Model-Based Predictive Control and Dithering Control for an Integrated Gasoline Engine and Three-Way Catalytic Converter System

Controls of integrated gasoline engine and aftertreatment systems are critical for fuel efficiency improvement and emission regulation. This paper aims to develop novel model-based three-way catalytic converter (TWC) controls to reduce the fuel consumption and tailpipe emissions for a gasoline engine. A model-based dither control and a nonlinear model predictive control (MPC)-based control are presented, respectively. The proposed TWC dither control utilizes a systematically designed dither cycle configuration (including dithering amplitude, offset, and frequency) based on a control-oriented model, with the capability to adapt the dither cycle configuration to various engine operating conditions. The MPC control can optimize engine air–fuel ratio (AFR) to maintain the oxygen storage of TWC at a desired level and thus meet the tailpipe NOx, CO, and HC emission requirements. The efficacies of both model-based TWC controls are validated in simulation with MPC control improving CO emission conversion efficiencies by 8.42% and 4.85% in simplified US06 and urban dynamometer driving schedule (UDDS) driving cycles, when compared to a baseline dithering-based AFR control. Meanwhile, NOx emission conversion efficiency is maintained above the required limit of 95%, while the fuel efficiency remains at the same level as the baseline control methodology.