7th International Ege Energy Symposium & Exhibition

June 18-20, 2014

Usak, Turkey

Prediction of emission and performance for a heavy duty diesel engine

using articial neural network
JAVAD MARZBANRAD*, POURYA RAHNAMA
Iran University of Science and Technology
Tehran - Iran
*marzban@iust.ac.ir

Abstract: There is an environmental need both to lower emissions and to predict or model
emissions more quickly and accurately. An artificial neural network was developed to predict
the heavy duty diesel engine emissions and performance. The model was trained with data
acquired via engine dynamometer testing. Once the artificial neural network was finalized, it
was employed to predict eight different engine-out responses, namely unburned hydrocarbon,
carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, smoke, power, brake specific fuel
consumption and peak pressure with the inputs of injection timing, engine speed and engine
load. It was demonstrated that the artificial neural network was able to predict emissions and
performance that are associated with random test data that differ from those by which it is
trained.
Keywords: Exhaust emission, Engine performance, Heavy duty diesel engine, Articial
neural network
1. INTRODUCTION
The ability of the internal combustion engine to provide reliable power has resulted in mass
production of the internal combustion engine in a variety of applications. However engine
related emissions have become of environmental concern. The EPA has estimated that heavyduty diesel vehicles contribute sixty percent of the on-road particulate matter emissions and
twenty-seven percent of the on-road NOx emissions [1]. Therefore, regulations have been
implemented concerning exhaust emissions from heavy-duty diesel engines, In order to
reduce the health and environmental impact of heavy-duty diesel engine emissions. In
addition, how to control the exhaust emissions from engines has become an important subject
for researchers of the automotive engine.
Numerous approaches exist for modeling and predicting emissions and performance data.
Articial neural network (ANN) is one such effort, and is now progressively utilized as a
prognostic tool in the automotive sector to afford rapid predictions of various engine-out
parameters when new strategies in engine operating conditions are tested. ANN is more
attractive as an engine optimisation tool because it is robust and less expensive in terms of

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required time and resources. Other methods such as computational uid dynamics (CFD) and
chemical kinetic modelling require high computing resources in order to produce accurate
representation of the in-cylinder processes [2].
ANN is a collection of simple processors, referred to as neurons, connected together. Each
neuron is connected to other neurons by means of directed communication links, each with an
associated weight [3]. Each processor can only perform a very straightforward mathematical
task, but a large network of them has much greater capabilities and can do many things which
one on its own cant. Testing the engine under all possible operating conditions and fuel cases
is both time consuming and expensive. As an alternative, the performance and exhaust
emissions of an engine can be modelled using ANNs [2, 4, 5, 6].
There are a lot of studies which have used the ANN approach in engine performance and
emissions [2, 4, 5, 6]. One major benefit of using an ANN is its ability to understand and
simulate complex functions. One of the current drawbacks to such use is that as the
complexity of the function increases, more training data is necessary if the ANN is to be robust
enough to produce good results. Ismail et al. [2] used the neural networks to predict engineout performance and emissions of a light-duty diesel engine using back-propagation ANN with
R Values equal to 0.984, 0.987, 0.981, 0.985, 0.942, 0.977, 0.939, 0.542 and 0.567 for carbon
monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxide (NO), maximum pressure (Pmax),
location of maximum pressure (CAD Pmax), maximum heat release rate (HRRmax),
cumulative HRR (CuHRR), unburned hydrocarbon (UHC) and location of maximum HRR (CAD
HRRmax), respectively for 11 random unseen test data points. engine speed, output torque,
fuel mass ow rate and four biodiesel blends types were used as the input parameters for this
modelling work [2]. Naja et al. [4] developed an ANN model to nd the correlation between
brake power, torque, brake specic fuel consumption, brake thermal efciency, volumetric
efficiency and emission components by using different gasolineethanol blends and speeds as
inputs data using back-propagation ANN with R Values in the range of 0.971. To train the
ANN, 70% of the total experimental data (405 values) was selected at random and was used
for training purpose, while the 30% was reserved for testing. The experimental data set for
every output parameter includes 45 values, of which 30 values were used for training the
network and 15 values were selected randomly to test the performance of the trained
network experiment, it was found that when ethanol content increased, NOx increased and HC
and CO emission were decreased [4]. Hashemi and Clark used an ANN to predict the oxides of
nitrogen (NOx), carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrocarbons (HC), and carbon monoxide (CO) emitted
from heavy-duty diesel vehicles. Axle speed, torque, their derivatives in dierent time steps,
and two novel variables that dened speed variability over 150 seconds were dened as the
inputs for the ANN [8].
In this work, the objective was to develop a model that can accurately predict in-use heavy
duty diesel engine emissions by employing engine dynamometer data available through the
previous work of the Iran University of Science and Technology, Automotive Research Center
(IUST, ARC). Engine speed, engine load and injection timing were used as the input
parameters where as Power, peak pressure, BSFC, and exhaust emissions (CO, CO2, NOx, HC,
smoke) were used as the output parameters. The ANN output results are compared to actual
in-use data in order to determine the models accuracy.

