1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of control of an internal-combustion engine, and more particularly control of a turbocharger system such an engine is provided with
2. Description of the Prior Art
Newly developed technologies for internal-combustion engines increasingly involve advanced engine control systems. In this context, new fluid system architectures require the development of new control strategies for the turbocharger system.
Control strategies for turbocharger systems based on static mapping with linear controllers are currently developed to control such a system. However, these strategies appear to be inadequate as they have the drawbacks as follows:
Conventional strategies based on static mapping with proportional integral (PI) controllers are therefore inadequate. The introduction of control structures based on a model seems to be efficient and promising in order to meet this problem and to replace conventional linear controllers. In this context, several model-based approaches have already been provided in:
These strategies are based on models, that is physical, graphic or more generally mathematical representations of relations that really exist or that, by hypothesis, seem to exist between phenomena or between the various elements of the turbocharger system.
However, these models, described in the literature and intended to be used in a control law, involve two major drawbacks: on the one hand, they have too great complexity, which leads to adjustment problems, and on the other hand they do not take account of the dynamics. In fact, these conventional turbocharger regulation methods are based on mappings corresponding to static operating points. One then assumes that, in dynamics, the system goes through a succession of stationary (quasi-static) states.
The invention is an alternative method for controlling a turbocharger under dynamic conditions which are easy to regulate and to adjust.
The method according to the invention allows controlling a turbocharger. The method comprises a turbine and an internal-combustion engine, wherein a setpoint pressure PiC corresponding to a fluid pressure in an intake manifold of the engine is determined. The method comprises the following stages:
The turbine actuator can correspond to a wastegate type valve (fixed-geometry turbocharger) or to the blades of the turbine (variable-geometry turbocharger).
A map of a compressor associated with the turbocharger can be used to convert setpoint pressure (PiC) to a desired speed value (Nd).
According to the invention, the physical relation can be defined from an equilibrium relation between a turbine power and a compressor power, by applying a mass equilibrium principle in the intake manifold and an exhaust manifold, and by applying a back-stepping technique wherein a control that forces the turbocharger speed to follow a given dynamics is defined. The dynamics can be exponential and it can be expressed as follows:
where μ is an experimentally defined gain.
The control law can be estimated by approximating the turbine map. The turbine map can be approximated by equations of the type as follows:
W
t=(α·G(UVGT)+b)·Ψ(Prt)
with:
a, b: two parameters to be identified
UVGT: an actuator control law
G(UVGT): a bijective polynomial function of UVGT
γ: specific heat ratio.
The two parameters a and b can be identified by offline optimization, and they can be corrected on line by an integrator, so that the turbine pressure ratio PRt follows the desired ratio PRtC.
Other features and advantages of the method according to the invention will be clear from reading the description hereafter of embodiments given by way of non limitative example, with reference to the accompanying figures wherein:
A turbine (TU), which is arranged in the exhaust gas stream leaving the engine, is driven at high speed. It is connected by a shaft (AR) to a compressor (CO) arranged in the intake manifold (CA) of the engine. This compressor sucks in and compresses the ambient air, sends the compressed air to cylinders (CY), possibly passes the compressed air through a heat exchanger (EC) to provide cool thereof. The cylinders are thus improved by sending compressed air therein. The amount of oxidizer/fuel mixture, and therefore the engine power is thus increased.
The turbine is a variable-geometry turbine. The engine can also comprise an EGR valve (EGRV) for recovering part of the burnt gas.
According to the invention, the turbocharger is controlled through the regulation of pressure Pi in the intake manifold, by modifying the turbine geometry. This pressure is regulated by a regulator that is controlled by an electronic housing according to a stored map. A map is a set of data stored in the engine calculator. It serves as a reference for the calculator for optimum control of its software which is referred to as regulator.
Thus, an optimum pressure in the intake manifold is determined according to the engine operating conditions and to the expected performances. This value is referred to as setpoint value and it is denoted by PiC.
The goal of the control process is thus to modify the turbine geometry so that pressure Pi in the intake manifold is equal to setpoint pressure PiC.
A control law controlling the turbine actuator is used to modify the geometry of the turbine. This actuator, by changing its position, modifies the flow rate Wt of the fluid flowing into the turbine and consequently the flow rate WC of the fluid downstream from the compressor. Such a control law is denoted by UVGT.
A map of the turbine is provided by the manufacturer. This map represents the evolution of the fluid flow rate Wt flowing into the turbine as a function of the pressure ratio PRt in the turbine for various control laws UVGT1, UVGT2, UVGT3, . . . as illustrated by
The pressure ratio PRt in the turbine corresponds to the ratio of the pressure downstream from the turbine to the pressure upstream from the turbine.
The method according to the invention allows determination of a control law for the turbine actuator, UVGTC, by means of a map of the turbine and of a physical model describing the turbocharger dynamics.
1—Physical model of the evolution of the turbocharger speed (N);
2—Conversion of the setpoint pressure (PiC) to the desired speed (Nd);
3—Definition of a control law for the turbine actuator, UVGTC; and
4—Modification of the turbine geometry according to control law UVGTC.
In accordance with
It can be noted that “downstream” means “at the outlet” and that “upstream” means “at the inlet”. The pressure and the temperature characterize the air. The following notations are also adopted:
It can also be noted that what is referred to as fluid is any mixture circulating in the engine manifolds and in the turbocharger. It can, for example, be a mixture comprising at least one of the following elements: air, exhaust gas, over-pressure gas, . . .
