An LPV/MPC engine control system is disclosed that includes an engine control unit connected to multiple sensors. The engine control unit receives, from the sensors, signals indicative of desired engine torque and engine torque output, and determines, from these signals, optimal engine control commands using a piecewise LPV/MPC routine. This routine includes: determining a nonlinear and a linear system model for the engine assembly, minimizing a control cost function in a receding horizon for the linear system model, determining system responses for the nonlinear and linear system models, determining if a norm of an error function between the system responses is smaller than a calibrated threshold, and if the norm is smaller than the predetermined threshold, applying the linearized system model in a next sampling time for a next receding horizon to determine the optimal control command. Once determined, the optimal control command is output to the engine assembly.

A monitoring system and method for detecting clogging through fouling of an air filter (3) of an internal combustion engine (5) comprising a differential pressure sensor means (7) for determining a differential pressure between an ambient environment and a position directly downstream of the air inlet filter. The system further comprising at least one exhaust flow sensor means (9) for determining the exhaust flow, and a controller (13) which is communicatively connected to each of the sensor means for processing information therefrom. The controller is arranged for determining a first filter resistance coefficient based on, at least, a measurement of the differential pressure, and the exhaust flow. The system is arranged for, using the controller, to calculate a second filter coefficient based on the historic evolution of the first filter coefficient, the controller further arranged for comparing the second filter coefficient to a boundary value, and generating a clogging alarm signal when the second filter coefficient exceeds said boundary value.

An LPV/MPC engine control system is disclosed that includes an engine control unit connected to multiple sensors. The engine control unit receives, from the sensors, signals indicative of desired engine torque and engine torque output, and determines, from these signals, optimal engine control commands using a piecewise LPV/MPC routine. This routine includes: determining a nonlinear and a linear system model for the engine assembly, minimizing a control cost function in a receding horizon for the linear system model, determining system responses for the nonlinear and linear system models, determining if a norm of an error function between the system responses is smaller than a calibrated threshold, and if the norm is smaller than the predetermined threshold, applying the linearized system model in a next sampling time for a next receding horizon to determine the optimal control command. Once determined, the optimal control command is output to the engine assembly.

An internal combustion engine includes an air charging system with a boost air system. A method to control the boost air in the air charging system, decoupled from the air and EGR system controls, includes monitoring a reference boost pressure and operating parameters of the air charging system; creating a turbocharger energy balance model of the air charging system; applying feedback linearization control to the turbocharger energy balance model to create an approximately linearized feedback system; and determining a boost control command for the air charging system using the approximately linearized feedback system based on the monitored reference boost pressure and the monitored operating parameters of the air charging system. The boost air in the air charging system is controlled based upon the boost control command.

A heat generation rate waveform of an internal combustion engine. A period from spark generated by an ignition plug to ignition of an air-fuel mixture is defined as an ignition delay period that is one of characteristic values of the heat generation rate waveform. When the ignition time FA of the air-fuel mixture is on the advance side of a compression top dead center of a piston (BTDC), the ignition delay period is estimated based on an in-cylinder fuel density .sub.fuel@SA at the spark time SA, and when the ignition time FA of the air-fuel mixture is on the delay side of the compression top dead center of the piston (ATDC), the ignition delay period is estimated based on an in-cylinder fuel density .sub.fuel@FA at the ignition time FA. Thus, the heat generation rate waveform is produced using the estimated ignition delay period .

Disclosed is a method of processing a periodic voltage signal, called the input signal, relating to the pressure existing in a combustion chamber of a cylinder of an internal combustion engine. The method includes a step (E6) of determining a second instant of unlocking of the base signal during a second peak phase, a step (E7) of determining a second instant of locking, which is subsequent to the second instant of unlocking and for which the input signal is in the plateau phase consecutive to the second peak phase, and a step (E8) of generating a base signal between the second instant of unlocking and the second instant of locking on the basis of a slope value of a straight line determined during a first peak phase between a first instant of unlocking and a first instant of locking.

A heat generation rate waveform of an internal combustion engine. A period from spark generated by an ignition plug to ignition of an air-fuel mixture is defined as an ignition delay period that is one of characteristic values of the heat generation rate waveform. When the ignition time FA of the air-fuel mixture is on the advance side of a compression top dead center of a piston (BTDC), the ignition delay period is estimated based on an in-cylinder fuel density .sub.fuel@SA at the spark time SA, and when the ignition time FA of the air-fuel mixture is on the delay side of the compression top dead center of the piston (ATDC), the ignition delay period is estimated based on an in-cylinder fuel density .sub.fuel@FA at the ignition time FA. Thus, the heat generation rate waveform is produced using the estimated ignition delay period .