Troubleshoot Engine Issues

Like real-world engines, blocks from the Simscape™ Driveline™ Engines library rely on the inertia from each cycle to initiate the next cycle. If a piston- or engine-driven network in your model is not responding to throttle input, either at the beginning of simulation or when the engine reaches stall speed, examine the engine output for the simulation. If there is no engine velocity in response to throttle input, try these engine-startup methods:

• Add initial velocity to the engine block — Specify a nonzero value for the initial velocity or crank velocity parameter in the engine block settings. Specify a value that is well above stall speed. Iterate to find the correct solution.

• Add an inertia with initial velocity to the engine network — Add an Inertia block from the Simscape Rotational Elements library or add inertia to a downstream component, for example a shaft. Specify an initial velocity using the Variables settings for the Inertia block or downstream component. Set the target velocity to High Priority.

• Add an electric starter motor — Use a starter motor, such as the DC motor in the Permanent Magnet DC Motor example, to initiate engine motion.

If a model that is not giving expected results contains a Piston block with the Pressure parameterization set to By crank angle and throttle and a Pressure matrix (gauge) that indicates zero velocity, include an external inertia with initial angular velocity.