Intake manifold oxygen control

1. A method for controlling an engine having a fresh air inlet and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) circuit, comprising the steps of:

establishing a pre-selected excess oxygen ratio for combustion in the engine;

establishing a mass flow of EGR gas to be delivered to the intake manifold given total mass flow of both fresh air and EGR gas and adjusting the EGR valve to pass this mass flow of EGR gas;

measuring mass flow of fresh air to the intake manifold to establish a measured mass flow of fresh air;

calculating a desired total mass flow of oxygen to be delivered to the intake manifold of the engine to maintain the ideal excess oxygen ratio;

determining a mass flow of EGR oxygen in the mass flow of EGR gas;

calculating a desired mass flow of fresh oxygen to be delivered to the intake manifold such that the sum of the desired mass flow of fresh oxygen and the mass flow of EGR oxygen is equal to the desired total mass flow of oxygen;

calculating an adjusted mass flow of fresh air to supply the desired mass flow of fresh oxygen;

re-adjusting the EGR valve to cause a change to the mass flow of EGR gas and a change in the measured mass flow of fresh air in the direction toward the adjusted mass flow of fresh air.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said step of establishing the ideal excess oxygen ratio is based on a known amount of fuel delivery to the engine and a pre-set ratio of mass of oxygen to mass of fuel occurring in combustion.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of establishing a mass flow of EGR gas can be based on a map of values that depend on engine speed and indicated torque.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said step of determining a mass flow of EGR oxygen in the mass flow of EGR gas comprises the steps of

measuring the oxygen content in the mass flow of EGR gas; and

measuring the mass flow of EGR gas.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein said step of measuring the oxygen content is conducted using an oxygen sensor.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said step of re-adjusting the EGR valve is further defined in that a set-point signal for said adjusted mass flow of fresh air is an output value that is produced to be an input value into another, supplemental algorithm for adjusting the EGR valve.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said steps are repeated rapidly.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said step of determining a mass flow of EGR oxygen in the mass flow of EGR gas comprises the steps of

determining a total mass flow rate of intake manifold air equal to the sum of the mass flow of fresh air and the mass flow of EGR gas;

determining the mass flow rate of exhaust oxygen as the difference between the desired total mass flow of oxygen, and the product of the fuel rate and the stoichiometric ratio of mass oxygen to mass fuel;

determining the fraction of O2 in the exhaust gas by dividing the mass flow rate of exhaust oxygen by the total mass flow rate of intake manifold air; and

multiplying the fraction of O2 by the mass flow of EGR gas.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said step of determining a mass flow of EGR oxygen in the mass flow of EGR gas comprises the steps of:

determining a total mass flow rate of intake manifold air from engine speed, engine displacement and density of intake manifold air;

measuring mass flow of fresh air from a sensor;

subtracting mass flow of fresh air from said total mass of intake manifold air to determine mass flow of EGR gas;

determining the mass flow rate of exhaust oxygen as the difference between the desired total mass flow of oxygen, and the product of the fuel rate and the stoichiometric ratio of mass oxygen to mass fuel;

determining the fraction of O2 in the exhaust gas by dividing the mass flow rate of exhaust oxygen by the total mass flow rate of intake manifold air; and

multiplying the fraction of O2 by the mass flow of EGR gas.

10. A method for coordinating control of exhaust gas recirculation from a exhaust system of a turbocharged internal combustion engine to an intake system of the engine, the method comprising:

developing data representing a mass flow rate of fresh air that is entering the intake system;

calculating data representing a mass flow rate of recirculated exhaust gas that is mixed with the fresh air entering the intake system by calculating data representing mass flow rate through the engine cylinders and calculating the difference between the data representing the calculated mass flow rate through the engine cylinders and the data representing the mass flow rate of fresh air entering the intake system;

adjusting an EGR valve to pass the mass flow rate of recirculated exhaust gas;

establishing an ideal excess oxygen ratio for combustion in the engine;

measuring mass flow of fresh air to the intake manifold;

calculating a desired total mass flow of oxygen to be delivered to an intake manifold of the engine to maintain the ideal excess oxygen ratio;

determining a mass flow of EGR oxygen in the mass flow of recirculated exhaust gas;

calculating a desired mass flow of fresh oxygen to be delivered to the intake manifold such that the sum of the desired mass flow of fresh oxygen and the mass flow of EGR oxygen is equal to the desired total mass flow of oxygen;

calculating an adjusted set-point mass flow of fresh air to supply said desired mass flow of fresh oxygen; and

re-adjusting the EGR valve for an adjustment of the mass flow rate of recirculated exhaust gas in a direction of adjustment that seeks to null out the difference between said measured mass flow of fresh air and said adjusted set-point mass flow of fresh air.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein said step of establishing an ideal excess oxygen ratio is based on a known amount of fuel delivery to said engine and a preferred ratio of mass of oxygen to mass of fuel occurring in combustion.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein said step of establishing the mass flow of recirculated exhaust gas is based on a map of values that depend on engine speed and indicated torque.

13. The method according to claim 10 , wherein said step of determining a mass flow of EGR oxygen in the mass flow of EGR gas comprises the steps of:

measuring the oxygen content in the mass flow of recirculated exhaust gas; and

measuring the mass flow of recirculated exhaust gas.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein said step of measuring the oxygen content is conducted using an oxygen sensor.

15. The method according to claim 10 , wherein said step of re-adjusting the EGR valve for an adjustment of the mass flow rate of recirculated exhaust gas in a direction of adjustment that seeks to null out the difference between said measured mass flow of fresh air and said adjusted set-point mass flow of fresh air comprises issuing a mass flow of fresh air set-point signal that is an input signal into another, supplemental algorithm for adjusting the EGR valve.

16. The method according to claim 10 , wherein said steps are repeated rapidly.

17. The method according to claim 10 , wherein said step of determining the mass flow of EGR oxygen in the mass flow of recirculated exhaust gas comprises the steps of:

determining a total mass flow rate of intake manifold air equal to the sum of the mass flow of fresh air and the mass flow of recirculated exhaust gas;

determining the mass flow rate of exhaust oxygen as the difference between the desired total mass flow of oxygen, and the product of the fuel rate and the stoichiometric ratio of mass oxygen to mass fuel;

determining the fraction of O2 in the exhaust gas by dividing the mass flow rate of exhaust oxygen by the total mass flow rate of intake manifold air; and

multiplying the fraction of O2 by the mass flow of recirculated exhaust gas.

18. The method according to claim 10 , wherein said step of determining a mass flow of EGR oxygen in the mass flow of recirculated exhaust gas comprises the steps of:

determining a total mass flow rate of intake manifold air from engine speed, engine displacement and density of intake manifold air;

measuring mass flow of fresh air from a sensor;

subtracting mass flow of fresh air from said total mass of intake manifold air to determine mass flow of recirculated exhaust gas;

determining the mass flow rate of exhaust oxygen as the difference between the desired total mass flow of oxygen, and the product of the fuel rate and the stoichiometric ratio of mass oxygen to mass fuel;

determining the fraction of O2 in the exhaust gas by dividing the mass flow rate of exhaust oxygen by the total mass flow rate of intake manifold air; and

multiplying the fraction of O2 by the mass flow of recirculated exhaust gas.