MODERN AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGIES

UNIT-1

ADVANCED ENGINE CONTROL

CONCEPT OF AN ELECTRONIC ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM

In order to understand electronic engine control, it is necessary to understand some

fundamentals of how the power produced by the engine is controlled. Any driver
understands intuitively that the throttle directly regulates the power produced by the
engine at any operating condition. It does this by controlling the airflow into the
engine. In essence the engine is an air pump such that at any RPM, the mass flow
rate of air into the engine varies directly with throttle plate angular position (see
Figure 1). As the driver depresses the accelerator pedal, the throttle angle (θ T in
Figure 1) increases, which increases the cross-sectional area through which the air
flows, reducing the resistance to airflow and thereby allowing an increased airflow
into the engine.

Figure 1.Intake system with Throttle Plate

The role of fuel control is to regulate the fuel that is mixed with the air so that it
increases in proportion to the airflow. The performance of the engine is affected
strongly by the mixture (i.e., by the ratio of air to fuel). However, for any given
mixture the power produced by the engine is directly proportional to the mass flow
rate of air into the engine. Metric units have come to be more commonly used in
which engine power is given in kilowatts (kw) and air mass is given in kilograms (kg)

Denoting the power from the engine Pb, the linear model for engine power is given
by

Pb=KMA where Pb is the power from the engine (hp or kW)

MA the mass airflow rate (kg/sec) or (slugs/ sec), and
K the constant relating power to airflow (kW/kg/sec) or (hp/lb/sec).

ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM

Electronic engine control system that regulates fuel flow to the engine. An electronic
engine control system is an assembly of electronic and electromechanical
components that continuously varies the fuel and spark settings in order to satisfy
government exhaust emission and fuel economy regulations.

The electronic engine control system receives input electrical signals from the
various sensors that measure the state of the engine. From these signals, the
controller generates output electrical signals to the actuators that determine the
correct fuel delivery and spark timing

To motivate the discussion of engine control sensors and actuators, it is helpful to

review the variables measured (sensors) and the controlled variables (actuators).
Figure 2 is a simplified block diagram of a representative electronic engine control
system illustrating most of the relevant sensors used for engine control.

The position of the throttle plate, sensed by the throttle position sensor (TPS),
directly regulates the airflow into the engine, thereby controlling output power. A set
of fuel injectors (one for each cylinder) delivers the correct amount of fuel to a
corresponding cylinder during the intake stroke under control of the electronic engine
controller to maintain the fuel/air mixture at stoichiometry within a narrow tolerance
band. A fuel injector is, as will presently be shown, one of the important actuators
used in automotive electronic application. The ignition control system fires each
spark plug at the appropriate time under control of the electronic engine controller.
The exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) is controlled by yet another output from the
engine controller. All critical engine control functions are based on measurements
made by various sensors connected to the engine in an appropriate way.
Computations made within the engine controller based on these inputs yield output
signals to the actuators. consider inputs (sensors) to the control system first, and
then discuss the outputs (actuators)

Figure 2.Representative electronic engine control system.

Variables to be Measured

The superset of variables sensed in engine control includes the following:

1. Mass airflow (MAF) rate

2. Exhaust gas oxygen concentration

3. Throttle plate angular position

4. Crankshaft angular position/RPM

5. Camshaft angular position

6. Coolant temperature

7. Intake air temperature

8. Ambient air pressure

9. Ambient air temperature

10. Manifold absolute pressure (MAP)

11. differential exhaust gas pressure (relative to ambient)

12. vehicle speed

13. transmission gear selector position

14. actual transmission gear, and

15. various pressures.

In addition to measurements of the above variables, engine control is also based on

the status

of the vehicle as monitored by a set of switches. These switches include the

following:

1. air conditioner clutch engaged

2. brake on/off

3. wide open throttle

4. closed throttle, and

5. transmission gear selection.

Automotive Engine Control Actuators

In addition to the set of sensors, electronic engine control is critically dependent on

a set of actuators to control air/fuel ratio, ignition, and EGR

ENGINE CONTROL SENSORS

Mass Air Flow (MAF) rate:

This is normally mounted as part of the air cleaner assembly, where it measures air
flow into the intake manifold. It is a ruggedly packaged, single-unit sensor that
includes solid-state electronic signal processing. In operation, the MAF sensor
generates a continuous signal that varies nearly linearly with true mass air flow R m

