Fuel Pressure Regulation via PID Control for High-Performance Automotive Systems

This paper presents a closed-loop fuel pressure control system for internal combustion engines using pulse-width modulation to regulate the fuel pump based on real-time pressure feedback. A proportional-integral-derivative controller was tuned using experimental data to improve the response. Validation was performed using the fuel system of an FSAE race car. Compared to a mechanical regulator, the electronic system reduced the pump's power consumption by 76.8%, with a root-mean-square pressure error of 107 mBar (3.6%). Although efficiency has improved, the introduction of electronics adds potential failure points, requiring robust design and fault-tolerant strategies to ensure safe and reliable operation.