Purge Pump Control Systems And Methods

• US 20170152798A1
• Filed: 08/30/2016
• Published: 06/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2015
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: BURLEIGH, Darrell W., GE, Ping, CASETTI, Martino
• Granted Patent: US 10,267,247 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/141 using a feed-forward control element
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/003 Adding fuel vapours, e.g. drawn from engine fuel reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1401 characterised by the control or regulation method F02D41/1473, F02D41/1477 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/0836 Arrangement of valves controlling the admission of fuel vapour to an engine, e.g. valve being disposed between fuel tank or absorption canister and intake manifold
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/0854 Details of the absorption canister
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/089 Layout of the fuel vapour installation

Abstract

A fuel vapor control system for a vehicle includes a fuel vapor canister that traps fuel vapor from a fuel tank of the vehicle. A purge valve opens to allow fuel vapor flow to an intake system of an engine and closes to prevent fuel vapor flow to the intake system of the engine. An electrical pump pumps fuel vapor from the fuel vapor canister to the purge valve. A vent valve allows fresh air flow to the vapor canister when the vent valve is open and prevents fresh air flow to the vapor canister when the vent valve is closed. A purge control module controls a speed of the electrical pump, opening of the purge valve, and opening of the vent valve.

Claims

1. A fuel vapor control system for a vehicle, comprising:

a fuel vapor canister that traps fuel vapor from a fuel tank of the vehicle;

a purge valve that opens to allow fuel vapor flow to an intake system of an engine and that closes to prevent fuel vapor flow to the intake system of the engine;

an electrical pump that pumps fuel vapor from the fuel vapor canister to the purge valve;

a vent valve that allows fresh air flow to the vapor canister when the vent valve is open and that prevents fresh air flow to the vapor canister when the vent valve is closed; and

a purge control module that controls a speed of the electrical pump, opening of the purge valve, and opening of the vent valve.

2. The fuel vapor control system of claim 1 wherein the purge control module controls the speed of the electrical pump based on a fixed, predetermined speed.

3. The fuel vapor control system of claim 1 wherein the purge control module:

determines a target opening of the purge valve based on a target flow rate of fuel vapor through the purge valve;

controls the opening of the purge valve based on the target opening;

determines a target speed of the electrical pump based on the target flow rate of fuel vapor through the purge valve; and

controls the speed of the electrical pump based on the target speed.

4. The fuel vapor control system of claim 3 wherein the purge control module determines the target opening of the purge valve based on the target flow rate of fuel vapor through the purge valve and the target speed of the electrical pump.

5. The fuel vapor control system of claim 3 wherein the purge control module opens the vent valve when at least one of:

(i) the target opening of the purge valve is greater than zero and (ii) the target speed of the purge valve is greater than zero.

6. The fuel vapor control system of claim 3 wherein the purge control module determines the target opening of the purge valve and the target speed of the electrical pump using one mapping that relates target flow rates of fuel vapor through the purge valve to both target openings of the purge valve and target speeds of the electrical pump.

7. The fuel vapor control system of claim 1 further comprising a pressure sensor that measures a pressure within a conduit at a location between the electrical pump and the purge valve, wherein the purge control module comprises:

a closed-loop (CL) module that determines a CL adjustment value based on a difference between (i) a first target pressure at the location between the electrical pump and the purge valve and (ii) the pressure measured using the pressure sensor at the location between the electrical pump and the purge valve;

a summer module that determines a second target based on a sum of the CL adjustment value and target feed forward (FF) value;

a purge valve control module that controls the opening of the purge valve based on the second target; and

a motor control module that controls the speed of the electrical pump based on the second target.

8. The fuel vapor control system of claim 7 wherein the purge control module further comprises:

a target purge pressure module that, based on a target flow rate of fuel vapor through the purge valve, determines the first target pressure at the location between the electrical pump and the purge valve; and

a feed-forward (FF) module that determines the target FF value based on the target flow rate of fuel vapor through the purge valve.