According to the invention, the physical model describing the turbocharger dynamics is a physical model that describes the pressure ratio in the turbine, PRt, as a function of at least the turbocharger speed. The physical model that describes the pressure ratio in the turbine can be a function of:
According to an embodiment, the model used has the following form:
PR
t
=T
0(J, Wt, CpηtTut)(T1(N)+T2(N)+T3(J, Pc)+T4(N))
with:
Using the following notations:
wherein:
is acceleration of the turbocharger shaft (AR);
−μ(y−yd) is an exponential law describing the desired speed dynamics;
is a term representing the compressor power, for a quasi-static compensation;
λ∫(y−yd) is an integral term for compensating for modelling errors; and
is a term representing the ratio between the turbine power and
A method for constructing the model is described hereafter.
In order to physically model the turbocharger dynamics, is assumed that the evolution of the turbocharger speed (N) is obtained from the equilibrium of the turbine (Pt) and compressor (Pc) powers:
The friction losses are disregarded. J is the moment of inertia of the rotating parts of the turbocharger (compressor and turbine shaft and wheels).
By applying the mass equilibrium principle in the intake and exhaust manifolds and considering that the intake and exhaust manifold dynamics are faster than those of the turbocharger, it can be written:
W
t
=W
c
+W
f (3)
Wf is a low flow rate due to the injection of fuel into the cylinders.
A relation allowing expression of the turbocharger speed (N) as a function of the pressure ratio and of the compressor flow rate (PRc) is deduced therefrom:
Function f5 can be defined by mapping on test bench.
Then, a control law is elaborated from this representation, using a back-stepping technique.
Back-stepping is a technique allowing defining controllers for non-linear systems. It is a recursive technique based on the recurring synthesis of Lyapunov functions, which provides stepwise stabilization of each stage of the system. At each stage of the process, a virtual control is thus generated to provide convergence of the system towards its state of equilibrium. This technique also allows construction of an adaptive controller. It is described in the following document:
A control forcing the turbocharger speed to follow a given dynamics is therefore defined with a back-stepping technique. An exponential dynamics expression as follows can for example be selected:
with:
Applying a back-stepping technique with the previous dynamics gives:
wherein:
It can be noted that parameters αt and βt defined above can be calculated using the measured variables and the turbocharger efficiency maps. Since the turbine and compressor efficiencies vary slowly with the turbocharger speed, they can be considered to be constant in the control law.
An integral term can be added to the model to compensate for modelling errors. The final control law is then obtained:
The goal of the control process is to modify the geometry of the turbine so that pressure Pi in the intake manifold is equal to setpoint pressure PiC.
A map of the turbine is provided by the manufacturer. This map represents the evolution of the fluid flow rate Wt flowing into the turbine as a function of the pressure ratio PRt in the turbine for various control laws UVGT1, UVGT2, UVGT3, . . .
The physical model associates the turbocharger speed (N) with the pressure ratio PRt in the turbine.
It is therefore necessary to carry out a conversion of the setpoint pressure in the intake manifold to a setpoint value for the turbocharger speed. Setpoint pressure (PiC) is thus converted to desired speed (Nd).
This conversion is achieved from the compressor map (CC) provided by the manufacturer. It is a curve allowing determination of the speed as a function of the pressure in the intake manifold.
The goal of this stage is to generate the real control controlling the turbine actuator and allowing control of the turbocharger. This control is denoted by UVGTC.
According to setpoint pressure PiC, the desired speed Nd is determined. Then a desired pressure ratio in the turbine, PRtC, is calculated using the physical model.
The fluid flow rate entering the turbine, Wtm, is also measured.
A map of the turbine is provided by the manufacturer. This map represents the evolution of the fluid flow rate Wt flowing into the turbine as a function of the pressure ratio PRt in the turbine for various control laws UVGT1, UVGT2, UVGT3, . . .
Finally, the control law for the turbine actuator, UVGTC, is estimated from the map, PRtC and Wtm.
This can be done by approximating the turbine map by means of the following equations:
W
t=(α·G)(UVGT)+b)·Ψ(PRt) (6)
where:
G(UVGT) is a bijective polynomial function of UVGT and
It is thus possible to estimate UVGTC with: PRt=PRtC.
The two parameters a and b can be identified by offline optimization using the characteristics of the turbine. These two parameters depend on the turbocharger speed, but this dependency is slow and it can be taken into account in the control strategy.
In practice, parameter b can be corrected on line by an integrator, so that the turbine pressure ratio follows the desired ratio.
The interpretation of equations (6) and (7) is that the turbine can be represented as an orifice with a section depending on control UVGT. The standard equation giving the flow rate as a function of the pressure ratio has been modified so that the model considered represents the characteristic of the turbine better.
The last stage applies the control law UVGTC to the turbine actuator to modify the geometry of the turbine. This actuator, as it changes position, modifies the flow rate of the fluid flowing into the turbine, so that pressure Pi in the intake manifold is equal to setpoint pressure PiC.
The actuator can be a wastegate type valve in the case of a fixed-geometry turbocharger, or blades (actuator referred to as VGT) of the turbine in the case of a variable-geometry turbocharger.
These results show the performance of the method: The prepositioning given by the control law allows dynamically defining a desired exhaust pressure that is converted to a VGT control allowing rapid following of the trajectory of the desired speed obtained from the trajectory of the intake pressure required.
The method allows using a linear and therefore simple control law which is easy to adjust without having to vary its parameters according to the operating point of the system (valid under dynamic conditions). The method thus affords various advantages:
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
07/06.854 | Sep 2007 | FR | national |