Patent Application
20080173009
The present invention relates generally to exhaust treatment for an internal combustion engine and more particularly, but not exclusively, to a method, system, and software utilized to determine when to stop providing reductant to a NOx adsorber while operating in a regeneration mode.
The Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) is working aggressively to reduce pollution from new, heavy-duty diesel trucks and buses by requiring them to meet tougher emission standards that will make new heavy-duty vehicles up to 95% cleaner than older vehicles. Emission filters in the exhaust gas systems of internal combustion engines are used to remove unburned soot particles from the exhaust gas and to convert harmful pollutants such as hydrocarbons (“HC”), carbon monoxide (“CO”), oxides of nitrogen (“NOx”), and oxides of sulfur (“SOx”) into harmless gases.
NOx storage catalyst units or adsorbers are used to purify exhaust gases of combustion engines. Generally speaking, these NOx storage catalyst units store or trap NOx while the engine is operating in a lean mode and remove NOx from the adsorber while the engine is operating in a rich mode. One of the necessary steps to regenerate a respective adsorber is to consume all of the oxygen on the surface of the catalyst (referred to as the oxygen storage component (“OSC”)). Before the oxygen on the surface of the adsorber can be consumed, the oxygen in the exhaust gas produced by the engine must first be consumed. Once this is accomplished, any additional reductant supplied will be used to consume the OSC on the surface of the adsorber and to regenerate the adsorber. Accordingly, there is a need for methods and systems for determining how much reductant should be supplied to an adsorber in order to properly regenerate the adsorber.
One embodiment according to the present invention discloses a unique engine management system for determining how much reductant to supply to an adsorber to effectively regenerate the adsorber. Other embodiments include unique apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, software, methods, and combinations of these for controlling regeneration of an adsorber utilized to convert harmful pollutants formed as a byproduct of the combustion process in an internal combustion engine into non-harmful substances. Further embodiments, forms, objects, features, advantages, aspects, and benefits of the present invention shall become apparent from the following description and drawings.
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention is illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.
With reference to
The DOC unit 16 is a flow through device that consists of a canister that may contain a honey-comb like structure or substrate. The substrate has a large surface area that is coated with an active catalyst layer. This layer may contain a small, well dispersed amount of precious metals such as, for example, platinum or palladium. As exhaust gas from the engine 12 traverses the catalyst, CO, gaseous HC and liquid HC particles (unburned fuel and oil) are oxidized, thereby reducing harmful emissions. The result of this process is that these pollutants are converted to carbon dioxide and water. In order to function properly, the DOC unit 16 must be heated to a minimum temperature value.
The NOx adsorber 18 is operable to absorb NOx created during the combustion process of the engine 12, thereby dramatically reducing the amount of NOx released into the atmosphere. The NOx adsorber 18 contains a catalyst that allows NOx to adsorb onto the catalyst. The process of adsorption releases carbon dioxide (“CO2”). A byproduct of running the engine 12 in a lean mode is the production of NOx. The NOx adsorber 18 stores or absorbs NOx under lean engine operating conditions (lambda>1) and releases and catalytically reduces the stored NOx under rich engine operating conditions (lambda<1).
Under NOx regeneration, when the engine is operating under a rich condition at a predetermined temperature range, a catalytic reaction occurs. The stored NOx is catalytically converted to nitrogen (“N2”) and released from the NOx adsorber 18 thereby regenerating the NOx adsorber 18. The NOx adsorber 18 also has a high affinity for trapping sulfur and desulfation, the process for the removal of stored sulfur from the NOx adsorber 18, also requires rich engine operation, but for a longer period of time and at much higher temperatures.
The DPF 20 may comprise one of several type of particle filters known and used in the art. The DPF 20 is utilized to capture unwanted diesel particulate matter (“DPM”) from the flow of exhaust gas exiting the engine 12. DPM is sub-micron size particles found in diesel exhaust. DPM is composed of both solid and liquid particles and is generally classified into three fractions: (1) inorganic carbon (soot), (2) organic fraction (often referred to as SOF or VOF), and (3) sulfate fraction (hydrated sulfuric acid). The DPF 20 may be regenerated at regular intervals by combusting the particulates collected in the DPF 20 through exhaust manipulation or the like. Those skilled in the art would appreciate that, as it relates to the present invention, several different types of DPFs may be utilized in the present invention.
