Patents Examined by Thomas E. Denion
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Patent number: 8079209Abstract: A method for controlling an urea-SCR system may include a first step for calculating a target urea injection amount, a second step that uses urea injection pressure and urea injection time to calculate a real urea injection amount, a third step that calculates a difference value between the target urea injection amount and the real urea injection amount, and monitors the difference value at a predetermined time interval, a fourth step that accumulates difference values for a determined time when the difference value exceeds a predetermined level, and transfers an alarm signal to a driver when the average value thereof exceeds a predetermined level, and/or a fifth step that starts to accumulate a number of engine starts and driving distance after transferring the alarm signal, and when the number of engine starts is larger than a predetermined value or the driving distance is longer than a predetermined value, if the difference value does not become lower than a predetermined level, executes urea recharging meType: GrantFiled: February 25, 2009Date of Patent: December 20, 2011Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors CorporationInventor: Jaeyoon Jung
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Patent number: 8061128Abstract: Methods and systems for reducing overstress of a DPF are provided herein. One example of such a method is based on radial temperature gradient near the exit face of the diesel particulate filter. In this way, it becomes possible to more closely correlate radial stresses to actual risk of DPF fracture.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2008Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventor: Gary M. Crosbie
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Patent number: 8061123Abstract: A method for treating a flow of exhaust from an engine includes injecting reductant into the flow of exhaust with an injector disposed upstream from a catalytic device. The injector and the catalytic device are disposed in an exhaust system for the engine. The method also includes passing the flow of exhaust through the catalytic device, sensing a characteristic of at least one of the exhaust system and the engine, monitoring the sensed characteristic to recognize a condition associated with a formation of a decomposition material formed from the reductant, and controlling an operation of at least one of the engine and the exhaust system to increase a temperature in the exhaust system in response to the recognized condition.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2007Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: James Joshua Driscoll, Michael S. Bond, Michael S. Lukich
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Patent number: 8037672Abstract: A quantity of unburned fuel is provided through a combustion chamber of an engine and an exhaust conduit to a catalytic converter. The catalyst in the converter is determined to be non-operational if a post-catalyst temperature sensor does not indicate a sufficient temperature increase between readings before and after provision of the unburned fuel to the combustion chamber. The unburned fuel may be provided by withholding spark ignition to create a misfire in the combustion chamber or, particularly in a direct injection engine, by injecting the fuel during the exhaust stroke.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2007Date of Patent: October 18, 2011Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Ronald E. Gaskins
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Patent number: 8020376Abstract: A regeneration control method for a particle filter of an internal combustion engine exhaust line determines operating data items of the particle filter, wherein the data items are at least one representative inside temperature T(t) of the filter at a time t, regenerates the filter by increasing the temperature thereof above a first combustion temperature threshold of a soot contained in the filter, and computes a time-varying parameter dinst(t) representative for the amount of energy produced at the time t by the regeneration process. The method further calculates a weighted parameter Dinst weight(t), which is at least partially defined by the function of dinst(t)*Gtemp (t) or Gtemp (t) and varying in time (t) according to the representative temperature T(t).Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2006Date of Patent: September 20, 2011Assignee: Renault S.A.S.Inventors: Erwan Radenac, Marc Guyon
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Patent number: 8015800Abstract: An engine exhaust passage has an SOx trapping catalyst (11), a particulate filter (13) holding an NOx storing/reducing catalyst, and an NOx storing/reducing catalyst (15) forming a post-treatment system and a fuel feed valve (17) for feeding fuel for post processing in the post-treatment system arranged inside it. When any catalyst has a degree of degradation exceeding a predetermined degree of degradation, the method of feeding the post-treatment fuel is reset so that the post-treatment fuel required for purification of the exhaust gas can be fed into the catalyst with the lowest degree of degradation to make the catalyst with the lowest degree of degradation handle the purification action of the exhaust gas.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2006Date of Patent: September 13, 2011Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kohei Yoshida, Takamitsu Asanuma, Shinya Hirota
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Patent number: 8015811Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for alleviating the problem of windage heating when flow, in a turbine running at full speed, no load, decreases greatly at the exhaust of the high pressure sections of the turbine. Valves connecting the different pressure levels of a heat recovery steam generator to the input of the turbine are adjusted to mix steam coming from the different pressure levels to create desired steam conditions at the inlet and the exhaust output of the turbine that allow the use of existing steam path hardware and thereby reduce the cost of such piping. In an alternative embodiment for a single pressure HRSG, high pressure saturated steam is extracted from the HSRG evaporator and then flashed into superheated steam when passing thru a control valve, that is then used to create the desired steam conditions at the inlet and the exhaust output of the turbine.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2009Date of Patent: September 13, 2011Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Karen J. Tyler, Nestor Hernandez
