Systems and methods for controlling an after-treatment system comprising an electronic catalyst

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11713702-B2
Application number	US-202117521224-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 8, 2021
Priority date	Nov 8, 2021
Publication date	Aug 1, 2023
Grant date	Aug 1, 2023

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided to heat a catalyst of an after-treatment system for a vehicle. The after-treatment system is powered by a battery. An operational parameter of the battery and the driving mode of the vehicle is determined. After receiving an indication that a first operational parameter threshold has been surpassed and a torque demand of the vehicle has been predicted, heat is provided to the catalyst of the after-treatment system based on the predicted torque demand of the vehicle surpassing a second operational parameter threshold.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of providing heat to a catalyst of an after-treatment system for a vehicle, the after-treatment system being powered by a battery, the method comprising:
determining an operational parameter of the battery;
receiving an indication that a first operational parameter threshold has been surpassed;
predicting a torque demand of the vehicle, wherein the predicting the torque demand comprises determining a driving mode of the vehicle; and
providing heat to the catalyst of the after-treatment system based on the predicted torque demand causing a second operational parameter threshold to be surpassed.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operational parameter is at least one of:
temperature;
state of charge;
power demand;
current demand;
voltage; or
contactor or relay state.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the driving mode is one of:
electric propulsion;
combustion engine propulsion; or
a combination of electric and combustion based propulsion.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the prediction of the torque demand is based on at least one of: GPS, ADAS, traffic sign recognition, cruise control, driver input, navigation route, ambient temperature, or historic route information.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first operational parameter threshold is configurable based on the driving mode of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing heat to the catalyst until the catalyst reaches a threshold temperature; and
starting an engine of the vehicle after the after-treatment system reaches the threshold temperature.

7. The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising determining a minimum amount of energy required to meet an optimal temperature for catalyst light off.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predicting the torque demand of the vehicle further comprises:
receiving vehicle data; and
determining from the vehicle data that the torque of the vehicle will remain constant.

9. An after-treatment system of a vehicle comprising:
a battery;
a heating module, electrically coupled to the battery, comprising a plurality of heating elements; and
a control module, communicatively coupled to the heating module and the battery, configured to:
determine an operational parameter of the battery;
receive an indication that a first operational parameter threshold has been surpassed;
predict a torque demand of the vehicle, wherein the predicting the torque demand comprises determining a driving mode of the vehicle; and
provide heat, with the heating module, to the after-treatment system based on the predicted torque demand causing a second operational parameter threshold to be surpassed.

10. The after-treatment system of claim 9 , wherein the operational parameter is at least one of:
temperature;
state of charge;
power demand;
current demand;
voltage; or
contactor or relay state.

11. The after-treatment system of claim 9 , wherein the driving mode is one of:
electric propulsion;
combustion engine propulsion; or
a combination of electric and combustion based propulsion.

12. The after-treatment system of claim 9 , wherein the prediction of the torque demand is based on at least one of: GPS, ADAS, traffic sign recognition, cruise control, driver input, navigation route, ambient temperature, or historic route information.

13. The after-treatment system of claim 11 , wherein the first operational parameter threshold is configurable based on the driving mode of the vehicle.

14. The after-treatment system of claim 9 , wherein the control module is further configured to:
provide heat to the catalyst until the catalyst reaches a threshold temperature; and
start an engine of the vehicle after the after-treatment system reaches the threshold temperature.

15. The after-treatment system of claim 9 , the control module further configured to determine a minimum amount of energy required to meet an optimal temperature for catalyst light off.

16. The after-treatment system of claim 9 , wherein when predicting a torque demand of the vehicle, the control module is further configured to:
receive vehicle data; and
determine from the vehicle data that the torque of the vehicle will remain constant.

17. A vehicle comprising the after-treatment system of claim 9 .

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions encoded thereon for carrying out method of providing heat to a catalyst of an after-treatment system for a vehicle, the after-treatment system powered by a battery, the instructions configured to:
determine an operational parameter of the battery;
receive an indication that a first operational parameter threshold has been surpassed;
predict a torque demand of the vehicle, wherein the predicting the torque demand comprises determining a driving mode of the vehicle; and
provide heat to the catalyst of the after-treatment system based on the predicted torque demand of the vehicle causing a second operational parameter threshold to be surpassed.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Cox David
• Hesketh David
• Petridis Themi

Classifications

• F01N3/2013 Primary

  using electric or magnetic heating means · CPC title

• F01N2240/16

  an electric heater, i.e. a resistance heater · CPC title

• F01N2590/11

  for hybrid vehicles · CPC title

• F01N2900/0601

  being estimated · CPC title

• F01N2900/08

  said parameters being related to the engine · CPC title