Auto-ignition control in turbocharged internal combustion engines operating with gaseous fuels

•A model for predicting temperature at the ignition point.•Robust PID, modified PID, and feedforward strategies for auto-ignition control.•λ′ were the best set of tuning equations for calculating controller parameters.•Robust PID showed significant improvements in auto-ignition control.•Feedforward control showed the best performance.

Control strategies for auto-ignition control in turbocharged internal combustion engines operating with gaseous fuels are presented. Ambient temperature and ambient pressure are considered as the disturbing variables. A thermodynamic model for predicting temperature at the ignition point is developed, adjusted and validated with a large experimental data-set from high power turbocharged engines. Based on this model, the performance of feedback and feedforward auto-ignition control strategies is explored. A robustness and fragility analysis for the Feedback control strategies is presented. The feedforward control strategy showed the best performance however its implementation entails adding a sensor and new control logic. The proposed control strategies and the proposed thermodynamic model are useful tools for increasing the range of application of gaseous fuels with low methane number while ensuring a safe running in internal combustion engines.