ESTIMATING ENGINE PARAMETERS BASED ON DYNAMIC PRESSURE READINGS

• US 20110093182A1
• Filed: 04/28/2009
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Borgwarner BERU Systems GmbH (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Borgwarner BERU Systems GmbH (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wenzel, Wolfgang, Weber, Olaf
• Application Number:
  US12/991,327
• Publication Number:
  US 20110093182A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/102
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 29/0406 Layout of the intake air cooling or coolant circuit
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 11/107 Safety-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0402 the parameter being determined by using a model of the engine intake or its components
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0404 Throttle position
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0406 Intake manifold pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2400/08 Redundant elements, e.g. two sensors for measuring the same parameter
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0007 for control of turbo-charged or super-charged engines control of the pumps per se F02B37/12
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0065 Specific aspects of external EGR control constructional details of EGR system F02M26/00
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1405 Neural network control
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1448 the characteristics being an exhaust gas pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/222 relating to the failure of sensors or parameter detection devices
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 9/04 concerning exhaust conduits throttle valves, or arrangements thereof in conduits F02D9/08
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/05 High pressure loops, i.e. wherein recirculated exhaust gas is taken out from the exhaust system upstream of the turbine and reintroduced into the intake system downstream of the compressor
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/06 Low pressure loops, i.e. wherein recirculated exhaust gas is taken out from the exhaust downstream of the turbocharger turbine and reintroduced into the intake system upstream of the compressor
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/10 having means to increase the pressure difference between the exhaust and intake system, e.g. venturis, variable geometry turbines, check valves using pressure pulsations or throttles in the air intake or exhaust system
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/15 in relation to engine exhaust purifying apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/24 with two or more coolers
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/25 with coolers having bypasses
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/48 EGR valve position sensors details of the sensor installation in the valve housing F02M26/72
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

A method and system for estimating engine parameters in a combustion engine gas exchange system based on dynamic pressure readings taken by one or more pressure sensors. According to an exemplary embodiment, the method and system may use an artificial neural network (ANN) to process the dynamic pressure readings and any additional engine conditions that may have been provided.

Claims

1. A method for estimating an engine parameter, comprising:

(a) sensing pressure in a combustion engine gas exchange system;

(b) providing dynamic pressure readings to an electronic controller, wherein the dynamic pressure readings are representative of the sensed pressure taken over a period of time; and

(c) using the dynamic pressure readings to estimate at least one engine parameter.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises sensing pressure in a section of the combustion engine gas exchange system that is in acoustic communication with at least one mechanical device selected from the list consisting of:

an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve, a turbocharger compressor, a turbocharger turbine, a throttle valve, a wastegate valve, an intake valve, or an exhaust valve; and

step (c) further comprises using the dynamic pressure readings to estimate the position of the at least one mechanical device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises using the dynamic pressure readings to estimate at least one engine parameter by:

(i) preconditioning the dynamic pressure readings, and (ii) processing the preconditioned dynamic pressure readings with an artificial neural network (ANN).

4. The method of claim 3, wherein step (i) further comprises preconditioning the dynamic pressure readings by using a wavelet analysis to decompose a compound function representative of the dynamic pressure readings into a plurality of simpler basis functions, wherein an amplitude and phase is determined for each of the simpler basis functions.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the wavelet analysis is a Haar wavelet analysis or a Daub wavelet analysis.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein step (i) further comprises preconditioning the dynamic pressure readings by using a fast Fourier transform (FFT) to decompose a compound function representative of the dynamic pressure readings into a plurality of simpler basis functions in the frequency domain, wherein an amplitude and phase is determined for each of the simpler basis functions.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein step (i) further comprises preconditioning the dynamic pressure readings by normalizing values between two predetermined limits before processing the preconditioned dynamic pressure readings in step (ii).

8. The method of claim 3, wherein step (ii) further comprises processing the preconditioned dynamic pressure readings with an artificial neural network (ANN) having one or more inputs that receive the dynamic pressure readings, a plurality of neurons, and one or more outputs that provide the at least one estimated engine parameter.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises using the dynamic pressure readings to estimate at least one engine parameter selected from the list consisting of:

intake air temperature, exhaust air temperature, intake airflow, or exhaust airflow.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises providing one or more additional engine conditions to the electronic controller;

and

step (c) further comprises using the dynamic pressure readings and the additional engine conditions to estimate the at least one engine parameter.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more additional engine conditions includes engine speed.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises sensing pressure in a section of the combustion engine gas exchange system that is in acoustic communication with at least two different mechanical devices;

and

step (c) further comprises using the dynamic pressure readings to estimate the position of the at least two different mechanical devices.

13. A system for estimating an engine parameter, comprising:

a pressure sensor being located in a first section of a combustion engine gas exchange system and having an electronic output, wherein the pressure sensor provides dynamic pressure readings on the electronic output that are representative of the dynamic pressure behavior in the first section of the combustion engine gas exchange system;

a mechanical device being located in the first section of the combustion engine gas exchange system so that it is in acoustic communication with the pressure sensor; and

an electronic controller having an electronic input coupled to the electronic output of the pressure sensor, wherein the electronic controller estimates the position of the mechanical device from the dynamic pressure readings received from the pressure sensor.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the mechanical device is selected from the list consisting of:

an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve, a turbocharger compressor, a turbocharger turbine, a throttle valve, a wastegate valve, an intake valve, or an exhaust valve.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the electronic controller uses an artificial neural network (ANN) having one or more inputs that receive the dynamic pressure readings, a plurality of neurons, and one or more outputs that provide the estimated position of the mechanical device.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the system further comprises one or more additional sensors for sensing and providing additional engine conditions to the electronic controller;

and

wherein the electronic controller estimates the position of the mechanical device from the dynamic pressure readings and the additional engine conditions.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the one or more additional engine sensors includes an engine speed sensor that provides an engine speed signal.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the pressure sensor is in acoustic communication with at least two different mechanical devices;

and

the electronic controller estimates the positions of the at least two different mechanical devices from the dynamic pressure readings.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the pressure sensor:

is mounted in an intake system of the combustion engine gas exchange system, measures dynamic pressure waves having frequencies of less than or equal to 3 kHz, measures dynamic pressure waves having amplitudes of less than or equal to 200 dB, and is resistant to humidity in an intake air flow.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the pressure sensor:

is mounted in an exhaust system of the combustion engine gas exchange system, measures dynamic pressure waves having frequencies of less than or equal to 3 kHz, measures dynamic pressure waves having amplitudes of less than or equal to 200 dB, and is resistant to heat and corrosion in an exhaust air flow.