adjusted to be delayed, and the engine EGR rate is adjusted to be increased, and the process returns to the step of obtaining the engine knock parameter;

[0064] When the engine does not experience knock, the step of adjusting the engine intercooler temperature to an intercooler temperature lower limit value corresponding to the intercooler temperature optimal range by controlling the fan speed is performed.

[0065] The knock parameter may be a voltage or current signal related to knock intensity. When the knock parameter exceeds a normal threshold, it can be determined that the engine is experiencing knock. When the knock parameter does not exceed the normal threshold, it can be determined that the engine is not experiencing knock. Furthermore, under the premise that the engine is not experiencing knock, the intercooler temperature can be adjusted to the lower limit of the intercooler temperature to utilize the engine's ignition angle margin. When the engine experiences knock, the severity of the guaranteed operating condition is determined. If the severity of the knock condition exceeds the knock limit, the engine torque reduction operation is required. If the severity of the knock condition does not exceed the knock limit, the knock severity can be alleviated by delaying the ignition angle and increasing the EGR rate.

[0066] Optionally, obtaining engine operating parameters and determining an optimal engine intercooler temperature range according to the operating parameters includes:

[0067] The optimal range of the engine intercooler temperature is determined based on the second preset curve and the engine operating condition corresponding to the operating condition parameters. The second preset curve is a corresponding relationship curve between the operating condition parameters and the optimal range of the engine intercooler temperature.

[0068] The second preset curve can be pre-calibrated. Different operating conditions correspond to different operating parameters. By pre-collecting these parameters, the engine's operating condition category can be determined. Different operating conditions correspond to different engine heat dissipation, and thus, different optimal intercooler temperature ranges. By pre-calibrating the second preset curve, once the corresponding operating condition is detected, the corresponding optimal intercooler temperature range can be retrieved based on the second preset curve. The actual intercooler temperature detected by the temperature sensor can then be used to implement closed-loop control of the engine's intercooler temperature.

[0069] Figure 3 This is a flow chart of a control method for a natural gas engine according to a specific embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 As shown, the control method includes:

[0070] S201, start collecting working condition parameters;

[0071] S202, determine whether the engine has knock; if so, execute S203, if not, execute S206;

[0072] S203, determining whether the knock condition exceeds a severe threshold, if so, executing S204, if not, executing S205;

[0073] S204, controlling the engine to reduce torque, and returning to S201;

[0074] S205, delaying the ignition angle, increasing the EGR rate, and returning to S201;

[0075] S206, determining the engine operating condition based on the operating condition parameters and determining the optimal range of the intercooler temperature;

[0076] S207, determining whether the engine intercooler temperature is within the intercooler temperature optimal range, if so, executing S208, if not, executing S209;

[0077] S208, controlling the fan speed to increase, and adjusting the engine intercooler temperature to the lower limit of the intercooler temperature;

[0078] S209, controlling the fan speed to adjust the engine intercooler temperature to an optimal intercooler temperature range, and returning to S208;

[0079] S210, determining whether the engine's ignition angle and EGR rate match the current lower limit of the intercooler temperature. If so, return to S201; if not, execute S211;

[0080] S211, adjust the engine's ignition angle to the first ignition angle and the EGR rate to the first EGR rate to match the current lower limit of the engine's intercooler temperature, so that the engine operates in the optimal economic zone (lowest gas consumption), and return to S201.

[0081] That is, the control method includes:

[0082] Step 1: ECU (Electronic Control Unit) signal acquisition. The ECU collects engine operating information, including actual engine torque, requested engine torque, driver pedal position, engine ignition angle and EGR rate, and real-time monitoring signals of knock and misfire intensity. Vehicle operating information also includes speed.

[0083] Step 2: Process signals related to the engine and vehicle operating conditions. Preprocess the signals collected in Step 1 to determine whether the engine is experiencing knock or misfire. If so, proceed to Step 2-a. If not, proceed to Step 3.

[0084] Step 2-a: Compare the knock and misfire degree signals collected in step 2 with the severity threshold. If the severity threshold is exceeded, execute step 2-ai. If the severity threshold is not exceeded, execute step 2-a-ii.

