Method of operating an engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9810672-B2
Application number	US-201414559978-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 4, 2014
Priority date	Dec 4, 2014
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

A method of operating an engine is provided. The method includes determining a temperature and a pressure of intake air, and a temperature and a pressure of exhaust generated by the engine. The method includes determining a work performed by the engine based at least on an engine speed of the engine, and determining heating losses of the engine. The method includes determining an enthalpy of the intake air based at least on the work, the heating losses, a heating value of a fuel used for combustion within the engine, and the temperature and the pressure of the exhaust. The method includes determining a humidity value of the intake air based on the enthalpy, temperature and pressure of the intake air and determining an amount of NOx based on the humidity value. The method further includes controlling an operation of the engine based on the determined amount of NOx.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of operating an engine, the method comprising:
determining, by a controller, a temperature and a pressure of intake air;
determining, by the controller, a temperature and a pressure of exhaust generated by the engine;
determining, by the controller, a work performed by the engine based at least on an engine speed of the engine;
determining, by the controller, heating losses of the engine;
determining, by the controller, an enthalpy of the intake air based at least on the work performed by the engine, the heating losses of the engine, a heating value of a fuel used for combustion within the engine, and the temperature and the pressure of the exhaust;
determining, by the controller, a humidity value of the intake air based on the enthalpy and the temperature and the pressure of the intake air;
determining, by the controller, an amount of nitrogen oxides (NOx) as a function of the humidity value of the intake air; and
controlling, by the controller, an operation of the engine based on the amount of NOx,
controlling the operation of the engine based on the amount of NOx including controlling, based on the amount of NOx, one or more of:
an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) flow rate for the engine,
a temperature of a coolant utilized by the engine,
an ignition timing of the engine,
a flow rate of the fuel,
a flow rate of the intake air, or
a fuel injection pressure.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the humidity value is determined using a psychrometric chart.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining the amount of NOx further based on a mass ratio of the intake air and the fuel used for combustion within the engine.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining the amount of NOx further based on the ignition timing of the engine.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining the amount of NOx further based on the EGR flow rate for the engine.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining the amount of NOx further based on the temperature of the coolant utilized by the engine.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising controlling an exhaust aftertreatment system of the engine based on the amount of NOx.

8. A control system for an engine, the control system comprising:
a first sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of a temperature of intake air;
a second sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of a pressure of the intake air;
a third sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of a temperature of exhaust;
a fourth sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of a pressure of the exhaust; and
a controller communicably coupled with the first sensor, the second sensor, the third sensor and the fourth sensor, the controller configured to:
determine a work performed by the engine based at least on an engine speed of the engine;
determine heating losses of the engine;
determine an enthalpy of the intake air based at least on the work performed by the engine, the heating losses of the engine, a heating value of a fuel used for combustion within the engine, the temperature of the exhaust, and the pressure of the exhaust;
determine a humidity value of the intake air based on the enthalpy, the temperature of the intake air, and the pressure of the intake air;
determine an amount of nitrogen oxides (NOx) as a function of the humidity value of the intake air; and
control, based on the amount of NOx, one or more of:
a flow rate of the fuel,
a flow rate of the intake air, or
a fuel injection pressure.

9. The control system of claim 8 , wherein the humidity value is determined using a psychrometric chart.

10. The control system of claim 8 , wherein the amount of NOx is determined further based on a mass ratio of the intake air and the fuel used for combustion within the engine.

11. The control system of claim 8 , wherein, based on the amount of NOx is, the controller is to control an ignition timing of the engine.

12. The control system of claim 8 , wherein, based on the amount of NOx, the controller is to control an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) flow rate for the engine.

13. The control system of claim 8 , wherein, based on the amount of NOx, the controller is to control a temperature of a coolant utilized by the engine.

14. The control system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to control an exhaust aftertreatment system of the engine based on the amount of NOx.

15. A method of operating an engine having a NOx sensor, the method comprising:
determining, by controller, a temperature and a pressure of intake air;
determining, by the controller, a temperature and a pressure of exhaust generated by the engine;
determining, by the controller, a work performed by the engine based at least on an engine speed of the engine;
determining, by the controller, heating losses of the engine;
determining, by the controller, an enthalpy of the intake air based at least on the work performed by the engine, heating losses of the engine and a heating value of a fuel used for combustion within the engine, and the temperature and the pressure of the exhaust;
determining, by the controller, a humidity value of the intake air based on the enthalpy, the temperature and the pressure of the intake air;
determining, by the controller, a first amount of NOx as a function of the humidity value of the intake air;
comparing, by the controller, the first amount of NOx to a second amount of NOx detected by the NOx sensor; and
controlling, by the controller, the engine based on the first amount of NOx if a difference between the first amount of NOx and the second amount of NOx exceeds a threshold,
controlling the engine including controlling one or more of:
an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) flow rate for the engine,
a temperature of a coolant utilized by the engine,
an ignition timing of the engine,
a flow rate of the fuel,
a flow rate of the intake air, or
a fuel injection pressure.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising determining the first amount of NOx further based on a mass ratio of the intake air and the fuel used for combustion within the engine.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising determining the first amount of NOx further based on the ignition timing of the engine.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising determining the first amount of NOx further based on the EGR flow rate for the engine.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising determining the first amount of NOx further based on the temperature of the coolant utilized by the engine.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising deactivating the NOx sensor if the difference between the first amount of NOx and the second amount of NOx exceeds the threshold.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Basu Amiyo K

Classifications

• F01N2430/00

  Influencing exhaust purification, e.g. starting of catalytic reaction, filter regeneration, or the like, by controlling engine operating characteristics · CPC title

• F01N2560/08

  the means being a pressure sensor · CPC title

• F01N2560/06

  the means being a temperature sensor · CPC title

• F01N2900/0412

  using pre-calibrated maps, tables or charts · CPC title

• F02D2250/36

  Control for minimising NOx emissions · CPC title