During engine operation, ambient air is inducted from the atmosphere and compressed by a compressor 22 of a turbocharger 23 before being supplied to the engine 12. The compressed air is supplied to the engine 12 through an intake manifold 24 that is connected with the engine 12. An air intake throttle valve 26 is positioned between the compressor 22 and the engine 12 that is operable to control the amount of charge air that reaches the engine 12 from the compressor 22. The air intake throttle valve 26 may be connected with, and controlled by, an electronic control unit (“ECU”) 28, but may be controlled by other means as well. As such, the air intake throttle valve 26 is operable to control the amount of charge air entering the intake manifold 24 via the compressor 22.
An air intake sensor 30 is included either before or after the compressor 22 to monitor the amount of ambient air or charge air being supplied to the intake manifold 24. The air intake sensor 30 may be connected with the ECU 28 and is operable to generate electric signals that are indicative of the amount of charge air flow or as referred to hereinafter, fresh air flow (“FAF”). An intake manifold pressure sensor 32 is connected with the intake manifold 24. The intake manifold pressure sensor 32 is operative to sense the amount of air pressure in the intake manifold 24, which is indicative of the amount of air flowing or provided to the engine 12. The intake manifold pressure sensor 32 is connected with the ECU 28 and generates electric signals indicative of the pressure value that are sent to the ECU 28.
A mass air flow sensor or air flow sensor 33 is positioned in fluid communication with the intake manifold 24 of the engine 12. The air flow sensor 33 converts the amount of air drawn into the engine 12 into a voltage signal. The mass air flow sensor 33 is connected with the ECU 28 and provides the voltage signal as an input to the ECU 28. The air flow sensor 33 is positioned directly in the intake air stream, preferentially before the air intake throttle valve 26, where it can measure incoming air. As such, the air flow sensor 33 is capable of providing a signal indicative of the amount of air being supplied to intake manifold 24 and the hence, the engine 12, during the combustion process.
The system 10 may also include a fuel injection system 34 that is connected with, and controlled by, the ECU 28. The purpose of the fuel injection system 30 is to deliver fuel into the cylinders of the engine 12, while precisely controlling the timing of the fuel injection, fuel atomization, the amount of fuel injected, as well as other parameters. Fuel is injected into the cylinders of the engine 12 through one or more fuel injectors 36 and is burned with charge air received from the intake manifold 24. Various types of fuel injection systems may be utilized in the present invention, including, but not limited to, pump-line-nozzle injection systems, unit injector and unit pump systems, common rail fuel injection systems and so forth.
Exhaust gases produced in each cylinder during combustion leaves the engine 12 through an exhaust manifold 38 connected with the engine 12. A portion of the exhaust gas is communicated to an exhaust gas recirculation (“EGR”) system 40 and a portion of the exhaust gas is supplied to a turbine 42. The turbocharger 23 may be a variable geometry turbocharger 23, but other turbochargers may be utilized as well. The EGR system 34 is used to cool down the combustion process by providing a predetermined amount of exhaust gas to the charge air being supplied by the compressor 22. Cooling down the combustion process reduces the amount of NOx produced during the combustion process. An EGR cooler 41 may be included to further cool the exhaust gas before being supplied to the air intake manifold 22 in combination with the compressed air passing through the air intake throttle valve 26.
The EGR system 40 includes an EGR valve 44 this is positioned in fluid communication with the outlet of the exhaust manifold 38 and the air intake manifold 24. The EGR valve 44 may also be connected to the ECU 28, which is capable of selectively opening and closing the EGR valve 44. The EGR valve 44 may also have incorporated therewith a differential pressure sensor that is operable to sense a pressure change, or delta pressure, across the EGR valve 44. A pressure signal 46 may also be sent to the ECU 44 indicative of the change in pressure across the EGR valve 44. The air intake throttle valve 26 and the EGR system 40, in conjunction with the fuel injection system 34, may be controlled to run the engine 12 in either a rich or lean mode.
As set forth above, the portion of the exhaust gas not communicated to the EGR system 40 is communicated to the turbine 42, which rotates by expansion of gases flowing through the turbine 42. The turbine 42 is connected to the compressor 22 and provides the driving force for the compressor 22 that generates charge air supplied to the air intake manifold 24. Some temperature loss in the exhaust gas typically occurs as the exhaust gas passes through the turbine 42. As the exhaust gas leaves the turbine 42, it is directed to the exhaust filtration system 14, where it is treated before exiting the system 10.