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Usak, Turkey

2. ENGINE SPECIFICATION
In this study, the ANN model is performed on an agricultural engine (MT4.244) produced by
Motorsazan. Details of the engines specications are given in Table 1 [7, 8, 9-11]. The
experiment had been performed at four various injection timing (8,4,2 CA BTDC and 1 CA
ATDC) and load (25%, 50%, 75% and 100%) and at three different engine speed, namely
1400 rpm (maximum torque speed), 1700 rpm and 2000 rpm (maximum power speed).
engine-out responses, namely the power, BSFC, in-cylinder peak pressure and exhaust
emissions of CO2, CO, HC, NOx and Smoke for these input parameters had been recorded. A
total of 384 experimental data points had been collected.
In this work, 80% of the total experimental data was selected at random and was used for
ANN training purpose, while the 20% was reserved for testing [4]. These data points were
never introduced to the ANN during its developmental stage and were therefore regarded as
unseen data points [2]. The experimental data set for every output parameter includes 48
values, of which 38 values were used for training the network and 10 values (unseen data)
were selected randomly to test the performance of the trained network.
Table 1 Engine Specification
Bore Stroke
Number of Cylinders
Volume Capacity
Cycle
Maximum power output
Maximum torque output
Aspiration
Combustion System
Compression Ratio
Fuel Pump
Cooling
Weight
Length Width Height

100 mm 127 mm
4
3.99 Liter
4 Stroke
61.5 kW @2000 rpm
340 N m@1400 rpm
Wastegated Turbocharger
Fast ram direct injection
17.5:1
Bosch Rotary with Boost control
Water, Belt Driven water pump
265 Kg
678.7mm 655mm 748.5mm

3. ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORKS

ANNs are used to solve a wide variety of problems in science and engineering. A well-trained
neural network model can be used for fast prediction of complex and nonlinear problems,
making it an easy to use tool in preliminary studies for such problems. Neural nets are of
interest to researchers in many areas for different reasons. One of that reasons is the artificial
neural network model does not require details about the exact construction of the system
being modeled. Electrical engineers find numerous applications for ANNs in signal processing

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and control theory. Computer engineers are intrigued by the potential for hardware to
implement neural nets efficiently and by applications of neural nets to robotics.
Computer scientists find that neural nets show promise for difficult problems in areas such as
artificial intelligence and pattern recognition. For applied mathematicians, neural nets are a
powerful tool for modeling problems for which the explicit form of the relationships among
certain variables is not known [3].
A commonly used ANN model is a feed forward network which contains an input layer, some
hidden layers and an output layer [2, 4, 5]. Each neuron in the network accepts a weighted set
of inputs and responds with an output. The output is given by:
p

N w1i xi1 b
i 1

(1)

Where p is the number of inputs, 1i is the interconnecting weights, i1 is the input and b is
the bias for the neuron. The error between the network output and the actual output is
minimized by modifying the network weights and biases. This process is called learning
process. The goal is to minimize the average of sum of these errors which is called as Mean
Square Error of the output [5]. Mean Square Error is given by:

MSE

1
Q

Q (t (k ) a(k )) 2
k 1

(2)

Where t (k) is the actual value, a (k) is the network value and Q is the number of epochs. When
the MSE or gradient of MSE falls below a predetermined value or the maximum number of
epochs have been reached, the training process stops. Then this trained network can be used
for simulating the system outputs for the inputs which have not been introduced before.
3. ANN Modeling
A multi layer perception network (MLP) was used for the ANN model and the back
propagation algorithm was utilized as training algorithm.
The accuracy of a neural network is impacted by the activation or transfer function and the
number of hidden neurons. It is important for the programmer to select an appropriate
transfer function and number of neurons. The neural network setting that was found to have
minimum error in this study is summarized in table 2. Transfer functions of hidden and
output layer is selected to be logsig given by:

log sig (n)

1
1 e n

(3)

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Table 2 ANN Setting

Network Type
Training function
Transfer functions
Number of neurons
Performance function

MLP
LevenbergMarquardt
logsig/logsig
14
MSE

To ensure that each input provides an equal contribution in the ANN, initially total of 384
experimental data was normalized using following equation:

aN

a amin
amax amin

(4)

a is the actual value, amin is the minimum value of a , amax is the maximum value of
a and aN is the normalized value of a which will be within the range from 0 to 1. Then 80%

Where

of the total experimental data employed to train the ANN. The performance of the ANN
predictions was evaluated by regression analysis of the network outputs and the
experimental values and the root-mean-squared-error (RMSE) that is dened as follows [4]:

n
2
(
t
(
i
)

a
(
i
))

RMSE i 1
n

0.5

(5)

Where n is the number of the points in the data set.

