This control device is configured to, based on a premise that an operating condition of a plant is a specific operating condition that is defined in advance, search for a virtual current value of a controlled variable for ensuring that a specific state quantity does not conflict with a constraint in the future using a prediction model, set the virtual current value which was found by the search to a target value of the controlled variable, and determine a manipulated variable of the plant so that an actual current value of the controlled variable approaches the target value. Due to this configuration, even if the operating condition of the plant suddenly changes to the specific operating condition, the controlled variable of the plant can be adjusted in advance so that the specific state quantity in the specific operating condition does not conflict with the constraint.

The invention relates to methods, systems, and computer program products for controlling a catalytic converter system in a vehicle. The method comprises predicting the temperature of at least one element of the catalytic converter system based on at least a model of the catalytic converter and on an expected driving of the vehicle. The method further comprises controlling the input flow to the catalytic converter system based on the predicted temperature so as to optimize at least one property of the vehicle.

A method is provided for operating an internal combustion engine (10) that has at least one cylinder row (11a, 11b) with multiple cylinders (12a, 12b). Each cylinder row (11a, 11b) has a first exhaust-gas turbocharger (13a, 13b) and a second exhaust-gas turbocharger (14a, 14b). The method includes providing charge air for the cylinders (12a, 12b) of the internal combustion engine (10) either exclusively by the first exhaust-gas turbocharger (13a, 13b) of the cylinder row (11a, 11b) of the internal combustion engine (10) or by both the first exhaust-gas turbocharger (13a, 13b) of the cylinder row (11a, 11b) of the internal combustion engine (10) and the second exhaust-gas turbocharger (14a, 14b) of the cylinder row (11a, 11b) of the internal combustion engine (10) in a manner dependent on an operating mode demanded by a driver and/or by a controller for the internal combustion engine (10).

Methods and systems are provided for controlling hybrid vehicle engine operation, where the vehicle engine comprises one or more cylinders dedicated to recirculating exhaust to an intake manifold. In one example, during an engine cold-start event or other event where temperature of one or more exhaust catalysts are below a temperature needed for catalytic activity, fuel injection to the dedicated exhaust gas recirculation cylinder(s) is maintained shut off, while its intake and exhaust valves are maintained activated, thus enabling the dedicated exhaust gas recirculation cylinder(s) to route air to the intake manifold of the engine, resulting in exhaust gas lean of stoichiometry that may serve to heat the catalyst. In this way, during cold start events and other events where temperature of one or more exhaust catalysts are below a temperature for catalytic activity, combustion stability issues may be avoided, and exhaust catalyst(s) rapidly heated, thereby reducing undesired tailpipe emissions.

An exhaust purification system includes a NOx-occlusion-reduction-type catalyst that occludes NOx in exhaust in a lean state and reduces and purifies the occluded NOx in exhaust in a rich state, and a NOx purge rich control unit that executes NOx purge of reducing and purifying the occluded NOx by putting the exhaust into the rich state by fuel injection control, where a catalyst temperature of the NOx-occlusion-reduction-type catalyst is equal to or higher than a catalyst temperature threshold value and a NOx occlusion amount of the NOx-occlusion-reduction-type catalyst is equal to or higher than an NOx occlusion amount threshold value, and executes the NOx purge when the catalyst temperature is lower than a catalyst temperature threshold value.

A system according to the present disclosure includes a model predictive control (MPC) module and an actuator module. The MPC module generates a set of possible target values for an actuator of an engine and predicts an operating parameter for the set of possible target values. The predicted operating parameter includes an emission level and/or an operating parameter of an exhaust system. The MPC module determines a cost for the set of possible target values and selects the set of possible target values from multiple sets of possible target values based on the cost. The MPC module determines whether the predicted operating parameter for the selected set satisfies a constraint and sets target values to the possible target values of the selected set when the predicted operating parameter satisfies the constraint. The actuator module controls an actuator of an engine based on at least one of the target values.

A control system of an engine is provided. The control system includes an exhaust emission control catalyst provided in an exhaust passage, a deceleration fuel cutoff module for performing a deceleration fuel cutoff when a deceleration fuel cutoff condition is satisfied in an engine decelerating state, a purging unit for performing a purge to supply a purge gas to an intake passage during the deceleration fuel cutoff, an evaporated fuel supply amount estimating module for estimating a supply amount of evaporated fuel to the intake passage when the purge is performed, and a catalyst temperature estimating module for estimating a temperature of the exhaust emission control catalyst when the purge is performed, based on the supply amount of the evaporated fuel. The purging unit controls a supply flow rate of the purge gas to the intake passage when the purge is performed, based on the exhaust emission control catalyst temperature.

One exemplary embodiment is a method of operating a system comprising an internal combustion engine system, and an exhaust aftertreatment system comprising an SCR catalyst, and an electronic control system. The method comprises operating the electronic control system to perform the acts of determining a predicted temperature value indicative of a predicted future temperature of the SCR catalyst, determining a temperature profile value using the predicted temperature value and a current temperature value indicative of a current temperature of the SCR catalyst, operating a controller to provide an output indicating a difference between the temperature profile value and a temperature target, determining a heat request using the output of the controller, filtering the heat request using a prediction horizon, and controlling operation of the engine system using the filtered heat request to increase a temperature of the SCR catalyst.

A control device for an exhaust gas sensor includes first means for estimating a temperature of a sensor element in accordance with impedance of a solid electrolyte, and second means for estimating the temperature of the sensor element in accordance with resistance of a heater. A first element temperature according to impedance of the sensor element in a predetermined detection timing is detected by the first means, and a second element temperature according to resistance of a heater of the sensor element in the predetermined detection timing is detected by the second means. The control device corrects the temperature of the sensor element that is estimated in accordance with heater resistance by the second means in accordance with a difference between the first element temperature and the second element temperature.

Methods and systems are provided for adjusting a throttle during deceleration fuel shut off (DFSO). In one example, a method may comprise controlling a position of a throttle in an air inlet of an engine propelling a vehicle, in relation to vehicle operator commands, and during a deceleration fuel shut off mode, increasing opening of said throttle independently of said operator commands when speed of said vehicle is or is expected to fall below a desired speed or desired speed trajectory.