[0085] Step 2-ai: The engine performs torque reduction related to knock and misfire.

[0086] Step 2-a-ii: Although the engine has knock and misfire at this time, the degree is acceptable. The knock and misfire can be alleviated by actively adjusting the EGR and ignition angle.

[0087] Step 3: In this step, the vehicle information is collected and processed. The ECU or VCU (Vehicle Control Unit) collects information such as vehicle speed, ambient temperature, and ambient pressure.

[0088] Step 4: Based on the vehicle information collected in Step 3, optimize vehicle thermal management, primarily determining whether the intercooler temperature is within the optimal range. If the intercooler temperature is too high or too low, proceed to Step 4-a. If the intercooler temperature is within the optimal range, proceed to Step 4-b.

[0089] Step 4-a: Based on the actual intercooler temperature and the optimal range, the fan speed is closed-loop controlled so that the intercooler temperature eventually reaches the optimal range and the lower limit of the intercooler temperature.

[0090] Step 4-b: When the intercooler temperature is adjusted to the lower limit of the intercooler temperature, determine the optimal EGR rate and ignition angle based on the vehicle and engine operating conditions at this time. If the EGR rate and ignition angle are not in the optimal range, execute step 5. If the EGR rate and ignition angle are already in the optimal range, return to step 2 and begin to determine the knock and misfire intensity.

[0091] Step 5: Adjust the ignition angle and EGR valve so that the EGR rate and ignition angle are in the optimal economic range.

[0092] Therefore, the embodiment of the present invention takes into account the thermal management of the whole vehicle and the combustion control in a coordinated manner, and is not limited to controlling the temperature of the cooling module and the engine of the whole vehicle. The thermal management strategy of the natural gas whole vehicle cooperates with the combustion control of the engine to further optimize the combustion efficiency and economy of the engine. The present invention does not control the upper limit of the water temperature with the goal of saving accessory work. Instead, it increases the fan speed and controls the water temperature and intercooler temperature to a lower level while meeting the detonation safety to reach the lower limit of the water temperature. This improves the engine's anti-knock performance and allows for an ignition angle and EGR rate with better combustion efficiency under low temperature conditions. This improves the engine's thermal efficiency and saves gas consumption. Overall, it is more energy-efficient. In addition, the entire process can be adaptively adjusted, with a high degree of automation.

[0093] Figure 4 FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a control device for a natural gas engine according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 As shown, the control device includes:

[0094] The interval range determination module 101 is used to obtain the engine operating parameters and determine the optimal interval range of the engine intercooler temperature according to the operating parameters;

[0095] The intercooler temperature adjustment module 102 is configured to adjust the engine intercooler temperature to the lower limit of the intercooler temperature corresponding to the optimal intercooler temperature range by controlling the fan speed when no engine detonation or misfire occurs;

[0096] The operating parameter adjustment module 103 is used to adjust the ignition angle and EGR rate of the engine to the first ignition angle and the first EGR rate respectively based on the first preset curve and the lower limit of the intercooler temperature, and control the engine to operate at the first ignition angle and the first EGR rate so that the engine operates with the lowest gas consumption, and return to the step of obtaining the operating parameters of the engine; wherein the first preset curve is a correspondence curve between the intercooler temperature, the ignition angle, the EGR rate and the gas consumption.

[0097] Optionally, the intercooler temperature adjustment module includes:

[0098] The first adjustment unit is configured to control the fan speed to increase when the intercooler temperature of the engine is greater than an upper limit of the intercooler temperature corresponding to an optimal range of the intercooler temperature, and to continue controlling the fan speed to increase when the intercooler temperature of the engine is less than or equal to the upper limit of the intercooler temperature until the intercooler temperature of the engine is adjusted to the lower limit of the intercooler temperature;

[0099] The second adjustment unit is used to control the fan speed to decrease when the intercooler temperature of the engine is lower than the lower limit of the intercooler temperature, until the intercooler temperature of the engine is adjusted to the lower limit of the intercooler temperature.

