Control of gasoline engine knocking based on a zero-dimensional heat balance model

A knocking control system based on a zero-dimensional heat balance model was implemented on a 1.6L conventional turbocharged gasoline engine to improve the thermal efficiency of internal combustion engines. The zero-dimensional model has been used to predict the exhaust port temperature, with its parameters already identified based on experimental measurements obtained from a test bench in a previous study. Some transient experiments were conducted to assess the effectiveness of the proposed control system. The results demonstrated that the application of the proposed system successfully suppressed knocking and allowed for more advanced ignition timing compared to the conventional coolant control system that maintained a constant coolant water temperature, ultimately leading to improved thermal efficiency. It is found that the present model-based knocking control system and zero-dimensional heat balance model are applicable as pragmatic engine control.