Modeling and Control at the High Efficiency Limit of Internal Combustion Engines

Advanced modes of combustion in internal combustion engines promise clean and efficient combustion but are notoriously difficult to control. The operating range of many advanced combustion modes with a high ratio of residual gas recycling is limited by high combustion variability. We show that the variability is predicted by low-order deterministic instabilities mixed with stochastic noise. This perspective opens up for dynamic analysis and control design for reducing the variability and operate close to the edges of feasible operation, which is demonstrated in experimental engine results.

Erik Hellstrom received the M.Sc. degree in applied physics and
electrical engineering and the Ph.D. degree from Linkoping
University, Linkoping, Sweden, in 2005 and 2010,
respectively. The following three years he was Research Fellow
and Assistant Research Scientist with the University of Michigan
in Ann Arbor. He is currently a Research Engineer with Ford
Research and Advanced Engineering in Dearborn. His research
interests include modeling, control, and optimal control of
vehicle powertrains.