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New engine control strategies, designed for drive-by-wire systems, will require the measurement (or the estimation) of several operative engine parameters in order to control emissions and efficiency, while satisfying the driver demand in terms of driveability and performance. Both load and indicated torque (i.e. the torque due to the gas pressure acting on the pistons) will play an essential role in this context, since the driver pedal command may be appropriately interpreted by the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in terms of an engine (or load) torque request. In fact, the accelerator pedal variation forces the vehicle to reach a final steady-state condition, corresponding to a new level of engine and load torques, thus making it possible to assume the existence of a direct link between the pedal position and the “desired” final engine (or load) torque.

This paper describes a model for EGR mass flow rate estimation as a function of signal smeasured by existing sensors in an internal combustion electronically controlled engine. An original approach is presented to take into account the heat transfer between the EGR duct and the environment. The preliminary results relative to EGR mass flow rate estimation suggest that the methodology may be extended towards the development of a complete model of the intake manifold including the EGR recirculation system and the purge canister.