Coordinated Air Charging Control for Engine Transients
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing air charging systems for internal combustion engines employ uncoordinated control strategies for actuators, leading to suboptimal performance during fast transients and requiring extensive calibration efforts, which complicates the regulation of output parameters like intake and exhaust manifold pressures and oxygen concentration.
Innovation Solution
A coordinated control strategy using a multi-input multi-output (MIMO) feedback linearization approach, where a processor calculates virtual inputs based on errors in output parameters and applies them to a non-linear mathematical model to operate actuators simultaneously, ensuring linear relations between virtual inputs and output parameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If separated and uncoordinated control strategies are used for actuators, then each individual actuator can be operated independently in any desired position, but the system performance is suboptimal and requires extensive calibration especially during fast transients
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the control of multiple actuators (intake valve actuator, VGT actuator, EGR valve actuators, and electric motor of air compressor) into a unified coordinated control strategy. The electronic control unit calculates input parameters for all actuators simultaneously based on desired output parameters, ensuring they work together harmoniously rather than independently, thereby improving transient response and eliminating the need for extensive calibration.
2Device complexity
If separated control strategies are used for actuators, then control implementation is simplified, but the interdependencies between output parameters are not effectively managed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback-based coordinated control strategy where the electronic control unit continuously monitors output parameters (intake manifold pressure, oxygen concentration, exhaust manifold pressure) and adjusts all actuator inputs simultaneously based on the calculated errors from target values. This feedback mechanism ensures that interdependencies between parameters are effectively managed while maintaining reliable system operation.
3Ease of manufacture
If uncoordinated actuator control is used, then each actuator can be calibrated independently, but extensive calibration is required to achieve optimal system performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the calibration process for all actuators into a single coordinated calibration procedure. By controlling all actuators simultaneously based on a unified control strategy that accounts for their interdependencies, the system eliminates the need for extensive independent calibration of each actuator, significantly reducing calibration time and effort while achieving optimal system performance.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are provided for controlling the operation of an air charging system of an internal combustion engine. A plurality of actuators include an electric motor of an air compressor. Output parameters of the air charging system are monitored by a plurality of sensors. An error between each one of the output parameters and a target value thereof is calculated by a processor. The calculated errors are applied to linear controllers that yield virtual inputs. Input parameters for the air charging system are calculated using the virtual inputs. The input parameters affect all of the output parameters. The input parameters are calculated with a non-linear mathematical model of the air charging system, configured such that each one of the virtual inputs is in a linear relation with only one of the output parameters. The actuators are operated using the input parameters.