Method and apparatus for controlling a fuel-fired burner of an emission abatement assembly

• US 7,685,811 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2004
• Issued: 03/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ET US Holdings LLC (Forvia SE)
• Original Assignee: EMCON Technologies LLC (Forvia SE)
• Inventors: Kong, Yougen, Taylor, William III, Johnson, Randall J., Crawley, Wilbur H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Denion; Thomas E
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, DIEM T
• Application Number:
  US10/931,027
• Publication Number:
  US 20050153250A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,037 Days
• Field of Search: 602/74, 602/77, 602/86, 602/95, 602/97, 603/03, 603/11
• US Class Current: 60/277
• 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 11/002 the diagnostic devices measuring or estimating temperature or pressure in, or downstream of the exhaust apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/009 having two or more separate purifying devices arranged in series
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/011 having two or more purifying devices arranged in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2240/14 a fuel burner
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/025 using fuel burner or by adding fuel to exhaust
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/0256 the fuel being ignited by electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/035 with catalytic reactors , e.g. catalysed diesel particulate filters
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 9/002 of filter regeneration, e.g. detection of clogging
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/22 Safety or indicating devices for abnormal conditions in air/fuel ratio feedback systems F02D41/1495, in electric control linkage F02D11/107, in purge control systems F02M25/0809

Abstract

A method of operating a control unit of an emission abatement assembly includes communicating with an engine control unit of an internal combustion engine. An emission abatement assembly is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of operating a control unit of an emission abatement assembly, the method comprising the steps of:

monitoring operation of a fuel-fired burner of the emission abatement assembly and determining if predetermined conditions are present, and including monitoring a particulate filter characteristic and comparing the particulate filter characteristic to an upper control limit, and wherein a predetermined condition comprises a determination that the particulate filter characteristic remains above an upper control limit subsequent to a regeneration of the particulate filter,

generating an error signal if the predetermined conditions are present, and

communicating the error signal to an engine control unit of an engine.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a control signal from the engine control unit, and

commencing operation of the fuel-fired burner in response to receipt of the control signal.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the particulate filter characteristic comprises a pressure drop across the particulate filter, and including the steps of regenerating the particulate filter, subsequently measuring the pressure drop across the particulate filter, comparing the pressure drop to the upper control limit, and generating the error signal if the pressure drop remains above the upper control limit after regeneration.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the engine control unit executes a fuel injector control routine that generates injection signals that are communicated to each engine fuel injector, and wherein the engine control unit executes a burner control routine to control operation of the fuel-fired burner, and including contemporaneously executing the fuel injector control routine and the burner control routine.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein

the control unit of the emission abatement assembly communicates with the engine control unit of the engine via a network interface, and

the communicating step comprises communicating the error signal to the engine control unit via the network interface.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

the network interface comprises a Controller Area Network (CAN) interface, and

the communicating step comprises communicating the error signal to the engine control unit via the CAN interface.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving information relating to engine operation from the engine control unit.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the receiving step comprises receiving information relating to engine speed from the engine control unit.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the receiving step comprises receiving information relating to turbo boost pressure from the engine control unit.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein:

the control unity of the emission abatement assembly communicates with the engine control unit of the engine via a network interface, and

the receiving step comprises receiving information relating to engine operation from the engine control unit via the network interface.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the network interface comprises a Controller Area Network (CAN) interface, and

the receiving step comprises receiving information relating to engine operation from the engine control unit via the CAN interface.

12. An emission abatement assembly, comprising:

a particular filter,

a fuel-fired burner positioned upstream of the particulate filter, and

a controller comprising (i) a processor, and (ii) a memory device electrically coupled to the processor, the memory device having stored therein a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

monitor operation of a fuel-fired burner of the emission abatement assembly and determine if predetermined conditions are present and wherein the processor is caused to monitor a pressure drop across the particulate filter and compare the pressure drop to an upper control limit, and wherein the predetermined condition comprises a determination that the pressure drop remains above an upper control limit subsequent to a regeneration of the particulate filter,

generate an error signal if the predetermined conditions are present, and

communicate the error signal to an engine control unit of an engine.

13. The emission abatement assembly of claim 12, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:

receive a control signal from the engine control unit, and

commence operation of the fuel-fired burner in response to receipt of the control signal.

14. The emission abatement assembly of claim 12, wherein:

the controller is electrically coupled to the engine control unit of the engine via a network interface, and

the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to communicate the error signal to the engine control unit via the network interface.

15. The emission abatement assembly of claim 14, wherein the network interface comprises a Controller Area Network (CAN) interface.

16. The emission abatement assembly of claim 12, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to receive information relating to engine operation from the engine control unit.

17. The emission abatement assembly of claim 16, wherein the information relating to engine operation comprises engine speed.

18. The emission abatement assembly of claim 16, wherein the information relating to engine operation comprises turbo boost pressure.

19. The emission abatement assembly of claim 16, wherein:

the controller is electrically coupled to the engine control unit of the engine via a network interface, and

the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to receive information relating to engine operation from the engine control unit via the network interface.

20. The emission abatement assembly of claim 19, wherein the network interface comprises a Controller Area Network (CAN) interface.

21. A method of operating an engine control unit, the method comprising the steps of:

generating an injector signal with the engine control unit,

injecting fuel into a cylinder of an internal combustion engine in response to generation of the injector signal,

generating a burner control signal with the engine control unit,

operating a fuel-fired burner of an emission abatement assembly based on the burner control signal,

determining a rate of soot accumulation in the emission abatement assembly,

communicating the rate of soot accumulation to the engine control unit, and

generating the burner control signal to operate the fuel-fired burner if the rate of soot accumulation exceeds a predetermined limit.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the operating step comprises operating the fuel-fired burner to generate heat to regenerate the particulate filter, further comprising the steps of:

sensing the temperature of the heat produced by the fuel-fired burner and generating a temperature signal in response thereto, and

communicating the temperature signal to the engine control unit.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein:

the generating step comprises generating a startup control signal with the engine control unit, and

the operating step comprises commencing operation of the fuel-fired burner in response to generating of the startup control signal.

