Nonlinear controller for automotive thermal management systems

The functionality of gasoline and diesel engine thermal management systems can be enhanced through the introduction of a smart thermostat valve and variable speed water pump. A nonlinear tracking controller is presented in this paper for advanced thermal management systems applicable to ground vehicles. Specifically, the controller is designed to ensure that the engine temperature follows a desired temperature trajectory which may be prescribed based on operating conditions. Further, the heat rejected from the system at the radiator is controlled by adjusting the radiator fan's speed. The controller ensures that the engine temperature tracking error is asymptotically forced to zero while compensating for the unmeasurable heat input from the engine's combustion process.

[1]  John R. Wagner,et al.  Enhanced automotive engine cooling systems - a mechatronics approach , 2002 .

[2]  John R. Wagner,et al.  Smart Thermostat and Coolant Pump Control for Engine Thermal Management Systems , 2003 .

[3]  D. Allen,et al.  Thermal Management Evolution and Controlled Coolant Flow , 2001 .

[4]  M. Razi Nalim,et al.  Dynamic Performance of Conventional and Electrically Activated Engine Thermostats , 2001 .

[5]  Weiping Li,et al.  Applied Nonlinear Control , 1991 .

[6]  Gianpiero Einaudi,et al.  Engine Cooling Electronic Control System , 1988 .

[7]  Andrew A. Kenny,et al.  Electronic Thermostat System for Automotive Engines , 1988 .

[8]  John R. Wagner,et al.  Coolant Flow Control Strategies for Automotive Thermal Management Systems , 2002 .

[9]  John H. Johnson,et al.  The Design and Testing of a Computer-Controlled Cooling System for a Diesel-Powered Truck , 1984 .

[10]  Wsewolod Hnatczuk,et al.  Parasitic Loss Reduction for 21st Century Trucks , 2000 .

[11]  Jian Chen,et al.  A nonlinear tracking controller for a haptic interface steer-by-wire systems , 2002, Proceedings of the 41st IEEE Conference on Decision and Control, 2002..

[12]  John R. Wagner,et al.  Thermal Modeling of Engine Components for Temperature Prediction and Fluid Flow Regulation , 2001 .

[13]  John H. Johnson,et al.  A Simulation Study of a Computer Controlled Cooling System for a Diesel Powered Truck , 1984 .

[14]  E. G. Chowanietz.  Automobile electronics in the 1990s. Part 1: Powertrain electronics , 1995 .

[15]  W. F. Powers,et al.  The role of electronic controls for future automotive mechatronic systems , 1996 .

[16]  H. Couëtouse,et al.  Cooling System Control in Automotive Engines , 1992 .