Powertrain
Matching
John Bucknell
DaimlerChrysler
Powertrain Systems Engineering
September 30, 2006
What is Powertrain
Matching?
Selecting the right engine and gearing
for a given application
Not just performance, but giving the driver
the expected response to pedal inputs
In automotive applications delves
deeper into transmission shift
schedules as fuel economy is heavily
impacted
A little side story
to
get you in the right mindset
which illustrates the difference
between
motorheads and everyone else
The Story of
Power
and the Power Paradigm
(the early life of Electronic Throttle Control at Chrysler)
The Beginning
Driver Pedal
Driver pushes on Pedal to move vehicle
Pedal formerly known as Gas Pedal, and before
that, Accelerator Pedal
Driver Intent Relates to Pedal
Position
Speed up
a lot
Speed up
Driver Intent
a little
Maintain
speed Foot off Floored
Pedal
Slow
down Pedal Position
Driver Intent
Driver Intent is essentially
acceleration rate (+ or -)
Since pedal position is related to
driver intent, pedal position is related
to desired vehicle acceleration.
Acceleration Relates to Pedal
Position
Vehicle Acceleration
Foot off Floored
Pedal
Pedal Position
Vehicle Acceleration
Newton’s First Law:
F=ma
Vehicle mass is constant (ignoring
fuel usage, washer solvent spray, and any
fluid leaks)
So, Force is proportional to
acceleration
Force Relates to Pedal Position
Force Applied to Vehicle
Foot off Floored
Pedal
Pedal Position
Where Does the Force Come
From?
Engine produces some torque, at a
speed:
Tengine, engine
Transmission:
Ttrans Tengine ntrans
engine
trans
ntrans
Ignoring Losses, of Course
Where Does the Force Come
From?
Axle:
Taxle Ttrans naxle Tenginentrans naxle
trans engine
axle
naxle ntrans naxle
Ignoring Losses, of Course
Where Does the Force Come
From?
Tire:
Fvehicle
Taxle
Tengine ntrans naxle
TireDiamet er TireDiamet er
2 2
TireDiamet er
Vvehicle axle
2
Ignoring Losses, of Course
Interesting, but not the end of the Story.
Where Does the Force Come
From?
Note:
Tengine Ttrans Taxle
engine trans axle
Where Does the Force Come
From?
Power- the rate at which work is done:
Power is Force times Velocity (linear)
Power ForceVelocity
FV
Power is Torque times Rotational Speed
(rotary)
Power Torque RotationalSpeed
T
Where Does the Force Come
From?
Engine produces power:
Pengine Tengine engine
Where Does the Force Come
From?
Transmission:
Ptrans Ttrans trans
engine
Tengine ntrans
ntrans
Tengine engine
Ptrans Pengine
Ignoring Losses, of Course
Where Does the Force Come
From?
Axle:
Paxle Taxle axle
trans
Ttrans naxle
naxle
Ttrans trans
Paxle Ptrans Pengine
Ignoring Losses, of Course
Where Does the Force Come
From?
Tire:
Pvehicle FvehicleVvehicle
Taxle TireDiameter
axle
TireDiameter 2
2
Taxle axle
Pvehicle Paxle Ptrans Pengine
Ignoring Losses, of Course
Where Does the Force Come
From?
Power is conserved:
Pengine Ptrans Paxle Pvehicle
POWER IS ABSOLUTE
Torque is relative (depends on
gear ratio)
Ignoring Losses, of Course
Where Does the Force Come
From?
