1) The overall Motronic system

In ME-Motronic, the letter “M” stands for the classical Motronic function of coordinated control
for injection and ignition, while “E” indicates integration of the electronic throttle control (ETC).
Motronic’s primary function is to run the engine according to the driver’s demands. The
system’s microprocessor responds to this demand by translating the accelerator-pedal travel
into a specified engine output by controlling density of the cylinders’ air charges, the mass of
the injected fuel, and he ignition timing. The Motronic system actuates all of the appropriate
actuators like motors, and solenoids according to driver’s demand by electronic control unit
(ECU) through driver circuits based on the sensor’s signal processed in the input circuitry of
ECU. The microprocessor acquires data of accelerator-pedal travel, engine speed, cylinder
charge factor, engine and intake-air temperatures, mixture composition, and vehicle speed as
the basis for quantifying driver demand, and responds by calculating the engine torque
required for compliance with the driver’s wishes.

ME-Motronic system has auxiliary functions such as Idle-speed control, lambda closed-loop air-
fuel mixture control, control of the evaporative-emissions control system, exhaust-gas
recirculation (EGR) for reductions in NOX emissions, control of the secondary-air injection to
reduce HC emissions, and cruise control as well as the supplement functions such as
turbocharger and intake manifold geometry control functions, camshaft control for engines
with variable valve timing, knock control, engine-speed control and vehicle-speed control.
Moreover, it aids safety and comfort functions additionally. Since most of the above auxiliary
open and closed-loop control functions exercise a feedback effect on engine torque this leads
to the simultaneous appearance of mutually conflicting demands. In that situation, ECU
prioritizes these mutually antagonistic requirements and activate the most important ones.

ME-Motronic uses Controlled Area network (CAN) to maintain communications with the various
control units governing other systems in the vehicle such as automatic transmission’s ECU, and
traction control system (TCS). ME-Motronic features diagnosing by the components designed
for on-board monitoring (OBD) by checking with the thresholds and the conditions for
integrated diagnosis.

2) Cylinder-charge control systems

The gas mixture in the cylinder once the intake valve closes is called as the cylinder charge, and
consists of the inducted fresh air-fuel mixture with residual gases. The cylinder charge is the
decisive factor defining the amount of work transferred through the piston during combustion,
and therefore the amount of torque generated by the engine. The fresh mixture drawn into the
cylinder is a combination of fresh air and the fuel entrained with it. And, supplementary fresh
gas can also be drawn in through the evaporative emissions control system. The portion of the
charge consisting of residual gases composed of the exhaust-gas mass that is not discharged
while the exhaust valve is open, and the mass of recirculated exhaust gas. Although the residual
gas does not participate directly in combustion, it does influence ignition patterns and the
actual combustion sequence. The effects of this residual-gas component may be thoroughly
desirable under part-throttle operation. And, it aids to reduce emissions of nitrous oxides (NOx)
and unburned hydrocarbons (HC).
The throttle valve controls cylinder charge by regulating the engine’s induction airflow.
Conventional system uses mechanical linkage to control the throttle valve. Here, any additional
air requirement can be fulfilled by an air-bypass or by throttle valve actuator designed to
respond to demand fluctuations by readjusting the throttle valve. In both cases, the scope for
electronic manipulation of airflow to meet fluctuating engine demand is limited to certain
functions, such as idle control.
ETC

The ME-Motronic system integrates ETC control within the engine management ECU. ECU to
control throttle-valve travel. The throttle valve consists of throttle valve actuator (DC motor)
and the throttle valve angle sensor. Two mutually-opposed potentiometers are used to acquire
accelerator pedal travel with great accuracy and precision. The ECU continually calculates the
throttle-valve aperture according to the driver’s demand and make changes to the throttle
valve accordingly whenever the engine is running. If no sensory signal is available by fault, the
throttle valve moves into its default position and alarms.
Other than throttle valve ME-Motronics control of other systems such as variable valve timing
on both the intake and exhaust sides, exhaust-gas recirculation (EGR), Variable-geometry intake
manifold, and Exhaust-gas turbocharger to control cylinder charge.
Variable valve timing

This method is usually called as internal exhaust gas recirculation. It keeps residual gas by cam
shaft timing. Variable valve timing can be used to adapt gas flow to various engine speeds since
fluctuations in factors such as engine speed and throttle-valve angle induce variations in the
flow patterns of the gas into and out of the cylinder. There are two methods to get variable
valve timing. One is camshaft adjustment, where angle of the intake and exhaust camshaft
relative to the crankshaft is varied by electronic or electrohydraulic control another is selective
camshaft lobe control, where valve timing is altered by activating cam lobes with two different
ramp profiles based on threshold of speed or three dimensional ramp profiles with linear shifts
in camshaft position to change the various flow pattern analog to the speed.

