PREDICTIVE MODELING AND MITIGATION OF MISFIRES IN SPARK IGNITION ENGINES

A method and apparatus to predict and enable control of misfire that influences combustion cyclic variation and COV of IMEP in spark-ignited (SI) engine. The method includes obtaining engine data and determining temperature and pressure within a cylinder in response to engine data; determining crank angle resolved flame velocity evolution based on the engine data; comparing the crank angle resolved flame velocity to predetermined turbulent combustion regime data to determine a misfire occurrence; and updating a misfire occurrence indicator and outputting a control signal when the misfire occurrence indicator is greater than a predetermined limit, the control signal being capable of adjusting any engine actuators, such as external ignition source, of the spark-ignited engine on a cycle to cycle basis. The method and apparatus further includes correlating the crank angle resolved flame velocity to combustion phasing when the misfire occurrence indicator is less than the predetermined limit.