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Patent number: 8015803Abstract: An operating method for a system including a reformer which in reformate mode can convert hydrocarbon-containing fuel to a hydrogen-rich reformate gas, and a catalytic exhaust gas aftertreatment device which is acted upon by reformer gas to reach the catalytic converter light-off temperature more rapidly. During cold starts, the reformer, after its own starting phase, is initially operated in a so-called lean-burn mode, and the reformer is switched from lean-burn mode to reformate mode as soon as combustible constituents in the catalytic aftertreatment device can be independently oxidized. During the reformer lean-burn mode, the combustible constituents of the engine's exhaust gas react with the hot reformer gas, such that the cumulative exhaust gas flow has the composition of exhaust gas generated by stoichiometric combustion.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2008Date of Patent: September 13, 2011Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AktiengellschaftInventors: Jochem Huber, Michael Preis, Juergen Ringler, Christian Liebl
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Patent number: 8011181Abstract: The invention makes use of an exhaust gas catalyst, comprising an active component comprising at least one type of metal from noble metals and transition metals; NOx-absorbing material for absorbing and releasing nitrogen oxides according to the surrounding nitrogen oxide concentration; and compounds represented by A2O2SO4 and/or A2O2S (A is a rare earth element).Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2005Date of Patent: September 6, 2011Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hirohito Hirata
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Patent number: 8011175Abstract: An exhaust-gas cooling device for an internal combustion engine includes a housing with an exhaust-gas inlet, an exhaust-gas outlet, a valve device, and a U-shaped heat exchange unit including an outbound flow path and a return flow path. The housing comprises, on the open side of the U-shaped heat exchange unit, a first, a second and a third chamber. The first chamber provides a fluid connection from the exhaust-gas inlet to the second chamber, and the third chamber provides a fluid connection from the second chamber to the exhaust-gas outlet. The valve device is arranged in the second chamber such that the second chamber can be divided into two partial chambers, a first one of the partial chambers is arranged in fluid connection with the outbound flow path, and the second one of the partial chambers is arranged in fluid connection with the return flow path.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2008Date of Patent: September 6, 2011Assignee: Pierburg GmbHInventors: Hans-Jurgen Husges, Hans-Ulrich Kuhnel
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Patent number: 8011179Abstract: A method is provided for compensating for factors affecting particulate matter accumulation within an aftertreatment element of an engine exhaust system. The method comprises determining rate of change of flow resistance through the aftertreatment element with time. Regeneration is periodically initiated to reduce particulate matter accumulation within the aftertreatment element. Rate of change of flow resistance through the aftertreatment element over time is correlated with at least a model of particulate matter accumulation within the aftertreatment element and a model of regeneration frequency of the aftertreatment element, based on predetermined values for particulate matter accumulation and regeneration frequency. Action, at least including increasing regeneration frequency, is initiated to compensate for an increased rate of particulate matter accumulation in the aftertreatment element.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2007Date of Patent: September 6, 2011Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Mark Scaife, Trent Cleveland, Michael Lowe, Cornelius Opris, Evan Jacobson, Matthew R. Roth
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Patent number: 8011177Abstract: A method and system is disclosed for regenerating a particulate filter for an exhaust system. A source of hydrocarbon is injected into the exhaust flow upstream of the filter. The injected hydrocarbon within the filter is caused to oxidize and a temperature within the filter to rise, the temperature rise being initiated at a downstream end of the filter. A temperature change at the filter is sensed in response to the oxidation of the hydrocarbon. The amount of hydrocarbon being injected into the filter is adjusted to increase the temperature within the filter above a defined threshold from the downstream end to an upstream end of the filter, the defined threshold temperature being sufficient to oxidize soot. An operational parameter indicative of the filter regeneration being complete is sensed, and further injection of the hydrocarbon into the exhaust flow is prevented in response to the sensed operational parameter.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2007Date of Patent: September 6, 2011Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventor: Shi-Wai S. Cheng
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Patent number: 8006480Abstract: A lean NOX trap is a diesel exhaust aftertreatment system is selectively denitrated in a manner that addresses unreliability of NOX sensor data. According to one concept, data from a NOX is ignored or given decreased weight in a period immediately following a denitration. According to another concept, denitration is made contingent on both a first and a second criteria being met. The first criteria relates to the amount of NOX stored in the LNT or remaining NOX storage capacity of the LNT. The second criteria relates to the current performance of the exhaust treatment system, or a portion thereof, as determined from one or more measurements of NOX concentration in the exhaust. This reduces premature denitrations and associated unnecessary fuel expenditures resulting from inaccurate NOX concentration data and transient events.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2007Date of Patent: August 30, 2011Assignee: Eaton CorporationInventors: James Edward McCarthy, Jr., Chuan He
