Predictive control for NO_x emission reductions in diesel engine vehicle platoon application

This paper presents a predictive control design for diesel vehicle platoons, such as medium- A nd heavy-duty truck platoons, to achieve lower NO_x emissions. By incorporating vehicle longitudinal dynamics control and powertrain estimation with aftertreatment system control, an enhanced emission performance can be attained for the entire platoon considering different operating conditions for individual vehicles. The proposed method utilizes exhaust gas predictive information within a preview horizon to generate optimal control actions such that the tradeoff between NO_x reduction efficiency and NH₃ slip in the aftertreatment systems can be well-managed. Performance improvement is demonstrated through simulation studies based on an experimental validated powertrain and aftertreatment system model.