24. The method of claim 21 including injecting fuel into each cylinder of the internal combustion engine in conjunction with operating the fuel-fired burner.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein:

the emission abatement assembly comprises a particulate filter positioned downstream of the fuel-fired burner, and

the operating step comprises operating the fuel-fired burner to generate heat to regenerate the particulate filter.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the operating step comprises varying the amount of fuel introduced into the fuel-fired burner based on the burner control signal.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the operating step comprises varying the amount of air introduced into the fuel-fired burner based on the burner control signal.

28. An engine control unit, comprising:

a processor, and

a memory device electrically coupled to the processor, the memory device having stored therein a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

execute a fuel injector control routine for controlling operation of a fuel injector assembly of an internal combustion engine, and

execute a burner control routine for controlling operation of a fuel-fired burner of an emission abatement assembly, and

wherein the engine control unit monitors a rate of soot accumulation, and wherein the processor generates a burner control signal to operate the fuel-fired burner if the rate of soot accumulation exceeds a predetermined limit.

29. The engine control unit of claim 28, wherein:

the processor is electrically coupled to a temperature sensor,

the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to execute the burner routine to monitor output from the temperature sensor to determine the temperature of the heat produced by the fuel-fired burner.

30. The engine control unit of claim 28, wherein:

the emission abatement assembly comprises a particulate filter positioned downstream of the fuel-fired burner, and

the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to execute the burner routine to;

(i) determine if the particulate filter is in need of regeneration, (ii) generate a startup control signal if the particulate filter is in need of regeneration, and (iii) commence operation of the fuel-fired burner in response to generation of the startup control signal.

31. The engine control unit of claim 28, wherein:

the emission abatement assembly comprises a particulate filter positioned downstream of the fuel-fired burner, and

the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to execute the burner control routine to operate the fuel-fired burner to generate heat to regenerate the particulate filter.

32. The engine control unit of claim 31, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to execute the burner routine to vary the amount of fuel introduced into the fuel-fired burner.

33. The engine control unit of claim 31, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to execute the burner routine to vary the amount of air introduced into the fuel-fired burner.

34. An engine system, comprising:

an internal combustion engine having an electronically-controlled fuel injector assembly,

an emission abatement assembly having (i) a particulate filter configured to trap soot in the exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine, and (ii) a fuel-fired burner positioned upstream of the particulate filter, and

an engine control unit, the engine control unit being electrically coupled to both the fuel injector assembly and the fuel-fired burner, and wherein the engine control unit monitors a rate of soot accumulation in the particulate filter, and wherein the engine control unit generates a burner control signal to operate the fuel-fired burner if the rate of soot accumulation exceeds a predetermined limit.

35. The engine system of claim 34, wherein the engine control unit is configured to control operation of both the fuel injector assembly and the fuel-fired burner.

36. The engine system of claim 34, wherein the engine control unit is electrically coupled to a temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of heat produced by the fuel-fired burner.

37. The engine system of claim 34, wherein:

the fuel-fired burner comprises an electrode, and

the engine control unit is electrically coupled to the electrode.

38. An engine control unit, comprising:

a processor, and

a memory device electrically coupled to the processor, the memory device having stored therein a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

execute a fuel injector control routine for controlling operation of a fuel injector assembly of an internal combustion engine, and

execute a burner control routine for controlling operation of a fuel-fired burner of an emission abatement assembly, and

wherein fuel is injected into each cylinder of an engine in conjunction with operating the fuel-fired burner, and wherein the processor monitors the pressure drop across a particulate filter in the fuel-fired burner and compares the pressure drop to an upper control limit, and wherein the processor generates an error signal if the pressure drop remains above the upper control limit after a regeneration cycle.

39. An engine system, comprising:

an internal combustion engine having an electronically-controlled fuel injector assembly,

an emission abatement assembly having (i) a particulate filter configured to trap soot in the exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine, and (ii) a fuel-fired burner positioned upstream of the particulate filter, and

an engine control unit, the engine control unit being electrically coupled to both the fuel injector assembly and the fuel-fired burner, and wherein the fuel is injected into each cylinder of an engine in conjunction with operating the fuel-fired burner, and wherein the engine control unit monitors the pressure drop across the particulate filter and compares the pressure drop to an upper control limit, and wherein the engine control unit generates an error signal if the pressure drop remains above the upper control limit after a generation cycle.

40. A method of operating a control unit of an emission abatement assembly, the method comprising the steps of:

monitoring operation of a fuel-fired burner of the emission abatement assembly and determining if predetermined conditions are present, and including determining a rate of soot accumulation;

generating an error signal if the predetermined conditions are present, including generating the error signal if the rate of soot accumulation exceeds a predetermined limit; and

communicating the error signal to an engine control unit of an engine.

41. An emission abatement assembly, comprising:

a particular filter,

a fuel-fired burner positioned upstream of the particulate filter, and

a controller comprising (i) a processor, and (ii) a memory device electrically coupled to the processor, the memory device having stored therein a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

monitor operation of a fuel-fired burner of the emission abatement assembly and determine if predetermined conditions are present, and wherein the processor is further caused to determine a rate of soot accumulation and generate an error signal if the predetermined conditions are present such that the error signal is generated if the rate of soot accumulation exceeds a predetermined limit, and

communicate the error signal to an engine control unit of an engine.