Title: Modelling and control of an internal combustion linear generator integrated power system

Authors: Zhaoping Xu, Siqin Chang

Addresses: School of Mechanical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210094, China. ' School of Mechanical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210094, China

Abstract: Internal combustion linear generator integrated power system is a novel type of internal combustion engine with free piston. The system is characterised by the directly conversion of the combustion into the electrical energy without rotary motion. In this paper, special attention was paid on the control of the piston motion, which was the biggest challenge of the system. A mathematical model was presented based on dynamic and thermodynamic differential equations. In order to achieve the steady operation and maximise the power conversion efficiency of the system, a hierarchical controller was designed and embedded into the model. Simulation study was done to provide a dynamic analysis of the system and to demonstrate the performance of the proposed controller.

Keywords: free pistons; internal combustion engines; linear electrical machines; mathematical modelling; control strategy; simulation; piston motion.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMIC.2009.027896

International Journal of Modelling, Identification and Control, 2009 Vol.7 No.4, pp.398 - 404

Published online: 14 Aug 2009 *

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