System for particulate matter sensor signal processing

• US 7,765,792 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2005
• Issued: 08/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Regents of The University of Minnesota (University of Minnesota)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Ma, Hongbin, Kittleson, David B., Rhodes, Michael L., Krafthefer, Brian C.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TU MINH
• Application Number:
  US11/163,546
• Publication Number:
  US 20070089399A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,747 Days
• Field of Search: 602/76, 602/77, 602/97, 603/11, 602/74, 602/78, 603/00, 73/233.3, 73/280.1, 73/280.2
• US Class Current: 60/278
• 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 2550/04 Filtering activity of particulate filters
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2560/02 the means being an exhaust gas sensor
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2560/05 the means being a particulate sensor
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2560/14 having more than one sensor of one kind
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/027 using electric or magnetic heating means
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 9/002 of filter regeneration, e.g. detection of clogging
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/288 for performing a transformation into the frequency domain, e.g. Fourier transformation
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0812 Particle filter loading
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/005 according to engine operating conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/029 the exhaust gas treating apparatus being a particulate filter
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1441 Plural sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1466 the characteristics being a soot concentration or content
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/53 using electric actuators, e.g. solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

A system having a particulate matter sensor in an exhaust stream of an engine upstream from a particulate filter and another such sensor downstream from the filter. There may also be an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) control on the engine. The amount of particulate matter in or loading of the filter may be determined by the upstream filter. The working condition of the filter may be determined by the downstream sensor. The filter may have a heater and control for providing operational and particulate matter burn-off temperatures to the filter. A processor may be connected to the sensors, the EGR control and the filter heater control.

Claims

1. A sensor system comprising:

a first particulate matter (PM) sensor situated in an exhaust conveyance device connected to an engine;

a second PM sensor situated in the exhaust conveyance device downstream from a diesel particulate filter (DPF);

a third PM sensor situated in the exhaust conveyance device downstream from the first PM sensor and upstream from the DPF filter; and

a processor connected to the first PM sensor, the second PM sensor, the third PM sensor and the DPF filter.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor outputs signals having information comprising:

exhaust flow velocity;

amount of loading of the DPF filter; and

at least one of failure indication of the DPF filter; and

time to clean the DPF filter.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor outputs signals having information comprising optimal exhaust gas recovery (EGR) operation.