A nonlinear feedforward-feedback controller design for electronic throttle based on flatness

Electronic throttle is a dc-motor-driven valve that plays an important role to modulate airflow into the combustion system of an engine. However, it is difficult to design an effective controller to deal well with the inherent nonlinearity of the plant, such as the strong nonlinear effects of friction and return spring. In this paper, taking these factors into consideration, a controller is proposed: a nonlinear feedforward control is carried out in consideration of the system nonlinearities based on flatness, a linear feedback control is given to handle the uncertainties and disturbances. The simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed controller and its strong robustness to model uncertainties. Finally, the real time performance of the designed controller is tested by the Hardware in the Loop (HiL) platform based on xPC-Target. For all cases, the controller works rather well and meets the performance specifications.