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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. In an automotive vehicle having a diesel engine including an intake
passage provided therein with a throttle valve for controlling the rate of
air flow to said engine, an exhaust passage, an EGR passage connected at
its one end to said exhaust passage and at the other end to said intake
passage downstream of said throttle valve, said EGR passage having therein
an EGR valve for controlling the rate of exhaust gas flow recirculated
through said EGR passage, an EGR control system comprising:
(a) a first sensor adapted to generate an output signal indicative of the
rate of recirculated exhaust gas flow through said EGR passage;
(b) a second sensor adapted to generate a check signal each time said
vehicle travels a predetermined distance;
(c) a third sensor adapted to generate an output signal indicative of the
rate of air flow to said engine; and
(d) a control unit calculating a target value for the EGR ratio based upon
engine operating parameters and controlling said EGR valve to maintain the
EGR ratio at the calculated target value, said control unit, responsive to
the check signal from said second sensor, for calculating an actual value
for the EGR ratio based upon the output signals from said first and third
sensors and correcting the calculated target EGR ratio value or the
calculated actual EGR ratio value, thereby reducing a deviation between
the target and actual EGR ratio values to zero.
2. In an automotive vehicle having a diesel engine including an intake
passage provided therein with a throttle valve for controlling the rate of
air flow to said engine, an exhaust passage provided theein with an
emission control device, an EGR passage connected at its one end to said
exhaust passage upstream of said emission control device and at the other
end to said intake passage downstream of said throttle valve, said EGR
passage having therein an EGR valve for controlling the rate of
recirculated exhaust gas flow through said EGR passage, an EGR control
system comprising:
(a) a first sensor adapted to generate an output signal indicative of the
rate of recirculated exhaust gas flow through said EGR passage;
(b) a second sensor adapted to generate a check signal each time said
vehicle travels a predetermined distance;
(c) a third sensor adapted to generate an output signal indicative of the
rate of air flow to said engine; and
(d) a control unit calculating a target value for the EGR ratio based upon
engine operating parameters and controlling said EGR valve to maintain the
EGR ratio at the calculated target value, said control unit, responsive to
the check signal from said second sensor, for calculating an actual value
for the EGR ratio based upon the output signal from said first and third
sensors and correcting the calculated target EGR ratio value for the
calculated actual EGR ratio value, thereby reducing a deviation between
the target and actual EGR ratio values caused by exhaust gas pressure
changes to zero.
3. The EGR control system of claim 1 or 2, wherein said control unit
calculates the actual EGR ratio value and corrects the calculated target
EGR ratio value for the calculated actual EGR ratio valve during engine
idling in the presence of the check signal from said second sensor.
4. The EGR control system of claim 3, wherein said control unit calculates
the actual EGR ratio value and corrects the calculated target EGR ratio
value for the calculated actual EGR ratio value when engine idling
continues over a predetermined time.
5. The EGR control system of claim 1 or 2, wherein said third sensor is an
airflow meter provided in said intake passage upstream of said throttle
valve for sensing the rate of air flow to said engine and generating an
output signal proportional to the sensed air flow rate.
6. In an automotive vehicle having a diesel engine including an intake
passage provided therein with a throttle valve for controlling the rate of
air flow to said engine, an exhaust passage, an EGR passage connected at
its one end to said exhaust passage and at the other end to said intake
passage downstream of said throttle valve, said EGR passage having therein
an EGR valve for controlling the rate of exhaust gas flow recirculated
through said EGR passage, an EGR control system comprising:
(a) a first sensor adapted to generate an output signal indicative of the
rate of recirculated exhaust gas flow through said EGR passage;
(b) a second sensor adapted to generate a check signal each time said
vehicle travels a predetermined distance;
(c) a third sensor adapted to generate an output signal indicative of the
speed of rotation of said engine; and
(d) a control unit calculating a target value for the EGR ratio based upon
engine operating parameters and controlling said EGR valve to maintain the
EGR ratio at the calculated target value, said control unit, responsive to
the check signal from said second sensor, for calculating an actual value
for the EGR ratio based upon the output signals from said first and third
sensors and correcting the calculated target EGR ratio value for the
calculated actual EGR ratio value during engine idling, thereby reducing a
deviation between the target and actual EGR ratio values to zero.
