Systems and methods for migitating cold start emissions via rotation of turbocharger turbine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12378924-B1
Application number	US-202418904950-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Oct 2, 2024
Priority date	Oct 2, 2024
Publication date	Aug 5, 2025
Grant date	Aug 5, 2025

Abstract

A trigger signal is received from a trigger signal source. A first control signal is issued to a wastegate actuator to open a wastegate in response to the trigger signal. A second control signal is issued to a turbo shaft actuator to rotate a turbine of a turbocharger. The rotation of the turbine causes recirculated air to flow in a recirculation flow path including an exhaust manifold, the turbine, an exhaust wall system, and the wastegate. The exhaust wall system includes a turbine housing of the turbine, exhaust walls disposed between the turbine and the wastegate, and exhaust walls disposed between the turbine and a catalyst brick. At least a portion of the recirculation flow path is adjacent to a side of the catalyst brick. Heat transfer occurs from the recirculated air to the exhaust wall system and to the catalyst brick via the side of the catalyst.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of mitigating cold start emissions in a vehicle via rotation of a turbine of a turbocharger comprising:
receiving at a controller, a trigger signal from a trigger signal source, wherein the trigger signal comprises a vehicle turn on signal and the trigger signal source comprises a vehicle turn on button; and
prior to turning on an engine of the vehicle:
issuing by the controller, a first control signal to a wastegate actuator to open a wastegate responsive to the trigger signal; and
issuing by the controller, a second control signal to a turbo shaft actuator to rotate the turbine of the turbocharger in a reverse rotation, wherein the reverse rotation of the turbine causes recirculated air to flow in a reverse recirculation flow path comprising an exhaust manifold, the turbine, an exhaust wall system, and the wastegate, wherein:
the exhaust wall system comprises a turbine housing of the turbine, exhaust walls disposed between the turbine and the wastegate, and exhaust walls disposed between the turbine and a catalyst brick;
at least a portion of the reverse recirculation flow path is adjacent a side of the catalyst brick;
heat transfer occurs from the recirculated air to the exhaust wall system and to the catalyst brick via the side of the catalyst brick; and
the recirculated air comprises air that remained in the exhaust manifold after the engine was previously turned off and air from an intake manifold through the engine to an outlet of the turbine via the exhaust manifold due to an overlap in a partial opening of an intake valve with respect to an exhaust value of at least one cylinder of the engine when the engine was previously turned off.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the recirculated air enters the outlet of the turbine, the recirculated air entering the turbine having a first temperature;
the reverse rotation of the turbine compresses the recirculated air; and
the compressed recirculated air having a second temperature exits an inlet of the turbine, the second temperature being greater than the first temperature.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
issuing by the controller, the first control signal to the wastegate actuator to open the wastegate comprises issuing by the controller, the first control signal to the wastegate actuator to partially open the wastegate.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
issuing by the controller, the first control signal to the wastegate actuator to open the wastegate comprises issuing by the controller, the first control signal to the wastegate actuator to fully open the wastegate.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the recirculated air passes through the catalyst brick.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the turbo shaft actuator is a motor generator unit (MGU).

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reverse rotation of the turbine causes the recirculated air to flow in the reverse recirculation flow path from the exhaust manifold through the wastegate through the exhaust wall system to the outlet of the turbine, and through an inlet of the turbine.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising issuing, by the controller, a third control signal to a compressor bypass valve actuator to open a compressor bypass valve responsive to the trigger signal prior to turning on the engine.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein:
the reverse rotation of the turbine causes a reverse rotation of a compressor;
the reverse rotation of the compressor causes air from the intake manifold to flow to an outlet of the compressor via an inlet of the compressor, flow through the compressor bypass valve and back to the outlet of the compressor; and
the air from the intake manifold is the air that remained in the intake manifold after the engine was previously turned off.

10. A system for mitigating cold start emissions generated by a vehicle via rotation of a turbine of a turbocharger, comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processor, the at least one memory comprising instructions that upon execution by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to:
receive a trigger signal from a trigger signal source, wherein the trigger signal comprises a vehicle turn on signal and the trigger signal source comprises a vehicle turn on button; and
prior to turning on an engine of the vehicle:
issue a first control signal to a wastegate actuator to open a wastegate responsive to the trigger signal; and
issue a second control signal to a turbo shaft actuator to rotate the turbine of the turbocharger in a reverse rotation, wherein the reverse rotation of the turbine causes recirculated air to flow in a reverse recirculation flow path comprising an exhaust manifold, the turbine, an exhaust wall system, and the wastegate, wherein:
the exhaust wall system comprises a turbine housing of the turbine, exhaust walls disposed between the turbine and the wastegate, and exhaust walls disposed between the turbine and a catalyst brick;
at least a portion of the recirculation flow path is adjacent a side of the catalyst brick;
heat transfer occurs from the recirculated air to the exhaust wall system and to the catalyst brick via the side of the catalyst brick; and
the recirculated air comprises air that remained in the exhaust manifold after the engine was previously turned off and air from an intake manifold through the engine to an outlet of the turbine via the exhaust manifold due to an overlap in a partial opening of an intake valve with respect to an exhaust value of at least one cylinder of the engine when the engine was previously turned off.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein:
the recirculated air enters the outlet of the turbine, the recirculated air entering the turbine having a first temperature;
the reverse rotation of the turbine compresses the recirculated air; and
the compressed recirculated air having a second temperature exits an inlet of the turbine, the second temperature being greater than the first temperature.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one memory further comprises instructions that upon execution by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to:
issue the first control signal to the wastegate actuator to partially open the wastegate.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one memory further comprises instructions that upon execution by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to:
issue the first control signal to the wastegate actuator to fully open the wastegate.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein a portion of the recirculated air passes through the catalyst brick.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the reverse rotation of the turbine causes the recirculated air to flow in the reverse recirculation flow path from the exhaust manifold through the wastegate through the exhaust wall system to the outlet of the turbine, and through an inlet of the turbine.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one memory further comprises instructions that upon execution by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to issue a third control signal to a compressor bypass valve actuator to open a compressor bypass valve responsive to the trigger signal prior to turning on the engine.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein:
the reverse rotation of the turbine causes a reverse rotation of a compressor;
the reverse rotation of the compressor causes air from the intake manifold to flow to an outlet of the compres

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Ali Khan Maqsood Rizwan
• Claywell Mark
• Sarwar Azeem

Classifications

• Y02T10/12

  Improving ICE efficiencies · CPC title

• F02D2250/34

  Control of exhaust back pressure, e.g. for turbocharged engines · CPC title

• F02D41/1446

  the characteristics being exhaust temperatures · CPC title

• F02D41/0255

  to accelerate the warming-up of the exhaust gas treating apparatus at engine start · CPC title

• F02D41/064

  at cold start (F02D41/067 takes precedence) · CPC title