Systems and methods for vehicle system component thermal regulation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10400645-B2
Application number	US-201715669825-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 4, 2017
Priority date	Aug 4, 2017
Publication date	Sep 3, 2019
Grant date	Sep 3, 2019

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for expediting catalyst heating and cooling a braking system of a vehicle via applying a magnetic field to a vehicle system component. In one example, a method may include, responsive to a temperature of the catalyst being less than a threshold temperature, applying a magnetic field to an exhaust system component arranged proximate to the catalyst, and removing the magnetic field from the exhaust system component responsive to the temperature reaching the threshold temperature. In another example, the method further includes, following a vehicle braking event, applying the magnetic field to a braking system component, and removing the magnetic field from the braking system component responsive to magnetic field deactivating conditions being met.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for an engine, comprising:
responsive to a temperature of an exhaust catalytic converter being below a first threshold temperature, applying a magnetic field to an exhaust system component arranged proximate to the exhaust catalytic converter;
responsive to the temperature increasing to or above the first threshold temperature, stopping applying the magnetic field; and
wherein applying the magnetic field to the exhaust system component is further responsive to a fuel economy and energy penalty of generating and applying the magnetic field being less than a fuel economy and energy penalty of adjusting an alternate engine operating parameter to increase the temperature of the exhaust catalytic converter to the first threshold temperature.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the alternate engine operating parameter includes retarding spark timing of spark plugs of one or more engine cylinders.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising delivering fuel to one or more engine cylinders via split injection while retarding the spark timing.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising adjusting the alternate engine operating parameter to increase the temperature of the exhaust catalytic converter to the first threshold temperature instead of applying the magnetic field to the exhaust system component in response to the temperature being below the first threshold temperature and the fuel economy and energy penalty of generating and applying the magnetic field being greater than the fuel economy and energy penalty of adjusting the alternate engine operating parameter to increase the temperature of the exhaust catalytic converter to the first threshold temperature.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising retarding spark at one or more engine cylinders and performing split fuel injection at the one or more engine cylinders, while applying the magnetic field to the exhaust system component, in response to the temperature being below a second threshold temperature that is lower than the first threshold temperature.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first threshold temperature is a light-off temperature of the exhaust catalytic converter and the applying the magnetic field is performed during an engine cold start.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein a stopping of applying the magnetic field includes decreasing the magnetic field at a controlled rate, where the controlled rate is based on a rate that maintains the temperature of the exhaust catalytic converter at or above the first threshold temperature.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the exhaust system component is composed at least partially of a magnetocaloric material.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the exhaust system component includes a housing of the exhaust catalytic converter.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the exhaust system component is an exhaust passage in which the exhaust catalytic converter is positioned.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
applying the magnetic field to a braking system component of a vehicle in which the engine is installed for a duration following a vehicle braking event; and
stopping applying the magnetic field to the braking system component in response to one or more of a temperature of the braking system component reaching a third threshold temperature, reaching a calculated threshold duration of applying the magnetic field, and commencement of a subsequent braking event.

12. A method for an engine, comprising:
in response to a temperature of a catalyst of an exhaust system of the engine being below a first threshold temperature, heating the catalyst to the first threshold temperature by:
during a first condition, applying a magnetic field to an exhaust system component of the exhaust system arranged proximate to the catalyst while maintaining spark timing of the engine at maximum break torque (MBT); and
during a second condition, retarding spark timing from MBT while not applying the magnetic field to the exhaust system component.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first condition includes an energy and fuel economy penalty of generating and applying the magnetic field being less than an energy and fuel economy penalty of retarding spark timing to heat the catalyst to the first threshold temperature.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the second condition includes the energy and fuel economy penalty of generating and applying the magnetic field being greater than or equal to the energy and fuel economy penalty of retarding spark timing to heat the catalyst to the first threshold temperature.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising, during a third condition when the temperature of the catalyst is below a second threshold temperature that is lower than the first threshold temperature, heating the catalyst to the first threshold temperature by retarding the spark timing from MBT and applying the magnetic field to the exhaust system component.

16. A system for a vehicle, comprising:
an exhaust passage of an engine, the exhaust passage including a catalyst;
a magnetic field generator; and
a controller with computer readable instructions stored in memory for:
during a cold start of the engine, in response to a temperature of the catalyst being below a light off temperature, activating the magnetic field generator to generate a magnetic field in an area of the catalyst; and
wherein activating the magnetic field generator to generate a magnetic field in an area of the catalyst is further responsive to a fuel economy and energy penalty of generating and applying the magnetic field being less than a fuel economy and enemy penalty of adjusting an alternate engine operating parameter to increase the temperature of the catalyst to the light off temperature.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein one or more of the catalyst and a housing of the catalyst comprises a magnetocaloric material.

18. The system of claim 16 , further comprising a spark plug, and wherein the computer readable instructions further include instructions for retarding spark timing of the spark plug during the cold start and while activating the magnetic field generator to generate the magnetic field in response to the temperature of the catalyst being a threshold amount below the light off temperature.

19. The system of claim 16 , further comprising a break pad and a brake rotor of a braking system of the vehicle, and wherein the computer readable instructions further include instructions for activating the magnetic field generator to generate a magnetic field in an area of one or more of the brake pad and the brake rotor following a braking event and until a temperature of the one or more of the brake pad and the brake rotor decreases to a lower threshold temperature or a start of a subsequent braking event.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Phillips John Eric Byron

Classifications

• F01N2430/08

  by modifying ignition or injection timing · CPC title

• F01N2240/05

  a magnetic, e.g. electromagnetic, device other than a valve · CPC title

• F01N9/00

  Electrical control of exhaust gas treating apparatus (monitoring or diagnostic devices for exhaust-gas treatment apparatus F01N11/00; conjoint electrical control of two or more combustion engine functions F02D43/00) · CPC title

• F01N3/2086

  Activating the catalyst by light, photo-catalysts · CPC title

• B60T5/00

  Vehicle modifications to facilitate cooling of brakes · CPC title