7. In automotive vehicle having a diesel engine including an intake passage
provided therein with a throttle valve for controlling the rate of air
flow to said engine, an exhaust passage provided therein with an emission
control device, an EGR passage connected at its one end to said exhaust
passage upstream of said emission control device and at the other end to
said intake passage downstream of said throttle valve, said EGR passage
having therein an EGR valve for controlling the rate of recirculated
exhaust gas flow through said EGR passage, an EGR control system
comprising:
(a) a first sensor adapted to generate an output signal indicative of the
rate of recirculated exhaust gas flow through said EGR passage;
(b) a second sensor adapted to generate a check signal each time said
vehicle travels a predetermined distance;
(c) a third sensor adapted to generate an output signal indicative of the
speed of rotation of said engine; and
(d) a control unit calculating a target value for the EGR ratio based upon
engine operating parameters and controlling said EGR valve to maintain the
EGR ratio at the calculated target value, said control unit, responsive to
the check signal from said second sensor, for calculating an actual value
for the EGR ratio based upon the output signals from said first and third
sensors and correcting the calculated target EGR ratio value for the
calculated actual EGR ratio value during engine idling, thereby reducing a
deviation between the target and actual EGR ratio values caused by exhaust
gas pressure changes to zero.
8. The EGR control system of claim 6 or 7, wherein said control unit
calculates the actual EGR ratio value and corrects the calculated target
EGR ratio value for the calculated actual EGR ratio value when engine
idling continues over a predetermined time.
9. The EGR control system of claim 1, 2, 6 or 7, wherein said control unit
calculates a correction factor by dividing the calculated actual EGR ratio
value by the calculated target EGR ratio value and corrects the calculated
target EGR ratio value by multiplying the calculated correction factor by
the calculated target EGR ratio value.
10. The EGR control system of claim 1, 2, 6 or 7, wherein said control unit
corrects the target EGR ratio value by multiplying the target EGR ratio
value by a result of repetitively subtracting a predetermined value from a
predetermined correction factor when the target EGR ratio value is smaller
than the actual EGR ratio value or a result of repetitively adding the
predetermined value from the predetermined correction factor when the
target EGR ratio value is greater than the actual EGR ratio value until
the target EGR ratio value agrees with the actual EGR ratio value.
11. The EGR control system of claim 10, wherein the predetermined
correction factor is 1 and the predetermined value is 0.01.
12. The EGR control system of claim 1, 2, 6 or 7, wherein said first sensor
comprises:
a bypass passage connected at its inlet and outlet ends to said EGR passage
at different position, said bypass passage having therein a venturi
section;
a pair of change-over valves provided respectively at said bypass passage
inlet and outlet ends, said change-over valves being movable between a
first position separating said bypass passing from said EGR passage and a
second position permitting substantially the whole amount of recirculated
exhaust gases to flow through said bypass passage;
a pressure differential transducer adapted to generate an output signal
indicative of the pressure differential existing across said venturi
section; and
means, responsive to a check signal from said second sensor for changing
the change-over valve position from the first position to the second
position. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system for use
in a diesel engine for recirculating a controlled rate of exhaust gases to
the engine and, more particularly, to such an EGR system employing an
electronic control unit adapted to calculate a target EGR ratio based upon
engine operating parameters for controlling the rate of exhaust gases
recirculated to the engine so as to obtain the calculated target EGR
ratio.
In order to minimize emission of noxious pollutants discharged from a
diesel engine to the atmosphere, it is the current practice to suppress
combustion by recirculating a controlled rate of exhaust gases to the
engine through an EGR passage having therein an EGR valve and connecting
the engine exhaust passage to the engine intake passage downstream of the
throttle valve. The rate of exhaust gases recirculated to the engine,
which has a significant effect on both emission of nitrogen oxides and
production of carbon fine particles, is determinative on not only the
position of the EGR valve but also the position of the throttle valve
across which a pressure differential exists in aid of introducing exhaust
gases into the intake passage from the EGR passage. For example, the rate
of exhaust gas flow through the EGR passage increases as the EGR valve
moves in an opening direction for the same throttle valve position or as
the throttle valve moves in a closing direction for the same EGR valve
position. The position of the throttle valve, which also determines the
rate of air flow to the engine, should be controlled properly to maintain
optimum engine output performance in accordance with engine operating
conditions.
Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) control systems are well-known which
involve an electronic control unit for providing accurate EGR ratio
open-loop control. Such an electronic control unit calculates a target
value for the EGR ratio meeting with requirements relating to engine
output and exhaust performances as close as possible based upon engine
operating parameters such as engine speed, accelerator pedal depression
(indicated by fuel injection pump control sleeve or control rack
position), fuel injection timing, engine coolant temperature, engine oil
temperature, and the like and controls the EGR valve and throttle valve
positions to obtain the calculated target EGR ratio. Such EGR ratio
open-loop control has the distinct advantage in extremely fast response to
engine operating condition changes.
In case where a deviation occurs between the calculated target EGR ratio
value and the actual EGR ratio requirement due to errors in measurement in
making and assembling engine parts such as the EGR valve and the throttle
valve, changes in the engine part characteristics with the passage of time
caused by mechanical wear and accumulated carbons on the engine parts, and
the like, however, the EGR open-loop control system cannot correct the
target EGR ratio value for the deviation. In addition, with an emission
control device such as a soot collector located in the engine exhaust
system for purifying engine exhaust emissions, the EGR open-loop control
system cannot provide accurate EGR ratio control due to exhaust pressure
changes caused by soot collected in the emission control device.
The present invention provides an improved and novel exhaust gas
recirculation control system which open-loop controls the EGR ratio in
accordance with a target EGR ratio value calculated based upon engine
operating parameters and which, each time the vehicle travels a
predetermined distance, calculates an actual EGR ratio value based upon
measurements of the rate of air flow to the engine and the rate of exhaust
gases recirculated to the engine and corrects the calculated target EGR
ratio value for the deviation between the actual and target EGR ratio
values, thereby eliminating the limitations and drawbacks inherent in
previous EGR open-loop control systems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an EGR control system for use in an
automotive vehicle having a diesel engine including an intake passage
provided therein with a throttle valve for controlling the rate of air
flow to the engine, an exhaust passage, an EGR passage connected at its
one end to the exhaust passage and at the other end to the intake passage
downstream of the throttle valve, and the EGR passage having therein an
EGR valve for controlling the rate of recirculated exhaust gas flow
through the EGR passage. The EGR control system comprises a first sensor
adapted to generate an output signal indicative of the rate of
recirculated exhaust gas flow through the EGR passage, a second sensor
adapted to generate a check signal each time the vehicle travels a
predetermined distance, a third sensor adapted to generate an output
signal indicative of the rate of air flow to the engine, and a control
unit calculating a target value for the EGR ratio based upon engine
operating parameters and controlling the EGR valve to maintain the EGR
ratio at the calculated target value. The control unit responds to the
check signal from the second sensor for calculating an actual value for
the EGR ratio based upon the output signals from the first and third
sensors and correcting the calculated target EGR ratio value for the
calculated actual EGR ratio value, thereby reducing a deviation between
the target and actual EGR ratio values to zero.
The first sensor may comprise a bypass passage connected at its inlet and
outlet ends to the EGR passage at different positions and provided therein
with a venturi section, a pair of change-over valves provided respectively
at the bypass passage inlet and outlet ends, and a pressure differential
transducer adapted to generate an output signal indicative of the pressure
differential existing across the venturi section. The change-over valves
are movable between a first position separating the bypass passage from
the EGR passage and a second position permitting substantially the whole
amount of recirculated exhaust gases to flow through the bypass passage. A
device is provided which changes the change-over valve position from the
first position to the second position in response to a check signal from
the second sensor.
The control unit may be designed to calculate a correction factor by
dividing the calculated actual EGR ratio value by the calculated target
EGR ratio value and correct the calculated target EGR ratio value by
multiplying the calculated correction factor by the calculated target EGR
ratio value.
