The Mechatronic

Solution to Engine
Management
Kon-41.5151 seminar
Tommi Lintilä
Vesa Vahtila
Timo Liski
Problem to be solved: The old-type
engine
•As the previous group presented, the old car engine was based
on mainly mechanical components
•Problems with the old-type motor:
• Unreliable ignition control with breaker points
• Inefficient and mechanically complex carburettor
• Low fuel economy
• Lack of diagnostic system

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Incremental development process (1/2)

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Incremental development process (2/2)

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Problem solved: The mechatronic
engine management
We know what we want:
→ Correct amount of gasoline
→ Spark at the correct time

We need to determine:
→ Speed of the engine
→ Position of the crankshaft
→ Temperature of both intake air and coolant
→ Amount of air induced to cylinder
(can be solved from intake air pressure)
→ Position of the gas pedal and therefore
the throttle valve
→ Realized air/fuel ratio

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Problem solved: Additional benefits of
the mechatronic engine
•The overall efficiency and reliability of engines increased
•The engines can be optimized more precisely for power or low
emissions
•Electronic engine control provided possibility to offer different
power variants based on the same base engine
•Collecting data from engine became possible
à New diagnostic systems made repairing easier for
professionals

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Mechatronic system (MS) investigated
Part I - Sensors
Sensor types
• EGO (Exhaust Gas Oxygen, Lambda sensor)
• TPS (Throttle Position Sensor)
• MAF (Mass Air Flow)
• Hall-sensors
• Temperature sensors
• Knock sensor
Mechatronic system (MS) investigated
Part II – Control Unit
I/O –interface
• Analog and Digital level inputs and outputs
• Filters to avoid noisy signals
• Controlling circuits for actuators
Processor
• 24 MHz, 128kB Flash, 4 kB RAM*
Calculating
• Choosing initial values from
look-up tables (maps)
*MegaSquirt II
Mechatronic system (MS) investigated
Part III – Actuators
Ignition:
• Ignition coils and spark plugs
Fuel injection:
• Solenoid valve based injectors
• Diesel engines:
• Piezo-injectors
• Injection pumps
Emission control equipment:
• EGR, SCR, DPF, etc…
Discussion: Mechatronic System
+ Mechatronic engine control has changed the
possibilities of motor technology dramatically
+ Lifetime of passenger cars has increased,
partly because of better reliability of the
engines
+ Costs of driving has decreased
- Professional tools needed for maintenance
and repair
- Overall complexity of system has increased
causing more possible fault sources

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Scientific article related (1/2)
Determination of combustion parameters using engine crankshaft speed
• Challenge: Fuel economy and stricter pollutants regulations
• Finding: Relation between in-cylinder pressure and quality of
combustion process
Ø Internal pressure
sensors expensive
Ø Simulation of pressure
peak value (PP) and
its angular location
(LPP)

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Scientific article related (2/2)
• Relative error less
than 10 %
• Pressure peak
estimation can be
used to closed
loop ignition
control

Comparison between measured and predicted pressure peak values.

Engine speed 1500 rpm and absolute intake pressure 1600 mbar

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Discussion: Scientific article
• Pressure measurements had to be made to train the model.
• In-cylinder pressure is only one factor for good quality
combustion process
• With higher revolutions the error rises
• High cylinder peak pressures reduces component lifetime

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Application related
• SCR =
Selective
Catalytic
Reduction
• Reduces NOx
emissions

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Discussion: Application related
• Works effectively to reduce NOx emissions
• Users have to fill urea tank (AdBlue) also at the gas stations
• One more complicated system with possible fault sources
• Urea freezes in the winter conditions

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Discussion about this course and this
exercise
•It is not necessary to have practical elements in this course: there
are the Mechatronic Project and Mechatronic Exercises for that.
•There could be more teaching content on:
• Who are involved in the Mechatronic system design process?
• Dimensioning exercises of the components would be fun instead of
mandatory lectures.
•This seminar provided a possibility to examine an interesting
development work of a mechatronic system. Seminars are a good
way to learn to communicate technical issues understandably.

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References
1. Bradley, D. & Russell, D. W. 2010. Mechatronics in action: Case studies in mechatronics:
Applications and education. Springer London. ISBN 978-1-84996-079-3. DOI 10.1007/ 978-1-
84996-080-9.
2. Taglialatela, F. & Lavorgna, M. & Mancaruso, E. & Vaglieco, B. M. 2013. Determination of
combustion parameters using engine crankshaft speed. Mechanical Systems and Signal
Processing. Vol. 38:2. P. 628–633. DOI 10.1016/j.ymssp.2012.12.009.

Pictures
http://www.brenntagdef.com/en/images/Charts/SCR.jpg
http://www.gotengines.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/best-obd2-scanner-reviews.jpg
http://86.43.94.97/moodlecp9a/file.php/1/glossary/images/eem/coils/cbpointsw.jpg
http://www.reocities.com/motorcity/speedway/2736/Immagine_Carburatori_Weber.gif

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