[0100] Optionally, it also includes:

[0101] A knock determination module is used to obtain engine knock parameters and determine whether the engine has a knock condition based on the knock parameters;

[0102] a first knock unit configured to, when a knock condition occurs in the engine, control the engine to reduce torque if the knock parameter exceeds a knock limit threshold; and, if the knock parameter does not exceed the knock limit threshold, adjust the engine's ignition angle retardation and increase the engine's EGR rate, and return to the step of obtaining the engine's knock parameter;

[0103] The second detonation unit is configured to, when no detonation occurs in the engine, execute the step of adjusting the intercooling temperature of the engine to the lower limit of the intercooling temperature corresponding to the optimal range of the intercooling temperature by controlling the speed of the fan.

[0104] Optionally, the interval range determination module includes:

[0105] The interval range determination unit is used to determine the optimal interval range of the engine intercooler temperature based on the second preset curve and the engine operating condition corresponding to the operating condition parameter. The second preset curve is a correspondence curve between the operating condition parameter and the optimal interval range of the engine intercooler temperature.

[0106] Specifically, the ECU collects engine operating information, including actual engine torque, requested engine torque, driver pedal position, engine ignition angle, engine EGR rate, vehicle fan speed, real-time knock intensity monitoring signals, and vehicle operating conditions. This information, collected by the ECU and processed by the engine signal processing module, is then fed into the vehicle's thermal management control module. This module determines whether the intercooler temperature is within the optimal range and adjusts the fan speed accordingly, providing closed-loop control of the intercooler temperature.

[0107] The combustion control module also optimizes combustion control in real time based on feedback from the vehicle's thermal management module. It adjusts fan speed, lowers intercooler and coolant temperatures, and adjusts ignition angle and EGR rate, using knock signals as adjustment boundaries to keep the vehicle's natural gas engine's fuel consumption within the optimal range.

[0108] Furthermore, protection modules have been designed to address knock and misfire in natural gas engines. First, the knock protection module. If the knock intensity is detected to be above the safety limit during the switching process, knock protection is immediately activated. This is achieved by adjusting the ignition angle, the EGR rate, and engine torque reduction to restore the knock intensity to normal. Second, the misfire protection module. If the misfire intensity is detected to be above the safety limit during the switching process, misfire protection is immediately activated. This is achieved by adjusting the ignition angle, the EGR rate, and engine torque reduction to restore the misfire intensity to normal.

[0109] The natural gas engine control device provided in the embodiments of the present invention can execute the natural gas engine control method provided in any embodiment of the present invention, and possesses the corresponding functional modules and beneficial effects of the execution method. The present invention does not control the upper water temperature limit with the goal of saving accessory power. Instead, it increases the fan speed to lower the water temperature and intercooler temperature while ensuring knock safety, thereby achieving the lower water temperature limit. This improves the engine's knock resistance and allows for ignition angles and EGR rates that optimize combustion efficiency under low-temperature conditions. Furthermore, this improves engine thermal efficiency and reduces gas consumption. Overall, this results in greater energy savings. Furthermore, the entire process is adaptively adjustable, resulting in a high degree of automation.

[0110] According to the electronic device proposed by the present invention, the electronic device includes:

[0111] at least one processor; and

[0112] a memory communicatively connected to the at least one processor; wherein,

[0113] The memory stores a computer program executable by the at least one processor. The computer program is executed by the at least one processor so that the at least one processor can execute the natural gas engine control method according to any embodiment of the present invention.

[0114] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device 10 that can be used to implement an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The electronic device is intended to represent various forms of digital computers, such as laptop computers, desktop computers, workstations, personal digital assistants, servers, blade servers, mainframe computers, and other suitable computers. The electronic device can also represent various forms of mobile devices, such as personal digital processing, cellular phones, smart phones, wearable devices (such as helmets, glasses, watches, etc.) and other similar computing devices. The components shown herein, their connections and relationships, and their functions are merely examples and are not intended to limit the implementation of the present invention described and / or claimed herein.

