Turbosupercharged internal combustion engine control method

1. A method of controlling an internal combustion engine ( 1 ) supercharged by a turbosupercharger ( 12 ) comprising a turbine ( 13 ) and a compressor ( 14 ); the control method comprising the steps of:

determining, in a reduced mass flow/compression ratio graph, at least one limit operation curve ( 28 , 30 , 32 , 34 ) of the compressor ( 14 ) representing a limit of the operating range of the compressor ( 14 ); and

controlling the turbosupercharger ( 12 ) to keep the actual reduced mass flow (Q AHR ) and actual compression ratio (CR) of the compressor ( 14 ) within the limit defined by the limit operation curve ( 28 , 30 , 32 , 34 ) of the compressor ( 14 );

determining an index (Δdyn) varying as a function of the dynamics of the reduced mass flow (Q AHR ) of the compressor ( 14 ); and

modifying the limit operation curve ( 28 , 30 , 32 , 34 ) of the compressor ( 14 ) as a function of the index (Δdyn) wherein a first limit operation curve ( 28 , 30 , 32 , 34 ) of the compressor ( 14 ) is shifted, in the reduced mass flow/compression ratio graph, by an amount which is a function of the index (Δdyn) and wherein the first limit operation curve ( 28 ) of the compressor ( 14 ) is a pump curve ( 28 ) of the compressor ( 14 ), which defines the points beyond which the internal aerodynamic balance of the compressor ( 14 ) is disrupted; and the first limit operation curve ( 28 ) of the compressor ( 14 ) is shifted up, in the reduced mass flow/compression ratio graph, when the internal combustion engine ( 1 ) accelerates, and down when the internal combustion engine ( 1 ) decelerates.

2. A control method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the index (Δdyn) varies as a function of the reduced mass flow (Q AHR ) of the compressor ( 14 ).

3. A control method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the dynamics of the reduced mass flow (Q AHR ) of the compressor ( 14 ) are the dynamics of the target reduced mass flow (Q AHR ) of the compressor ( 14 ) supplied by the engine control; and the reduced mass flow (Q AHR ) of the compressor ( 14 ) is the real reduced mass flow (Q AHR ) of the compressor ( 14 ).

4. A control method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the absolute value of the index (Δdyn) is subtracted from a current reduced mass flow (Q AHR — CURRENT ) of the compressor ( 14 ) when the internal combustion engine ( 1 ) decelerates, so as to shift the first limit operation curve ( 28 ) of the compressor ( 14 ) rightwards in the reduced mass flow/compression ratio graph; and the absolute value of the index (Δdyn) is added to the current reduced mass flow (Q AHR — CURRENT ) of the compressor ( 14 ) when the internal combustion engine ( 1 ) accelerates, so as to shift the first limit operation curve ( 28 ) of the compressor ( 14 ) leftwards in the reduced mass flow/compression ratio graph.

5. A control method as claimed in one of claim 1 and comprising the further step of determining a second limit operation curve ( 30 , 32 , 34 ) of the compressor ( 14 ) as a function of the first limit operation curve ( 28 ) of the compressor ( 14 ).

6. A control method as claimed in claim 5 , and comprising the further step of determining the second limit operation curve ( 30 , 32 , 34 ) of the compressor ( 14 ) by applying a safety threshold (S 2 , S 4 , S 6 ) to the first limit operation curve ( 28 ) of the compressor ( 14 ).

7. A control method as claimed in claim 6 , and comprising the further step of modifying the second limit operation curve ( 30 , 32 , 34 ) of the compressor ( 14 ) as a function of the index (Δdyn), by modifying the safety threshold (S 2 , S 4 , S 6 ) as a function of the index (Δdyn).

8. A control method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the index (Δdyn) is added to or subtracted from the safety threshold (S 2 , S 4 , S 6 ).

9. A control method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the safety threshold (S 2 , S 4 , S 6 ) varies as a function of the reduced mass flow (Q AHR ) of the compressor ( 14 ).

10. A control method as claimed in claim 1 and comprising the further step of using a hysteresis operator (HYS WG , HYS Poff ) for a limit operation curve ( 32 , 34 ) of the compressor ( 14 ).

11. A control method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the hysteresis operator (HYS Poff ) varies as a function of the reduced mass flow (Q AHR ) of the compressor ( 14 ) and/or atmospheric pressure (P atm ) and/or the dynamics of the reduced mass flow (Q AHR ) of the compressor ( 14 ).

12. A control method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the hysteresis operator (HYS Poff ) varies as a function of the index (Δdyn).

