Process and system for controlling the mixture composition for a spark ignition Otto engine with an NOx storage catalyst during a regeneration phase

Abstract

A process and a system are used for controlling the mixture composition for an Otto engine with an NOx storage catalyst during a regeneration phase. The process includes controlling, to the value of one, a λ-value (λM) of an exhaust gas fed to the NOx storage catalyst during a regeneration phase as a function of a λ-value (λK) of an exhaust gas emitted by the NOx storage catalyst. The system includes a control device for controlling, to the value of one, a λ-value (λM) of the exhaust gas fed to the NOx storage catalyst during the regeneration phase as a function of the λ-value (λK) of the exhaust gas emitted by the NOx storage catalyst.

Description

This application claims the priority of Federal Republic of Germany Patent Document No. 101 39 992.8, filed Aug. 16, 2001, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The prevent invention relates to a process and to a system for controlling the mixture composition for a spark ignition engine with an NO_x storage catalyst during a regeneration phase.

The pollutant emission of spark ignition engines can be effectively reduced by a catalytic aftertreatment. This essentially involves the removal of harmful constituents from the exhaust gas. A catalyst promotes the afterburning of reactive CO and HC to form harmless carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water (H₂O) and simultaneously reduces nitrogen oxides (NO_x) occurring in the exhaust gas to neutral nitrogen (N₂).

A three-way catalyst, for example, is customary which simultaneously reduces all three pollutants—CO, HC and NO_x. It has a tube structure made of a ceramic material which is coated with precious metals, preferably with platinum and rhodium, which accelerate the chemical reduction of the pollutants.

The catalytic three-way process requires that the mixture has a stoichiometric composition. A stoichiometric mixture composition is characterized by an air ratio λ=1.00. In the case of this mixture composition, the catalyst operates at a very high efficiency. Even a deviation of only one percent considerably impairs the efficiency of the pollutant conversion.

To regulate the mixture, the known λ-probe supplies a signal related to the momentary mixture composition to the control unit. The λ-probe is installed in the exhaust pipe of the engine at a point at which the exhaust gas homogeneity required for the functioning of the system exists over the entire operating range of the engine.

For reasons of consumption, it is desirable to operate spark ignition Otto engines in a manner similar to the operation of diesel engines with an excess of air (i.e., lean with λ>1), in as many operating conditions as possible in order to reduce the throttling losses during the charge cycle. The achievable λ-values are a function of the mixture preparation method of the basic engine and, in the case of stratified charge engines or direct injection engines, may reach a six-fold air excess (λ=6).

However, in this lean operating mode, the known three-way catalysts are useless because they require a stoichiometric (λ=1) mixture and exhaust gas in order to convert the nitrogen oxides (NO_x).

To solve this problem, NO_x storage catalysts are used which, during the lean operation, remove NO_x from the exhaust gas and store it. Regeneration phases are artificially generated by the engine timing gear when, for example, the NO_x content of the exhaust gas behind the NO_x storage catalyst exceeds a predetermined threshold value. The regeneration is normally started by an adjustment of the λ-value of the main combustion (λ_M) from a lean value to a rich value of less than 1, for example, 0.76. It will be terminated when a predetermined time period of the rich phase has ended. At that moment, the mixture is adjusted back to lean.

There is a large number of publications on the problem of NO_x storage and the regeneration of the NO_x storage catalyst. With respect to engine timing, the objects are two-fold: First, the load condition of catalyst should be detected, and second, in the NO_x regeneration phase, the reducing agents should be provided precisely in accordance with the requirement because the reducing agents are also composed of test-relevant pollutants. Furthermore, the change-over operation between the lean and rich phases should not be noticeable to the driver. Without exception, the known processes operate with time-controlled strategies of a rich-lean change-over whose pulse duty ratio is determined in a more or less costly manner by the detection of the occurring NO_x amount. Strategies are also known, which measure the breaking-through of the storage device using an NO_x sensor and, as required, trigger a regeneration. Concerning the NO_x sensors, it is also known that they have a considerable transverse sensitivity to NH₃, so that they can indicate the correct NO_x concentration only in the case of a stoichiometric and overstoichiometric exhaust gas composition (λ≧1; NH₃-free).

The known processes require considerable coordination expenditures, particularly when taking into account different load conditions. The aging behavior and the degree of sulfur poisoning of the NO_x storage catalyst can be controlled only at considerable control-related expenditures and definitely not in a reliable manner. In other words, the processing speed changes during the regeneration process because it is a function of the aging and sulfur poisoning condition. The fixed duration and λ_M during regeneration, in the case of aged or poisoned NO_x storage catalysts, inevitably result in a significant increase of the CO and HC emissions.

FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of a known directly injecting Otto engine with an NO_x storage catalyst.

In FIG. 5, reference number 1 indicates an internal-combustion engine with four cylinders A to D; reference number 2 indicates an air filter; reference number 3 indicates a throttle valve; reference number 20 indicates intake pipes; and reference number 40 indicates swirl flaps for generating the turbulence for the respective cylinders A to D; reference number 9 indicates an exhaust pipe; reference numbers 4a and 4b indicate a respective three-way precatalyst for the cylinder groups B, C and A, D, respectively; reference number 5 indicates an NO_x storage catalyst; reference number 10a indicates a λ_M sensor; reference number 10b indicates a λ_K/NO_x sensor; and reference number 8 indicates a rear muffler.

FIG. 6 is a time lapse diagram of the λ-values λ_M in front of the NO_x storage catalyst and λ_K behind the NO_x storage catalyst in the case of a regeneration phase of the NO_x storage catalyst of the Otto engine according to FIG. 5.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, the λ_M value is changed at a defined time abruptly from a lean value of 1.45 to a rich value of 0.76. On the whole, the regeneration phase according to FIG. 6 takes five seconds, after which the λ_M is set back to the original lean value of 1.45.

With respect to the λ_K value behind the NO_x storage catalyst, three different phases can be recognized. In phase 1, a complete conversion takes place of the offered reducing agent (CO, HC). The value of λ_K is therefore barely above 1. In phase 2, a decelerated conversion of the offered reducing agent takes place and therefore a breaking-though of HC and CO. In this phase 2, the value of λ_K falls slightly below the stoichiometric value, specifically in the illustrated example, to approximately 0.92. In phase 3, an attenuation of the conversion of the offered reducing agent takes place in connection with a drop of the λ_K value to the λ_M value. Correspondingly, the harmful exhaust HC/CO breaking-through takes place in this phase.

The present invention is based on the recognition that a λ_K curve would be desirable which is indicated in FIG. 6 by the broken line S2, and extends in an approximately constant manner at λ_K approximately equal to 1 to the end of the regeneration phase. A corresponding course of the λ_M value is indicated in FIG. 6 by a dash-dotted line S1. In other words, it would have to be provided that the λ_M value in front of the NO_x storage catalyst is raised with the start of the decelerated conversion of the offered reducing agent in order to counteract the breaking-through of the HC/CO and the resulting lowering of the λ_K value.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a process and a system for controlling the mixture composition for an Otto engine with an NO_x storage catalyst during a regeneration phase which, when the NO_x storage catalysts are aged or poisoned, result in no increased CO and HC emissions.

The process according to the invention for controlling the mixture composition for an Otto engine with an NO_x storage catalyst during a regeneration phase and the corresponding system respectively have the advantage that a system designed or operated according to the invention automatically adapts itself to the characteristics of different catalyst coatings or different aging or sulfur poisoning conditions. In addition, from the control behavior, the condition of the storage catalyst can be determined regarding the sulfur regeneration requirement or for diagnostic purposes.

In the present invention, the λ_M value of the exhaust gas fed to the NO_x storage catalyst in the course of the regeneration phase is controlled with a closed loop control circuit to keep the λ_K value of the exhaust gas emitted from the NO_x storage catalyst. Preferably, the control starts only from a predetermined intervention value λ_i.

In the invention, a commercially available NO_x sensor is preferably used downstream of the NO_x storage catalyst, which sensor measures the λ_K of the exhaust gas, in addition to the NO_x concentration. The λ_K behind the NO_x storage catalyst, when enriched, remains stoichiometric (=1) or overstoichiometric (>1) precisely, independently of the λ_M in front of the NO_x storage catalyst, as long as the NO_x storage catalyst can completely process the offered reducing agent (CO, HC).

According to a preferred further development, the control is set up such that the λ_K value of the exhaust gas emitted by the NO_x storage catalyst is maintained at about one, i.e., it does not fall below a value of one or falls only insignificantly below a value of one. As a result, the catalyst operates at high efficiency. Preferably, the λ_K value is maintained between 0.98 and 1.02, more preferably between 0.99 and 1.01, most preferably between 0.995 and 1.005. The controlled range of λ_K varies depending on the design criteria of a specific application.

According to another preferred further development, the regeneration phase is initiated when the NO_x content of the exhaust gas emitted by the NO_x storage catalyst exceeds a predetermined value.

