Turbo Controller Surge Margin Computation for Boost Pressure Stability

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional supercharging control systems face challenges in preventing surging and rapid boost pressure fluctuations, particularly due to complex control logic and hardware configurations, which can lead to communication delays and increased system complexity.

Innovation Solution

A control device for a supercharging system that includes a separate turbo controller to quickly and accurately compute a surge margin, allowing for precise control of the boost pressure by correcting the target boost pressure and autonomously managing the boost-pressure control unit, thereby preventing surging and reducing rapid fluctuations while minimizing the impact of communication delays.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If a separate turbo controller is introduced to compute surge margin and control boost pressure, then control responsiveness is improved and communication delay is reduced, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol responsivenessVSAvoidcontroller configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control system is divided into two independent controllers: an engine controller that manages overall engine operations and a dedicated turbo controller that specifically manages supercharger boost pressure and surge prevention. This segmentation allows the turbo controller to operate independently with direct access to turbo-related sensors, eliminating communication delays while keeping the engine controller's task list manageable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The turbo controller acts as an intermediary between the supercharger system and the engine controller. It receives sensor signals from the turbo system, computes surge margins, determines appropriate boost pressure corrections, and outputs control commands to the boost-pressure control unit, while also communicating with the engine controller to coordinate overall system operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If conventional engine controller is used to control boost pressure with complex control logic, then surge prevention function is integrated, but communication delay occurs and control responsiveness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurge preventionVSAvoidcommunication delay
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The surge prevention and boost pressure control functions are extracted from the engine controller and assigned to a dedicated turbo controller. This segmentation allows the turbo controller to handle time-critical surge prevention operations independently, using direct sensor inputs and immediate computation of surge margins without waiting for engine controller processing cycles.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The turbo controller autonomously manages boost pressure control by directly reading sensor signals from the turbo system, computing surge margins, determining correction values, and outputting control commands without requiring continuous intervention from the engine controller. This self-service capability eliminates communication delays while maintaining reliable surge prevention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If boost pressure is controlled by switching control devices alternatively based on surge region detection, then surge is prevented, but rapid fluctuation of boost pressure occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurge preventionVSAvoidboost pressure stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of binary switching between control states, the system continuously computes the surge margin as a quantitative parameter and uses this margin value to determine the degree of boost pressure correction. The turbo controller adjusts the target boost pressure by adding a correction value that is proportional to the computed surge margin, creating a smooth, continuous control response that prevents surge while avoiding rapid fluctuations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements continuous feedback control by monitoring the actual boost pressure, computing the surge margin based on current operational conditions, and adjusting the target boost pressure accordingly. The turbo controller constantly compares the actual boost pressure with the corrected target and makes incremental adjustments to the boost-pressure control unit, ensuring stable convergence to the desired pressure without oscillations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3078831B1Control device for supercharging system
Publication Date: 2020.06.10 MITSUBISHI HEAVY IND LTD
  • EP3078831B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3078831B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3078831B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A control device (10) for a supercharging system for supplying compressed intake air to an engine (6) includes: an engine controller (10A) including an engine signal input part (10A1) and an engine control part (10A2) configured to control an operational state of the engine and to compute a target boost pressure of a supercharger (4); and a turbo controller (10B2) including a turbo signal input part (10B1) and a turbo control part (10B2) configured to compute a margin of the supercharger. The control device is configured to compute a target boost-pressure corrected value by correcting the target boost pressure in accordance with a magnitude of the margin computed by the turbo control part, and to control a boost-pressure control unit (12) so that the boost pressure of the supercharger reaches the target boost-pressure corrected value.