13. A control method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the dynamics of the reduced mass flow (Q AHR ) of the compressor ( 14 ) are defined by the rate of change of the reduced mass flow (Q AHR ) of the compressor ( 14 ).

14. A control method as claimed in claim 13 , and comprising the further steps of:

determining a target reduced mass flow (Q AHR ) supplied by the engine control;

filtering the target reduced mass flow (Q AHR ) with a low-pass filter; and

calculating the rate of change of the reduced mass flow (Q AHR ) of the compressor ( 14 ) as the difference between the target reduced mass flow (Q AHR ) and the filtered target reduced mass flow (Q AHR ).

15. A control method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the dynamics of the reduced mass flow (Q AHR ) of the compressor ( 14 ) are determined as a function of the dynamics of a butterfly valve ( 8 ) regulating an intake pipe ( 6 ) of the supercharged internal combustion engine ( 1 ).

16. A control method as claimed in claim 1 , and comprising the further steps of:

using a first limit operation curve ( 30 ) of the compressor ( 14 ) to saturate a target supercharge pressure;

using a second limit operation curve ( 32 ) of the compressor ( 14 ) to control a wastegate valve ( 16 ), in such a manner as to open the wastegate valve ( 16 ) when the second limit operation curve ( 32 ) of the compressor ( 14 ) is exceeded; and

using a third limit operation curve ( 34 ) of the compressor ( 14 ) to control a Poff valve ( 19 ), in such a manner as to open the Poff valve ( 19 ) when the third limit operation curve ( 34 ) of the compressor ( 14 ) is exceeded.

17. A control method as claimed in claim 16 , and comprising the further steps of:

determining a limit time interval (Δt) at a preliminary setup stage; and

delaying closure of the Poff valve ( 19 ) by a time interval at most equal to the limit time interval (Δt).

18. A control method as claimed in claim 16 , and comprising the further steps of:

determining a tolerance value (TV) at a preliminary setup stage;

calculating the difference between the current supercharge pressure of the turbosupercharger ( 12 ) and the target supercharge pressure of the turbosupercharger ( 12 ); and

closing the Poff valve ( 19 ) when the difference between the current supercharge pressure of the turbosupercharger ( 12 ) and the target supercharge pressure of the turbosupercharger ( 12 ) is less than or equal to the tolerance value (TV).

19. A control method as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the tolerance value (TV) is determined as a function of the reduced mass flow (Q AHR ) of the compressor ( 14 ).

20. A control method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the supercharged internal combustion engine ( 1 ) comprises a Poff valve ( 19 ), and a butterfly valve ( 8 ) for regulating an intake pipe ( 6 ); the control method comprising the step of opening the Poff valve ( 19 ) as a function of the closure dynamics of the butterfly valve ( 8 ).

21. A control method as claimed in claim 20 , and comprising the further step of determining a first safety value (S 1 ) at a preliminary setup stage; and wherein the Poff valve ( 19 ) is opened when the difference between the filtered target closure angle of the butterfly valve ( 8 ) and the target closure angle of the butterfly valve ( 8 ) exceeds the first safety value (S 1 ).

22. A control method as claimed in claim 20 , and comprising the further step of determining a second safety value (S 2 ) at a preliminary setup stage; and wherein the Poff valve ( 19 ) is opened when the difference between the supercharge pressure (Pt) of the turbosupercharger ( 12 ) and the target supercharge pressure (Pt target ) of the turbosupercharger ( 12 ) exceeds the second safety value (S 2 ).

23. A control method as claimed in claim 20 , and comprising the further step of determining a third safety value (S 3 ) at a preliminary setup stage; and wherein the Poff valve ( 19 ) is opened when the reduced mass flow (Q AHR ) of the compressor ( 14 ) exceeds the third safety value (S 3 ).

24. A control method as claimed in claim 21 , and comprising the further steps of:

determining a limit time interval (Δt 2 ) at a preliminary setup stage; and

delaying closure of the Poff valve ( 19 ) by a time interval at most equal to the limit time interval (Δt 2 ).

25. A control method as claimed in claim 21 , and comprising the further steps of:

determining a fourth safety value (S 4 ) at a preliminary setup stage;

calculating the difference between the supercharge pressure (Pt) of the turbosupercharger ( 12 ) and the target supercharge pressure (Pt target ) of the turbosupercharger ( 12 ); and

closing the Poff valve ( 19 ) when the difference between the supercharge pressure (Pt) of the turbosupercharger ( 12 ) and the target supercharge pressure (Pt target ) of the turbosupercharger ( 12 ) is less than or equal to the fourth safety value (S 4 ).