Exhaust-gas recirculation (EGR)

In the EGR system, exhaust gas is taped via the EGR valve and diverts a portion of the gases
back into the fresh mixture. Adding previously combusted exhaust gases to the fresh air-fuel
mixture lowers peak combustion temperatures and reduces fuel consumption because of great
cylinder charge with less throttling effect. The ME-motronics controls the EGR valve
accordingly.

Dynamic pressure-charging
Dynamic pressure charging compress the intake air before it enters the cylinder to maximize
the torque as maximum possible torque is proportional to fresh gas cylinder charge. Periodic
pressure waves are generated inside the intake manifold during cylinder intake strokes. These
pressure waves can be used to boost the fresh gas charge to maximize possible torque
generation. Selection of the length and diameter of runners and of plenum chamber
dimensions alters pressure waves in the air traveling through the intake tract.
ME-Motronics switches variable-geometry air intake systems according to the factors such as
engine speed and throttle-valve angle by adjustment of runner length, Alternation between
different runners of varying lengths and diameters, Selective deactivation of individual runners
leading to individual cylinders in multi tract systems, and Alternating selection of different
plenum-chamber volumes to meet required fresh gas cylinder charge
Exhaust-gas turbocharging

The exhaust-gas turbocharger’s primary components are the impeller and the turbine, which
are mounted at opposite ends of a common shaft. The turbine is rotated by the exhaust gas
while compressed air by impeller is connected to the air intake. This methods yields higher
efficiency since it uses wastage exhaust gas. ME-Motronic control bypass valve to divert a
portion of the exhaust gas back into the exhaust system to prevent the turbocharger from over
boosting the engine when the exhaust gas stream rises to higher mass flow rates at high speed.
Mechanical supercharging
The motive force used to power the mechanical compressor is taken directly from the internal
compression (IC) engine usually by a belt from the crankshaft. Even though supercharger
responds immediately to increases in rpm and load factor than turbocharger because of no lag
while waiting for the impeller to accelerate mechanical supercharger consume significant fuel
therefore decreasing efficiency. ME-Motronic controls a clutch to switch off the supercharger at
low rpm and under light loads.

3) Fuel supply and delivery

An electric pump draws the fuel from the tank and forces it through a filter for delivery to the
fuel rail with its solenoid-triggered injectors. The injectors then spray the fuel into the engine’s
intake manifold in precisely metered quantities. In systems equipped with a return line the
excess fuel then flows through the pressure regulator and back to the fuel tank. In the return
less system the pressure regulator is mounted immediately adjacent to the pump, which leads
to lower the production costs as well as fuel temperatures within the tank and lower the
hydrocarbon emissions due to lower temperature.
Electric fuel pump

The electric fuel pump along with the fuel-gauge sensor and a swirl baffle designed to remove
vapor from the fuel in the return line maintains a continuous flow of fuel from the tank. The
fuel pump is switched-on by the engine-management ECU. An interrupt circuit or software-
based function stops fuel delivery whenever the engine is stationary with the ignition switched
on.
Fuel rail
The fuel flows through the fuel distributed to all injectors mounted on the fuel rail.
Fuel filter
A filter is installed in the line downstream from the electric fuel pump to purify the fuel.
Fuel-pressure regulator
This pressure regulator regulates the amount of fuel returning to the tank to maintain a
constant pressure drop across the injectors. Injection quantities are determined by injection
duration and the pressure differential between the fuel in the rail and the intake-manifold
pressure. Since this fuel pressure regulator does not maintain a constant pressure differential
between rail and manifold injection duration is calculated by the ECU accordingly.
Fuel-pressure attenuator
Pressure waves in the fuel system by the injectors’ cyclical operating phases and the periodic
fuel discharge characteristic of the positive displacement fuel pump are eliminated by the fuel
pressure attenuator.

