An accurate
air flow rate model is critical for high-quality air-fuel ratio
control in Spark-Ignition engines using a Three-Way-Catalyst.
Emerging Variable Valve Timing technology complicates cylinder
air charge estimation by increasing the number of independent
variables. In our previous study (SAE 2004-01-3054), an Artificial
Neural Network (ANN) has been used successfully to represent
the air flow rate as a function of four independent variables:
intake camshaft position, exhaust camshaft position, engine
speed and intake manifold pressure. However, in more general
terms the air flow rate also depends on ambient temperature
and pressure, the latter being largely a function of altitude.
With arbitrary cam phasing combinations, the ambient pressure
effects in particular can be very complex. In this study, we
propose using a separate neural network to compensate the effects
of altitude on the air flow rate. A predictive, high-fidelity
simulation tool is used to generate training samples for the
altitude compensation ANN. Compared with a test-based approach
both developmental cost and time are reduced. The effectiveness
of the proposed approach is evaluated and validated by both
engine dynamometer tests and in-vehicle tests.