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A typical pattern of city driving includes many accelerations and decelerations. A significant portion of the fuel energy is spent to accelerate a vehicle. This energy is typically wasted during subsequent decelerations. Capturing and reusing some of this energy would improve fuel economy. At present, it is generally accepted that electric hybrids represent a proven technology capable of capturing and reusing a portion of the braking energy. The major drawback of electric hybrids remains the high initial cost of hybrid drivetrains. An Air-Power-Assist (APA) engine, also known as “air hybrid”, accomplishes the same general type of energy storage and reuse as an electric hybrid but with greater simplicity [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].

Continually increasing the maximum specific power output of engines used in military vehicles is vital to maintaining a battlefield advantage. An enabling technology for power optimization on existing engine architectures is advanced engine control based on real-time feedback control of the combustion. An engine equipped with intelligent controls and multi-fuel capable components has been used to demonstrate power improvements based on feedback control of the fueling by means of in-cylinder pressure measurements. In addition to optimized power output for the engine, the technology suite provides the capability to utilize both standard diesel fuel and alternatives such as jet fuel, biodiesel, or any mixture. A cylinder-balancing algorithm adjusts the fueling to achieve even power distribution between cylinders for improved performance and durability, or to operate all cylinders at the cylinder pressure limit when maximum power is required.