HYBRID CATALYST RADIANT PREHEATING SYSTEM

• US 20110277449A1
• Filed: 05/11/2010
• Published: 11/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2010
• 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: SPOHN, Brian L., ROOS, Bryan Nathaniel, GONZE, Eugene V., SANTOSO, Halim G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,720,193 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/274
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/009 having two or more separate purifying devices arranged in series
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/0097 the purifying devices are arranged in a single housing
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2900/0602 Electrical exhaust heater signals
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2900/08 said parameters being related to the engine
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2900/1404 Exhaust gas temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2900/1602 Temperature of exhaust gas apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/035 with catalytic reactors , e.g. catalysed diesel particulate filters
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/2026 directly electrifying the catalyst substrate, i.e. heating the electrically conductive catalyst substrate by joule effect
• 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: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

A catalyst heating system includes a monitoring module, a mode selection module and an electrically heated catalyst (EHC) control module. The monitoring module monitors at least one of (i) a first active volume of a catalyst assembly in an exhaust system of an engine and (ii) a first temperature of a non-EHC of the catalyst assembly. The mode selection module is configured to select a non-EHC radiant heating mode and generate a mode signal based on the at least one of the first active catalyst volume and the first temperature. An EHC control module increases temperature of the EHC to an elevated temperature that is greater than a stabilization temperature based on the mode signal. The stabilization temperature is greater than a catalyst light off temperature.

Claims

1. A catalyst heating system comprising:

a first monitoring module that monitors at least one of (i) a first active volume of a catalyst assembly in an exhaust system of an engine and (ii) a first temperature of a non-electrically heated catalyst (EHC) of the catalyst assembly;

a mode selection module configured to select a non-EHC radiant heating mode and generate a mode signal based on the at least one of the first active catalyst volume and the first temperature; and

an EHC control module that increases temperature of the EHC to an elevated temperature that is greater than a stabilization temperature based on the mode signal,

wherein the stabilization temperature is greater than a catalyst light off temperature.

2. The catalyst heating system of claim 1, wherein:

the EHC control heating module supplies current to the EHC via a EHC heating circuit to increase the temperature of the EHC when the engine is deactivated; and

the engine is deactivated when spark and fuel of the engine are disabled.

3. The catalyst heating system of claim 1, further comprising a first comparison module that compares the first active catalyst volume to a predetermined active volume and generates a first comparison signal,

wherein the mode selection module selects the EHC radiant heating mode when the first comparison signal indicates that the first active catalyst volume is less than the predetermined active volume.

4. The catalyst heating system of claim 3, further comprising a second comparison module that compares a second active catalyst volume of the catalyst assembly to an active start volume and generates a second comparison signal,

wherein the mode selection module selects an EHC stabilization mode when the second comparison signal indicates that the second active catalyst volume is greater than the active start volume.

5. The catalyst heating system of claim 4, wherein the active start volume is a minimum active volume of the catalyst assembly requested before starting the engine.

6. The catalyst heating system of claim 4, wherein the EHC control module:

increases temperature of the EHC to the elevated temperature during the EHC radiant heating mode; and

decreases temperature of the EHC to the stabilization temperature during the EHC stabilization mode.

7. The catalyst heating system of claim 4, further comprising the EHC,

wherein the EHC radiantly heats the non-EHC during the radiant heating mode, and

wherein the EHC provides less radiant heating of the non-EHC during the EHC stabilization mode than during the radiant heating mode.

8. The catalyst heating system of claim 1, further comprising a first comparison module that compares the first temperature to a catalyst light off temperature and generates a first comparison signal,

wherein the mode selection module selects the EHC radiant heating mode when the first comparison signal indicates that the first temperature is less than the catalyst light off temperature.

9. The catalyst heating system of claim 8, further comprising a second comparison module that compares a second temperature of the non-EHC to a start temperature and generates a second comparison signal,

wherein the mode selection module selects the EHC stabilization mode when the second comparison signal indicates that the second temperature is greater than the start temperature.

11. The catalyst heating system of claim 1, wherein:

the start temperature is greater than the catalyst light off temperature; and

the start temperature is less than the elevated temperature.

12. The catalyst heating system of claim 1, further comprising the catalyst assembly, wherein:

the catalyst assembly comprises the non-EHC and the EHC;

the EHC is upstream from the non-EHC; and

the EHC control module controls transfer of heat from the EHC to the non-EHC during the radiant heating mode.

13. The catalyst heating system of claim 1, the EHC control module increases temperature of the EHC of the catalyst assembly to an elevated temperature based on an engine speed signal.

14. The catalyst heating system of claim 1, the EHC control module increases temperature of the EHC of the catalyst assembly to an elevated temperature when speed of the engine is less than a predetermined speed.

10. The catalyst heating system of claim 10, wherein the start temperature is a minimum catalyst temperature requested before starting the engine.

15. A method of operating a catalyst heating system comprising:

monitoring at least one of (i) a first active volume of a catalyst assembly in an exhaust system of an engine and (ii) a first temperature of a non-electrically heated catalyst (EHC) of the catalyst assembly;

selecting a non-EHC radiant heating mode and generating a mode signal based on the at least one of the first active catalyst volume and the first temperature; and

increasing temperature of the EHC to an elevated temperature that is greater than a stabilization temperature based on the mode signal,

wherein the stabilization temperature is greater than a catalyst light off temperature.

16. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

comparing the first active catalyst volume to a predetermined active volume and generating a first comparison signal; and

selecting the EHC radiant heating mode when the first comparison signal indicates that the first active catalyst volume is less than the predetermined active volume.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

comparing the first temperature to a catalyst light off temperature and generating a first comparison signal; and

selecting the EHC radiant heating mode when the first comparison signal indicates that the first temperature is less than the catalyst light off temperature.

17. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

comparing a second active catalyst volume of the catalyst assembly to an active start volume and generating a second comparison signal; and

selecting an EHC stabilization mode when the second comparison signal indicates that the second active catalyst volume is greater than the active start volume.

18. The method of claim 18, comprising:

increasing temperature of the EHC to the elevated temperature during the EHC radiant heating mode; and

decreasing temperature of the EHC to the stabilization temperature during the EHC stabilization mode,

wherein the EHC is deactivated during the EHC stabilization mode.