Characterization of an Electronic Throttle Body

Ari Rubinsztejn and Dr. Tarunraj Singh

Control, Dynamics and Estimation Lab, University at Buffalo, NY

Problem Data analysis Tuning GUI

•Electronic throttle bodies •Response to a known signal was •Used to provide a better understanding
(ETB) control airflow into recorded of how PID parameters change response
a car engine. •Valve angle as a function of time characteristics.
•Replaced old •Second order system •Compares simulation to real world
mechanically linked •Iterative method used to find results.
throttle bodies with characteristic equation:
drive by wire. Figure 1: ETB in engine [1]
𝜃𝜃𝜃𝜃̈ + 73.524𝜃𝜃𝜃𝜃̇ + 308.14𝜃𝜃𝜃𝜃 = 𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈
•Can be programed to change the driving
characteristics of the car

Figure 2: Model of ETB and control electronics Figure 5 Figure 6

Figure 8: Tuning GUI

Hardware Setup Controller Conclusions

•Arduino used for readout •A Proportional Integral Derivative • Characteristic equation for ETB identified
and control circuitry (PID) controller was implemented • PID controller implemented and tuned
•Hall effect sensor for valve •Controller runs at 16Hz • GUI developed for real-time prototyping
position readout •Tuned using MatLab’s® pidtune
•External power supply function
used to power ETB Acknowledgments
•PID coefficients:
𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝 =43.49,𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼 =0,𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷 =.0399
Figure 3: ETB and controller setup

References
1. RepairPal, "Electronic throttle unit," in RepairPa, RepairPal, 2011. [Online]. Available:
http://repairpal.com/electronic-throttle-unit. Accessed: Feb. 18, 2017.

2. Radhesh, "PID controller simplified," My Weblog, 2008. [Online]. Available:

https://radhesh.wordpress.com/2008/05/11/pid-controller-simplified/. Accessed: Feb. 22,
2017.
Figure 7: Simplified PID controller [2]
Figure 4: ETB wiring diagram