FPGA Controlled Pneumatic Variable ValveActuation

Alexandar MilosavljevicSasa TrajkovicApril 2005

Abstract

This thesis project is about pneumatic variable valve control in a combustion engine. Itincludes development of a control program using LabVIEW combined with a FPGA(Field Programmable Gate Array) device, which are National Instrument products. A testrig has been designed to evaluate the program. The purpose of the program is to make it possible for the user to choose valve lift, duration and valve opening time. It should be possible to have a lift interval between 2 and 12 mm by steps of 0.1 mm and an enginespeed interval between 300 and 2500 rpm. The program should also offers a closed loopsystem.Test runs have shown that the program works satisfactorily. The only remark is that the Icontroller works somewhat too slow and should in the future be replaced with a PIDcontroller.The valves are actuated by actuators designed and manufactured by Cargine EngineeringAB. After many hours of test runs the system has proven to be stable in most cases. Thesystem was unstable at valve lifts below 4 mm and it tended to be unstable at enginespeeds exceeding 1800 rpm. However these instabilities have been eliminated throughadjustments in the actuators done by the manufacturer. Now it is possible to actuate thevalves down to 2.6 mm and the entire engine speed interval can be achieved at any possible duration.i

Acknowledgements

We would like to express our gratitude to all the people that have helped us during thisMaster thesis. Our supervisor, assistant professor Per Tunestål, who always has offeredhelp and given valuable advices when needed.Urban Carlson, CEO, and Anders Höglund, combustion engine expert at CargineEngineering AB. They have put a lot of time in supporting us and given guidancethroughout this project.The technicians, Tom Hademark, Tommy Petersen, Kjell Jonholm, Bertil Andersson andJan-Erik Everitt for their happy mood and good will to help.Everybody at the Division of Combustion Engines for their support and helpfulness.ii