Nonlinear control design within the high level modeling framework for an engine cold start scenario

The high level modeling (HLM) paradigm is a rapid modeling method that is being developed by the Toyota Motor Corporation. Emphasizing the use of physical conservation laws, it streamlines the model finding process for control applications. While recent works show the successful application of the high level modeling approach to physical systems of different complexity levels, this work focuses on control design for HLM plant descriptions. Based on the exemplary scenario of automotive cold start emission reduction, this work first explains how model simplification is integrated in the controller development process. Subsequently, a nonlinear sliding controller for reducing harmful emissions during the cold start phase is derived based on a HLM description of the underlying dynamics. Thereby, ideas from dynamic surface control are used to conveniently deal with the computer-generated system equations. The obtained control laws are evaluated using numerical simulations of the closed-loop system.