USING GPS/MAP/TRAFFIC INFO TO CONTROL PERFORMANCE OF AFTERTREATMENT (AT) DEVICES

• US 20100043404A1
• Filed: 08/22/2008
• Published: 02/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2008
• 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: Wang, Yue-Yun, Hebbale, Kumaraswamy V., Narayanaswamy, Kushal, Chen, Jyh-Shin, Chang, Man-Feng
• Granted Patent: US 8,392,091 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/286
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 9/00 Electrical control of exhaust gas treating apparatus monitoring or diagnostic devices for exhaust-gas treatment apparatus F01N11/00; conjoint electrical control of two or more combustion engine functions F02D43/00
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/701 Information about vehicle position, e.g. from navigation system or GPS signal
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/702 Road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/021 Introducing corrections for particular conditions exterior to the engine conjoint control of vehicle sub-units for propelling the vehicle B60W30/18
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1446 the characteristics being exhaust temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1454 the characteristics being an oxygen content or concentration or the air-fuel ratio
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1463 of the exhaust gases downstream of exhaust gas treatment apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

A method for managing an exhaust aftertreatment system within a vehicle including a catalyst device includes monitoring a digital map device providing a predicted vehicle operating condition through a travel route, and determining a predicted exhaust gas temperature profile based upon the monitoring of the digital map device. Operation of the catalyst device is controlled based upon the predicted exhaust gas temperature profile.

Claims

1. Method for managing an exhaust aftertreatment system within a vehicle comprising a catalyst device, the method comprising:

monitoring a digital map device providing a predicted vehicle operating condition through a travel route;

determining a predicted exhaust gas temperature profile based upon said monitoring said digital map device; and

controlling operation of said catalyst device based upon said predicted exhaust gas temperature profile.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said catalyst device comprises a three way catalyst device, said exhaust aftertreatment system further comprises a selective catalytic reduction device, and controlling operation of said catalyst device comprises managing ammonia production in said three way catalyst device for use in said selective catalytic reduction device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said exhaust aftertreatment system further comprises a lean NOx trap, and said method further comprises controlling regeneration of said lean NOx trap.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling operation of said catalyst device comprises utilizing an auxiliary heating device to predictively heat said catalyst device by preheating said catalyst based upon expected engine start-up to operate said catalyst device at an operational temperature at engine start-up.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said catalyst device comprises a selective catalytic reduction device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said exhaust aftertreatment system further comprises a lean NOx trap located downstream of said auxiliary heating device.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said exhaust aftertreatment system further comprises a three-way catalyst device located downstream of said auxiliary heating device and upstream of said selective catalytic reduction device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling operation of said catalyst device comprises utilizing an auxiliary heating device to predictively heat said catalyst device in to maintain a minimum catalyst temperature.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said catalyst device is a lean NOx trap.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said catalyst device is a selective catalytic reduction device.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said catalytic device is a lean NOx trap, said exhaust aftertreatment system further comprises a selective catalytic reduction device, and said method further comprises controlling operation of said selective catalytic reduction device based upon said determining said predicted exhaust gas temperature profile.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein said catalyst device is a three way catalyst device.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein said vehicle includes a hybrid powertrain, and said utilizing said auxiliary heating device to predictively heat said catalyst device to maintain said minimum catalyst temperature includes heating based upon a hybrid control strategy.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein said catalyst device is a diesel oxidation catalyst device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said exhaust aftertreatment system further comprises a particulate filter device, and said method further comprises controlling regeneration of said particulate filter device.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling operation of said catalyst device comprises utilizing an air induction device to predictively cool said catalyst device to maintain a maximum catalyst temperature.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling operation of said catalyst device comprises utilizing an exhaust diverter valve to predictively channel exhaust gas away from said catalyst device to avoid catalyst damage from high temperature spikes within said catalyst device.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said controlling operation of said catalyst device comprises utilizing an air induction device to predictively introduce oxygenated air into said catalyst device during predicted lean engine operation to allow for favorable treatment of NOx.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling operation of said catalyst device comprises modulating engine operating modes to increase a temperature of an exhaust gas flow.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein modulating engine operating modes includes retarding a spark timing.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein modulating engine operating modes includes late in-cylinder fuel injection.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein modulating engine operating modes includes injecting fuel into said exhaust gas flow.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling operation of said catalyst device includes modulating engine operating modes to manage the exhaust gas content flowing to the catalytic device.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein modulating engine operating modes includes selecting between lean engine operation, rich engine operation, and stoichiometric engine operation.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein modulating engine operating modes including selecting between lean engine operation, rich engine operation, and stoichiometric engine operation among different engine cylinders.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein modulating engine operating modes includes selectively implementing homogeneous charge compression ignition operation.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein modulating engine operating modes includes selectively implementing pre-mixed charge compression ignition operation.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein modulating engine operating modes includes selectively implementing stratified charge operation.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling operation of said catalyst device comprises protecting said catalyst device from thermal changes as a result of engine start/stop events.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling operation of said catalyst device includes utilizing an engine start/stop strategy to modulate exhaust gas temperatures fed to said catalyst device.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling operation of said catalyst device includes modulating hybrid powertrain operating modes to manage the exhaust gas content flowing to the catalytic device.

32. Method for managing exhaust gas temperatures within an exhaust aftertreatment system within a vehicle comprising a catalyst device, the method comprising:

monitoring a digital map device providing a predicted vehicle operating condition through a travel route;

determining a predicted exhaust gas temperature profile based upon said monitoring said digital map device; and

selecting a catalyst device protection strategy based upon said predicted exhaust gas temperature profile.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein selecting said catalyst device protection strategy comprises selectively implementing electrical heating of said catalyst device to maintain a minimum catalyst temperature.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein selecting said catalyst device protection strategy comprises modulating engine operating modes including selecting between lean engine operation, rich engine operation, and stoichiometric engine operation.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein selecting said catalyst device protection strategy comprises utilizing an engine start/stop strategy.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein selecting said catalyst device protection strategy comprises diverting exhaust gas away from said catalyst device to avoid high temperature exhaust gas reaching said catalyst device.

37. The method of claim 32, wherein selecting said catalyst device protection strategy comprises injecting air into the exhaust aftertreatment system to modulate high exhaust gas temperatures.

38. The method of claim 32, wherein selecting said catalyst device protection strategy comprises:

selectively electrically heating said catalyst device to maintain a minimum catalyst temperature;

selectively modulating engine operating modes including selecting between lean engine operation, rich engine operation, and stoichiometric engine operation;

selectively utilizing an engine start/stop strategy;

selectively diverting exhaust gas away from said catalyst device to avoid high temperature exhaust gas reaching said catalyst device; and

selectively injecting air into the exhaust aftertreatment system to modulate high exhaust gas temperatures.