Model-Based Control of Torque and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions in a Euro VI 3.0 L Diesel Engine through Rapid Prototyping

• Main Authors: Stefano d’Ambrosio, Roberto Finesso, Gilles Hardy, Andrea Manelli, Alessandro Mancarella, Omar Marello, Antonio Mittica
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-02-01
• Series: Energies
• Subjects: torque; nitrogen oxide emissions; model-based control; diesel engines
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/4/1107

In the present paper, a model-based controller of engine torque and engine-out Nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, which was previously developed and tested by means of offline simulations, has been validated on a FPT F1C 3.0 L diesel engine by means of rapid prototyping. With reference to the previous version, a new NO_x model has been implemented to improve robustness in terms of NO_x prediction... The experimental tests have confirmed the basic functionality of the controller in transient conditions, over different load ramps at fixed engine speeds, over which the average RMSE (Root Mean Square Error) values for the control of NO_x emissions were of the order of 55–90 ppm, while the average RMSE values for the control of brake mean effective pressure (BMEP) were of the order of 0.25–0.39 bar. However, the test results also highlighted the need for further improvements, especially concerning the effect of the engine thermal state on the NO_x emissions in transient operation. Moreover, several aspects, such as the check of the computational time, the impact of the controller on other pollutant emissions, or on the long-term engine operations, will have to be evaluated in future studies in view of the controller implementation on the engine control unit.