The research objective of this award is to develop methods for the feedback control of the coupled engine and catalyst systems in automotive vehicles seeking to further reduce fuel consumption and harmful emissions. The engine and the exhaust catalyst sub-systems are highly interdependent based on coupled operational constraints and interconnected dynamics with conflicting objectives. The research will employ first-principles and phenomenological models of the engine and the catalyst to address the air and fuel mixture regulation that dictates fuel consumption and exhaust emissions from the after-treatment system. Challenges to overcome are the varying transport delays in the feedback loop, the varying sampling rates due to event-based sampling and the highly nonlinear and varying dynamic of the coupled engine/catalyst system. A linear parameter varying feedback control methodology that is appropriately modified to address the above challenges will be investigated to regulate the engine air/fuel mixture based on post-catalyst sensor measurements for varying engine speed and load conditions.
Is successful, the results of this research would lead to improvements in fuel economy and reduced harmful emissions from automotive vehicles. Proposed cooperation with the automotive industry will seek to transfer research results to technology that could impact future production vehicles. The proposed modeling and control methodology could benefit the other coupled complex systems, such as, material processing and energy conversion systems. The project has an educational goal of promoting inter-disciplinary teaching and research on electro-mechanical and chemical reaction systems and producing engineers that are diverse and pursue the benefit of society.