According to another preferred further development, the regeneration phase will be terminated when the signal of an NO_x sensor behind the NO_x storage catalyst and/or its rise exceeds a predetermined value. Advantageously, the NH₃ transverse sensitivity of an NO_x sensor downstream of the NO_x storage catalyst can be utilized which signals the conclusion of the storage device regeneration considerably sooner than the λ_K signal. It is useful to detect the end of the regeneration not only by way of the threshold value of the NO_x signal (NH₃ signal) but also its rise.

According to another preferred further development, the regeneration phase is terminated when the λ_K value of the exhaust gas emitted by the NO_x storage catalyst falls below a predetermined value. However, because of a long gas transit time between the combustion space (reducing agent production) and the measuring site (downstream of the NO_x storage catalyst), this approach is less effective.

According to another preferred further development, the λ_M value of the exhaust gas fed to the NO_x storage catalyst is controlled at the beginning of the regeneration phase to a constant pilot value λ_REG and the control of λ_K to one is not started before the λ_K value of the exhaust gas emitted by the NO_x storage catalyst falls below a predetermined intervention value λ_i. It was found to be favorable to use the signal of the λ-probe close to the engine together with a pilot value 0.76<λ_REG<1 adapted to the regeneration task for controlling the mixture composition in order to ensure the required control speed and accuracy. In the further course of the regeneration, the λ_M value is modified corresponding to the progress of the regeneration by a predetermined fixed or adaptive algorithm.

According to another preferred further development, the constant pilot value λ_REG is obtained by making a predetermined afterinjection and controlling the λ-value of the main combustion such that the λ_M value of the exhaust gas fed to the NO_x storage catalyst assumes the constant pilot value λ_REF.

The required reducing agent can be provided by overenriching the combustion (main combustion) utilized for generating the power of the internal-combustion engine, as well as by an afterinjection. When the reducing agent is added by an overenriched main combustion (0.76<λ_M<1.0), CO is preferably generated. When the reducing agent is added by an afterinjection, HC is produced as the reducing agent. When CO is preferably used as a reducing agent, in phase 1 of the regeneration, an undesirable breaking-through of NO_x takes place which predominantly comprises of NO (nitrogen monoxide).

In the case of a preferred use of HC in this phase 1, this breaking-through of NO_x does not take place or is at least considerably reduced. The cause is the competitive situation which exists during phase 1 between the NO_x storage device and O₂ storage devices of the catalysts. Before the O₂ storage devices are evacuated, CO can not reliably reduce NO_x to N₂. This embodiment therefore suggests that, during phase 1 of the regeneration, the HC content of the exhaust gas be adjusted by an afterinjection to, for example, a value>3,000 ppm in front of the NO_x storage catalyst, and the phases 2 and 3 be regenerated by enriching the main combustion and, in the process, control the λ value of the main combustion. This is advantageous because high HC concentrations are no longer converted as the regeneration progresses and result in the breaking-through of HC.

According to another preferred further development, the control device controls the λ-value of the exhaust gas fed to the NO_x storage catalyst according to the following relation:λ_M=λ_REG+k*(λ_i−λ_K) wherein k is a constant; λ_M is the λ-value of the main combustion; and λ_K is the λ-value of the exhaust gas emitted by the NO_x storage catalyst.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a time lapse diagram of the λ-values, λ_M in front of the NO_x storage catalyst, and λ_K behind the NO_x storage catalyst as well as of the signal of the NO_x sensor during a regeneration phase of the NO_x storage catalyst of the Otto engine according to FIG. 5 for explaining an embodiment of the process according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a time lapse diagram of the λ-values, λ_M in front of the NO_x storage catalyst and λ_K behind the NO_x storage catalyst, during a regeneration phase of the NO_x storage catalyst of the Otto engine according to FIG. 5 for explaining another embodiment of the process according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is an illustration for explaining a regeneration with the main combustion;

FIG. 4 is an illustration for explaining a regeneration with an afterinjection;

FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of a known direct-injecting Otto engine having an NO_x storage catalyst; and

FIG. 6 is a time lapse diagram of the λ-values, λ_M in front of the NO_x storage catalyst and λ_K behind the NO_x storage catalyst, during a regeneration phase of the NO_x storage catalyst of the Otto engine according to FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the figures, the same reference numbers indicate the same elements or elements having the same functions.

Without restricting the generality, the present invention will be described using a direct-injecting Otto engine having an NO_x storage catalyst.

According to FIG. 1, the NO_x signal detected by the sensor 10b causes the start of the regeneration phase when the NO_x signal exceeds a predetermined threshold value TNO.

In this case, λ_M of the main combustion is adjusted at time t₁ from a lean value λ_lean (for example, 6) abruptly to a rich pilot value λ_REG of, for example, 0.76 and is held constant there until the time t₂.