Fuel injection
Fuel must be injected to the inlet manifold in quantities precisely metered to reflect the
induction air’s mass at appropriate time. The ECU control injector to sprays a precisely metered
quantity of fuel into the area directly in front of the cylinder’s intake valve / valves at defined
time and for defined duration by ECU.
Solenoid injector
The spring and the force of fuel pressure against the valve seat insulate the fuel-supply system
from the intake manifold for when coil is not activated. When solenoid winding is energized the
valve needle rises from the seat by magnetic force applied to the armature therefore fuel flows
through the injector to manifold. System pressure and the exit aperture in the injector nozzle
are the primary factors in determining the injected fuel quantity per unit of time.

Spray formation
The injector’s spray pattern such as discharge geometry and angle, droplet size, influence the
air-fuel mixture formation process. Different spray-patterns are needed to adapt the injector
for use with specific geometrical configurations in cylinder head and intake manifold. Tapered
spray pattern injectors are used in Engines with a single intake valves and Dual-stream injector
used with the engines with the two intake valves usually.
 4) Operating-data acquisition
The data for the input of the ECU of ME-Motronic are acquired by various types of sensors to
get the information about the current state such as driver’s demand, air charge, Engine speed,
crankshaft and camshaft angles, Combustion knock, Engine and intake-air temperatures, and
Mixture composition
Driver’s demand
In ETC, accelerator-pedal travel sensor for transformation into an electrical signal within the
pedal module. The engine-management system interprets this signal as “driver demand.”
The accelerator-pedal travel sensor incorporates a redundancy feature (two potentiometers) to
facilitate diagnosis and ensure backup operation. The sensors operate with separate reference
voltages from mutually independent sources, and their signals are also processed separately
within the engine ECU.
Air charge
Since torque produced is proportional to the air charge ME-motronic calculate air charge
continuously to keep instantaneous torque.
Motronic monitors cylinder charge with the following sensors:
– Hot-film air-mass meter (HFM),
The hot-film sensor is a “thermal” air-flow monitor. Basically speaking, this meter is
positioned somewhere between air filter and throttle valve.
The air-flow meter outputs voltage representing the engine’s mass air intake (kg/h) with
the utmost precision.
The HFM5 hot-film air-mass meter is a micromechanical device featuring a hot zone
heated to a specific temperature.
– Intake-manifold pressure sensor (DS-S),
The intake manifold pressure is measured by a pneumatic link to the pressure sensor
from the intake manifold. And, the signal is transferred to the ECU.

– Ambient-pressure sensor (DS-U),

The Atmospheric Pressure Sensor is used by the ECU to determine the air pressure of
the ambient air in or around the vehicle.

– Boost-pressure sensor
In order to regulate boost pressure, this must first of all be measured. Boost pressure
sensor is usually located on the boost pipes between the intake manifold and the
turbocharger.
– Throttle-valve sensor (DKG).
 ME-Motronic uses the throttle valve to control engine output. The throttle-valve sensor
is employed to verify that the throttle valve responds to commands correctly.
Engine speed, crankshaft and camshaft angles

The piston position is one parameter for defining the ignition firing point. AS each piston is
joined to the crankshaft via a connecting rod, the crankshaft or engine speed sensor can
provide data indicating piston travel in each cylinder. The RPM sensor uses rotor with teeth
rotated directly by crankshaft to be scanned by inductive speed sensor to produce alternating
current. The ECU detect the speed by the means of duration between successive teeth and the
angle of the crankshaft is detected by detecting reference, which is absence of a tooth.
Camshaft position
Since camshaft position exactly says the piston position as well as the stroke the ECU uses
camshaft’s position to decide which coil and spark-plug combination are to be triggered as well
as to adapt injection timing for each cylinder individually.

