Apparatus, System, and Method for Reducing Emission of Nitrogen Oxides

• US 20140261342A1
• Filed: 02/07/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Inventors: Kolhouse, J. Steven, Sujan, Vivek A., Yonushonis, Thomas M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,541,039 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/568.11
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/05 High pressure loops, i.e. wherein recirculated exhaust gas is taken out from the exhaust system upstream of the turbine and reintroduced into the intake system downstream of the compressor
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/37 with temporary storage of recirculated exhaust gas internal exhaust gas recirculation F02M26/01

Abstract

An apparatus, system and method for reducing the emission of nitrogen oxides in an internal combustion engine system. Exhaust gas directly or indirectly downstream of the internal combustion engine is at least selectively stored in an exhaust gas storage region. Upon the occurrence of at least one enablement condition, indicative of a potential period where the emission of nitrogen oxides (NOx) will increase, the stored exhaust gas is inserted into the internal combustion engine to assist in reducing the emission of the nitrogen oxides. The exhaust gas storage volume regularly, or the exhaust gas storage volume may be filled during strategic periods when the emissions of nitrogen oxides are low and/or there is a low need for the recirculation of exhaust gas.

Claims

1. A system for reducing the emission of nitrogen oxides, the system comprising:

an internal combustion engine;

an exhaust gas recirculation subsystem including an exhaust gas storage volume therein; and

a controller apparatus in electrical communication with the exhaust gas recirculation subsystem, the controller apparatus configured to control the insertion of exhaust gas from the exhaust gas storage volume to the internal combustion engine, thereby reducing the emission of nitrogen oxides.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller selectively controls the insertion of the exhaust gas into the internal combustion engine in response to at least one exhaust gas insertion enablement condition being met.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one exhaust gas insertion enablement condition comprises the actuation of a throttle pedal.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one exhaust gas insertion enablement condition comprises a predetermined level of nitrogen oxides being sensed in an exhaust manifold of the internal combustion engine.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one exhaust gas insertion enablement condition comprises a predetermined level of nitrogen oxides being sensed in an aftertreatment system associated with the internal combustion engine.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one exhaust gas insertion enablement condition comprises an indication that the internal combustion engine is about to experience an increase in engine load.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the indication is based upon information provided by an associated global positioning system.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one exhaust gas insertion enablement condition comprises an indication relating to a speed of a vehicle within which the system is located.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one exhaust gas insertion enablement condition comprises a predetermined feedback signal from an associated transmission.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the exhaust gas recirculation subsystem is in fluid communication with the internal combustion engine, and wherein the exhaust gas recirculation system is configured to withdraw untreated exhaust gas from downstream of the internal combustion engine.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the exhaust gas recirculation subsystem withdraws exhaust gas from a location downstream of a diesel particulate filter in an exhaust gas aftertreatment system associated with the internal combustion engine.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the exhaust gas recirculation subsystem withdraws exhaust gas from a location downstream of a selective catalytic reduction catalyst in an exhaust gas aftertreatment system associated with the internal combustion engine.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the exhaust gas recirculation subsystem includes an exhaust gas recirculation line, and wherein the exhaust gas storage volume comprises an exhaust gas storage tank separate from an exhaust gas recirculation line in the exhaust gas recirculation subsystem.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the exhaust gas recirculation subsystem includes an exhaust gas recirculation line, and wherein the exhaust gas storage volume comprises a portion of the exhaust gas recirculation line that is sealable at an inlet and an outlet thereof when exhaust gas recirculation is not necessary.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller apparatus is further configured to control filling of the exhaust gas storage volume based upon the occurrence of at least one exhaust gas filling enablement condition.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one exhaust gas filling enablement condition comprises an identification that a vehicle within which the internal combustion engine is located is in an idling state.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one exhaust gas filling enablement condition comprises an identification that a vehicle within which the internal combustion engine is located is in a coasting state.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the exhaust gas recirculation subsystem further includes an exhaust gas compressor fluidly connected to the exhaust gas storage volume, the exhaust gas compressor configured to compress the exhaust gas for storage in the exhaust gas storage volume.

19. A method for reducing the emission of nitrogen oxides, the method comprising:

storing, in an exhaust gas storage volume, exhaust gas discharged from an internal combustion engine;

determining that at least one exhaust gas insertion enablement condition is being met;

if it is determined that the at least one exhaust gas insertion enablement condition is being met, inserting exhaust gas stored in the exhaust gas storage volume into the internal combustion engine to reduce the emission of nitrogen oxides.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one exhaust gas insertion enablement condition comprises the actuation of a throttle pedal on a vehicle within which the internal combustion engine is located.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one exhaust gas insertion enablement condition comprises a predetermined level of nitrogen oxides being sensed in an exhaust manifold of the internal combustion engine.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one exhaust gas insertion enablement condition comprises a predetermined level of nitrogen oxides being sensed in an aftertreatment system associated with the internal combustion engine.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one exhaust gas insertion enablement condition comprises an indication that the internal combustion engine is about to experience an increase in engine load.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the indication is based upon information provided by an associated global positioning system.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one exhaust gas insertion enablement condition comprises an indication relating to a speed of a vehicle within which the system is located.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one exhaust gas insertion enablement condition comprises a predetermined feedback signal from an associated transmission.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein the stored exhaust gas is taken from and exhaust gas recirculation subsystem at a location downstream of the internal combustion engine.

28. The method of claim 19, wherein the stored exhaust gas is taken from a location downstream of a diesel particulate filter in an exhaust gas aftertreatment system associated with the internal combustion engine.

29. The method of claim 19, wherein the stored exhaust gas is taken from a location downstream of a selective catalytic reduction catalyst in an exhaust gas aftertreatment system associated with the internal combustion engine.

30. The method of claim 19, wherein the exhaust gas storage volume comprises an exhaust gas storage tank separate from an exhaust gas recirculation line in an exhaust gas recirculation subsystem associated with the internal combustion engine.

31. The method of claim 19, wherein the exhaust gas storage volume comprises a portion of an exhaust gas recirculation line that is sealable at an inlet and an outlet thereof when exhaust gas recirculation is not necessary.

32. The method of claim 19, wherein the exhaust gas is selectively stored in the exhaust gas storage volume based upon the occurrence of at least one exhaust gas filling enablement condition.

33. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one exhaust gas filling enablement condition comprises an identification that a vehicle within which the internal combustion engine is located is in an idling state.

34. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one exhaust gas filling enablement condition comprises an identification that a vehicle within which the internal combustion engine is located is in a coasting state.

35. A computer program product, embodied in a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising computer executable instructions configured to cause a system to:

store, in an exhaust gas storage volume, exhaust gas discharged from an internal combustion engine;

determine that at least one exhaust gas insertion enablement condition is being met;

if it is determined that the at least one exhaust gas insertion enablement condition is being met, insert exhaust gas stored in the exhaust gas storage volume into the internal combustion engine to reduce the emission of nitrogen oxides.

36. The computer program product of claim 35, further comprising computer executable instructions configured to cause the system to determine whether at least one exhaust gas filling enablement condition, and wherein the storing of the discharged exhaust gas occurs when the at least one exhaust gas filling enablement condition is met.