Comparison of PID and Adaptive Algorithms in Diesel Engine Speed Control

This study compares PID and adaptive control algorithms for stabilizing the crankshaft speed of a diesel engine. Key performance metrics — response time, overshot and steady-state error — were analysed to evaluate control effectiveness. Experiments were conducted on a dynamometer test bench with variable mechanical loads introduced via alternator load adjustments. All tests were performed at a constant crankshaft speed using National Instruments measurement equipment and custom LabVIEW-based software for real-time monitoring. The analysis included four algorithms, among them a novel adaptive control strategy developed by authors. Statistical methods were used to assess performance differences. Results show that the proposed adaptive algorithm significantly improved control performance: approximately 20% in response time, 15% in overshoot, and 10% in error relative to the PID and covariance-based benchmarks. These findings highlight the potential of adaptive control in applications such as air-fuel ratio regulation, turbocharger pressure control, knock detection, and fuel optimisation.