ECU monitors camshaft position using Hall sensor. It generates voltage representing trigger
wheel rotated by camshaft according to the hall-effect. Camshaft position is measured by using
reference trigger-wheel gaps.
Mixture composition
The lambda excess-air factor (λ) defined as the relative masses of the air and fuel in the
mixture. The ECU maintain the appropriate lambda factor by detecting the oxygen percentage
in the exhaust gas as its signals are an index of the excess-air factor lambda (λ). If there are
more oxygen in the exhaust gas then it said to be lean mixture therefore the lambda factor is
more than one. If there are less oxygen in the exhaust gas then it said to be rich mixture
therefore the lambda factor is smaller than one.
ECU get this oxygen amount through Two-state oxygen (lambda) sensor, Heated oxygen
(lambda) sensor, or Wide-band oxygen (Lambda) sensor.

 Two-state oxygen (lambda) sensor

The tow-state oxygen sensor is a “dual-threshold” unit capable of indicating both rich and lean
mixtures. Reliable output of this sensor is possible once exhaust-gas temperatures exceed 350
°C. Until sensor is heated ECU uses other sensors such as absolute manifold pressure sensor to
keep air fuel mixture at desire level.

 Heated oxygen (lambda) sensor

Heated oxygen sensors is same as two-state oxygen sensor but equipped with quickly self-
heated. Therefore, the heated sensor reduces the waiting period between engine start and
initiation of effective closed-loop control by providing reliable performance with cooler exhaust
gas.

 Wide-band oxygen (Lambda) sensor

The wide-band sensor can measure the analog excess-air factor from the exhaust gas. The ECU
measures the current generated from this sensor to measure the lambda factor. Lean exhaust
leads to a positive current while rich exhaust is indicated by a negative current.

Combustion knock

Combustion knock occurs when fresh mixture pre-ignites in spontaneous combustion before
being reached by the expanding flame front. It can produce mechanical damage in all of these
locations inside the cylinder. The motronic ECU monitors the Knock at every operating
conditions such as speed and load and for all cylinder through one or more knock sensors.
Engine and intake-air temperatures

The engine-temperature sensor incorporates a thermally sensitive resistor which extends into
the coolant circuit it monitors. The ECU measures the engine’s temperature by sensing the
coolant temperature through NTC (Negative Temperature coefficient) or PTC (Positive
Temperature coefficient) resistor with voltage divider. ECU uses table stored in the computer’s
database for compensation of the non-linear relationship between voltage and temperature to
detect accurate temperature. The ECU monitors temperature of the intake tract using such
sensor and method for engine temperature measurement.

5) Operating-data processing
ECU process the sensory data for torque control, Calculating cylinder charge, Cylinder charge
control, Calculating injection timing, Calculating the ignition angle, Calculating the dwell angle
Torque control
The engine-management system’s primary assignment is to convert driver demand into engine
power and torque. ECU calculates the air-charge requirement along with the corresponding
injection quantity and optimal ignition timing and active control of the actuators such as
throttle-valve assembly, injectors, ignition coils that regulate the engine’s torque and power. In
addition to governing cylinder charge, injection and timing, and subcomponents such as Start,
heat catalytic converter, and idle control, ME-Motronic governs other system such as
transmission control system and air-conditioning since these system consume engine power.
ME-Motronic prioritize and coordinate individual demands from all these components or
subsystem to implement the resulting specified torque. This coordinated control strategy
makes it possible to obtain optimal emissions and fuel consumption from the engine at every
operational coordinate.

Calculating specified torque

The physical force is produced by gas pressure during the compression and power strokes. The
engine’s actual net torque production is obtained by subtracting factors such as friction,
pumping losses and drive power for ancillary equipment from this internal force. Motronic ECU
applies the optimal charge density, injection duration and ignition timing for any desired torque
considering losses.
Adjustment of actual torque

ME-Motronic’s torque coordinator has two control paths to regulate the internal torque
generation.

1. Ignition timing and/or deactivating the injection at individual cylinders.

The rapid-response would be got by manipulating the ignition timing and/or
deactivating the injection at individual cylinder to react to dynamic variations in
torque generation very quickly.
2. charge-control
Torque generation is controlled by triggering the throttle valve appropriately.
Therefore, the charge requirement is calculated for a given torque generation.
This path is responsible for static operation as its response is slow.

