GLOW PLUG HEATER CONTROL

• US 20130087129A1
• Filed: 10/11/2011
• Published: 04/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kurtz, Eric, Tennison, Paul Joseph, May, David A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,175,661 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/676
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/1006 Engine torque losses, e.g. friction or pumping losses or losses caused by external loads of accessories
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/06 for engine starting or warming up F02D41/0255 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 19/02 electric, e.g. layout of circuits of apparatus having glowing plugs

Abstract

Methods and systems for operating a glow plug are disclosed. In one example, current supplied to a glow plug can be controlled to promote combustion stability of a cylinder after an engine start. Engine feedgas hydrocarbons may be reduced during conditions where combustion stability may be otherwise reduced to reduce tailpipe emissions.

Claims

1. An engine operating method, comprising:

performing combustion in a cylinder of an engine; and

increasing a negative torque output of a motor to the engine in response to anticipated increasing current flow to a glow plug.

2. The engine operating method of claim 1, where the negative torque output of the motor is adjusted after the engine is started and after the engine is warm.

3. The engine operating method of claim 2, further comprising decreasing the negative torque output of the motor in response to a catalyst reaching a threshold temperature.

4. The engine operating method of claim 3, further comprising advancing combustion phasing of the cylinder in response to the catalyst reaching the threshold temperature.

5. The engine operating method of claim 2, further comprising retarding combustion phasing of the cylinder in response to a request to regenerate an emissions device in an exhaust system of the engine.

6. The engine operating method of claim 5, further comprising decreasing current supplied to the glow plug and increasing late post injection fuel quantity in response to a catalyst reaching a threshold temperature.

7. The engine operating method of claim 6, further comprising further advancing combustion phasing of the cylinder in response to an indication of a level of regeneration of the emissions device.

8. An engine operating method, comprising:

performing combustion in a cylinder of an engine;

retarding combustion phasing of the cylinder and increasing current supplied to a glow plug in the cylinder in response to a temperature of a catalyst and a temperature of the engine;

increasing a negative torque output of a motor to the engine in response to an anticipated increase in glow plug current, the anticipated increase in glow plug current responsive to a vehicle condition.

9. The engine operating method of claim 8, where the vehicle condition is an engine operating condition.

10. The engine operating method of claim 9, where the engine operating condition is a difference between an operator requested engine torque and an actual engine torque.

11. The engine operating method of claim 8, where the vehicle condition is a negative road grade.

12. The engine operating method of claim 8, further comprising increasing an amount of current supplied to the glow plug in response to a cetane number of fuel combusted in the cylinder

13. The engine operating method of claim 8, where the negative torque output of the motor is increased to a level where engine load is greater than a threshold level when the engine is coupled to the motor.

14. The engine operating method of claim 8, further comprising decreasing glow plug current in response to a catalyst temperature greater than a threshold.

15. An engine system, comprising:

an engine having a combustion chamber;

a glow plug protruding into the combustion chamber; and

a controller including instructions to anticipate increasing current supplied to a glow plug in response to vehicle operating conditions after an engine start and after the engine reaches a threshold temperature, and where the controller includes further instructions to increase current to the glow plug in response to vehicle operating conditions.

16. The engine system of claim 15, where the threshold temperature is a nominal operating temperature that is controlled such that the engine operates substantially at the threshold temperature during varying speed and load conditions.

17. The engine system of claim 15, where the controller anticipates activation of the glow plug in response to an operator demand.

18. The engine system of claim 15, further comprising additional controller instructions to increase a negative torque of a motor coupled to the engine.

19. The engine system of claim 18, further comprising additional controller instructions for adjusting the negative torque of the engine and motor so that net engine and motor torque is an operator demand torque.

20. The engine system of claim 15, further comprising additional controller instructions decreasing current supplied to the glow plug in response to engine load and a temperature of a catalyst.