Project Abstract

<p> This work analysed the performance of an automatic control system for the online<br>blending of petrol with corrosion inhibitor in the direct, continuous electronic fuel<br>injection automobile engine. The automatic control system was designed by<br>superimposing a feedforward control system on a feedback control system. The<br>design of the automatic control system was analysed by the method of direct<br>substitution. The governing equations used in analysing the blending process, as well<br>as the applicable equations which modelled the process disturbance were derived<br>from first principles – using transfer functions and block diagram representations. The<br>performance of the automatic control system was simulated with the aid of computer<br>software; and the results obtained from the simulation showed that the response of the<br>automatic control system is oscillatory and stable. <br></p>

Project Overview

<p> INTRODUCTION<br>The recent technological revolution in the design of the automobile has begun to draw<br>the attention of engineers to the limitless opportunities that autonomous systems avail<br>the auto-industry, with regard to the growing demand for improved vehicle<br>performance and reliability. Presently, most parts in the automobile are being redesigned<br>with the aim of automating the operations of as many components as<br>possible. Already, some of the breakthroughs which have been recorded by the<br>adaptation of automatic control systems to the propulsion, transmission, braking and<br>safety systems include the Engine Management System (EMS), the Continuously<br>Variable Transmission (CVT) system, the Antilock Braking System (ABS) and the<br>Supplement Restraint System (SRS), respectively.Therefore, in order to explore other<br>opportunities for adapting control principles to the design of the different systems in<br>the automobile, this work seeks to analyse the prospects for designing an effective<br>automatic control system for the online blending of petrol with corrosion inhibitor in<br>the direct, continuous electronic fuel injection automobile engine.<br>1.1 BACKGROUND<br>Over the years, it has been observed that the quality of petroleum products in Nigeria<br>is usually compromised before the products get to the final consumer. This situation is<br>the result of a number of anomalies in the processing (owing to incomplete fractional<br>distillation in the refining process, emergence of local refineries in the Niger-Delta<br>creeks, adulteration of petroleum products by independent marketers, illegal<br>importation of petrol from overseas refineries, etc), pricing and marketing of<br>petroleum products.<br>Compromising the quality of petrol has far-reaching consequences on our national<br>economy and security. The adulteration of petroleum products is indeed one of the<br>notorious practices which have caused a lot of damage to engines and machines in<br>Nigeria. Osueke and Ofondu (2011), asserted that the adulteration of petrol increases<br>the tail-pipe emission of harmful pollutants from vehicles, and could lead to engine<br>damage.<br>In trying to mitigate the effect of petrol adulteration in automobile engines, vehicle<br>manufacturers introduced the use of petrol additives as a safeguard against engine<br>2<br>damage due to adulterated petrol. However, it hasbeen observed that though the use of<br>petrol additives couldsafeguard the engine; there is yet to be a way to monitor<br>theoptimal quantity of the additive that will guarantee the safeguard. The reason is<br>because of the vagueness of the manufacturers’ prescription, which is often cast with<br>the rhetoric: “ADD ENTIRE CONTENTS TO A FULL FUEL TANK”; regardless of<br>the volume of the petrol tank, and the fact that motorists often refill their petrol<br>tanksbefore the tanks become empty. Fig. 1.1 shows the two sides of a typical can of a<br>petrol additive.<br>Hence, in order to monitor the optimal quantity of additive that blends with the petrol<br>in an automobile engine, at any transient time; one mustdesign a control system for<br>the blending process.<br>1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM<br>There is an increasing rate of panic purchase (and application) of petrol additives in<br>Nigeria; owing to the worrisome rate of petrol adulteration in the marketplace, and the<br>vagueness of the prescription on most petrol additive packaging labels.<br>1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE WORK<br>Following the earlier discussion, the objective of this work is to design an automatic<br>feedback control system which enables the blending of petrol with a specific quantity<br>Fig. 1.1: Re-sized Picture of a Petrol Additive (showing two sides of the can)<br>2<br>3<br>of corrosion inhibitor, in the direct, continuous electronic fuel injection automobile<br>engine. In order to realise this objective, the control system shall ensure that the<br>composition of the mixture of petrol and corrosion inhibitor remains constant,<br>regardless of any variation in the flow velocity of the petrol which is supplied to the<br>automobile engine.<br>1.4 SCOPE OF THE WORK<br>The scope of this workcomprises the design of an automatic control system for<br>theblending process; and the derivation of generic expressions for the<br>functionwhichmodels the process disturbance, the response of the control system to<br>the process disturbance, the steady state gain of the system control loop, and the<br>stability of the system control loop.<br>1.5 JUSTIFICATION OF THE WORK<br>The analysis of an automatic control system for online blending of petrol with<br>corrosion inhibitor in the direct continuous electronic fuel injection automobile engine<br>is significant for the following reasons:<br>· The analysis will help to improve the life span of automobile petrol engines in<br>Nigeria, and elsewhere.<br>· It will contribute to the development of indigenous technology in Nigeria.<br>· It will help to increase cost savings in the maintenance of automobile engines<br>by eliminating the panic purchase and application of petrol additives.<br>· Above all, the result of the analysis (if utilised in the design and construction<br>of the actual automatic control system) will help to reduce consumer<br>complaints about the application of petrol additives, by increasingend-user<br>satisfaction.<br>4 <br></p>