Calculating cylinder charge

Cylinder charge is the primary parameter for influencing engine output. It must be calculated
from available sensor signals. The ECU keeps the intake manifold model to calculate cylinder
charge by using the inputs such as air mass meter value, intake manifold pressure sensor value,
intake-air temperature, combustion-chamber temperature, and purge valve state of the
evaporative emission control. Since this model is adapted to steady state and transient
response it is able to determine charge density under all operating conditions, response to
internal and external EGR, and calculate control command for “throttle-valve aperture”.

Cylinder charge control

The cylinder charge is also controlled with the intake manifold model. The intake manifold
model generate the commands to control mainly the throttle valve as well as other actuators
such as purge valves of the emission control and EGR. The model is feasible to be tuned to
calculate a throttle valve aperture to the desired cylinder charge.

Calculating injection timing

The ECU calculates injection duration not only based on the torque demand but also based on
following situations,
 The injector constant, which varies according to injector design
 Differential between the fuel’s supply pressure and injection counter-pressure
 A compensation function of fluctuations in the pressure within the intake manifold
 An adaptation factor correlated with engine speed and injection duration because of
flow-rate inconsistencies due to induce pressure waves when the injector is opened and
closed
 Battery level since injector’s state change time is related to the voltage applied to that
solenoid.

The fuel is usually injected into the intake manifold before the intake valve opens. Termination
of the injection period is defined by injection advance in crankshaft’s degrees based on speed.

Calculating the ignition angle

The “reference ignition angle” is calculated based on the engine’s current steady-state
operating status such as instantaneous cylinder charge, engine speed, and mixture composition
as well as the starting and in the warm-up condition. This reference ignition angle can then be
further retarded by the knock control to avoid combustion knock and the crankshaft-
synchronized torque-guidance output to reduce torque.

Calculating the dwell angle

To ignite, coil should be energized for period called dwell period and the end of this period
usually coincides with the firing point. ECU activates the coil’s primary current at the start of
the dwell period and ends it to initiate ignition at the firing point. ECU refers to a program map
to determine the dwell angles for specific engine speeds, battery voltages and temperature.
ECU calculate dwell period as an angle or period of time.
 6) Lambda closed-loop control

A lambda closed loop system fulfills mixture control requirement to meet most emission
regulations. It helps to adjust the air fuel ratio usually indicated by lambda factor to eliminate
hazardous emission by sensing the amount of oxygen in the exhaust gas as a feedback and
controlling the injection timing.
Two-state lambda closed loop control
The value of the coefficient λ (lambda) is the ratio of the actual air/fuel ratio to stoichiometric.
Closed-loop lambda control is needed to maintain operation within the lambda window (λ =
0.99...1). The two-state oxygen sensor continuously monitors the exhaust stream’s oxygen
content from a position on the engine side of the catalytic converter. Lean mixtures induce
sensor voltages of approx. 100 mV, while rich mixtures generate roughly 800 mV. This voltage is
used to calculate the injection duration to control the lambda. This two state oxygen sensor
correctly outputs after 15 to 30 seconds as it reaches the operating temperature. Until that,
two state lambda closed loop control is not in use.

The lambda closed-loop control the controlled factor, in this case, the injection duration is
reduced or lengthened based on the incoming signals from two state oxygen sensor as a
feedback. Because of the two state sensor measurement, the value of controlled variable is
oscillating therefore the lambda factor is also oscillating. Distance between combustion
chamber and the O2 sensor leads to lag within the control circuit because of the delay to travel
combusted gas from combustion chamber to oxygen sensor. This lag is further increased due to
processing times and the sensor’s response delay.
Dual-sensor lambda closed-loop control
Dual sensor lambda closed loop control is same as two state lambda control but equipped with
a additional oxygen sensor at the back end of the catalytic converter to guard against
contaminants in the exhaust gas while also reducing the thermal stresses imposed on it. This
type of auxiliary sensor can generate a second overlapping control signal to augment the one
from the main sensor on the engine side. Even though the additional oxygen sensor increases
the lag in the control loop it is used to assess the catalytic converter’s effectiveness.

Continuous lambda closed loop control

This control uses wide band sensor to monitor deviations from stoichiometric and control
controlled variable accordingly based on continuous lambda control strategy. As its feedback
through wide band sensor is continuous it results many advantageous such as improvement in
dynamic response, option of adjusting to any lambda factor.