INDUCTIVELY HEATED PARTICULATE MATTER FILTER REGENERATION CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20090074630A1
• Filed: 09/12/2008
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Gonze, Eugene V., Paratore, Michael J. JR., Kirby, Kevin W., Phelps, Amanda, Gregoire, Daniel J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,292,987 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/174
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/009 having two or more separate purifying devices arranged in series
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/027 using electric or magnetic heating means
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/035 with catalytic reactors , e.g. catalysed diesel particulate filters

Abstract

A system includes a particulate matter (PM) filter with an upstream end for receiving exhaust gas, a downstream end and zones. The system also includes a heating element. A control module selectively activates the heating element to inductively heat one of the zones.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a particulate matter (PM) filter comprises an upstream end for receiving exhaust gas, a downstream end and a plurality of zones;

a heating element; and

a control module that selectively activates said heating element to inductively heat one of said zones.

2. The system of claim 1 comprising a plurality of heating elements,

wherein said control module selectively activates one of said plurality of heating elements to inductively heat one of said zones.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said control module activates a heating element nearest said downstream end prior to activation of other heating elements.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said control module sequentially activates heating elements from said downstream end to said upstream end.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said control module regenerates a zone of said PM filter nearest said downstream end prior to regenerating other zones.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said control module sequentially regenerates said plurality of zones from said downstream end to said upstream end.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said heating element comprises a plurality of coils.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said heating element generates a magnetic field, and

wherein particulate matter in one of said zones increases in temperature based on said magnetic field.

9. The system of claim 4 wherein said heating element surrounds one of said zones.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said control module selects at least one of current and voltage to apply to said heating element.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said control module selects frequency of current applied to said heating element.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said frequency is approximately between 50 KHz-450 KHz

13. A method comprising:

receiving an exhaust gas via a particulate matter (PM) filter that has an upstream end, a downstream end and a plurality of zones; and

selectively activating one of a plurality of heating elements to inductively heat one of said zones.

14. The method of claim 13 comprising activating said heating elements axially along said PM filter.

15. The method of claim 13 comprising activating said heating elements one at a time.

16. The method of claim 13 comprising:

generating a first heating element signal to regenerate a first zone of said PM filter; and

generating a second heating element signal to regenerate a second zone of said PM filter after regeneration of said first zone.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said first zone is downstream from said second zone.

18. A system comprising:

a plurality of heating elements that are in communication with a particulate matter filter that receives an exhaust gas; and

a control module that selectively activates one of said heating elements to inductively heat a zone of said particulate matter filter.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said control module regenerates zones of said particulate matter filter from a downstream end to an upstream end of said particulate matter filter.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein control module regenerates a second zone after and independent of regeneration of a first zone.