Control system and control method for internal combustion engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016349206-A1
Application number	US-201514894848-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 16, 2015
Priority date	Feb 20, 2014
Publication date	Dec 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A control system for an engine including a limiting current sensor, the control system includes an ECU configured to: execute a sweep process for gradually reducing a voltage that is applied to the sensor from a first voltage to a second voltage; acquire an extreme value of an output current of the sensor during execution of the sweep process from output currents of the sensor while a voltage included in a specific voltage range is applied to the sensor, the extreme value being predicted to be output; and detect the concentration of SOx in exhaust gas based on the extreme value and a reference value, the reference value being a value of limiting current of the sensor, the value of limiting current of the sensor corresponding to the concentration of oxygen having the constant value.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A control system for an internal combustion engine including a limiting current sensor that is configured to detect a concentration of oxygen in exhaust gas, the control system comprising:
an electronic control unit configured to: (i) detect a concentration of SOx in exhaust gas; (ii) control the internal combustion engine such that the concentration of oxygen in exhaust gas is kept at a constant value; (iii) execute a sweep process for gradually reducing a voltage, the voltage being applied to the limiting current sensor from a first voltage to a second voltage, sulfur being produced as a result of reduction of SOx in the limiting current sensor and being accumulated in the limiting current sensor at the first voltage, sulfur in the limiting current sensor being oxidized into SOx at the second voltage; (iv) acquire an extreme value of an output current of the limiting current sensor during execution of the sweep process from output currents of the limiting current sensor while a voltage included in a specific voltage range is applied to the limiting current sensor, the extreme value being predicted to be output based on the concentration of oxygen having the constant value in the specific voltage range; and (v) detect the concentration of SOx in exhaust gas based on the extreme value and a reference value, the reference value being a value of limiting current of the limiting current sensor, the value of limiting current of the limiting current sensor corresponding to the concentration of oxygen having the constant value.

2 . The control system according to claim 1 , wherein
the second voltage coincides with a voltage that is used when the concentration of oxygen in exhaust gas is detected, and the electronic control unit is configured to, as the reference value, use a value of output current of the limiting current sensor at timing at which the voltage that is applied to the limiting current sensor is reduced to the second voltage in the sweep process.

3 . The control system according to claim 1 , wherein
the electronic control unit is configured to prestore a correlation between the concentration of oxygen in exhaust gas and the value of limiting current, and the electronic control unit is configured to, as the reference value, use a value of limiting current, which is obtained by applying the concentration of oxygen having the constant value to the correlation.

4 . The control system according to claim 1 , wherein the second voltage coincides with a lower limit value of the specific voltage range.

5 . A control method for an internal combustion engine including a limiting current sensor and an electronic control unit, the limiting current sensor configured to detect a concentration of oxygen in exhaust gas, the control method comprising:
detecting, by the electronic control unit, a concentration of SOx in exhaust gas; controlling, by the electronic control unit, the internal combustion engine such that the concentration of oxygen in exhaust gas is kept at a constant value; executing, by the electronic control unit, a sweep process for gradually reducing a voltage, the voltage being applied to the limiting current sensor from a first voltage to a second voltage, sulfur being produced as a result of reduction of SOx in the limiting current sensor and being accumulated in the limiting current sensor at the first voltage, sulfur in the limiting current sensor being oxidized into SOx at the second voltage; acquiring, by the electronic control unit, an extreme value of an output current of the limiting current sensor during execution of the sweep process from output currents of the limiting current sensor while a voltage included in a specific voltage range is applied to the limiting current sensor, the extreme value being predicted to be output based on the concentration of oxygen having the constant value in the specific voltage range; and detecting, by the electronic control unit, the concentration of SOx in exhaust gas based on the extreme value and a reference value, the reference value being a value of limiting current of the limiting current sensor, the value of limiting current of the limiting current sensor corresponding to the concentration of oxygen having the constant value.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hashida Tatsuhiro
• Wakao Kazuhiro

Classifications

• G01N27/4074 Primary

  for detection of gases other than oxygen · CPC title

• F02D41/1444 Primary

  characterised by the characteristics of the combustion gases · CPC title

• F02D41/1454

  the characteristics being an oxygen content or concentration or the air-fuel ratio · CPC title

• G01N33/0042 Primary

  SO2 or SO3 · CPC title

• G01N27/407 Primary

  for investigating or analysing gases {(G01N27/411 takes precedence)} · CPC title