[0115] like Figure 5 As shown, the electronic device 10 includes at least one processor 11 and a memory, such as a read-only memory (ROM) 12, a random access memory (RAM) 13, etc., which is communicatively connected to the at least one processor 11. The memory stores a computer program that can be executed by the at least one processor, and the processor 11 can perform various appropriate actions and processes according to the computer program stored in the read-only memory (ROM) 12 or the computer program loaded from the storage unit 18 into the random access memory (RAM) 13. Various programs and data required for the operation of the electronic device 10 can also be stored in the random access memory (RAM) 13. The processor 11, the read-only memory (ROM) 12, and the random access memory (RAM) 13 are connected to each other via a bus 14. An input / output (I / O) interface 15 is also connected to the bus 14.

[0116] Various components in the electronic device 10 are connected to an input / output (I / O) interface 15, including an input unit 16, such as a keyboard, a mouse, etc.; an output unit 17, such as various types of displays, speakers, etc.; a storage unit 18, such as a magnetic disk, an optical disk, etc.; and a communication unit 19, such as a network card, a modem, a wireless communication transceiver, etc. The communication unit 19 allows the electronic device 10 to exchange information / data with other devices via a computer network such as the Internet and / or various telecommunication networks.

[0117] Processor 11 can be any general-purpose and / or specialized processing component with processing and computing capabilities. Some examples of processor 11 include, but are not limited to, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), various specialized artificial intelligence (AI) computing chips, various processors running machine learning model algorithms, digital signal processors (DSPs), and any other suitable processor, controller, microcontroller, etc. Processor 11 executes the various methods and processes described above, such as the natural gas engine control method.

[0118] In some embodiments, the natural gas engine control method can be implemented as a computer program tangibly embodied in a computer-readable storage medium, such as storage unit 18. In some embodiments, part or all of the computer program can be loaded and / or installed on electronic device 10 via read-only memory (ROM) 12 and / or communication unit 19. When the computer program is loaded into random access memory (RAM) 13 and executed by processor 11, one or more steps of the natural gas engine control method described above can be performed. Alternatively, in other embodiments, processor 11 can be configured to execute the natural gas engine control method in any other suitable manner (e.g., via firmware).

[0119] Various embodiments of the systems and techniques described herein can be implemented in digital electronic circuit systems, integrated circuit systems, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), application specific standard products (ASSPs), system-on-chip systems (SOCs), programmable logic devices (CPLDs), computer hardware, firmware, software, and / or combinations thereof. These various embodiments can include being implemented in one or more computer programs that are executable and / or interpreted on a programmable system that includes at least one programmable processor, which can be a special purpose or general purpose programmable processor that can receive data and instructions from a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device, and transmit data and instructions to the storage system, the at least one input device, and the at least one output device.

[0120] Computer programs for implementing the methods of the present invention may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages. These computer programs may be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing device, such that when the computer program is executed by the processor, the functions / operations specified in the flowcharts and / or block diagrams are implemented. The computer program may be executed entirely on the machine, partially on the machine, as a stand-alone software package, partially on the machine and partially on a remote machine, or entirely on a remote machine or server.

[0121] According to the computer-readable storage medium proposed by the present invention, the computer-readable storage medium stores computer instructions, and the computer instructions are used to enable a processor to implement the control method of the natural gas engine according to any embodiment of the present invention when executed.

[0122] In the context of the present invention, computer-readable storage media can be tangible media that can contain or store a computer program for use with an instruction execution system, device or equipment or used in combination with an instruction execution system, device or equipment. Computer-readable storage media can include but are not limited to electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared or semiconductor systems, devices or equipment, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. Alternatively, computer-readable storage media can be machine-readable signal media. More specific examples of machine-readable storage media can include electrical connections based on one or more lines, portable computer disks, hard disks, random access memories (RAM), read-only memories (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memories (EPROM or flash memory), optical fibers, portable compact disk read-only memories (CD-ROM), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

[0123] To provide interaction with a user, the systems and techniques described herein can be implemented on an electronic device having: a display device (e.g., a CRT (cathode ray tube) or LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor) for displaying information to the user; and a keyboard and pointing device (e.g., a mouse or trackball) through which the user can provide input to the electronic device. Other types of devices can also be used to provide interaction with the user; for example, the feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback (e.g., visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback); and input from the user can be received in any form (including acoustic input, voice input, or tactile input).

