Model-Based Control of Diesel Engines for Fuel Efficiency Optimization

Fuel efficiency optimization has emerged as the next major challenge in the field of diesel engine control and calibration. Conventional techniques will not be able to accommodate the many rigorous and competing demands placed on next generation engine control. An approach that holds great promise for future advanced transient engine control is model-based control (MBC). Model-based calibration optimization methods have shown their efficacy in the off-line engine development process, and these techniques can be extended to online, real-time engine control. This paper describes preliminary results from the deployment of MBC on a next generation heavy duty diesel engine. A description of the development process, the technologies that have been developed to exploit this process and the resultant proof-of-concept emissions and fuel consumption validation are provided.