Alternatively, the control unit may be designed to correct the target EGR
ratio value by multiplying the target EGR ratio value by a result of
repetitively subtracting a predetermined value from a predetermined
correction factor when the target EGR ratio value is smaller than the
actual EGR ratio value or a result of repetitively adding the
predetermined value from the predetermined correction factor when the
target EGR ratio value is greater than the actual EGR ratio value until
the target EGR ratio value agrees with the actual EGR ratio value.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The details as well as other features and advantages of this invention are
set forth below and are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing one embodiment of an exhaust
gas recirculating control system made in accordance with the present
invention;
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view showing a bypass passage
connected in parallel with the EGR passage;
FIGS. 3A and 3B are graphs of pressure differential across the bypass
passage venturi section versus the rate of recirculated exhaust gas flow
through the EGR passage;
FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating the programming of the digital
computer as it is used to control the EGR ratio in the engine; and
FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating another form of the programming of
the digital computer as it is used to control the EGR ratio in the engine.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, air to a diesel
engine 10 is supplied through an air cleaner 11 and an intake passage 12
leading to the diesel engine. A throttle valve 13 is disposed within the
intake passage 12 to control the air flow through the intake passage. The
position of the throttle valve 13 is varied by a pneumatic valve actuator
14 which responds to a vacuum introduced thereinto from a vacuum modulator
15. The vacuum modulator 15 adjusts the degree of the vacuum introduced
into the pneumatic valve actuator 14 in response to a command signal from
a micro-processor-based electronic control unit to be hereinafter
described. Exhaust gases from the engine 10 are discharged through an
exhaust passage 16 to the atmosphere. The exhaust passage 16 has therein
an emission control device 17 for purifying exhaust gases to be discharged
into the atmosphere. The emission control device 17 shown is a soot
collector having a combustion chamber 18 and an ignitor or a burner 19
which may be actuated to burn the soot collected in the combustion chamber
18 when the vehicle runs a predetermined distance or when the pressure in
the exhaust passage reaches a predetermined value. The pressure in the
exhaust passage increases in the amount of the soot collected in the soot
collector. It is to be noted that the emission control device 17 may be
other exhaust gas purifiers such as a conventional catalytic converter and
the like.
The engine 10 is also associated with an exhaust gas recirculation system
(EGR) 20 including an EGR passage 21. The EGR passage 21 opens at its one
end into the exhaust passage 16 upstream of the emission control device 17
and at the other end into the intake passage 12 downstream of the throttle
valve 13 to recirculate exhaust gases into the engine 10. The EGR passage
21 has therein an EGR valve 22 to control the exhaust gas flow through the
EGR passage 21. The position of the EGR valve 22 is varied by a pneumatic
valve actuator 23 which responds to a vacuum introduced thereinto from a
vacuum modulator 24. The vacuum modulator 15 adjusts the degree of the
vacuum introduced into the pneumatic valve actuator 23 in response to a
command signal from the electronic control unit to be hereinafter
described.
Connected in parallel with the EGR passage 21 is a bypass passage 25 with
its inlet and outlet ends opened into the EGR passage 21 at different
positions. The bypass passage 25 includes a venturi section 26 which
produces thereacross a pressure differential used to determine the rate of
exhaust gas flow through the bypass passage 25. Two change-over valves 27
and 28 are respectively provided at the inlet and outlet ends of the
bypass passage 25. The position of the change-over valves 27 and 28 is
changed between first and second positions through a link mechanism 29 by
a pneumatic valve actuator 30 which responds to a vacuum introduced
thereinto from a vacuum modulator 31. The vacuum modulator 31 adjusts the
degree of the vacuum introduced into the pneumatic valve actuator 30 in
response to a command signal from the electronic control unit to be
described later. At the first position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the
change-over valves 27 and 28 respectively close the inlet and outlet ends
of the bypass passage 25 to prevent exhaust gases from entering into the
bypass passage 25 so as to minimize soot collection on and around the
venturi section 26. At the second position, they open the bypass passage
inlet and outlet ends and close a part of the EGR passage 21 to permit the
whole amount of recirculated exhaust gases to flow through the bypass
passage 25.