[0124] The systems and techniques described herein can be implemented in a computing system that includes back-end components (e.g., as a data server), or a computing system that includes middleware components (e.g., an application server), or a computing system that includes front-end components (e.g., a user computer with a graphical user interface or web browser through which a user can interact with implementations of the systems and techniques described herein), or a computing system that includes any combination of such back-end components, middleware components, or front-end components. The components of the system can be interconnected by any form or medium of digital data communication (e.g., a communication network). Examples of communication networks include: a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a blockchain network, and the Internet.

[0125] A computing system may include clients and servers. The clients and servers are typically remote from each other and typically interact via a communication network. This client-server relationship arises through computer programs running on the respective computers, creating a client-server relationship. The server may be a cloud server, also known as a cloud computing server or cloud host. This server is a hosting product within the cloud computing service ecosystem that addresses the management difficulties and limited scalability of traditional physical hosting and VPS services.

[0126] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a control method, device, apparatus, and medium for a natural gas engine are provided. The method includes: obtaining engine operating parameters, determining an optimal intercooler temperature range for the engine based on the operating conditions corresponding to the operating parameters; adjusting the engine intercooler temperature to a lower limit of the intercooler temperature range corresponding to the optimal intercooler temperature range by controlling the fan speed when the engine does not experience knock; adjusting the engine ignition angle and EGR rate to a first ignition angle and a first EGR rate, respectively, based on a first preset curve and the lower limit of the intercooler temperature, controlling the engine to operate at the first ignition angle and the first EGR rate to minimize gas consumption, and returning to the step of obtaining the engine operating parameters; wherein the first preset curve is a curve representing the corresponding relationship between the intercooler temperature, the ignition angle, the EGR rate, and the gas consumption. Thus, when the engine does not experience knock, the engine intercooler temperature is maintained at the lower limit of the intercooler temperature, the engine ignition angle can be advanced, the EGR rate can be reduced, and the engine combustion efficiency can be improved, resulting in better fuel economy.

[0127] It should be understood that the various forms of the processes shown above can be used to reorder, add, or delete steps. For example, the steps described in the present invention can be performed in parallel, sequentially, or in a different order, as long as the desired results of the technical solution of the present invention can be achieved. This is not limited herein.

[0128] The above specific embodiments do not limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations, and substitutions may be made based on design requirements and other factors. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention are intended to be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a natural gas engine, characterized in that: include: Obtaining engine operating parameters, and determining an optimal engine intercooler temperature range according to the operating conditions corresponding to the operating parameters; When the engine does not experience knock, the intercooler temperature of the engine is adjusted to the lower limit of the intercooler temperature corresponding to the optimal intercooler temperature range by controlling the speed of the fan; Based on a first preset curve and the lower limit of the intercooler temperature, adjusting the ignition angle and the EGR rate of the engine to a first ignition angle and a first EGR rate, respectively, and controlling the engine to operate at the first ignition angle and the first EGR rate so that the engine operates with minimum gas consumption, and returning to the step of obtaining the engine operating parameters; wherein the first preset curve is a curve of corresponding relationships among the intercooler temperature, the ignition angle, the EGR rate, and gas consumption; Before adjusting the intercooling temperature of the engine to the lower limit of the intercooling temperature corresponding to the optimal intercooling temperature range by controlling the speed of the fan, the method further includes: Acquiring knock parameters of the engine, and determining whether a knock condition occurs in the engine based on the knock parameters; When a knock condition occurs in the engine, if the knock parameter exceeds a knock limit threshold, controlling the engine to reduce torque; if the knock parameter does not exceed the knock limit threshold, adjusting the engine's ignition angle to retard and the engine's EGR rate to increase, and returning to the step of obtaining the engine's knock parameter; When the engine does not experience knock, the step of adjusting the intercooler temperature of the engine to the lower limit of the intercooler temperature corresponding to the optimal intercooler temperature range by controlling the speed of the fan; Obtaining engine operating parameters and determining an optimal engine intercooler temperature range according to the operating conditions corresponding to the operating parameters includes: The optimal range of the engine intercooler temperature is determined based on a second preset curve and the engine operating condition corresponding to the operating condition parameter, wherein the second preset curve is a corresponding relationship curve between the operating condition and the optimal range of the engine intercooler temperature.