λ_K behind the NO_x storage catalyst 5, which is detected by the sensor 10b, decreases to an intervention value λ_i between time t₁ and time t₂. When the intervention value λ_i is reached, λ_M of the main combustion is controlled by the formula,λ_M=λ_REG+k*(λ_i−λ_K) wherein k is a constant; λ_M is the λ-value of the main combustion; and λ_K is the λ-value of the exhaust gas emitted by the NO_x storage catalyst. In this case, the value λ_K is also detected by the sensor 10b behind the NO_x storage catalyst 5.

This control results in a rise of λ_M with the progress of the regeneration phase. This decreasing enrichment has the effect that the decelerated conversion of the offered reducing agent (CO, HC) in the NO_x storage catalyst 5 is taken into account and a release of unwanted HC and CO emissions is counteracted.

After the start of the regeneration phase, the NO_x signal detected by the sensor 10b has a so-called desorption peak value DP, which is a result of the fact that, because of the enriching of the main combustion, CO is preferably used as a reducing agent in phase 1, that is, until the intervention value λ_i is reached. After the desorption peak value DP has been reached, the NO_x will drop again significantly. Only at the end of the regeneration phase, will the NO_x signal increase again considerably because of the NH₃ transverse sensitivity of the sensor 10b, and, at time t₃, will reach the rate of increase SN at the value TNH.

When time t₃ has been reached, λ_M of the main combustion is set again to the value λ_lean, which terminates the regeneration phase. Another possibility of terminating the regeneration phase would be the detection of the drop of the λ_K value after the end of the regeneration, particularly the defining of a threshold value Tλ for the λ_K value, as shown in FIG. 1. However, this is not very effective if a long gas transit time exists between the combustion space, thus the space of the reducing agent production, and the measuring site of the sensor 10b downstream of the NO_x storage catalyst 5.

Because of the control of λ_M according to the first embodiment, the system for controlling the mixture composition during the regeneration phase can be automatically adapted to aging and/or sulfur poisoning conditions.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 2, the reducing agent is added in phase 1 by an afterinjection NI. In other words, the constant pilot value λ_REG is obtained by making the predetermined afterinjection NI and by controlling the λ-value of the main combustion in a complementary fashion such that λ_M value of the exhaust gas fed to the NO_x storage catalyst 5 assumes the constant pilot value λ_REG, until the intervention value λ_i has been reached by λ_K.

This has the advantage that the undesired breaking-through of NO_x in phase 1, which leads to the desorption peak value DP according to FIG. 1, can be avoided. In this embodiment, the fact is taken into account that CO can reliably reduce NO_x to N₂ only when the O₂ storage devices are evacuated. This evacuation of the O₂ storage devices takes place by the increased addition of HC as a result of the afterinjection at the start of the regeneration phase.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, in the phase of the afterinjection NI, the CO content in front of the NO_x storage catalyst 5 amounts to only 0.8%, while the HC content amounts to 3,000 ppm. The reason is that HC does not reduce the NO₂, which is preferably attached to BaO, but first reduces the O₂ storage devices, which are preferably attached to Pt or Ce. Before the intervention value λ_i is reached, the afterinjection NI will not be stopped and the λ_M value will be controlled according to the above-explained relation starting from the pilot value λ_REG in the direction λ=1.

This has the result that, in phases 2 and 3, in which the control takes place, a CO content of 3.5% and an HC content of 500 ppm exist in front of the NO_x storage catalyst 5, as illustrated in FIG. 3.

Since, as a result of this type of regeneration, the breaking-through of NO_x can be avoided in phase 1, the end of the storage device regeneration can even more easily be detected by following the rise of the NO_x signal because of the NH₃ transverse sensitivity of the sensor 10b.

Although the present invention was explained above by means of preferred embodiments, it is not limited thereto but can be modified in multiple manners. In particular, for example, the adaptation of the λ-value of the exhaust gas fed to the NO_x storage catalyst may take place not only by a comparison with an intervention value but also adaptively while including preceding regenerations.

