Method for controlling a fuel mixture, exhaust gas system having a mobile internal combustion engine and vehicle having an exhaust gas system

• US 7,874,144 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2006
• Issued: 01/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emitec Gesellschaft für Emissionstechnologie mbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Emitec Gesellschaft für Emissionstechnologie mbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Brück, Rolf
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Binh Q.
• Application Number:
  US11/636,741
• Publication Number:
  US 20070089402A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,506 Days
• Field of Search: 602/74, 602/76, 602/85, 602/99, 603/09
• US Class Current: 60/285
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/009 having two or more separate purifying devices arranged in series
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/0097 the purifying devices are arranged in a single housing
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2560/02 the means being an exhaust gas sensor
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/2821 the support being provided with means to enhance the mixing process inside the converter, e.g. sheets, plates or foils with protrusions or projections to create turbulence
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/2882 Catalytic reactors combined or associated with other devices, e.g. exhaust silencers or other exhaust purification devices combined with absorbents or adsorbents only F01N3/0814; combined with particulate filters F01N3/035
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1438 using means for determining characteristics of the combustion gases; Sensors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1441 Plural sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1494 Control of sensor heater
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters

Abstract

A method for controlling a fuel mixture in an exhaust gas system of a mobile internal combustion engine having at least one catalytic converter in an exhaust gas line, includes carrying out the control with an individual control probe in the interior of the at least one catalytic converter. An exhaust gas system and a vehicle having the exhaust gas system, are also provided.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a fuel mixture, the method comprising the following steps:

providing a mobile internal combustion engine exhaust gas system having an exhaust gas line with at least one catalytic converter;

providing one individual control probe in an interior of the at least one catalytic converter; and

carrying out the fuel mixture control solely with the only one individual control probe.

2. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises heating the control probe after the internal combustion engine starts, to reach a temperature of at least 70°

Celsius before the at least one catalytic converter has reached 95°

Celsius.

3. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises determining with the control probe at least one component of the exhaust gas selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide and oxygen.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the control probe is a lambda probe, and simultaneously using the lambda probe to check a conversion capability of the at least one catalytic converter.

5. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises mixing exhaust gas generated by the internal combustion engine in the exhaust gas line before the exhaust gas reaches the control probe.

6. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises using the at least one catalytic converter to treat at least one component of the exhaust gas selected from the group consisting of:

hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide and particles.

7. An exhaust gas system, comprising:

a mobile internal combustion engine;

at least one exhaust gas line communicating with said mobile internal combustion engine;

at least one catalytic converter disposed in said at least one exhaust gas line and having an interior;

only one individual control probe, said one individual control probe disposed in said interior of said at least one catalytic converter; and

a control unit connected solely to said one individual control probe for monitoring at least a part of the exhaust gas in the exhaust gas system in order to control a fuel mixture for said internal combustion engine.

8. The exhaust gas system according to claim 7, wherein said at least one catalytic converter has an exhaust gas inlet side, and said control probe is disposed at a distance of 10 mm to 80 mm from said exhaust gas inlet side.

9. The exhaust gas system according to claim 7, wherein said control probe is a heatable lambda probe.

10. The exhaust gas system according to claim 7, wherein said at least one catalytic converter has an exhaust gas inlet side and at least one region between said exhaust gas inlet side and said control probe, and a device for reducing a propagation speed of water or water vapor is disposed in said at least one region.

11. The exhaust gas system according to claim 10, wherein said at least one region has channels and at least one feature selected from the group consisting of:

a) a cell density of 600 to 1200 cpsi (cells per square inch);

b) openings in channel walls of said channels;

c) mixer structures;

d) a porous surface of said channels;

e) a coating with a storage capability for at least water or water vapor; and

f) metallic channel walls with a thickness in a range of from 40 μ

m to 110 μ

m.

12. The exhaust gas system according to claim 7, wherein said control probe has a coating with at least one storage capability for at least water or water vapor or a catalytic activity for at least one component of the exhaust gas.

13. A vehicle, comprising an exhaust gas system according to claim 7.