2. The control method of the natural gas engine according to claim 1, characterized in that: Adjusting the intercooler temperature of the engine to the lower limit of the intercooler temperature corresponding to the optimal intercooler temperature range by controlling the fan speed includes: When the intercooler temperature of the engine is greater than the intercooler temperature upper limit corresponding to the intercooler temperature optimal range, the fan speed is controlled to increase, and when the intercooler temperature of the engine is less than or equal to the intercooler temperature upper limit, the fan speed is continuously controlled to increase until the intercooler temperature of the engine is adjusted to the intercooler temperature lower limit; When the intercooler temperature of the engine is lower than the lower limit of the intercooler temperature, the fan speed is controlled to decrease until the intercooler temperature of the engine is adjusted to the lower limit of the intercooler temperature.

3. A control device for a natural gas engine, characterized in that: include: An interval range determination module is used to obtain engine operating parameters and determine an optimal interval range of the engine's intercooler temperature according to the operating conditions corresponding to the operating parameters; an intercooler temperature adjustment module, configured to adjust the intercooler temperature of the engine to a lower limit of the intercooler temperature corresponding to the intercooler temperature optimal range by controlling the speed of the fan when no detonation or misfire occurs in the engine; an operating parameter adjustment module, configured to adjust the ignition angle and the EGR rate of the engine to a first ignition angle and a first EGR rate, respectively, based on a first preset curve and the lower limit of the intercooler temperature, and control the engine to operate at the first ignition angle and the first EGR rate so that the engine operates with minimum gas consumption, and return to the step of obtaining the engine operating parameters; wherein the first preset curve is a curve of corresponding relationships among the intercooler temperature, the ignition angle, the EGR rate, and the gas consumption; Also includes: a knock determination module, configured to obtain knock parameters of the engine and determine whether a knock condition occurs in the engine based on the knock parameters; a first knock unit, configured to, when a knock condition occurs in the engine, control the engine to reduce torque if the knock parameter exceeds a knock limit threshold, and adjust an ignition angle retardation of the engine and an EGR rate increase of the engine if the knock parameter does not exceed the knock limit threshold, and return to the step of obtaining the knock parameter of the engine; a second detonation unit, configured to, when the engine does not experience a detonation condition, execute the step of adjusting the intercooler temperature of the engine to an intercooler temperature lower limit value corresponding to the intercooler temperature optimal range by controlling the speed of the fan; The interval range determination module includes: The interval range determination unit is used to determine the optimal interval range of the engine intercooler temperature based on a second preset curve and the engine operating condition corresponding to the operating condition parameter, wherein the second preset curve is a correspondence curve between the operating condition parameter and the optimal interval range of the engine intercooler temperature.

4. The control device for a natural gas engine according to claim 3, characterized in that: Intercooler temperature adjustment module, including: a first adjustment unit, configured to control the fan speed to increase when the intercooler temperature of the engine is greater than an intercooler temperature upper limit value corresponding to the intercooler temperature optimal range, and to continue controlling the fan speed to increase when the intercooler temperature of the engine is less than or equal to the intercooler temperature upper limit value until the intercooler temperature of the engine is adjusted to the intercooler temperature lower limit value; The second adjustment unit is configured to control the fan speed to decrease when the intercooler temperature of the engine is lower than the intercooler temperature lower limit value, until the intercooler temperature of the engine is adjusted to the intercooler temperature lower limit value.

5. An electronic device, characterized in that: The electronic device comprises: at least one processor; and a memory communicatively connected to the at least one processor; wherein, The memory stores a computer program executable by the at least one processor. The computer program is executed by the at least one processor to enable the at least one processor to perform the natural gas engine control method according to claim 1 or 2.

6. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that The computer-readable storage medium stores computer instructions, and the computer instructions are used to enable a processor to implement the control method of the natural gas engine according to claim 1 or 2 when executed.

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