Method and apparatus for controlling a fuel-fired burner of an emission abatement assembly

• US 20050153250A1
• Filed: 08/31/2004
• Published: 07/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ET US Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: ET US Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Johnson, Randall J., Crawley, Wilbur H., Kong, Yougen, Taylor, William III
• Granted Patent: US 7,685,811 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 431/1
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 11/00 Monitoring or diagnostic devices for exhaust-gas treatment apparatus , e.g. for catalytic activity safety, indicating or supervising devices for internal combustion engines F02B77/08; testing of machines G01M13/00
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 11/002 the diagnostic devices measuring or estimating temperature or pressure in, or downstream of the exhaust apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/009 having two or more separate purifying devices arranged in series
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/011 having two or more purifying devices arranged in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2240/14 a fuel burner
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/025 using fuel burner or by adding fuel to exhaust
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/0256 the fuel being ignited by electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/035 with catalytic reactors , e.g. catalysed diesel particulate filters
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 9/002 of filter regeneration, e.g. detection of clogging
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/22 Safety or indicating devices for abnormal conditions in air/fuel ratio feedback systems F02D41/1495, in electric control linkage F02D11/107, in purge control systems F02M25/0809

Abstract

A method of operating a control unit of an emission abatement assembly includes communicating with an engine control unit of an internal combustion engine. An emission abatement assembly is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of operating a control unit of an emission abatement assembly, the method comprising the steps of:

monitoring operation of a fuel-fired burner of the emission abatement assembly and determining if predetermined conditions are present,

generating an error signal if the predetermined conditions are present, and

communicating the error signal to an engine control unit of an engine.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the control unit of the emission abatement assembly communicates with the engine control unit of the engine via a network interface, and

the communicating step comprises communicating the error signal to the engine control unit via the network interface.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the network interface comprises a Controller Area Network (CAN) interface, and

the communicating step comprises communicating the error signal to the engine control unit via the CAN interface.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving information relating to engine operation from the engine control unit.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the receiving step comprises receiving information relating to engine speed from the engine control unit.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the receiving step comprises receiving information relating to turbo boost pressure from the engine control unit.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the control unit of the emission abatement assembly communicates with the engine control unit of the engine via a network interface, and

the receiving step comprises receiving information relating to engine operation from the engine control unit via the network interface.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein:

the network interface comprises a Controller Area Network (CAN) interface, and

the receiving step comprises receiving information relating to engine operation from the engine control unit via the CAN interface.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a control signal from the engine control unit, and

commencing operation of the fuel-fired burner in response to receipt of the control signal.

10. An emission abatement assembly, comprising:

a particulate filter,

a fuel-fired burner positioned upstream of the particulate filter, and

a controller comprising (i) a processor, and (ii) a memory device electrically coupled to the processor, the memory device having stored therein a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

monitor operation of a fuel-fired burner of the emission abatement assembly and determine if predetermined conditions are present,

generate an error signal if the predetermined conditions are present, and

communicate the error signal to an engine control unit of an engine.

11. The emission abatement assembly of claim 10, wherein:

the controller is electrically coupled to the engine control unit of the engine via a network interface, and

the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to communicate the error signal to the engine control unit via the network interface.

12. The emission abatement assembly of claim 11, wherein the network interface comprises a Controller Area Network (CAN) interface.

13. The emission abatement assembly of claim 10, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to receive information relating to engine operation from the engine control unit.

14. The emission abatement assembly of claim 13, wherein the information relating to engine operation comprises engine speed.

15. The emission abatement assembly of claim 13, wherein the information relating to engine operation comprises turbo boost pressure.

16. The emission abatement assembly of claim 13, wherein:

the controller is electrically coupled to the engine control unit of the engine via a network interface, and

the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to receive information relating to engine operation from the engine control unit via the network interface.

17. The emission abatement assembly of claim 16, wherein the network interface comprises a Controller Area Network (CAN) interface.

18. The emission abatement assembly of claim 10, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:

receive a control signal from the engine control unit, and

commence operation of the fuel-fired burner in response to receipt of the control signal.

19. A method of operating an engine control unit, the method comprising the steps of:

generating an injector signal with the engine control unit,

injecting fuel into a cylinder of an internal combustion engine in response to generation of the injector signal,

generating a burner control signal with the engine control unit, and

operating a fuel-fired burner of an emission abatement assembly based on the burner control signal.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein:

the emission abatement assembly comprises a particulate filter positioned downstream of the fuel-fired burner, and

the operating step comprises operating the fuel-fired burner to generate heat to regenerate the particulate filter.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the operating step comprises varying the amount of fuel introduced into the fuel-fired burner based on the burner control signal.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the operating step comprises varying the amount of air introduced into the fuel-fired burner based on the burner control signal.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the operating step comprises operating the fuel-fired burner to generate heat to regenerate the particulate filter, further comprising the steps of:

sensing the temperature of the heat produced by the fuel-fired burner and generating a temperature signal in response thereto, and

communicating the temperature signal to the engine control unit.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein:

the generating step comprises generating a startup control signal with the engine control unit, and

the operating step comprises commencing operation of the fuel-fired burner in response to generation of the startup control signal.

25. An engine control unit, comprising:

a processor, and

a memory device electrically coupled to the processor, the memory device having stored therein a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

execute a fuel injector control routine for controlling operation of a fuel injector assembly of an internal combustion engine, and

execute a burner control routine for controlling operation of a fuel-fired burner of an emission abatement assembly.

26. The engine control unit of claim 25, wherein:

the emission abatement assembly comprises a particulate filter positioned downstream of the fuel-fired burner, and

the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to execute the burner control routine to operate the fuel-fired burner to generate heat to regenerate the particulate filter.

27. The engine control unit of claim 26, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to execute the burner routine to vary the amount of fuel introduced into the fuel-fired burner.

28. The engine control unit of claim 26, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to execute the burner routine to vary the amount of air introduced into the fuel-fired burner.

29. The engine control unit of claim 25, wherein:

the processor is electrically coupled to a temperature sensor,

the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to execute the burner routine to monitor output from the temperature sensor to determine the temperature of the heat produced by the fuel-fired burner.

30. The engine control unit of claim 25, wherein:

the emission abatement assembly comprises a particulate filter positioned downstream of the fuel-fired burner, and

the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to execute the burner routine to;

(i) determine if the particulate filter is in need of regeneration, (ii) generate a startup control signal if the particulate filter is in need of regeneration, and (iii) commence operation of the fuel-fired burner in response to generation of the startup control signal.

31. An engine system, comprising:

an internal combustion engine having an electronically-controlled fuel injector assembly,

an emission abatement assembly having (i) a particulate filter configured to trap soot in the exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine, and (ii) a fuel-fired burner positioned upstream of the particulate filter, and

an engine control unit, the engine control unit being electrically coupled to both the fuel injector assembly and the fuel-fired burner.

32. The engine system of claim 31, wherein the engine control unit is configured to control operation of both the fuel injector assembly and the fuel-fired burner.

33. The engine system of claim 31, wherein the engine control unit is electrically coupled to a temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of heat produced by the fuel-fired burner.

34. The engine system of claim 31, wherein:

the fuel-fired burner comprises an electrode, and

the engine control unit is electrically coupled to the electrode.