Methods and system for an evaporative emissions system leak test using an external pressure source

• US 10,036,681 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2015
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Dudar, Aed M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Manish S
• Assistant Examiner(s): PLUMB, NIGEL H
• Application Number:
  US14/799,742
• Publication Number:
  US 20170016794A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,112 Days
• Field of Search: 73 405, 73 40, 73 37, 73 157
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 11/029 Expansion reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/08 adding fuel vapours drawn from engine fuel reservoir electrical control of purge system F02D41/003
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/0818 having means for pressurising the evaporative emission space
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/025 Details with respect to the testing of engines or engine parts

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for conducting an evaporative emissions system leak test. In one example, at engine shut-down, pressure stored in a coolant degas bottle is applied to a fuel system in order to pressurize the system. In this way, pressure build-up in the degas bottle may be advantageously utilized to enable a leak test to be conducted.

Claims

1. A method for an engine, comprising:

at engine shut-down, applying pressure stored in a coolant system degas bottle, coupled to an engine cooling system and to a fuel system via a vapor line, to the fuel system including a fuel vapor canister coupled to an engine intake and a fuel tank; and

indicating a leak in the fuel system responsive to a pressure measured by a pressure sensor.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

indicating whether a heat rejection index is below a threshold, and wherein applying pressure stored in the coolant system degas bottle to the fuel system comprises only applying pressure stored in the coolant system degas bottle to the fuel system when the heat rejection index is below the threshold.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein indicating whether the heat rejection index is below the threshold is based on one or more of fuel level, ambient temperature, sum of air mass into the engine, and drive time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein applying pressure stored in the coolant system degas bottle to the fuel system comprises commanding open a routing valve positioned in the vapor line, the vapor line fluidically coupled to a canister vent line of the fuel system, the canister vent line coupling the fuel vapor canister to atmosphere.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein applying pressure stored in the coolant system degas bottle to the fuel system includes commanding or maintaining closed a canister vent valve and a canister purge valve.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising, after opening the routing valve, sealing the fuel system by commanding closed the routing valve when fuel system pressure crosses a threshold.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

once the fuel system pressure crosses the threshold, maintaining the routing valve closed and measuring a pressure bleed-down rate in the fuel system with the pressure sensor;

wherein indicating the leak in the fuel system responsive to the pressure measured by the pressure sensor comprises indicating a leak in the fuel system responsive to a pressure bleed-down rate greater than a first threshold bleed-down rate; and

indicating no leak in the fuel system responsive to a pressure bleed-down rate less than a second threshold bleed-down rate.

8. A method for a fuel system comprising:

responsive to a first condition, isolating the fuel system from atmosphere and indicating a leak in the fuel system based on a pressure build-up in the fuel system, where pressure in the fuel system builds due to heat rejection from one or more of an engine and ambient and the pressure build-up is measured by a pressure sensor; and

responsive to a second condition, pressurizing the fuel system via pressure stored in a coolant system degas bottle and indicating a leak in the fuel system based on a pressure bleed-down in the fuel system as measured by the pressure sensor, the coolant system degas bottle coupled to a cooling system configured to route coolant to the engine, and additionally coupled to the fuel system via a vapor line fluidically coupling the coolant system degas bottle to a canister vent line of the fuel system.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first condition comprises an engine-off event with a determined heat rejection index above a threshold, and wherein the second condition comprises an engine-off event with a determined heat rejection index below the threshold.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the first condition comprises an engine-off event, and wherein the second condition comprises the pressure build-up during the first condition not reaching a threshold pressure.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein pressurizing the fuel system via pressure stored in the coolant system degas bottle includes:

commanding open a routing valve positioned in the vapor line coupling the coolant system degas bottle to the fuel system; and

commanding closed or maintaining closed a canister purge valve and a canister vent valve.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein pressurizing the fuel system via pressure stored in the coolant system degas bottle includes pressurizing the fuel system via pressure stored in the coolant system degas bottle until a threshold pressure is reached.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising, responsive to reaching the threshold pressure, sealing the fuel system by commanding closed the routing valve and maintaining closed the canister purge valve and the canister vent valve.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein isolating the fuel system from atmosphere responsive to the first condition includes sealing the fuel system by commanding or maintaining closed a canister vent valve and a canister purge valve.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising, responsive to indicating a leak in the fuel system, adjusting one or more engine operating parameters.

16. A system for an engine comprising:

a fuel system including a fuel vapor canister coupled to an engine intake via a canister purge valve and additionally coupled to a fuel tank, the fuel system further including a canister vent line coupled between the fuel vapor canister and atmosphere and controlled via a canister vent valve; and

a coolant system degas bottle coupled to a cooling system configured to route coolant to the engine, and additionally coupled to the fuel system via a routing valve positioned in a vapor line fluidically coupling the coolant system degas bottle to the canister vent line of the fuel system.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a controller storing instructions in non-transitory memory that, when executed, cause the controller to;

responsive to an engine-off condition with a heat rejection index above a threshold;

isolate the fuel system from atmosphere by closing the canister vent valve and the canister purge valve; and

indicate a fuel system leak responsive to a pressure build-up rate in the fuel system below a threshold pressure build-up rate.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller includes further instructions that, when executed, cause the controller to, responsive to an engine-off condition with a heat rejection index below the threshold:

isolate the fuel system from atmosphere by closing the canister vent valve and the canister purge valve;

pressurize the fuel system by opening the routing valve;

upon reaching a threshold pressure level in the fuel system, close the routing valve; and

indicate a fuel system leak responsive to a pressure decay rate in the fuel system greater than a threshold pressure decay rate.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller further holds instructions stored in non-transitory memory that, when executed, cause the controller to, during conditions of vapor canister purging:

command or maintain open the canister purge valve and the canister vent valve; and

command or maintain closed the routing valve.

20. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a filter membrane positioned between the coolant system degas bottle and the routing valve; and

a liquid trap positioned between the filter membrane and the routing valve.