A cooling system 48 may be connected with the engine 12. The cooling system 48 is a liquid cooling system that transfers waste heat out of the block and other internal components of the engine 12. Typically, the cooling system 48 consists of a closed loop similar to that of an automobile engine. Major components of the cooling system include a water pump, radiator or heat exchanger, water jacket (which consists of coolant passages in the block and heads), and a thermostat. As it relates to the present invention, the thermostat 50, which is the only component illustrated in
The system 10 includes a doser 52 that may be located in the exhaust manifold 38 and/or located downstream of the exhaust manifold 38. The doser 52 may comprise an injector mounted in an exhaust conduit 54. For the depicted embodiment, the agent introduced through the doser 52 is diesel fuel; however, other embodiments are contemplated in which one or more different dosing agents are used in addition to or in lieu of diesel fuel. Additionally, dosing could occur at a different location from that illustrated. For example, a fuel-rich setting could be provided by appropriate activation of injectors (not shown) that provide fuel to the engine in such a manner that engine 12 produces exhaust including a controlled amount of un-combusted (or incompletely combusted) fuel (in-cylinder dosing). Doser 52 is in fluid communication with a fuel line coupled to the same or a different fuel source (not shown) than that used to fuel engine 12 and is also connected with the ECU 28, which controls operation of the doser 52.
The system 10 also includes a number of sensors and sensing systems for providing the ECU 28 with information relating to the system 10. An engine speed sensor 56 may be included in or associated with the engine 12 and is connected with the ECU 28. The engine speed sensor 56 is operable to produce an engine speed signal indicative of engine rotation speed that is provided to the ECU 28. A pressure sensor 58 may be connected with the exhaust conduit 54 for measuring the pressure of the exhaust before it enters the exhaust filtration system 14. The pressure sensor 58 may be connected with the ECU 28. If pressure becomes too high, this may indicate that a problem exists with the exhaust filtration system 14, which may be communicated to the ECU 28.
At least one temperature sensor 60 may be connected with the DOC unit 16 for measuring the temperature of the exhaust gas as it enters the DOC unit 16. In other embodiments, two temperature sensors 60 may be used, one at the entrance or upstream from the DOC unit 16 and another at the exit or downstream from the DOC unit 60. These temperature sensors are used to calculate the temperature of the DOC unit 16. In this alternative, an average temperature may be determined, using an algorithm, from the two respective temperature readings of the temperature sensors 60 to arrive at an operating temperature of the DOC unit 60.
Referring to
A first universal exhaust gas oxygen (“UEGO”) sensor or lambda sensor 66 may be positioned in fluid communication with the flow of exhaust gas entering or upstream from the NOx adsorber 18 and a second UEGO sensor 68 may be positioned in fluid communication with the flow of exhaust gas exiting or downstream of the NOx adsorber 18. The UEGO sensors 66, 68 are connected with the ECU 28 and generate electric signals that are indicative of the amount of oxygen contained in the flow of exhaust gas. The UEGO sensors 66, 68 allow the ECU 28 to accurately monitor air-fuel ratios (“AFR”) also over a wide range thereby allowing the ECU 28 to determine a lambda value associated with the exhaust gas entering and exiting the NOx adsorber 18. In alternative embodiments, sensors 66, 68 may comprise NOx sensors utilized to monitor NOx values entering and exiting the NOx adsorber 18.
Referring to
Depending on the operating condition of the engine 12, for example, idle operation or under various driving conditions, the combustion manager module 102 may control output values for, amongst other parameters, the amount of fresh air flow and EGR flow that is permitted to enter the air intake manifold 26, the amount of fuel provided to cylinders and the timing of the fuel injection, fuel atomization, post-fuel injection, and so forth. As is relates to the present embodiment, the combustion manager module 102 is operable to control the engine 12 to operate in a lean operating mode or a rich operating mode when instructed by the after-treatment manager module 100.
As set forth above, the engine 12 includes an air intake system through which charge air is delivered to the cylinders into which fuel is injected at proper times during engine cycles by the fuel injectors 36. The engine 12 also includes an exhaust system for conveyance of exhaust gases created by the combustion process of the engine 12. The exhaust system 14 includes a NOx adsorber 18 that contains a catalyst that adsorbs NOx in the exhaust flow to limit the amount of NOx that passes through the exhaust system 14 to the environment. The NOx adsorber 18 also stores some of the excess oxygen present in the flow of exhaust. Regeneration of the NOx adsorber 18 is necessary in order to purge it of accumulated NOx and reduce the NOx to N2 so that it can continue to be effective. Regeneration is accomplished by passing reductant through the NOx adsorber 18, comprises HC, CO and H2. As it relates to the present system 10, reductant is supplied to the NOx adsorber 18 by controlling the engine 12 to operate in a rich mode.
