Protecting an engine in automatic stop/start applications

• US 10,151,290 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2015
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Inventors: Books, Martin T., O'Brien, John P., Prasad, Jaideep, Rauch, Jeffrey S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gimie, Mahmoud
• Application Number:
  US15/559,249
• Publication Number:
  US 20180112643A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,362 Days
• Field of Search: 701112, 1231794
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/022 Estimation of engine temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/1006 Engine torque losses, e.g. friction or pumping losses or losses caused by external loads of accessories
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/042 for stopping the engine
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/06 for engine starting or warming up F02D41/0255 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/086 taking into account the temperature of the engine
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0829 related to special engine control, e.g. giving priority to engine warming-up or learning
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/023 Engine temperature
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

An apparatus includes an engine friction module in operative communication with an engine and structured to interpret engine operation data indicative of an engine friction amount, and a stop/start module structured to compare the engine operation data with predetermined protective criteria that includes an engine friction threshold and to turn off the engine for at least a portion of time based on the engine friction threshold exceeding the engine friction amount.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an engine friction module in operative communication with an engine and structured to interpret engine operation data indicative of an engine friction amount; and

a stop/start module structured to;

compare the interpreted engine operation data with predetermined protective criteria based on an engine friction threshold; and

turn off the engine for at least a portion of time based on the engine friction threshold exceeding the engine friction amount;

wherein the engine friction amount is based on an engine rotational friction amount; and

wherein the engine rotational friction amount is based on an amount of fuel used to idle the engine at a constant speed.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the engine friction amount is based on at least one of an engine oil temperature, an engine oil viscosity, and an engine oil pressure.

3. An apparatus, comprising:

an engine friction module in operative communication with an engine and structured to interpret engine operation data indicative of an engine friction amount; and

a stop/start module structured to;

compare the interpreted engine operation data with predetermined protective criteria based on an engine friction threshold; and

turn off the engine for at least a portion of time based on the engine friction threshold exceeding the engine friction amount;

wherein the stop/start module is structured to turn off the engine further based on a maximum engine temperature threshold exceeding an overall temperature of the engine, wherein the overall temperature of the engine indicates the engine friction amount.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the overall temperature of the engine is based on at least one of a total engine run time since starting the engine, an engine runtime since dropping below a predetermined power level, and a wasted energy since starting the engine.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the overall temperature of the engine is based on a recent energy consumed by the engine.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the recent energy consumed is based on at least one of an engine output power, a moving average of the engine output power, and a heavily filtered value of the engine output power.

7. An apparatus, comprising:

an exhaust module in operative communication with an engine and structured to interpret engine operation data indicative of a temperature of an exhaust aftertreatment system; and

a stop/start module structured to;

compare the interpreted engine operation data with predetermined protective criteria, wherein the predetermined protective criteria includes an exhaust aftertreatment temperature threshold; and

turn off the engine for at least a portion of time based on the temperature of the exhaust aftertreatment system exceeding the exhaust aftertreatment temperature threshold;

wherein the stop/start module is structured to turn off the engine further based on a maximum engine temperature threshold exceeding an overall temperature of the engine.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the exhaust aftertreatment system is a selective catalytic reduction aftertreatment system.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the temperature of the exhaust aftertreatment system is based on an overall temperature of the exhaust aftertreatment system.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the temperature of the exhaust aftertreatment system is based on a temperature of particles passing through a particulate filter.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the temperature of the exhaust aftertreatment system is based on a temperature of a selective catalytic reduction catalyst.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the temperature of the exhaust aftertreatment system is based on a temperature of a diesel particulate filter inlet.

13. An apparatus, comprising:

an engine friction module in operative communication with an engine and structured to interpret engine operation data indicative of an engine friction amount;

an exhaust module in operative communication with the engine and structured to interpret engine operation data indicative of a temperature of an exhaust aftertreatment system;

and a stop/start module structured to;

compare the interpreted engine operation data with predetermined protective criteria, wherein the predetermined protective criteria includes an engine friction threshold and an exhaust aftertreatment temperature threshold; and

turn off the engine for at least a portion of time based on the engine friction threshold exceeding the engine friction amount and based on the temperature of the exhaust aftertreatment system exceeding the exhaust aftertreatment temperature threshold;

wherein the stop/start module is structured to turn off the engine further based on a maximum engine temperature threshold exceeding an overall temperature of the engine.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the overall temperature of the engine is based on a total engine run time since dropping below a predetermined power level.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the engine friction amount is based on at least one of a viscosity, a pressure, and a temperature of engine oil.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the exhaust aftertreatment system is a selective catalytic reduction aftertreatment system.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the temperature of the exhaust aftertreatment system is based on a temperature of a diesel particulate filter inlet.

18. A method, comprising:

interpreting, by an engine friction module in operative communication with an engine, engine operation data indicative of an engine friction amount;

comparing, by a stop/start module, the interpreted engine operation data with predetermined protective criteria based on an engine friction threshold; and

turning off, by the stop/start module, the engine for at least a portion of time based on the engine friction threshold exceeding the engine friction amount;

wherein turning off the engine is further based on a maximum engine temperature threshold exceeding an overall temperature of the engine.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the overall temperature of the engine is based on a total engine run time since dropping below a predetermined power level.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the engine friction amount is based on an engine rotational friction amount.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the engine rotational friction amount is based on at least one of an amount of fuel used to idle the engine at a constant speed and a total fueling since initially starting the engine.