Hybrid Engine Control Using Coolant Temperature Maps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current engine control systems for hybrid vehicles do not effectively account for efficiency variations in engine, motor, transmission, and battery components, leading to suboptimal fuel consumption due to incorrect determination of the engine operating point.
Innovation Solution
An engine operation control apparatus and method that includes a coolant temperature detecting unit, maps for engine operating points based on vehicle speed, gear stage, driver torque, and electric load, and an operating point determining unit to correct the engine operating point based on coolant temperature, hill, and intake air temperature, ensuring optimal efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the system optimal operating line is selected based on efficiency in full warm up state, then the engine operating point can be determined, but the fuel consumption increases because efficiency variation of each part is not reflected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the engine operating point determination adaptive to changing conditions. Instead of using a fixed system optimal operating line based on full warm-up state, the system dynamically adjusts the operating point based on real-time efficiency variations of the engine, motor, transmission, and battery. This allows the hybrid vehicle control system to respond to actual operating conditions and minimize fuel consumption while maintaining accurate operating point determination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters used for operating point determination from static full warm-up state efficiency values to dynamic efficiency values that reflect actual operating conditions. By monitoring and adjusting for efficiency variations in the engine, motor, transmission, and battery based on factors like coolant temperature, the system achieves both accurate operating point determination and reduced fuel consumption.
2Device complexity
If the system optimal operating line does not reflect efficiency variation of each part, then the control system is simple, but the engine operating point is determined in incorrect area leading to reduced fuel consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by continuously monitoring the efficiency variations of the engine, motor, transmission, and battery, and using this information to adjust the engine operating point determination. The system feeds back actual operating conditions (such as coolant temperature) to modify the optimal operating line dynamically, ensuring accurate operating point selection while maintaining reasonable control system complexity through structured feedback loops.
3Ease of operation
If the engine operating point is determined based on full warm up state efficiency, then the control method is straightforward, but the operating point may be determined in an area that does not minimize fuel consumption under actual conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-establishing the framework for efficiency variation monitoring and the relationship between operating conditions and optimal operating points. While the basic control method remains straightforward, the system performs preliminary assessments of efficiency variations based on factors like coolant temperature to guide operating point selection, maintaining simplicity while improving accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
An engine operation control apparatus and engine operation control method of a vehicle are provided. The engine operation control apparatus includes a coolant temperature sensor that detects a coolant temperature of a coolant line which passes through an engine. Further, the apparatus includes first and second maps in which corresponding engine operating points are mapped to a vehicle speed, a gear stage, a driver requesting torque, and an electric field load amount of the vehicle. A controller determines a candidate operating point using any one of the first and second maps based on a comparison between the coolant temperature and a predetermined threshold value and determines an optimal operating point of the engine using the candidate operating point.