Systems and methods for fuel vapor canister purging

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9638144-B2
Application number	US-201514751900-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2015
Priority date	Jun 26, 2015
Publication date	May 2, 2017
Grant date	May 2, 2017

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for purging a fuel vapor canister. In one example, a method may include during boosted engine operating conditions, utilizing regulated compressed air from an engine intake to purge fuel vapors stored in the fuel vapor canister. Further, during non-boosted condition, regulated air from the intake may be utilized to purge the fuel vapor canister. The purged fuel vapors and intake air may be delivered to upstream of a compressor when operating with boost, or to an intake manifold when operating without boost.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for a boosted engine, comprising:
during purging a fuel vapor canister,
during a boosted condition, flowing compressed air from a first intake passage downstream of a compressor into the canister, and delivering purge gases from the canister to a second intake passage upstream of the compressor; and
during a non-boosted condition, flowing un-compressed air from the first intake passage into the canister, and delivering the purge gases to an engine intake manifold.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
regulating air flow from the first intake passage via a pressure regulator during the boosted condition and the non-boosted condition.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
during the boosted condition, adjusting a wastegate based on a desired boost, the wastegate coupled across an exhaust turbine driving the compressor.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
during the boosted condition, adjusting a compressor recirculation valve based on a compressor surge limit and an amount of purge gases delivered during purging.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein delivering the purge gases to the intake manifold comprises: flowing the purge gases from the canister into a first purge conduit; and flowing the purge gases from the first purge conduit into a second purge conduit before delivering the purge gases to the intake manifold.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein delivering the purge gases to the upstream of the compressor comprises: flowing the purge gases from the canister into the first purge conduit, and flowing the purge gases from the first purge conduit into a third purge conduit before delivering the purge gases to the upstream of the compressor.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the purging comprises: opening a canister purge valve coupled within the first purge conduit, closing a canister vent valve coupled within a vent line coupling the canister with atmosphere, and closing a vapor blocking valve coupling the canister and a fuel tank.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
during a refueling event, opening the canister vent valve coupled within the vent line to fluidically couple the canister to the atmosphere, and venting the fuel tank to the atmosphere via the vent line.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
during the refueling event, opening the vapor blocking valve and closing the purge valve.

10. The method of claim 2 , wherein the air flow from the intake to the canister during both the non-boosted and the boosted condition is regulated based on a pressure difference between a canister inlet port and the canister outlet port.

11. A method for a boosted engine, comprising:
during purging a fuel vapor canister,
opening a canister purge valve located within a first purge conduit, the first conduit coupled to an outlet port of the canister;
regulating air flow from a first intake passage of the engine downstream of a compressor and upstream of an intake throttle into the canister;
flowing purge gases from the outlet port of the canister to a junction downstream of the purge valve via the first purge conduit;
during a first condition, directing the purge gas flow at the junction to a second intake passage upstream of compressor; and
during a second condition, directing the purge gas flow at the junction to an engine intake manifold.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first condition includes a boosted engine operating condition; and wherein the second condition includes a non-boosted engine operating condition and an intake manifold vacuum greater than a threshold.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the regulation of the air flow is performed by a pressure regulator coupled within an inlet line coupling the intake passage with an inlet port of the canister.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
during a third condition, flowing fresh air from the atmosphere into the canister via a vent line, flowing the purge gases from the outlet port of the canister to the junction via the purge valve through the first purge conduit, and directing the purge gas flow at the junction into the intake manifold.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the third condition includes a non-boosted engine operating condition and the intake manifold vacuum below the threshold.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
during a fourth condition including a refueling event, opening a vapor blocking valve coupling a fuel tank with an fuel vapor inlet port of the canister, closing the purge valve, and opening a canister vent valve coupled within the vent line.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising: during the first and the second conditions, closing the canister vent valve, and closing the vapor blocking valve.

18. A vehicle system, comprising:
a boosted engine;
a fuel tank;
a fuel vapor canister;
an inlet line coupling a first intake passage downstream of a compressor of the engine and upstream of an intake throttle to an inlet port of the canister;
a first purge conduit coupling an outlet port of the canister to a node;
a canister purge valve coupled within the first purge conduit;
a second purge conduit coupling the node to an intake manifold;
a third purge conduit coupling the node to a second intake passage upstream of the compressor;
a vent line coupling the outlet port of the canister to ambient air;
a canister vent valve coupled within the vent line; and
a controller having executable instructions stored in a non-transitory memory for:
when canister purge conditions are met,
during a boosted condition, drawing compressed air through the canister from the first intake passage via the inlet line, and flowing purge gases to the second intake passage via the first purge conduit and the third purge conduit; and
during a non-boosted condition, drawing intake air through the canister from the first intake passage via the inlet line, and flowing purge gases to the intake manifold via the first purge conduit and the second purge conduit.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the controller includes further instructions for, during a refueling condition, flowing fuel vapors from a fuel tank into the canister, and flowing vent gases stripped of fuel vapors from the canister to the second intake passage via vent line and a conduit coupling the vent line with the second intake passage.

20. The system of claim 18 , wherein the controller includes further instructions for regulating flow of air into the canister via a pressure regulator located in the inlet line when the purging conditions are met, and for adjusting a wastegate coupled across an exhaust turbine driving the compressor based on a desired boost during the purging.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Pursifull Ross Dykstra
• Mehravaran Meisam

Classifications

• F02M25/089

  Layout of the fuel vapour installation · CPC title

• F02D41/0032

  Controlling the purging of the canister as a function of the engine operating conditions · CPC title

• F02M25/08 Primary

  adding fuel vapours drawn from engine fuel reservoir {(electrical control of purge system F02D41/003)} · CPC title

• F02B37/18

  by bypassing exhaust {from the inlet to the outlet of turbine or to the atmosphere} · CPC title

• F02M25/0836 Primary

  Arrangement of valves controlling the admission of fuel vapour to an engine, e.g. valve being disposed between fuel tank or absorption canister and intake manifold · CPC title