Diesel Engine Control via Atmospheric Pressure Compensation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for controlling diesel-type internal combustion engines struggle to achieve a balance between consumption, pollution, pleasure, noise, and performance, especially when operating at varying altitudes and temperatures, due to the exclusive reliance on coolant temperature, which complicates tuning and increases costs.

Innovation Solution

A method that determines the temperature of the heat transfer fluid and ambient atmospheric pressure, calculates a modified temperature, and uses this information to adapt engine operation, incorporating atmospheric pressure as a key parameter for improved control.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the control system uses only coolant temperature to regulate engine operation, then the control system is simple, but it cannot achieve optimal compromise between consumption, pollution, pleasure, noise and performance at varying altitudes and temperatures

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to varying altitudes and temperaturesVSAvoidcontrol system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the control parameter from raw coolant temperature to an equivalent temperature that incorporates atmospheric pressure effects. This allows the control system to adapt to varying altitudes and temperatures by modifying the interpretation of the temperature parameter rather than adding complex multi-parameter control logic, thus improving adaptability while maintaining relative simplicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an equivalent temperature as an intermediary parameter that mediates between the physical coolant temperature and the control decisions. This intermediary absorbs the complexity of altitude and temperature compensation, allowing the control system to make optimal adjustments without directly handling multiple complex parameters simultaneously

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If additional parameters such as ambient atmospheric pressure and ambient air temperature are added to correct control commands, then the adaptability to different conditions is improved, but the tuning complexity and costs increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol accuracy under different conditionsVSAvoidtuning ease and cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the effects of ambient atmospheric pressure and ambient air temperature into a single equivalent temperature parameter. This consolidation allows the control system to account for multiple environmental factors through one unified parameter, significantly reducing tuning complexity and costs while maintaining control accuracy under different conditions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms multiple control parameters (coolant temperature, atmospheric pressure, ambient temperature) into a single modified parameter (equivalent temperature). This parameter transformation simplifies the control architecture and reduces tuning requirements from multiple independent corrections to a single unified correction

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2780572B1Controlling the operation of a diesel internal combustion engine
Publication Date: 2017.12.13 PSA AUTOMOBILES SA
  • EP2780572B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for controlling the operation of a diesel internal combustion engine, which comprises a plurality of steps. In one step (1), the temperature (Tfc) of the heat-transport fluid of a temperature control circuit of the engine is determined. In a second step (2), an ambient atmospheric pressure (Patm) is determined. In a third step (3), a modified temperature (Tm) for said heat-transport fluid is calculated from the temperature (Tfc) of the heat-transport fluid and the atmospheric pressure (Patm). The atmospheric pressure parameter is introduced at the start of the method, thereby allowing the operation control to be adapted to engine usage conditions, without complicating engine tuning.