Apparatus, System, and Method for Aftertreatment Control and Diagnostics

• US 20110170102A1
• Filed: 11/02/2009
• Published: 07/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Inventors: Janssen, John M., Schneider, Matthew L., Lindner, Frederick H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,223,337 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/438
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/108 using optical methods
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/155 Monitoring cleanness of window, lens, or other parts
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/59 Transmissivity G01N21/25 takes precedence

Abstract

A method includes providing an exhaust stream for an internal combustion engine, where the exhaust stream is fluidly coupled to an aftertreatment component. The method includes optically determining an amount of an exhaust gas constituent in the exhaust stream. The method further includes modifying a model stored on a computer readable medium in response to the amount of the exhaust gas constituent. The model is an engine NO_x generation model, a catalyst NO_x storage model, a catalyst NO_x conversion model, a catalyst NO to NO₂ conversion model, a catalyst conversion efficiency model, an engine soot generation model, and/or a urea hydrolysis model.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing an exhaust stream for an internal combustion engine, the exhaust stream fluidly coupled to an aftertreatment component;

optically determining an amount of an exhaust gas constituent in the exhaust stream during the operation of the internal combustion engine; and

diagnosing the aftertreatment component in response to the amount of the exhaust gas constituent.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the exhaust gas constituent comprises NO_x, and wherein diagnosing the aftertreatment component comprises determining a catalyst effectiveness.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the catalyst effectiveness comprises one of determining a catalyst adsorption effectiveness and a catalyst conversion effectiveness.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the exhaust gas constituent comprises soot.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein diagnosing the aftertreatment component comprises determining that a soot filter has failed.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising determining a size of the soot.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the exhaust gas constituent comprises NO, the method further comprising determining an amount of NO₂, and wherein diagnosing the aftertreatment component comprises determining a catalyst NO to NO₂ conversion effectiveness.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the exhaust gas constituent comprises urea, and wherein diagnosing the aftertreatment component comprises determining a urea injector compliance.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the exhaust gas constituent comprises urea, and wherein diagnosing the aftertreatment component comprises diagnosing an injected urea composition.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the exhaust gas constituent comprises urea, the method further comprising determining the exhaust gas constituent at a plurality of spatially divided portions of the exhaust stream.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein diagnosing the aftertreatment component comprises diagnosing at least one condition selected from the conditions consisting of:

urea accumulation, urea mal-distribution, a urea injector failure, and a urea hydrolysis failure.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the diagnosing the aftertreatment component comprises diagnosing a composition sensor.

13. An apparatus, comprising:

an optical sensor structured to determine an amount of an exhaust gas constituent in an exhaust stream of an internal combustion engine during the operation of the internal combustion engine;

a performance analysis module structured to determine a component performance description in response to the amount of the exhaust gas constituent; and

a performance feedback module structured to adjust an engine operating parameter in response to the component performance description.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the component performance description comprises a functional performance description of a physical component comprising a component selected from the components consisting of:

a NO_x adsorption catalyst, a NO_x conversion catalyst, an NO—

NO₂ conversion catalyst, an oxidation catalyst, a soot filter, and a reductant injector.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the component performance description comprises a functional performance description of a physical component and wherein the functional performance description comprises a description selected from the descriptions consisting of:

a catalyst conversion efficiency value, a catalyst storage capacity value, a filter integrity value, and an injection compliance value.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the component performance description comprises a functional performance description of a model, and wherein the performance feedback module is further structured to adjust an engine operating parameter by modifying the model.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the model comprises a model selected from the models consisting of:

an engine-out soot model, an engine-out NO_x model, an engine-out NO_x composition model, a NO_x adsorption model, a NO_x release model, a NO_x conversion model, a hydrocarbon oxidation model, an ammonia slip model, an unburned hydrocarbon slip model, and a urea hydrolysis model.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the exhaust gas constituent comprises an amount of ammonia and an amount of NO_x, wherein the component performance description comprises an ammonia:

NO_x ratio, and wherein the engine operating parameter comprises a urea injection rate.

19. A method comprising:

providing an exhaust stream for an internal combustion engine, the exhaust stream fluidly coupled to an aftertreatment component;

optically determining an amount of an exhaust gas constituent in the exhaust stream during the operation of the internal combustion engine; and

modifying a model stored on a computer readable medium in response to the amount of the exhaust gas constituent.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the modifying the model comprises at least one modifying action selected from the modifying actions consisting of calibrating a modeling parameter, resetting a modeling parameter, and resetting an integrator.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the exhaust gas constituent comprises soot, and wherein the modifying the model comprises calibrating an engine soot generation model.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the exhaust gas constituent comprises NO_x, and wherein the modifying the model comprises at least one modifying action selected from the modifying actions consisting of calibrating an engine NO_x generation model, modifying a catalyst NO_x storage model, modifying a catalyst NO_x conversion model, and modifying a catalyst NO to NO₂ conversion model.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the exhaust gas constituent comprises urea, the method further comprising determining the exhaust gas constituent at a plurality of spatially divided portions of the exhaust stream, and wherein the modifying the model comprises modifying a urea hydrolysis model.