Regeneration of particulate filters in autonomously controllable vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017051652-A1
Application number	US-201615229631-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 5, 2016
Priority date	Aug 20, 2015
Publication date	Feb 23, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments for regeneration a particulate filter in a motor vehicle having a self-control mode for the autonomous control of a drive mode and having a diesel particulate filter disposed in the exhaust system of a diesel engine of the motor vehicle are provided. In one example, a method for protecting the diesel particulate filter from overheating and premature aging comprises: starting the self-control mode, starting/verifying a regeneration process of the diesel particulate filter with combustion of the soot particles adsorbed on the diesel particulate filter, and monitoring a temperature of the diesel particulate filter and/or of the exhaust gas directed through the diesel particulate filter during the regeneration process. Depending on a monitoring result of the monitoring, a control for the self-control mode of the motor vehicle can be adjusted.

First claim

1 . A method for protecting a diesel particulate filter from overheating and premature aging, wherein the diesel particulate filter is disposed in the exhaust system of a diesel engine of a motor vehicle, and wherein the motor vehicle has a self-control mode for the autonomous control of a drive mode of the motor vehicle, comprising:
starting the self-control mode, starting or verifying a regeneration process of the diesel particulate filter with burning of the soot particulates adsorbed on the diesel particulate filter, monitoring a temperature of the diesel particulate filter and/or of the exhaust gas directed through the diesel particulate filter during the regeneration process, and responsive to a monitoring result of the monitoring, adjusting a control of the self-control mode of the motor vehicle.

2 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the adjustment of the control changes at least one of:
a gear to be used in a transmission of the motor vehicle, a speed to be reached by the motor vehicle, an acceleration and/or deceleration profile to be achieved by the motor vehicle, an acceleration and/or deceleration gradient to be achieved by the motor vehicle, and a maximum interruption period of a fuel supply to the diesel engine.

3 . The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein adjusting the control and/or changing the acceleration and/or deceleration profile includes inserting, into the control and/or into the acceleration and/or deceleration profile, an indication to open the throttle for a period of time and to a given extent, followed by refraining from opening the throttle.

4 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, as a result of the adjustment of the control, a portion of oxygen in an exhaust gas directed through the diesel particulate filter and/or a volumetric flow rate of the exhaust gas directed through the diesel particulate filter is varied.

5 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the motor vehicle comprises an autonomously and/or electronically engageable clutch for coupling wheels to a drive train coupled to the diesel engine, and changing the control includes engaging or disengaging the wheels by the autonomously and/or electronically engageable clutch.

6 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the diesel particulate filter is combined with further catalyst stages.

7 . A method for protecting a gasoline particulate filter from overheating and premature aging, wherein the gasoline particulate filter is disposed in an exhaust system of a gasoline engine of a motor vehicle, and wherein the motor vehicle has a self-control mode for autonomous control of a drive mode of the motor vehicle, comprising:
starting the self-control mode, starting a regeneration process of the gasoline particulate filter with burning of the soot particulates adsorbed on the gasoline particulate filter, monitoring a temperature of the gasoline particulate filter and/or of the exhaust gas directed through the gasoline particulate filter during the regeneration process, and responsive to a monitoring result of the monitoring, adjusting a control of the self-control mode of the motor vehicle.

8 . The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the adjustment of the control changes at least one of:
a gear to be used in a transmission of the motor vehicle, a speed to be reached by the motor vehicle, an acceleration and/or deceleration profile to be achieved by the motor vehicle, an acceleration and/or deceleration gradient to be achieved by the motor vehicle, a maximum interruption period of a fuel supply to the gasoline engine, and an interruption frequency of the fuel supply.

9 . The method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein adjusting the control and/or changing the acceleration and/or deceleration profile includes inserting, into the control and/or into the acceleration and/or deceleration profile, an indication to open the throttle for a period of time and to a given extent, followed by refraining from opening the throttle.

10 . The method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the adjustment of the control and/or changing the acceleration and/or deceleration profile is carried out on the basis at least one of:
information exchanged between the motor vehicle and another motor vehicle, navigation information relating to a route to be followed in the future, traffic information, traffic control information, an injection point for gasoline into the gasoline engine, and a target temperature of a catalytic converter.

11 . The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein, as a result of the adjustment of the control, a portion of oxygen in an exhaust gas directed through the gasoline particulate filter and/or a volumetric flow rate of the exhaust gas directed through the gasoline particulate filter is varied.

12 . The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the motor vehicle comprises an autonomously and/or electronically engageable clutch for coupling wheels to a drive train coupled to the gasoline engine, and changing the control includes engaging or disengaging the wheels by the autonomously and/or electronically engageable clutch.

13 . The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the gasoline particulate filter is combined with further catalyst stages.

14 . A method, comprising:
operating a vehicle according to a velocity profile, the vehicle operated according to the velocity profile without operator input; deviating from the velocity profile responsive to a regeneration of a particulate filter of the vehicle.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the velocity profile comprises one or more of a maximum velocity, an acceleration rate, a deceleration rate, a transmission gear, a minimum distance to a preceding vehicle, and fuel cut-off duration and/or frequency, and wherein the velocity profile is generated based in part on conditions predefined by an operator.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein deviating from the velocity profile comprises adjusting one or more of the acceleration rate, the deceleration rate, the transmission gear, and the fuel cut-off duration and/or frequency to maintain a target particulate filter temperature and/or target exhaust gas oxygen concentration.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein deviating from the velocity profile further comprises engaging or disengaging wheels of the vehicle via an autonomously and/or electronically engageable clutch.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein deviating from the velocity profile comprises deviating from the velocity profile regardless of a distance to a preceding vehicle when the distance is greater than the minimum distance.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• De Smet Frederik
• Boerensen Christoph
• Riesmeier Elmar

Classifications

• F01N2900/1406

  Exhaust gas pressure · CPC title

• F01N3/2066

  Selective catalytic reduction [SCR] · CPC title

• F01N11/002

  the diagnostic devices measuring or estimating temperature or pressure in, or downstream of the exhaust apparatus · CPC title

• F01N2900/10

  said parameters being related to the vehicle or its components · CPC title

• F01N3/0232

  removing incombustible material from a particle filter, e.g. ash · CPC title