The MAF sensor is a variation of a classic air flow sensor that was known as a hot
wire anemometer and was used, for example, to measure wind velocity for weather
forecasting. In the MAF, the hot-wire, or sensing, element is replaced by a hot-film
structure mounted on a substrate. On the air inlet side is mounted a honeycomb flow
straightener that “smooths” the air flow (causing nominally laminar air flow over the
film element). At the lower portion of the structure is the signal processing circuitry.
The film element is electrically heated to a constant temperature above that of the
inlet air. The latter air temperature is sensed using a solid-state temperature sensor
(explained later in this chapter). The hot-film element is incorporated in a
Wheatstone bridge circuit (Figure 3). The power supply for the bridge circuit comes
from an amplifier. The Wheatstone bridge consists of three fixed resistors R 1, R2, and
R3 and a hot-film element having resistance RHW. With no air flow the resistors R 1,
R2, and R3 are chosen such that voltage v a and v b are equal (i.e., the bridge is said
to be balanced). As air flows across the hot film, heat is carried away from the film by
the moving air. The amount of heat carried away varies in proportion to the mass
flow rate of the air. The heat lost by the film to the air tends to cause the resistance
of the film to vary, which unbalances the bridge circuit, thereby producing an input
voltage to the amplifier. The output of the amplifier is connected to the bridge circuit
and provides the power for this circuit. The amplified voltage changes the resistance
in such a way as to maintain a fixed hot-film temperature relative to the inlet
temperature. The amplifier output voltage v c varies with MAF and serves as a
measure of Rm

Figure 3: Mass Air Flow Sensor

MAP SENSOR

The MAP is a key sensor as it senses the engine load. It monitors the difference
between the air pressure in the intake manifold and outside reference pressure. This
sensor responds to the vacuum in the intake manifold and generates a voltage signal
accordingly. It then sends the signal to the ECU. The input of the sensor is used for
adjusting the fuel mixture and ignition timing, according to the changes.

The manifold absolute pressure sensor provides instantaneous manifold pressure

information to the engine's electronic control unit (ECU). The data is used to
calculate air density and determine the engine's air mass flow rate, which in turn
determines the required fuel metering for optimum combustion (stoichiometry)

Construction

 The MAP Sensor is directly on the intake manifold or mounted high in the
engine compartment and connected to the intake manifold with vacuum hose.

Figure 4: MAP Sensor

Silicon chip mounted inside a reference chamber. On one side of the chip is a
reference pressure (either a perfect vacuum or a calibrated pressure, depending on
the application).On the other side is the pressure to be measured.

Working

Intake manifold pressure is a directly related to engine load. The ECM needs to
know intake manifold pressure to calculate how much fuel to inject, when to ignite
the cylinder, and other functions. The silicon chip changes its resistance with
changes in pressure.When the silicon chip flexes with change in pressure, the
electrical resistance of the chip changes. This change in resistance alters the voltage
signal.The ECM interprets the voltage signal as pressure and any change in the
voltage signal means there was a change in pressure. The MAP sensor voltage
signal is highest when intake manifold pressure is highest and it is lowest when
intake manifold pressure is lowest on deceleration with throttle closed. The ECU
controls the basic fuel injection volume according to the signal voltage

THROTTLE ANGLE SENSOR OR THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR

Figure 5:Throttle angle sensor: a potentiometer

The throttle plate is linked mechanically to the accelerator pedal. When the driver
depresses the accelerator pedal, this linkage causes the throttle plate angle to
increase, allowing more air to enter the engine and thereby increasing engine power.
Measurement of the instantaneous throttle angle is important for control purpose.
Most throttle angle sensors are essentially potentiometers. A potentiometer consists
of a resistor with a movable contact, as illustrated in Figure 5.

A section of resistance material is placed in an arc around the pivot axis for the
movable contact. One end of the resistor is connected to ground, the other to a fixed
voltage V (e.g., 5 volts). The voltage at the contact point of the movable contact is
proportional to the angle (a) from the ground contact to the movable contact. Thus,

v(a) = ka
where v(a) is the voltage at the contact point, k is a constant, and a is the angle of
the contact point from the ground connection. This potentiometer can be used to
measure any angular rotation. In particular, it is well suited for measuring throttle
angle. The only disadvantage to the potentiometer for automotive applications is its
analog output. For digital engine control, the voltage v(a) must be converted to digital
format using an analog-to-digital converter.

Exhaust gas oxygen (EGO) Sensor / Lambda Sensor:

Figure 6:Fuel Injection Feedback Loop

 This sensor is often called as lambda sensor and it is located after the
catalytic converter.

 Based in the EGO sensor signal, the ECU will adjust the amount of fuel
injected into the intake air stream.

 The oxygen sensor is located on the exhaust manifold.

 This sensor monitors the amount of unburned oxygen present in the exhaust.

 When the fuel mixture is rich, most of the oxygen is exhausted during the
combustion. So, only a little unburned oxygen will be left out in the exhaust.
 Difference in the exhaust gas oxygen levels and atmospheric oxygen creates
an electrical potential, which causes the sensor to generate a voltage signal.

 This helps the ECU to check the quality of fuel mixture to make the changes
accordingly.

 The sensor output will be high if the fuel mixture is rich, and the sensor output
will be low if the fuel mixture is lean.