Real-Time and Robust Estimation of Biodiesel Blends Using Crankshaft Position Sensor: Experimental Validation

Biodiesel is a renewable alternative fuel that produces lower exhaust emissions with the exception of nitrogen oxides (NO_x) when compared to conventional diesel fuel. Fuel blend information is useful during engine operation for optimizing emissions and performance. Therefore, online estimation of biofuel content is a critical step in allowing diesel engines to maintain performance while simultaneously meeting emission requirements when operating on biodiesel blends. Presented in this paper is a model-based biodiesel blend estimation strategies using crankshaft torsionals. A sensitivity analysis investigation is conducted for the method to quantify robustness of the proposed fuel blend estimation methods.