The control of an internal-combustion engine such that
it will produce its required output, with a minimum consumption
of fuel, even in the presence of random load disturbances,
has become a necessary requirement for future prime-mover
and vehicular applications. This thesis is concerned with
an attempt to produce a practical scheme to meet that requirement
from a study of several methods of achieving optimal
engine regulation and a method of obtaining optimal start-up.
An attempt was made first to identify the response of the
engine-transmission-load combination with a mathematical
model obtained by the use of computers. The servo-mechanism
associated with the throttle was identified also, and then
a complete state-variable description of the system was
obtained. Next an automatic gear-changing scheme was
designed and implemented. With the availability of this
practical system an optimal control function was generated
then to implement optimal start-up. The optimal function
was calculated by solving the associated multi-point boundary
value problem by means of technique of quasi-linearisation.
To subject the system to random loads an artificial road was
simulated, and a scheme was devised to vary the dynamometer
loading in response to this 'road' signal.
The remainder of the thesis is concerned with a study of
several different methods of obtaining optimal or sub-optimal schemes of regulation and with comparisons of experimental
results and the results from associated theoretical computer
studies.
Many suggestions for further investigations are contained
in the final chapter
