Integrated control and power electronics for an electro-mechanical valve actuation system

In an electro-mechanical valve actuated engine, computer-controlled solenoid actuators drive the valves that control airflow into the cylinders, allowing elimination of the camshaft and enabling fully variable valve timing. Control of individual valve timing optimized over all engine operating conditions allows the benefits of variable valve timing to be realized. This paper presents a power electronics and control electronics architecture and its control algorithms that achieve precise coil current tracking and regulation of rail voltage which are critical in closed-loop control of the electro-mechanical valve actuator motion. Simulation and experimental results support the design