9. The fuel vapor control system of claim 7 wherein the purge control module further comprises a target determination module that, based on the second target, determines a target opening of the purge valve and a target speed of the electrical pump,

wherein the purge valve control module controls the opening of the purge valve based on the target opening;

and

wherein the motor control module controls the speed of the electrical pump based on the target speed.

10. The fuel vapor control system of claim 7 wherein the purge control module further comprises a target determination module that determines a target opening of the purge valve and a target speed of the electrical pump using one mapping that relates values of the second target to both target openings of the purge valve and target speeds of the electrical pump,

wherein the purge valve control module controls the opening of the purge valve based on the target opening;

and

wherein the motor control module controls the speed of the electrical pump based on the target speed.

11. A fuel vapor control method for a vehicle, comprising:

by a vapor canister, trapping fuel vapor from a fuel tank of the vehicle;

selectively opening a purge valve to allow fuel vapor flow to an intake system of an engine;

selectively closing the purge valve to prevent fuel vapor flow to the intake system of the engine;

pumping fuel vapor from the vapor canister to the purge valve using an electrical pump;

selectively opening a vent valve to allow fresh air flow to the vapor canister;

selectively closing the vent valve to prevent fresh air flow to the vapor canister; and

controlling a speed of the electrical pump, opening of the purge valve, and opening of the vent valve.

12. The fuel vapor control method of claim 11 wherein controlling the speed of the electrical pump includes controlling the speed of the electrical pump based on a fixed, predetermined speed.

13. The fuel vapor control method of claim 11 further comprising:

determining a target opening of the purge valve based on a target flow rate of fuel vapor through the purge valve;

controlling the opening of the purge valve based on the target opening;

determining a target speed of the electrical pump based on the target flow rate of fuel vapor through the purge valve; and

controlling the speed of the electrical pump based on the target speed.

14. The fuel vapor control method of claim 13 further comprising determining the target opening of the purge valve further based on the target speed of the electrical pump.

15. The fuel vapor control method of claim 13 wherein selectively opening the vent valve includes opening the vent valve when at least one of:

(i) the target opening of the purge valve is greater than zero and (ii) the target speed of the purge valve is greater than zero.

16. The fuel vapor control method of claim 13 further comprising determining the target opening of the purge valve and the target speed of the electrical pump using one mapping that relates target flow rates of fuel vapor through the purge valve to both target openings of the purge valve and target speeds of the electrical pump.

17. The fuel vapor control method of claim 11 further comprising:

measuring, using a pressure sensor, a pressure within a conduit at a location between the electrical pump and the purge valve;

determining a closed-loop (CL) adjustment value based on a difference between (i) a first target pressure at the location between the electrical pump and the purge valve and (ii) the pressure measured using the pressure sensor at the location between the electrical pump and the purge valve;

determining a second target based on a sum of the CL adjustment value and target feed forward (FF) value;

controlling the opening of the purge valve based on the second target; and

controlling the speed of the electrical pump based on the second target.

18. The fuel vapor control method of claim 17 further comprising:

determining, based on a target flow rate of fuel vapor through the purge valve, the first target pressure at the location between the electrical pump and the purge valve; and

determining the target FF value based on the target flow rate of fuel vapor through the purge valve.

19. The fuel vapor control method of claim 17 further comprising:

determining, based on the second target, a target opening of the purge valve and a target speed of the electrical pump;

controlling the opening of the purge valve based on the target opening; and

controlling the speed of the electrical pump based on the target speed.

20. The fuel vapor control method of claim 17 further comprising:

determining a target opening of the purge valve and a target speed of the electrical pump using one mapping that relates values of the second target to both target openings of the purge valve and target speeds of the electrical pump;

controlling the opening of the purge valve based on the target opening; and

controlling the speed of the electrical pump based on the target speed.