Systems and methods for engine-off natural vacuum leak testing with fuel enablement compensation

• US 10,190,934 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2015
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• 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., Mullins, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Larkin, Daniel S
• Application Number:
  US14/799,783
• Publication Number:
  US 20170016795A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,294 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/3272 for verifying the internal pressure of closed containers

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for increasing the robustness of engine off natural vacuum testing. In one example, following an engine-off event, a heat rejection inference is determined, and further adjusted based on a fuel level and ambient temperature. In this way, an evaporative emissions system leak test may be enabled under conditions where the leak test may otherwise not be executed, thus increasing opportunities for evaporative emissions system leak detection and correspondingly reducing bleed emissions.

Claims

1. A method for an evaporative emissions system, comprising:

adjusting a threshold for an evaporative emissions leak test entry condition that comprises an engine heat rejection inference for an engine run time duration, based on at least a fuel level;

responsive to the engine heat rejection inference being greater than the adjusted threshold, adjusting one or more pressure thresholds for an evaporative emissions leak test based on the engine heat rejection inference; and

indicating degradation of the evaporative emissions system based on the adjusted one or more pressure thresholds.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting the threshold for the engine heat rejection inference based on an ambient temperature.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the engine run time duration is a total engine run time between a most recent vehicle-off event and a previous vehicle-on event.

4. The method of claim 3, where the engine heat rejection inference is based on at least an engine intake mass air flow summation between the most recent vehicle-off event and the previous vehicle-on event.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the engine heat rejection inference is based on at least a number of miles driven between the most recent vehicle-off event and the previous vehicle-on event.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

initiating the evaporative emissions leak test only when the engine heat rejection inference is greater than the adjusted threshold.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the evaporative emissions leak test is an engine-off natural vacuum test.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the one or more pressure thresholds is a pressure rise threshold for the engine-off natural vacuum test.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the one or more pressure thresholds is a vacuum threshold for the engine-off natural vacuum test.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting one or more evaporative emissions system operating parameters responsive to an indication of degradation.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more evaporative emissions system operating parameters comprise a fuel vapor canister purge schedule.