Various sensors, detectors, etc. are positioned at various locations with
respect to the engine 10 and are used to measure or sense various engine
operating parameters such as engine speed, accelerator pedal depression,
the rate of air flow to the engine, vehicle travelling distance,
recirculated exhaust gas flow rate, exhaust manifold pressure, air
temperature, exhaust gas temperature, and the like. An airflow meter 32 is
located in the intake passage 12 upstream of the throttle valve 13. The
airflow meter 32 senses the rate of air flow through the intake passage 12
and generates an output signal indicative of the rate of air flow to the
engine 10. A pressure differential transducer 33 is located in the bypass
passage 25, which senses the pressure differential existing across the
venturi section 26 of the bypass passage 25 and generates an output signal
indicative of the pressure differential existing across the bypass passage
venturi section 26. The pressure differential transducer 33 may be
replaced by a pressure transducer which senses the vacuum existing at the
throat portion of the venturi section 26 and generates an output signal
indicative of the vacuum existing at the venturi section throat portion. A
travelling distance sensor 34 is provided for generating a check signal
each time the vehicle travels a predetermined distance. The travelling
distance sensor 34 may comprise a switch associated with an odometer to
actuate each time the odometer counting wheel representing the hundreds
digit rotates a turn; that is, each time the vehicle travels 1,000
kilometers. A pressure transducer 35 is located in the exhaust passage
somewhere upstream of the emission control device 17. The pressure
transducer 35 senses the pressure existing within the exhaust passage 16
and generates an output signal indicative of the exhaust gas pressure
existing within the exhaust passage. An air temperature sensor 36 is
located in the intake passage 12 somewhere upstream of the throttle valve
13. The air temperature sensor 36 generates an output signal proportional
to the ambient air temperature existing in the intake passage upstream of
the throttle valve. An exhaust gas temperature sensor 37 is preferably
located in the EGR passage 21 for generating an output signal proportional
to the exhaust gas temperature existing in the EGR passage 21. An engine
speed sensor 38 is provided for generating an output signal proportional
to the speed of rotation of the engine 10.
Signals indicative of these actual engine operating parameters are supplied
to the microprocessor-based electronic control unit (ECU) 40 including a
digital computer which shall be regarded as including an analog
multiplexer, an analog-to-digital converter, a central processing unit, a
memory, a clock oscillator, and the like. The electronic control unit 40
calculates the optimal controlled variables, e.g., the EGR ratio, the
EGR-valve position, the throttle-valve position, etc. The
microprocessor-based electronic control unit 40 utilizes programs and
tables of optimal values stored in memory for optimizing the selection and
adjustment of the controlled variables to obtain optimal engine
performance under all operating conditions.
The electronic control unit 40 repetitively calculates target values Eo for
the EGR ratio based upon at least one of the second engine operating
parameters and calculates values corresponding to the settings of the
controlled-variable EGR-valve position and throttle-valve position to
provide an appropriate EGR ratio corresponding to the calculated target
value Eo so as to effectively reduce nitrogen oxides without increasing
hydrocarbons and carbons. The electronic control unit 40 generates command
signals indicative of the calculated values of the settings of the
EGR-valve position and the throttle-valve position. The command signals
are applied respectively to the vacuum modulators 24 and 15 which thereby
adjust the degree of vacuum introduced into the respective pneumatic valve
actuators 23 and 14 so that the positions of the EGR and throttle valves
22 and 13 are controlled to obtain an optimal EGR ratio corresponding to
the calculated target value Eo.
