Model-based control of exhaust heat recovery in a heavy-duty vehicle

For an exhaust heat recovery (EHR) system, this paper presents a model-based controller that is operated in a common automotive electronic control unit (ECU) and tested in a heavy-duty vehicle on the road. The EHR system is based on an Organic Rankine cycle (ORC) and improves the fuel efficiency. The sensitive vapor quality at the expander inlet is regulated by the pump using a 2-degree-of-freedom design. The feedforward part employs an inverse of a modified Moving-Boundary model, combined with online adaption of parameters. The feedback path utilizes gain-scheduling and LQR based on a Finite-Volume model. The controller performance is compared in simulation and experiment using a real ORC in a heavy-duty vehicle (HDV).