Secondary air injection diagnostic system using pressure feedback

• US 6,983,590 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2002
• Issued: 01/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Polidan, Jeffrey M., Roelle, Matthew J., Hall, Martin L., Johnston, Gary E., Person, Kevin E., Hooker, Daniel H.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TU MINH
• Application Number:
  US10/277,475
• Publication Number:
  US 20040074453A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,176 Days
• Field of Search: 602/74, 602/76, 602/77, 602/89, 602/90, 603/00
• US Class Current: 60/289
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 11/00 Monitoring or diagnostic devices for exhaust-gas treatment apparatus , e.g. for catalytic activity safety, indicating or supervising devices for internal combustion engines F02B77/08; testing of machines G01M13/00
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2550/14 Systems for adding secondary air into exhaust
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/22 Control of additional air supply only, e.g. using by-passes or variable air pump drives
• 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 diagnostic system according to the present invention diagnoses system failure of a secondary air injection system. The secondary air injection system includes a pump that provides air to an exhaust system via a conduit and a valve that controls the flow of air through the conduit. A pressure sensor measures pressure in the conduit. A controller predicts pressure in the conduit during first, second and third operational phases of the secondary air injection system. The controller compares the measured pressure to the predicted pressure to evaluate operation of the secondary air injection system. During the first phase, the secondary air injection system is used to reduce vehicle emissions. During the second phase, the valve is shut while the pump is on. During the third phase, the pump is turned off while the valve is closed.

Claims

1. A method for diagnosing system failures in a secondary air injection system that includes a pump that provides air to an exhaust system via a conduit and a valve that controls the flow of air through the conduit, comprising:

measuring pressure in said conduit;

calculating a pump pressure component based on a barometric pressure and a valve pressure component based on a mass air flow (MAF) into an engine to provide a system pressure in said conduit during first, second and third operational phases of said secondary air injection system; and

comparing said measured pressure to said system pressure to identify system failures of said secondary air injection system.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising locating said pressure sensor between said pump and said valve.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising shutting said valve while said pump is on during said second phase.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising turning said pump off while said valve is closed during said third phase.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising reducing emissions during said first phase using said secondary air injection system by opening said valve and turning said pump on.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising calculating a condition quality during said first phase.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising calculating a first pressure difference between said measured pressure and said predicted pressure during said first phase.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

calculating an average pressure difference by integrating a product of said first pressure difference and said condition quality;

integrating said condition quality; and

dividing said integrated product by said integrated condition quality during said first phase.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

comparing said average pressure difference to first and second thresholds; and

declaring system failure if said average pressure difference is one of less than said first threshold and greater than said second threshold.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising closing said valve while said pump is on during said second phase.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

calculating said average pressure difference;

comparing said average pressure difference to a third threshold; and

declaring system failure if said average pressure difference is less than said third threshold.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising turning said pump off while said valve is closed during said third phase.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

calculating said average pressure difference;

comparing said average pressure difference to a fourth threshold; and

declaring system failure if said average pressure difference is greater than said fourth threshold.

14. A diagnostic system for a secondary air injection system that includes a pump that provides air to an exhaust system via a conduit and a valve that controls the flow of air through the conduit, comprising:

a pressure sensor for measuring pressure in said conduit; and

a controller that calculates a pump pressure component based on a barometric pressure and a valve pressure component based on a mass air flow (MAF) into an engine to provide a system pressure during first, second and third operational phases of said secondary air injection system and that compares said measured pressure to said system pressure to identify system failures of said secondary air injection system.

15. The diagnostic system of claim 14 wherein said pressure sensor is located between said pump and said valve.

16. The diagnostic system of claim 14 wherein, during said second phase, said valve is shut while said pump is on.

17. The diagnostic system of claim 14 wherein, during said third phase, said pump is turned off while said valve is closed.

18. The diagnostic system of claim 14 wherein, during said first phase, said secondary air injection system is used to reduce emission.

19. The diagnostic system of claim 18 wherein, during said first phase, said controller calculates a condition quality.

20. The diagnostic system of claim 19 wherein, during said first phase, said controller calculates a first pressure difference between said measured pressure and said predicted pressure.

21. The diagnostic system of claim 20 wherein, during said first phase, said controller calculates an average pressure difference by integrating a product of said first pressure difference and said condition quality, integrating said condition quality, and dividing said integrated product by said integrated condition quality.

22. The diagnostic system of claim 21 wherein said controller compares said average pressure difference to first and second thresholds and declares system failure if said average pressure difference is one of less than said first threshold and greater than said second threshold.

23. The diagnostic system of claim 22 wherein, during said second phase, said controller closes said valve while said pump is on.

24. The diagnostic system of claim 23 wherein said controller calculates said average pressure difference, compares said average pressure difference to a third threshold, and declares system failure if said average pressure difference is less than said third threshold.

25. The diagnostic system of claim 24 wherein, during said third phase, said controller turns said pump off while said valve is closed.

26. The diagnostic system of claim 25 wherein said controller calculates said average pressure difference, compares said average pressure difference to a fourth threshold, and declares system failure if said average pressure difference is greater than said fourth threshold.