Each time the vehicle travels a predetermined distance, a check signal is
supplied from the travelling distance sensor 34 to the electronic control
unit 40 which thereby provides a command signal to the vacuum modulator
31, causing the pneumatic valve actuator 30 to shift the change-over
valves 27 and 28 from its first position to its second position permitting
the whole amount of recirculated exhaust gases to flow through the bypass
passage 25. The pressure differential transducer 33 provides an output
signal indicative of the pressure differential existing across the venturi
section 26 to the electronic control unit 40 which calculates a value for
the rate of recirculated exhaust gas flow through the bypass passage 25
based upon the sensed pressure differential. While the recirculated
exhaust gas flow rate may be arithmetically calculated based upon the
sensed pressure differential across the venturi section 26, the effective
diameter of the venturi section, and the like, it is convenient to
calculate it by a table look-up technique utilizing data which identify
values for the recirculated exhaust gas flow rate Qe as a function of
pressure differential .DELTA.P across the bypass passage venturi section
26, as shown in FIG. 3A. It is preferable to correct the calculated
recirculated exhaust gas flow rate value for the temperature of the
exhaust gases recirculated through the EGR passage 21. For this purpose,
the output of the exhaust gas temperature sensor 37 is coupled to the
electronic control unit 40 which selects values from data in look-up table
which identify values for the recirculated exhaust gas flow rate Qe as
functions of pressure differential .DELTA.P across the bypass passage
venturi section 26 and recirculated exhaust gas temperature, as shown in
FIG. 3B.
The electronic control unit 40 further calculates an actual EGR ratio value
E based upon the recirculated exhaust gas flow rate Qe and the sensed air
flow rate Qa and calculates a correction factor K by dividing the
calculated target EGR ratio value Eo by the calculated actual EGR ratio
value E. If there is no deviation between the target and actual EGR ratio
values Eo and E, the correction factor will be equal to 1. Otherwise, the
correction factor K will be smaller or greater than 1. In the presence of
a check signal from the travelling distance sensor 34, the electronic
control unit 40 corrects the calculated target EGR ratio value Eo for the
calculated correction factor K to provide a new target EGR ratio value E'
which is a result of multiplying the calculated target EGR ratio value Eo
by the calculated correction factor K so as to reduce the devatiation
between the target and actual EGR ratio values Eo and E to zero.
Referring to FIG. 4, the operation of the electronic control unit 40 will
be described further. The computer program is entered at point 402. At
point 404 in the program, the digital computer makes a determination as to
whether the computer ward n is equal to 1 which indicates that the
travelling distance sensor 34 generates a check signal. If the answer to
this question is yes, then at point 406, another determination is made as
to whether or not the engine is idling. If the engine is idling, then the
program proceeds through the yes line to a determination step at point 408
as to whether or not the value C of the count in a counter is zero. The
counter starts counting clock pulses, increasing its count value when the
engine is found to be idling to be hereinafter described. If the
determination at point 408 is no, then at point 410 another determination
is made as to whether or not the count value C is greater than a reference
value Co. If the answer to this question is yes, it means that the engine
idle condition continues over a predetermined time and the program
proceeds to a point 412 wherein the digital computer reads a value Qe for
the rate of exhaust gas flow through the bypass passage 25 into the
computer memory. At point 414, the digital computer reads a value Qa for
the rate of air flow to the engine into the computer memory. At point 416
in the program, the digital computer calculates a value E for the actual
EGR ratio by dividing the read exhaust gas flow rate value Qe by the read
air flow rate value Qa and also calculates a correction factor K by
dividing the calculated actual EGR ratio value E by the calculated target
EGR ratio value Eo.
Following this, the computer ward n is set at point 418 to zero and then
the counter value C is set at point 420 to zero. At point 422 in the
program, the target EGR ratio value Eo is calculated based upon engine
operating parameters. At point 424, the digital computer corrects the
target EGR ratio value JEo for the correction factor K by multiplying the
former by the latter and outputs the corrected target EGR ratio value E'.
The program proceeds to a point 426 which returns the program to the
beginning at point 402.
The steps at points 406, 408 and 410 are for the purpose of permitting
calculations for the actual EGR ratio E and the correction factor K only
during engine idle conditions, but avoiding these calculations just after
the engine is rapidly accelerating or the vehicle is climbing through
steep slopes.
