Modelling of high-pressure fuel system for controller development

Abstract: This master thesis treats the modelling of a common-rail direct fuel injection system where pressure generation is decoupled from the injection process. It has been shown that the fuel pressure plays a vital role for the general performance of the engine, affecting both emissions and efficiency, and it is carefully regulated to achieve optimal performance at different operating points. In an attempt to facilitate the development of the responsible control algorithms, a simulation framework has been requested. A model describing the complete work cycle of the high-pressure fuel system is developed and implemented in a Simulink environment. It is to a large extent based on the underlying physics and constructed in a modular manner, which allows for different engine configurations to be simulated. The modelled pressure signal is compared to experimental data at different operating points with promising results in capturing the transient behaviour from a low-level perspective. Additionally, it manages to replicate some of the pressure oscillations which has been observed in the real system and it shows good response to changes in the input signals. However, there are some areas which are subject to improvement since capturing the static pressure levels over longer drive cycles has proved to be a difficult task. Overall, the developed model serves as a starting point for future development and validation of control algorithms.