Method to reduce engine emissions for an engine capable of multi-stroke operation and having a catalyst

• US 8,191,355 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2009
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Lewis, Donald
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Binh Q
• Application Number:
  US12/629,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20100077730A1
• Time in Patent Office: 916 Days
• Field of Search: 602/74, 602/84, 602/85, 602/99, 602/76, 602/77, 123/64, 123/90.15, 123/90.19
• US Class Current: 60/285
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 13/06 Cutting-out cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

A method to control valves in a cylinder operating in a multi-stroke cylinder mode. Valves are controlled to improve engine emissions as operating conditions vary.

Claims

1. A method for deactivating at least a cylinder stroke mode of an engine, comprising:

deactivating at least a cylinder stroke mode based on an operating state of at least a catalyst brick, wherein deactivating said cylinder stroke mode reduces a number of strokes available with which to operate a cylinder in a cylinder cycle, said number reduced from a first number before said deactivating to a second number of strokes after said deactivating, said second number of strokes different than said first number of strokes.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising compensating gas constituents by adjusting fuel amount delivered to said engine after deactivating said cylinder stroke mode.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said operating state of said at least a catalyst brick is an oxidant storage capacity.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said operating state of said at least a catalyst brick is an amount of oxidants stored by said at least a catalyst brick.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said operating state of said at least a catalyst brick is temperature of said at least a catalyst brick.

6. A method for deactivating at least a cylinder stroke mode of an engine, comprising:

deactivating at least a cylinder stroke mode to change a number of strokes in a cycle of a cylinder based on an oxygen sensor located upstream of at least one catalyst brick and an oxygen sensor located downstream of said at least one catalyst brick.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein deactivating said at least a cylinder stroke mode changes the number of strokes that are available with which to operate the cylinder in the cycle, said number of strokes comprising a first number of strokes before deactivating said cylinder stroke mode, and said number of strokes comprising a second number of strokes after deactivating said cylinder stroke mode, said second number of strokes different than said first number of strokes.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising compensating gas constituents by adjusting fuel amount delivered to said engine after deactivating a cylinder stroke mode.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein an oxidant storage capacity of said at least one catalyst brick is based on said oxygen sensor located upstream of said at least one catalyst brick and on said oxygen sensor located downstream of said at least one catalyst brick.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein an engine fuel amount is adjusted to change an amount of oxidants stored by said at least one catalyst brick.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said engine fuel amount is biased rich.

12. A method for deactivating at least a cylinder stroke mode of a cylinder of an engine, comprising:

deactivating a first cylinder stroke mode from a plurality of cylinder stroke modes, each cylinder stroke mode having a different number of strokes in a cycle of a cylinder, based on an operating condition of at least one catalyst brick located in an exhaust system of said engine, said first cylinder stroke mode comprising more than four strokes in the cylinder cycle.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising compensating gas constituents by adjusting fuel amount delivered to said engine after deactivating a cylinder stroke mode.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein said operating condition of said at least a catalyst brick is an oxidant storage capacity.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein said operating condition of said at least a catalyst brick is temperature of said at least a catalyst brick.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein said operating condition of said at least a catalyst brick is an amount of oxidants stored by said at least a catalyst brick.