Claims

1. A process for controlling the mixture composition for an Otto engine with an NOx storage catalyst during a regeneration phase, the process comprising: controlling, to the value of one, a λ-value (λM) of an exhaust gas fed to the NOx storage catalyst during a regeneration phase as a function of a λ-value (λK) of an exhaust gas emitted by the NOx storage catalyst, wherein the step of controlling the λ-value (λM) of the exhaust gas fed to the NOx storage catalyst includes controlling the λ-value (λM) such that the λ-value (λK) of the exhaust gas emitted by the NOx storage catalyst does not fall under a value of one or falls only insignificantly under a value of one; initiating the regeneration phase when an NOx content of the exhaust gas emitted by the NOx storage catalyst exceeds a predetermined value; terminating the regeneration phase when the λ-value (λK) of the exhaust gas emitted by the NOx storage catalyst falls below a predetermined value; controlling the λ-value (λM) of the exhaust gas fed to the NOx storage catalyst at the beginning of the regeneration phase to a constant pilot value (λREG), and starting the control of the λ-value (λK) to the value of one only after the λ-value (λK) of the exhaust gas emitted by the NOx storage catalyst falls below a predetermined intervention value (λi), wherein the step of controlling the λ-value (λM) of the exhaust gas to a constant pilot value (λREG) includes making a predetermined afterinjection and controlling the λ-value of the main combustion such that the λ-value (λM) value of the exhaust gas fed to the NOx storage catalyst assumes the constant pilot value (λREG); and controlling the λ-value (λM) of the exhaust gas fed to the NOx storage catalyst according to the formula λM=λREG+k*(λi−λK)

2. A The process for controlling the mixture composition for an Otto engine with an NOx storage catalyst during a regeneration phase, the process comprising: controlling, to the value of one, a λ-value (λM) of an exhaust gas fed to the NOx storage catalyst during a regeneration phase as a function of a λ-value (λK) of an exhaust gas emitted by the NOx storage catalyst; controlling the λ-value (λM) of the exhaust gas fed to the NOx storage catalyst at the beginning of the regeneration phase to a constant pilot value (λREG), and starting the control of the λ-value (λK) to the value of one only after the λ-value (λK) of the exhaust gas emitted by the NOx storage catalyst falls below a predetermined intervention value (λi), wherein the step of controlling the λ-value (λM) of the exhaust gas to a constant pilot value (λREG) includes making a predetermined afteriniection and controlling the λ-value of the main combustion such that the λ-value (λM) value of the exhaust gas fed to the NOx storage catalyst assumes the constant pilot value (λREG); and controlling the λ-value (λM) of the exhaust gas fed to the NOx storage catalyst according to the formula λM=λREG+k*(λi−λK)

3. A system for controlling the mixture composition for an Otto engine having an NOx storage catalyst during a regeneration phase, the system comprising a control device for controlling, to the value of one, a λ-value (λM) of the exhaust gas fed to the NOx storage catalyst during the regeneration phase as a function of the λ-value (λK) of the exhaust gas emitted by the NOx storage catalyst, wherein the control device controls the λ-value (λM) such that the λ-value (λK) of the exhaust gas emitted by the NOx storage catalyst does not fall under a value of one or falls only insignificantly under a value of one, wherein the control device initiates the regeneration phase when an NOx content of the exhaust gas emitted by the NOx storage catalyst exceeds a predetermined value, wherein the control device terminates the regeneration phase when the λ-value (λK) of the exhaust gas emitted by the NOx storage catalyst falls below a predetermined value, wherein the control device controls the λ-value (λM) of the exhaust gas fed to the NOx storage catalyst at the beginning of the regeneration phase to a constant pilot value (λREG), and starts the control of the λ-value (λK) to the value of one only after the λ-value (λK) of the exhaust gas emitted by the NOx storage catalyst falls below a predetermined intervention value (λi), wherein the control device makes a predetermined afterinjection and controlling the λ-value of the main combustion such that the λ-value (λM) value of the exhaust gas fed to the NOx storage catalyst assumes the constant pilot value (λREG), and wherein the control device controls the λ-value (λM) of the exhaust gas fed to the NOx storage catalyst according to the formula λM=λREG+k*(λi−λK)

4. A system for controlling the mixture composition for an Otto engine having an NOx storage catalyst during a regeneration phase, the system comprising a control device for controlling, to the value of one, a λ-value (λM) of the exhaust gas fed to the NOx storage catalyst during the regeneration phase as a function of the λ-value (λK) of the exhaust gas emitted by the NOx storage catalyst, wherein the control device controls the λ-value (λM) of the exhaust gas fed to the NOx storage catalyst at the beginning of the regeneration phase to a constant riot value (λREG), and starts the control of the λ-value (λK) to the value of one only after the λ-value (λK) of the exhaust gas emitted by the NOx storage catalyst falls below a predetermined intervention value (λi), wherein the control device makes a predetermined afterinjection and controlling the λ-value of the main combustion such that the λ-value (λM) value of the exhaust gas fed to the NOx storage catalyst assumes the constant pilot value (λREG), and wherein the control device controls the λ-value (λM) of the exhaust gas fed to the NOx storage catalyst according to the formula λM=λREG+k*(λi−λK)