Multivariable engine torque and emission closed-loop control for internal combustion engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018112616-A1
Application number	US-201615299635-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 21, 2016
Priority date	Oct 21, 2016
Publication date	Apr 26, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed are engine torque and emission control (ETEC) systems, methods for using such systems, and motor vehicles with engines employing ETEC schemes. An ETEC system is disclosed for operating an internal combustion engine (ICE) assembly. The system includes an engine sensor for monitoring engine torque, an exhaust sensor for monitoring nitrogen oxide (NOx) output of the ICE assembly, and an engine control unit (ECU) communicatively connected to the engine sensor, exhaust sensor, and ICE assembly. The ECU is programmed to: receive desired engine torque and desired NOx output data; determine, from current engine torque and current NOx output data, desired engine torque, and desired NOx output, desired engine operation and exhaust operation references; determine, from the desired engine operation and exhaust operation references, an engine operation control command and an exhaust operation control command; and regulate operation of the ICE assembly via the engine operation and exhaust operation control commands.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . An engine torque and emission control system for an internal combustion engine (ICE) assembly, the ICE assembly including one or more combustion chambers fluidly coupled to an exhaust aftertreatment system, the engine torque and emission control system comprising:
an engine sensor configured to detect a current engine torque of the ICE assembly and output a signal indicative thereof; an exhaust sensor configured to detect a current nitrogen oxide (NOx) output of the ICE assembly and output a signal indicative thereof; and a programmable engine control unit communicatively connected to the engine sensor, the exhaust sensor, and the ICE assembly, the engine control unit being configured to:
receive indications of a desired engine torque and a desired NOx output;
determine, from the current engine torque, the current NOx output, the desired engine torque, and the desired NOx output, a desired engine operation reference and a desired exhaust operation reference;
determine, from the desired engine operation reference and the desired exhaust operation reference, an engine operation control command and an exhaust operation control command; and
output the engine operation and exhaust operation control commands to the ICE assembly.

2 . The engine torque and emission control system of claim 1 , wherein the engine control unit is further configured to:
receive an indication of a current engine speed; and determine an air charging reference from the current engine speed and the desired engine torque, wherein determining the engine operation control command or the exhaust operation control command, or both, is further based on the air charging reference.

3 . The engine torque and emission control system of claim 2 , wherein the air charging reference includes an engine boost pressure reference, an engine intake manifold pressure (MAP) reference, an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) reference, a variable value actuation (VVA) reference, or a start-of-injection (SOI) reference, or any combination thereof.

4 . The engine torque and emission control system of claim 1 , wherein the desired engine operation reference includes a desired engine boost pressure reference, a desired engine intake manifold pressure (MAP) reference, a desired variable valve actuation (VVA) reference, or a desired start of injection (SOI) reference, or any combination thereof.

5 . The engine torque and emission control system of claim 1 , wherein the desired exhaust operation reference includes a desired exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) reference.

6 . The engine torque and emission control system of claim 1 , wherein the engine control unit includes a Model Predictive Control (MPC) module communicatively connected to the engine and exhaust sensors and configured to determine the desired engine operation reference and the desired exhaust operation reference and output signals indicative thereof.

7 . The engine torque and emission control system of claim 6 , wherein the engine control unit further includes a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) control module communicatively connected to the MPC module and configured to determine the engine operation and exhaust operation control commands.

8 . The engine torque and emission control system of claim 7 , wherein the engine control unit further includes a Torque Emission Inverse (TEI) module storing a lookup table and configured to determine an air charging reference from the lookup table based on a current engine speed and the desired engine torque.

9 . The engine torque and emission control system of claim 1 , wherein the engine control unit is further configured to determine an optimal control parameter U to minimize torque and NOx tracking error defined by a cost function J, where:

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Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Wang Yue-Yun
• Haskara Ibrahim
• Chang Chen-Fang

Classifications

• F02D41/0077

  Control of the EGR valve or actuator, e.g. duty cycle, closed loop control of position (EGR valve position sensor F02M26/48) · CPC title

• F02D41/1461

  of the exhaust gases emitted by the engine · CPC title

• F01N2560/026

  for measuring or detecting NOx · CPC title

• F02D41/146

  the characteristics being an NOx content or concentration · CPC title

• F02D41/0007

  for control of turbo-charged or super-charged engines (control of the pumps per se F02B37/12) · CPC title