Engine speed, engine load and injection timing were selected as input neurons. Power, peak
pressure, BSFC, and exhaust emissions (CO, CO2, NOx, HC, smoke) were identied as output
neurons. Schematic representations of the ANN model are shown in Fig. 1

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Usak, Turkey

Output Layer

Input Layer

Hidden Layer
Power
Peak Pressure

Engine Speed

BSFC
Engine Load

HC
CO
CO2

Injection
Timing

NOx
Smoke

Fig. 1 Schematic diagram for the ANN

4. RESULTS and DISCUSSION
After the ANN was trained, unseen data points were introduced to the ANN to determine the
performance of the developed ANN model in predicting the engine-out responses. The R and
RSME Values are reported to show the prediction accuracy. R is the proportionality value
between predicted and experimental data, a value closer to unity implies higher accuracy of
the ANN. In addition, smaller value for RMSE indicates higher accuracy of the prediction.
Fig. 2-9 shows the network outputs versus experimental values for unseen data points for
eight different engine-out responses. The R values for the power, HC, CO, CO2, NOx, smoke,
BSFC and Peak Pressure are 0.97979, 0.98388, 0.9291, 0.99508, 0.99532, 0.99646, 0.97585
and 0.99037, respectively. The RMSE values for the power, HC, CO, CO2, NOx, smoke, BSFC
and Peak Pressure are 3.5445, 3.2781, 74.6681, 0.35355, 44.8955, 7.443, 66.9071 and 2.547,
respectively.
The results showed that a single MLP ANN using Back Propagation training algorithm
,LevenbergMarquardt as training function and logsig as transfer function, is able to predict
eight different heavy duty diesel engine-out responses when Engine speed, engine load and
injection timing are introduced as input parameters. However these predictions can be
further improved if higher number of experimental data can be provided. Furthermore,
physical models can be incorporated within the transfer function of the network to improve
the network outputs accuracy [12].
Investigation of the results shows that there is a good correlation between the network
outputs and measured data. In addition, experimental tests over a wide range of control
parameters such as speed, load and injection timing are both time-consuming and expensive.
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Therefore, a well trained ANN can be used as a predicting tool for for simulating engine
responses.
RMSE = 3.5445
60
Measured
Predicted
50

Power (hp)

40

30

20

10

5
6
Test Points

10

Fig. 2 Comparisons of the ANN outputs and experimental data for the power

RMSE = 3.2781
70
Measured
Predicted

60

HC (ppm)

50

40

30

20

10

5
6
Test Points

10

Fig. 3 Comparisons of the ANN outputs and experimental data for the HC

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Usak, Turkey

RMSE = 74.6681
1000
Measured
Predicted

900
800

CO (ppm)

700
600
500
400
300
200
100

5
6
Test Points

10

Fig. 4 Comparisons of the ANN outputs and experimental data for the CO

RMSE = 0.35355
14
Measured
Predicted
12

CO2 (%)

10

5
6
Test Points

10

Fig. 5 Comparisons of the ANN outputs and experimental data for the CO2

RMSE = 44.8955
1400
Measured
Predicted

1200

NOx (ppm)

1000

800

600

400

200

5
6
Test Points

10

Fig. 6 Comparisons of the ANN outputs and experimental data for the NOx

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RMSE = 7.443
250
Measured
Predicted

Smoke (ppm)

200

150

100

50

5
6
Test Points

10

Fig. 7 Comparisons of the ANN outputs and experimental data for the smoke

RMSE = 66.9071
1000
Measured
Predicted

900

BSFC (g/KW.h)

800
700
600
500
400
300
200

5
6
Test Points

10

Fig. 8 Comparisons of the ANN outputs and experimental data for the BSFC
RMSE = 2.547
105
Measured
Predicted

100
95

Peak Pressure (bar)

90
85
80
75
70
65
60
55

5
6
Test Points

10

Fig. 9 Comparisons of the ANN outputs and experimental data for the Peak Pressure

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5. CONCLUSION
Experimental tests over a wide range of control parameters such as speed, load and injection
timing are both time-consuming and expensive. Therefore, a single ANN can be utilized for a
heavy duty diesel engine to predict engine-out responses.
In this study, an ANN was developed to model a heavy duty diesel engine performance and
emissions with R Values in the range of 0.92-0.996. This reduces the experimental efforts and
hence can serve as an effective tool for predicting the performance of the engine and emission
characteristics under various operating conditions.
Acknowledgements
It should be noted that the measured data employed in this research was acquired through
previous works efforts at IUST, ARC. Acknowledgement is given to the engineers, staff, and
graduate students that were associated with the performance and emissions measurement
system, and data acquisition which occurred at the engine and emissions research laboratory.
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Usak, Turkey

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