Closed-loop diesel engine combustion phasing control based on crankshaft torque measurements

• A novel approach for system identification of crankshaft dynamics is proposed.
• Combustion net torque is used for torque domain combustion phasing estimation.
• Controllers for both individual cylinder and average cylinder control are proposed.
• The controllers manage to reject both injection timing and EGR fraction disturbances.

Methods for closed-loop combustion phasing control in a diesel engine, based on measurements of crankshaft torque, are developed and evaluated. A model-based method for estimation of cylinder individual torque contributions from the crankshaft torque measurements is explained and a novel approach for identification of crankshaft dynamics is proposed. The use of the combustion net torque concept for combustion phasing estimation in the torque domain is also described. Two different control schemes, one for individual cylinder control and one for average cylinder control, are studied. The proposed methods are experimentally evaluated using a light-duty diesel engine equipped with a crankshaft integrated torque sensor. The results indicate that it is possible to estimate and control on a cylinder individual basis using the measurements from the crankshaft torque sensor. Combustion phasing is estimated with bias levels of less than 0.5 crank angle degrees (CAD) and cycle-to-cycle standard deviations of less than 0.7 CAD for all cylinders and the implemented combustion phasing controllers manage to accurately counteract disturbances in both fuel injection timing and EGR fraction.