If the answer to the question at point 404 is no, then the program proceeds
to a determination step at point 430 as to whether or not the travelling
distance sensor is turned on. If the answer to this question is yes, the
computer ward n is set at point 432 to 1 and the program proceeds to the
step at point 422. Otherwise, the program proceeds directly to the step at
point 422.
If the answer to the question at point 406 is no, then the counter count C
is set at point 434 to zero and the program proceeds to the step at point
422. If the answer to the question at point 408 is yes, then at point 436,
the counter starts counting clock pulses and then the program proceeds to
the step at point 422.
In order to reduce a deviation between the target and actual EGR ratio
values Eo and E to zero, the electronic control unit 40 corrects the
target EGR ratio value by multiplying the target EGR value by a correction
factor K which is a result of dividing the actual EGR ratio value by the
target EGR ratio value. Alternatively, the electronic control unit 40 may
be designed to correct the target EGR ratio value Eo by multiplying the
target EGR ratio value JEo by a result of repetitively subtracting a
predetermined value from a predetermined correction factor K when the
target EGR ratio value is smaller than the actual EGR ratio value or a
result of repetitively adding the predetermined value from the
predetermined correction factor when the target EGR ratio value is greater
than the actual EGR ratio value until the target EGR ratio value agrees
with the actual EGR ratio in FIG. 5.
FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a part of the programming of the
digital computer which is substantially the same as shown in FIG. 4 except
that the steps at points 412-416 are eliminated and replaced with steps at
points 502-514. If the answer to the question at point 410 is yes, it
means that the idle condition continues over a predetermined time and the
computer program proceeds to a point 502 wherein a target EGR ratio value
Eo is calculated based upon selected engine operating parameters and the
correction factor K is set to a predetermined value, for example, 1. At
point 504 in the program, the digital computer reads values Qa and Qe for
the rate of air flow to the engine into the computer memory. At point 506,
the digital computer calculates an actual EGR ratio value E by dividing
the read value Qe by the read value Qa. Following this, the program
proceeds to a determination step at point 508 as to whether or not the
calculated target EGR ratio value Eo is equal to the actual EGR ratio
value E. If the former is smaller than the latter, it means that the rate
of exhaust gases recirculated to the engine is greater than the actual
requirement and the program proceeds to a point 510 wherein the digital
computer calculates a new correction factor by subtracting a predetermined
value, for example, 0.01 from the correction factor K which has been set
at point 502 to 1. At point 512 in the program, the target EGR ratio value
Eo is corrected for the calculated new correction factor by multiplying
the target EGR ratio value Eo by the new correction factor and the
corrected target EGR ratio value is outputted. Following this, the program
is returned to the step at point 504.
If the target EGR ratio value Eo is greater than the actual EGR ratio value
E at point 508, it means that the rate of exhaust gases recirculated to
the engine is smaller than the actual requirement and the program proceeds
to a point 514 wherein the digital computer calculates a new correction
factor by adding the predetermined value (0.01) to the correction factor
K. Subsequently, the program proceeds to the step at point 512. If the
target EGR ratio value Eo is equal to the actual EGR ratio value E at
point 508, then the program proceeds to the step at point 418.
The exhaust gas recirculation control system of the present invention
open-loop controls the EGR ratio in accordance with a target EGR ratio
value calculated based upon one engine operating parameters for extremely
fast response to engine operating condition changes. The invention also
achieves significantly accurate EGR ratio control by correcting the
calculated target EGR ratio value, each time the vehicle travels a
predetermined distance, so as to reduce a deviation between the target and
actual EGR ratio values to zero. In the absence of the check signal, the
pneumatic valve actuator 30 retains the change-over valves 27 and 28 at
the first position to prevent recirculated exhaust gases from entering
into the bypass passage 25 so as to minimize soot collection on and around
the bypass passage venturi section 26. In case where the rate of
recirculated exhaust gas flow through the bypass passage is measurd only
when the engine is idling, the rate of air flow to the engine is
determined as a function of engine speed and the actual EGR ratio value
may be calculated based upon engine speed and recirculated exhaust gas
flow rate.
While the present invention has been described in conjunction with specific
embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications
and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly,
it is intended to embrace all alternatives, modifications and variations
that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.
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