METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PREDICTING PEAK TEMPERATURE IN A VEHICLE PARTICULATE FILTER

• US 20120031080A1
• Filed: 08/06/2010
• Published: 02/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Barasa, Patrick
• Application Number:
  US12/851,779
• Publication Number:
  US 20120031080A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/285
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/009 having two or more separate purifying devices arranged in series
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2900/1602 Temperature of exhaust gas apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2900/1606 Particle filter loading or soot amount
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/0253 adding fuel to exhaust gases
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/035 with catalytic reactors , e.g. catalysed diesel particulate filters
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/106 Auxiliary oxidation catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/2066 Selective catalytic reduction [SCR]
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 9/002 of filter regeneration, e.g. detection of clogging
• 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 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

A vehicle includes an internal combustion engine having an exhaust port, a regenerable particulate filter in fluid communication with the exhaust port, and a host machine which calculates a predicted peak temperature in the particulate filter. The host machine automatically executes a control action when the predicted peak temperature exceeds a calibrated threshold, thus preventing the peak temperature from being realized. A soot model may be used to estimate filter soot loads and corresponding burn rates, with the host machine extracting information from the soot model to calculate the predicted peak temperature. A system for use aboard the vehicle includes the particulate filter and host machine configured as noted above. A method for use aboard the vehicle includes calculating a predicted peak temperature in the particulate filter using the host machine, and automatically executing a control action when the predicted peak temperature exceeds a calibrated threshold.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

an internal combustion engine having an exhaust port;

a particulate filter in fluid communication with the engine via the exhaust port, wherein the particulate filter is regenerable using heat; and

a host machine operable for calculating a predicted peak temperature in the particulate filter, and for automatically executing a control action when the predicted peak temperature exceeds a calibrated threshold;

wherein execution of the control action prevents the peak temperature from being realized.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, the vehicle including a model which estimates filter soot loads and corresponding burn rates, wherein the host machine extracts information from the soot model and uses the information to calculate the predicted peak temperature.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the host machine automatically executes an engine management action as the control action.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a fuel injection device which selectively injects fuel into the exhaust stream to elevate a regeneration temperature of the particulate filter, wherein the control action includes reducing the regeneration temperature by initiating feedback control over an operation of the fuel injection device.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the host machine generates a diagnostic code as at least part of the control action, with the value of the diagnostic code corresponding to the value of the predicted peak temperature with respect to the calibrated threshold.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the engine is a diesel engine and the vehicle includes a diesel oxidation catalyst positioned between the engine and the particulate filter.

7. A system for use aboard a vehicle having an internal combustion engine, the system comprising:

a particulate filter in fluid communication with an exhaust port of the engine, wherein the particulate filter is regenerable using heat; and

a host machine operable for calculating a predicted peak temperature in the particulate filter, and for automatically executing a control action when the predicted peak temperature exceeds a calibrated threshold;

wherein execution of the control action prevents the peak temperature from being realized.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a model which estimates filter soot loads and corresponding burn rates, wherein the host machine extracts information from the soot model and uses the information to calculate the predicted peak temperature.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the host machine automatically executes an engine management action as the control action.

10. The system of claim 7, further comprising a fuel injection device adapted to selectively inject fuel into the exhaust stream to elevate a regeneration temperature of the particulate filter, wherein the control action includes reducing the regeneration temperature by initiating feedback control over an operation of the fuel injection device.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the host machine generates a diagnostic code as at least part of the control action, with the value of the diagnostic code corresponding to the value of the predicted peak temperature with respect to the calibrated threshold.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the engine is a diesel engine and the system includes a diesel oxidation catalyst positioned between the engine and the particulate filter.

13. A method for use aboard a vehicle having an internal combustion engine, a particulate filter which is regenerable using heat, and a host machine, the method comprising:

calculating a predicted peak temperature in the particulate filter using the host machine; and

automatically executing a control action when the predicted peak temperature exceeds a calibrated threshold;

wherein execution of the control action thereby prevents the peak temperature from being realized.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the vehicle includes a model which estimates filter soot loads and corresponding burn rates, the method further comprising:

extracting information from the soot model; and

calculating the predicted peak temperature using the information.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

automatically executing an engine management action as the control action.

16. The method of claim 13, the vehicle further comprising a fuel injection device adapted to selectively inject fuel into the exhaust stream to elevate a regeneration temperature of the particulate filter, the method further comprising:

reducing the regeneration temperature by initiating feedback control over an operation of the fuel injection device as at least part of the control action.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising generating a diagnostic code having a value corresponding to the value of the predicted peak temperature with respect to the calibrated threshold.