METHOD OF OPTIMIZING OPERATING COSTS OF AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE

• US 20130067890A1
• Filed: 09/20/2011
• Published: 03/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Detroit Diesel Corporation (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Detroit Diesel Corporation (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Michalek, Joseph J., Aneja, Rakesh K.
• Application Number:
  US13/236,958
• Publication Number:
  US 20130067890A1
• 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 2900/12 said parameters being related to the vehicle exterior
• 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 3/208 Control of selective catalytic reduction [SCR], e.g. dosing of reducing agent
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0625 Fuel consumption, e.g. measured in fuel liters per 100 kms or miles per gallon
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2250/36 Control for minimising NOx emissions
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1406 with use of a optimisation method, e.g. iteration
• 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

Abstract

A method to optimize operation of a diesel fuel engine having at least one aftertreatment device to reduce NOx is provided. An electronic control unit for a diesel engine with an aftertreatment device for the reduction of NOx is also provided. The method and the control unit optimize a quantity of fuel to be injected into an aftertreatment device based upon inputs relating to the cost of diesel fuel and the cost of diesel exhaust fluid.

Claims

1. A method for operating a diesel engine equipped with an electronic control unit (ECU) with memory;

said engine in fluid communication with at least one aftertreatment device to reduce NOx;

said method comprising;

receiving input data regarding diesel fuel cost;

receiving input data regarding cost of diesel exhaust fluid;

determining a target engine-out NOx emission level based upon at least the diesel fuel cost input and the diesel exhaust fluid cost input;

determining a quantity of diesel exhaust fluid to be injected into the aftertreatment device; and

causing the determined quantity of diesel exhaust fluid to be injected into the aftertreatment device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said diesel fuel cost data input is received from a fleet management device in electronic communication with the controller.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said diesel fuel cost data input is received from a vehicle dashboard device in communication with the controller.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said diesel exhaust fluid cost data input is received from a fleet management device in communication with the controller.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said diesel exhaust fluid cost data input is received from a vehicle dashboard device in communication with the controller.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the aftertreatment device comprises a selective catalytic reduction system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the aftertreatment device comprises a diesel oxidation catalyst system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the aftertreatment device comprises a diesel particulate filter system.

9. An electronic control unit (ECU) for a diesel engine in fluid communication with an aftertreatment device for the reduction of NOx, said controller having instructions configured to receive input data regarding diesel fuel cost;

receive input data regarding cost of diesel exhaust fluid;

determine a desired engine-out NOx emission level based upon at least the diesel fuel cost input and the diesel exhaust fluid cost input; and

determine a quantity of diesel exhaust fluid to be injected into the aftertreatment device.

10. The ECU of claim 9, wherein said diesel fuel cost data input is received from a fleet management device in communication with the electronic engine control module.

11. The ECU of claim 9, wherein said diesel fuel cost data input is received from a vehicle dashboard device in communication with the electronic engine control module.

12. The ECU of claim 9, wherein said diesel exhaust fluid cost data input is received from a fleet management device in communication with the electronic engine control module.

13. The ECU of claim 9, wherein said diesel exhaust fluid cost data input is received from a vehicle dashboard device in communication with the electronic engine control module.

14. The ECU of claim 9, further comprising an injection control system to inject the determined quantity of fuel into the aftertreatment device.

15. The ECU of claim 9, wherein the aftertreatment device includes a selective catalytic reduction system.

16. The ECU of claim 9, wherein the aftertreatment devices includes a diesel oxidation catalyst system.

17. The ECU of claim 9, wherein the aftertreatment devices includes a diesel particulate filter system.

18. A computer readable storage media configured with instructions to receive input data regarding diesel fuel cost;

receive input data regarding cost of diesel exhaust fluid;

determine a desired engine-out NOx emission level based upon at least the diesel fuel cost input and the diesel exhaust fluid cost input; and

determine a quantity of diesel exhaust fluid to be injected into the aftertreatment device.