The force comes from engine power:
Pengine
Fvehicle
Vvehicle
At a given vehicle velocity, force, and
therefore acceleration, depends on
power produced by the engine
Force Relates to Pedal Position
Force Applied to Vehicle
Foot off Floored
Pedal
Pedal Position
Engine Power Relates to Pedal
Position
Engine Power
Foot off Floored
Pedal
Pedal Position
Engine Power Relates to Pedal
Position
100
90
o n
80
t i
Power Demanded (% of max power)
er a
70
el
60
cc ed
50 A
S pe
40
n t
30
st a
o n n
20
C t i o
10
er a
0
el
-10 ec
-20 D 100
-30 75
-40 50
Pedal Position (%)
0 25
25
50 0
75
100
Vehicle Speed (% of max speed)
Implications of the Power
Paradigm
Powertrain Control
Vehicle Performance
Engine Performance Optimization
Criteria
Powertrain Control
Should provide the power level demanded
by the driver as efficiently as possible
Efficiency could be based on:
minimum fuel consumption
minimum emissions
best NVH
some combination of these or other considerations
Should use the best combination of:
engine speed (gear ratio) cylinder deactivation
throttle position (ETC)
variable valve timing
spark advance active manifold
fuel flow rate external charge
EGR rate motion devices
Powertrain Control Example
Example: minimize fuel
consumption at a driver
commanded power level
pedal position indicates driver wants
100 hp delivered (based on power
required vs. pedal position and
vehicle speed)
need to find engine speed and MAP
(throttle position) for best fuel
consumption
assume Electronic Throttle Control
Specific Fuel Consumption vs. Speed &
MAP
0.80
0.75
0.70
0.70
0.65
0.65
0.60 0.60
0.55 0.55
0.60
0.50
0.50
0.45
0.45 0.40
20
BSFC (lb/hp-hr)
30
40
)
50 kPa
0.41 (
60 AP
6000 70 M
5000
4000 80
3000
2000 90
Engine Spe 1000
ed (rpm) 0100
Engine Power vs. Speed & MAP
300.00
250.00
350
200.00
300
250
150.00
200
Power (bhp)
150
100.00
100
75.00
25.00 50
100 10.00
90 50.00 0
6000
80
70 25.00
5000
10.00
60 4000
10.00
MA 3000
P ( 50
kP
a) 40 2000 rp
( m)
ed
30 1000 e Spe
in
200 Eng
Specific Fuel Consumption vs. Speed &
100 MAP
90
0.41 0.60
80
70
60
MAP (kPa)
0.45
50
0.50
40 0.55
0.60
0.65
0.70
30
20
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000
Engine Speed (rpm)
Engine Power vs. Speed & MAP
100
90 25.00
300.00
80
250.00
200.00
70
150.00
60
MAP (kPa)
100.00
75.00
50
50.00
40
25.00
10.00
30
10.00 10.00
20
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000
Engine Speed (rpm)
100
BSFC vs. Speed & MAP with Constant
Power Lines
90 25.00
300.00
0.41 0.60
80
250.00
200.00
70
150.00
60
MAP (kPa)
0.45 100.00
75.00
50
0.50
50.00
40 0.55
25.00 0.60
10.00 0.65
0.70
30
10.00 10.00
20
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000
Engine Speed (rpm)
Powertrain Control Example
Any combination of MAP and rpm
along the 100 hp line will satisfy the
driver’s power requirement
Low rpm and high MAP gives best
BSFC
Ideally, efficient CVT sets engine
speed (1900 rpm, set MAP to 90 kPa)
Conventional transmissions with
discreet gear ratios must pick gear
ratio for combination of rpm and MAP
for lowest BSFC at a vehicle speed
Vehicle Performance
Best possible vehicle acceleration if
engine runs at peak power (not at peak
torque)
requires efficient CVT to change
transmission ratio vs. vehicle speed to
maintain peak power engine speed
Transmission that allows the engine to
provide the highest average power over
an acceleration event will give best
vehicle acceleration
more transmission gears improves vehicle
acceleration by keeping engine speed in
range that makes more power
Simulated Vehicle Performance with
Different Transmissions
160
140
120
Vehicle Speed (mph)
100
80 100% Efficient CVT
90% Efficient CVT
4 Speed Automatic
60
40
20
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Time (s)
Engine Performance Optimization
Criteria
Typically engine program goals are a
peak torque value and a peak power
value
Assuming different sets of engine
hardware could meet the program
goals, only one set of hardware will
perform the best in a vehicle
The best performing vehicle will have
the highest average power delivered
to the wheels during an acceleration
event, which is dependent on
transmission capability
Engine Optimization Example:
Which Engine Performs Better in a
Vehicle?
450
400
350
Torque (lb-ft), Power (bhp)
300
engine A
250
engine B
200
150
engine A engine B
100 Peak Torque (lb-ft) 400 400
Average Torque (1200-5600rpm) (lb-ft) 362 351
50 Peak Power (bhp) 350 350
Average Power (1200-5600rpm) (bhp) 234 231
0
1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500 5000 5500 6000
Engine Speed (rpm)
Engine Optimization Example:
Which Engine Performs Better in a
Vehicle?
360
Average Power from x rpm to 5600 rpm (bhp)
340
320
300
engine A
engine B
280
260
240
220
200
1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500 5000 5500 6000
Engine Speed (rpm)
Engine Optimization Example
Engine A & Engine B both meet
program objectives
Which one is better?
It depends on the transmission
Engine B will perform better if
transmission keeps engine speed above
3200 rpm during an acceleration event
This is true for any of the typical vehicle
performance metrics:
5 sec. Distance
0-60 time
1/4 mile time
Summary
The Story of Power
Pedal Position relates to driver demanded
power output
The Power Paradigm
Power is Absolute
Powertrain (engine/transmission)
matching is crucial to maximize
vehicle performance
Closing Remarks
Powertrain Matching makes best use
of your engine potential
Torque & Power shaping can give
optimal performance for a given set of
gearing
Optimal gearing can make your car
faster for no changes in engine
performance
Q&A