METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REGENERATING A PARTICULATE FILTER SYSTEM

• US 20110225949A1
• Filed: 03/19/2010
• Published: 09/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Bhatia, Garima, Tewari, Asim
• Granted Patent: US 8,347,612 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/274
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/12 using control strategies taking into account route information estimation or calculation of non-directly measurable driving parameters B60W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/16 for reducing engine exhaust emissions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/12 Catalyst or filter state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/215 Selection or confirmation of options
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/00 Input parameters relating to infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/45 External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0644 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0666 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0694 Engine exhaust temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1882 characterised by the working point of the engine, e.g. by using engine output chart
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/476 Regeneration of particle filters
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/023 using means for regenerating the filters, e.g. by burning trapped particles by electrically controlling the supply of combustible mixture or its constituents only F02D41/0235
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 9/002 : of filter regeneration, e.g. detection of clogging
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 : Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A method for regenerating a particulate filter configured to treat engine exhaust gas in a vehicle equipped with an on-board navigation and an extra-vehicle communications system includes monitoring present operation of the vehicle, projecting vehicle operating conditions based upon information from the on-board navigation and the extra-vehicle communications system, monitoring a storage capacity of the particulate filter, executing a control scheme to regenerate the particulate filter when the storage capacity of the particulate filter exceeds an upper threshold, executing the control scheme to regenerate the particulate filter when the storage capacity of the particulate filter is less than the upper threshold and in response to an operator request to regenerate the particulate filter, and executing the engine control scheme to regenerate the particulate filter when the storage capacity of the particulate filter is less than the upper threshold and the projected vehicle operating conditions indicate an opportunity to regenerate the particulate filter.

Claims

1. A method for regenerating a particulate filter configured to treat engine exhaust gas in a vehicle equipped with an on-board navigation and an extra-vehicle communications system, comprising:

monitoring present operation of the vehicle;

projecting vehicle operating conditions based upon information from the on-board navigation and the extra-vehicle communications system;

monitoring a storage capacity of the particulate filter;

executing a control scheme to regenerate the particulate filter when the storage capacity of the particulate filter exceeds an upper threshold;

executing the control scheme to regenerate the particulate filter when the storage capacity of the particulate filter is less than the upper threshold and in response to an operator request to regenerate the particulate filter; and

executing the engine control scheme to regenerate the particulate filter when the storage capacity of the particulate filter is less than the upper threshold and the projected vehicle operating conditions indicate an opportunity to regenerate the particulate filter.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising delaying executing the control scheme to regenerate the particulate filter when the storage capacity of the particulate filter is less than a lower threshold.

3. A method for regenerating a particulate filter configured to treat engine exhaust gas in a vehicle equipped with an on-board navigation and an extra-vehicle communications system, comprising:

monitoring present operations of the engine and the vehicle;

projecting vehicle operating conditions based upon information from the on-board navigation and the extra-vehicle communications system;

monitoring a storage capacity of the particulate filter;

executing an engine control scheme to regenerate the particulate filter when the storage capacity of the particulate filter exceeds an upper threshold;

executing the engine control scheme to regenerate the particulate filter when the storage capacity of the particulate filter is less than the upper threshold and in response to an operator request to regenerate the particulate filter;

executing the engine control scheme to regenerate the particulate filter when the storage capacity of the particulate filter is less than the upper threshold and the projected vehicle operating conditions indicate an opportunity to regenerate the particulate filter; and

delaying executing the engine control scheme to regenerate the particulate filter when the storage capacity of the particulate filter is less than a lower threshold.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising executing the engine control scheme to regenerate the particulate filter only when the storage capacity of the particulate filter is greater than the lower threshold.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein projecting vehicle operating conditions based upon information from the on-board navigation and the extra-vehicle communications system further comprises:

predicting a travel path;

monitoring road conditions, traffic conditions, and weather conditions for the predicted travel path; and

projecting a vehicle load for the predicted travel path associated with the road conditions, traffic conditions, and weather conditions.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein executing the engine control scheme to regenerate the particulate filter includes commanding operation of the engine to an operating point and an air/fuel ratio to achieve a temperature in excess of 600°

C. in the particulate filter.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the vehicle is further equipped with a hybrid powertrain system including a hybrid transmission coupled to the internal combustion engine, the method further comprising:

determining an operator torque request;

transferring mechanical power generated by the engine in excess of the operator torque request to a torque machine associated with the hybrid transmission during the commanded operation of the engine to the operating point and an air/fuel ratio in excess of 600°

C. in the particulate filter.

8. A method for regenerating a particulate filter configured to treat engine exhaust gas in a vehicle equipped with an on-board navigation and an extra-vehicle communications system, comprising:

projecting vehicle operating conditions based upon information available using the on-board navigation and the extra-vehicle communications system;

monitoring present operation of the vehicle and a storage capacity of the particulate filter;

regenerating the particulate filter in response to an operator request to regenerate the particulate filter;

regenerating the particulate filter when the projected vehicle operating conditions indicate a forthcoming opportunity to regenerate the particulate filter; and

delaying regenerating the particulate filter when the storage capacity of the particulate filter is less than a lower threshold.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein regenerating the particulate filter when the projected vehicle operating conditions indicate a forthcoming opportunity to regenerate the particulate filter further comprises regenerating the particulate filter only when the storage capacity of the particulate filter is less than an upper threshold.