SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REMOVING PARTICULATE MATTER FROM A DIESEL PARTICULATE FILTER
First Claim
1. A system for removing particulate matter from a particulate filter, said particulate filter comprising at least one particulate filter unit to filter said particulate matter from engine exhaust gas received from an internal combustion engine of a locomotive, said system comprising:
- at least one sensor configured to determine the extent of trapped particulate matter within said at least one particulate filter unit;
an engine controller coupled to said at least one sensor and said engine; and
a locomotive controller coupled to said engine controller, said locomotive controller including an algorithm to create a trip plan to optimize the performance of the locomotive along a route in accordance with a power setting of said engine at each location along the route;
wherein said at least one sensor is configured to output a first alert signal to said engine controller upon said trapped particulate matter exceeding a predetermined threshold, said engine controller is configured to communicate with said locomotive controller upon receiving said first alert signal to determine a time region or distance region within said trip plan when said power setting exceeds a power threshold, said engine controller is configured to increase the temperature of said exhaust gas entering said at least one particulate filter unit during said time region or distance region.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system is provided for removing particulate matter from a diesel particulate filter. The system includes an engine controller coupled to the diesel engine, and to a locomotive controller. The locomotive controller includes an algorithm to create a trip plan to optimize the performance of the locomotive along a route in accordance with a power setting of the diesel engine at each location along the route. Each sensor is configured to output a first alert signal to the engine controller once the trapped particulate matter exceeds a predetermined threshold. Upon receiving the first alert signal, the engine controller communicates with the locomotive controller to determine a time region or distance region within the trip plan when the power setting exceeds a power threshold. The engine controller increases the temperature of the diesel exhaust gas entering the diesel particulate filter during the time region or distance region.
41 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A system for removing particulate matter from a particulate filter, said particulate filter comprising at least one particulate filter unit to filter said particulate matter from engine exhaust gas received from an internal combustion engine of a locomotive, said system comprising:
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at least one sensor configured to determine the extent of trapped particulate matter within said at least one particulate filter unit; an engine controller coupled to said at least one sensor and said engine; and a locomotive controller coupled to said engine controller, said locomotive controller including an algorithm to create a trip plan to optimize the performance of the locomotive along a route in accordance with a power setting of said engine at each location along the route; wherein said at least one sensor is configured to output a first alert signal to said engine controller upon said trapped particulate matter exceeding a predetermined threshold, said engine controller is configured to communicate with said locomotive controller upon receiving said first alert signal to determine a time region or distance region within said trip plan when said power setting exceeds a power threshold, said engine controller is configured to increase the temperature of said exhaust gas entering said at least one particulate filter unit during said time region or distance region. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 33)
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26. A method for removing particulate matter from a particulate filter, said particulate filter comprising at least one particulate filter unit to filter said particulate matter from engine exhaust gas received from a engine of a locomotive, said method comprising:
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determining the extent of trapped particulate matter within said at least one particulate filter unit by positioning at least one sensor adjacent to said at least one particulate filter unit; creating a trip plan to optimize the performance of the locomotive along a route in accordance with a power setting of said engine at each location along the route; configuring said at least one sensor to output a first alert signal to said engine controller upon said trapped particulate matter exceeding a predetermined threshold; configuring said engine controller to communicate with a locomotive controller upon receiving said first alert signal to determine a time region or distance region within said trip plan when said power setting of said engine is greater than a power threshold; and configuring said engine controller to increase the temperature of said exhaust gas entering said at least one particulate filter unit during said time region or distance region upon receiving said first alert signal. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. Computer readable media containing program instructions for removing particulate matter from a particulate filter, said particulate filter comprising at least one particulate filter unit to filter said particulate matter from engine exhaust gas received from a engine, said computer readable media comprising a computer program code for configuring said engine controller to increase the temperature of said exhaust gas entering said particulate filter upon receiving said first alert signal.
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34. A system for removing particulate matter from a particulate filter, said particulate filter comprising at least one particulate filter unit to filter said particulate matter from engine exhaust gas received from an internal combustion engine of a locomotive, said system comprising:
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at least one sensor configured to determine at least one of a current load and a loading rate of particulate matter within said at least one particulate filter unit; an engine controller coupled to said at least one sensor and said engine; and a locomotive controller coupled to said engine controller, said locomotive controller including an algorithm to create a trip plan to optimize the performance of the locomotive along a route in accordance with a power setting of said engine at each location along the route; wherein said at least one sensor is configured to continuously output a first alert signal to said engine controller, said first alert signal including said current load and said loading rate of said at least one particulate filter unit, said engine controller is configured to determine a projected load and projected loading rate of said at least one particulate filter unit along said route based upon said trip plan, said engine controller is configured to communicate with said locomotive controller to determine a time gap or distance gap based upon said trip plan along said route until said at least one particulate filter is fully loaded with said particulate matter, said engine controller is configured to determine a time region or distance region within said respective time gap or distance gap to remove said particulate matter from said at least one particulate filter unit, said determination of said time region or distance region based upon at least one of said current load, said loading rate, said projected load, said projected loading rate, and said time gap or said distance gap, said engine controller being configured to increase the temperature of said exhaust gas entering said at least one particulate filter unit during said time region or distance region.
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35. A method for removing particulate matter from a particulate filter, said particulate filter comprising at least one particulate filter unit to filter said particulate matter from engine exhaust gas received from a engine of a locomotive, said method comprising:
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transmitting a first alert signal comprising at least one of a current load and a loading rate of particulate matter within said at least one particulate filter unit from at least one sensor adjacent to an engine controller; creating a trip plan to optimize the performance of the locomotive along a route in accordance with a power setting of said engine at each location along the route; determining a projected load and projected loading rate of said at least one particulate filter unit along said route based upon said trip plan; determining a time gap or distance gap based upon said trip plan along said route until said at least one particulate filter is fully loaded with said particulate matter; and determining a time region or distance region within said respective time gap or distance gap to remove said particulate matter from said at least one particulate filter unit, said determining said time region or distance region based upon at least one of said current load, said loading rate, said projected load, said projected loading rate, said time region and said distance region; and increasing the temperature of said exhaust gas entering said at least one particulate filter unit during said time region or distance region.
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Specification