Application of Control Systems to Meet Stringent Emissions of Modern Automobiles: A Review

Abstract

Automotive pollution has become nowadays a major issue to be tackled by the researchers working in the area of engine development. The emissions norms are becoming stricter and it is becoming mandatory to have exhaust gas after treatment. The automotive industry is constantly looking for new ways to make their vehicles more reliable, quieter, safer and more efficient. The job is not ending with incorporating treatment devices but also have precise regulation of fuel and air path the engines have to adopt. The simultaneous multiple jobs could efficiently be handled effectively with electronic devices in place of so-called mechanical devices for the sake gaining control over various systems of automobiles. This is due to the fact that the majority of vehicle driving conditions involve transient operation, with nonlinear situations experienced during engine transients. In order to provide the required engine torque with minimal fuel consumption under the constraint of meeting the given exhaust gas and noise emission regulations, a proper interconnection is needed between fuel injection, turbocharger and exhaust gas recirculation system. This paper surveys the research works published in open literature concerning diesel engine simulations and the developments pertaining to the respective fields in an internal combustion engine with a specific case attention to diesel engines. An overview of diesel engine control is explained under categories namely, fuel path, air path and the EGR path. From the study, it is observed that future automobiles will increasingly incorporate electronically operated sensors and actuators to have precise control over complex parameters in meeting stringent emission norms.