There are two necessary steps to regenerate the catalyst contained in the NOx adsorber 18: 1) use the reductants to consume all of the oxygen stored on the NOx adsorber 18, and 2) use the reductants to remove the NOx stored on the NOx adsorber 18 and convert it to N2. Before the oxygen stored on the surface of the NOx adsorber 18 can be consumed, the oxygen in the flow of exhaust gas exiting the engine 12 must first be consumed. Once this is accomplished, any additional reductant supplied to the NOx adsorber 18 is used to consume the oxygen storage component on the catalyst of the NOx adsorber 18 and remove and convert the NOx that is stored on the NOx adsorber 18.
The term or time period in which reductant is supplied to the NOx adsorber 18 is based upon an amount of reductant that is required to consume all of the stored oxygen on the surface of the NOx adsorber 18 and remove and convert the stored NOx. The reductant amount needed to completely regenerate the NOx adsorber 18 will vary based on the type of catalyst, formulation, and age of the NOx adsorber 18. As set forth in detail below, the method for determining this term is to integrate the difference in the amount of fuel being supplied by the fuel system 34 (as seen by the first UEGO sensor 66 at the inlet of the NOx adsorber 18 and utilizing a fresh air flow (“FAF”) value obtained by the mass air flow sensor 33) and the amount of fuel necessary to achieve a stoichiometric air to fuel ratio at the inlet of the NOx adsorber 18. After supplying the appropriate amount of reductant to the NOx adsorber 18, the regeneration will end and the engine operating condition is returned to normal by the combustion manager module 102.
Referring to
Referring to
Referring back to
After the total fuel quantity supplied by the fuel system 34 to the engine 12 has been determined using the fuel system supply module 110 and the amount of fuel necessary to create a stoichiometric air to fuel ratio at the inlet of the NOx adsorber 18 has been determined, these values are passed to a reductant calculation module 114. The reductant calculation module 114 is used to calculate an amount or quantity of reductant necessary to regenerate the NOx adsorber 18. To provide reductant to the NOx adsorber 18, the combustion manager module 102 uses engine management to operate the engine 12 in a rich operating mode. Controlling the engine 12 to operate in a rich mode, where the lambda value at the inlet of the NOx adsorber 18 is less than 1, places reductant in the flow of exhaust leaving the exhaust manifold 38.
The reductant calculation module 114 calculates how much reductant is being provided to regenerate the NOx adsorber 18 using the following equation: Regeneration Reductant=∫(((FAF/λinlet)−FAF)/14.7)*454/60*dt. As such, the reductant calculation module 114 calculates the amount of reductant being supplied to regenerate the NOx adsorber 18 by integrating the difference in the amount of fuel being supplied by the fuel system 34 (as seen by the UEGO sensor 66 upstream from the NOx adsorber 18 and utilizing the fresh air flow value provided by the mass air flow sensor 33) and the amount of fuel necessary to achieve a stoichiometric air to fuel ratio at the entrance to the NOx adsorber 18.
Referring to
As the combustion manager module 102 controls the engine 12 to operate in a rich mode, reductant used to regenerate the NOx adsorber 18 is supplied to the NOx adsorber 18. The amount of reductant supplied to the NOx adsorber 18 during regeneration is cumulated by the reductant counter 116, which is illustrated at block 208. After the appropriate amount of reductant has been supplied to the NOx adsorber 18, once the reductant counter 116 reaches a calibrated high threshold value, the combustion manager module 102 returns the engine operating condition to normal operating mode, which is illustrated at block 210. The calibrated high threshold value is determined empirically and will vary based on many factors not limited to the catalyst type, formulation, and amount of NOx and oxygen stored between regeneration events.
Referring to
Additional control strategies may be implemented by the after-treatment manager module 100 built around the regeneration reductant term. For instance, if a regeneration event is forced to end prematurely, the after-treatment manager module 100 can determine how much reductant was supplied versus the target and schedule the next regeneration event earlier than normal to compensate for the previous incomplete regeneration event.
While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the inventions are desired to be protected. It should be understood that while the use of words such as preferable, preferably, preferred or more preferred utilized in the description above indicate that the feature so described may be more desirable, it nonetheless may not be necessary and embodiments lacking the same may be contemplated as within the scope of the invention, the scope being defined by the claims that follow. In reading the claims, it is intended that when words such as “a,” “an,” “at least one,” or “at least one portion” are used there is no intention to limit the claim to only one item unless specifically stated to the contrary in the claim. When the language “at least a portion” and/or “a portion” is used the item can include a portion and/or the entire item unless specifically stated to the contrary.
The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/876,636 filed Dec. 22, 2006, which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60876636 | Dec 2006 | US |