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Patent number: 8006660Abstract: A device (10) for variably adjusting control times of gas exchange valves (9a, 9b) of an internal combustion engine (1) is provided, having an external rotor (22) and an internal rotor (23) that is arranged such that it can rotate in relation to the external rotor. One of the components is drivingly connected to the crankshaft (2) and the other component is drivingly connected to the camshaft (6, 7). At least one pressure chamber (33) is provided and each of the pressure chambers (33) is divided into two counter-working pressure chambers (35, 36). One of the pressure chambers (35, 36) of each pressure chamber (33) acts as an advance chamber and the other pressure chamber (35, 36) as a trailing chamber. At least two rotation angle limiting devices (42, 43) are provided, each of the rotation angle limiting devices (42, 43) being able to assume an unlocked state and locking state.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2007Date of Patent: August 30, 2011Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Andreas Strauss, Michael Busse
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Patent number: 8001785Abstract: A solar energy-based water heating and power generating module includes a factory-fabricated compound module panel usable as a cover panel for building, car or ship and capable of absorbing solar energy for heating water flowing in a water chamber and a circulation pipe, and a power generator formed of a field magnet set, an oscillator and a coil and actuated by a temperature difference energy to generate heat.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2009Date of Patent: August 23, 2011Inventor: Jeffrey Lee
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Patent number: 8001769Abstract: An emissions control system is disclosed. The emissions control system may have a power source that creates a flow of exhaust and a filtering device that receives the flow of exhaust. A first sensor may be located at or upstream of the filtering device, the first sensor being configured to measure a first temperature, and an SCR catalyst may be located downstream of the filtering device. The emissions control system may also have an injector configured to inject a reduction agent into the flow of exhaust in the presence of the SCR catalyst. The emissions control system may further have a controller in communication with the first sensor. The controller may be configured to predict a change in an ability of the SCR catalyst to store reduction agent using a measured change in the first temperature and adjust the injector according to the predicted change in the storage ability of the SCR catalyst.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2007Date of Patent: August 23, 2011Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Zhiyong Wei, Theodore M. Kostek, Christopher Alan Sharp
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Patent number: 8001765Abstract: A system operable to control an exhaust gas emission of an engine, includes a catalytic converter; a fuel cutter, a change executor, a correlation value provider, an adjuster, and a controller. The change executor is operable to execute changing of an air-fuel ratio of the engine to a rich air-fuel ratio after the fuel supply is once stopped by the fuel cutter and then resumed. The correlation value provider is operable to provide a correlation value correlated to a change amount of the air-fuel ratio caused by the change executor based on a driving condition of the engine. The adjuster is operable to adjust the correlation value based on a parameter indicative of a capability of the catalytic converter. The controller is operable to cause the change executor to execute the changing based on the adjusted correlation value.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2008Date of Patent: August 23, 2011Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Koji Kawakita, Katsunori Ueda, Toshiyuki Miyata
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Patent number: 8001771Abstract: A work machine having dual compression ignition engines each driving motor generators providing a power output to selective loads. The compression ignition engines each have an exhaust aftertreatment device requiring regeneration in accordance with a selected parameters. A controller controls motor/generators or hydraulic pump/motors associated with the diesel engines to either transfer load between one or the other of the motor/generators or pump/motors to impose a load on one of the engines sufficiently high to produce passive regeneration. In the event that loads driven by the motor/generators or pump/motors are too low, one of the engines may be shut off or the loads increased.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2008Date of Patent: August 23, 2011Assignee: Deere & CompanyInventors: Alan D. Sheidler, Ryan P. Mackin
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Patent number: 8001937Abstract: An oil gallery for a variable valve timing apparatus of a cylinder head includes an advance oil supply passage that fluidly connects an oil control valve hole and a variable valve timing journal, a retard oil supply passage that fluidly connects the oil control valve hole and the variable valve timing journal, and an oil chamber in at least one of the oil supply passages. The oil chamber may have a slanted ceiling that may slant upward toward an outlet opening of the oil chamber. The uppermost point of the ceiling may be positioned at the oil outlet. The lowermost point of the outlet opening may be above the bottom surface of the oil chamber.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2008Date of Patent: August 23, 2011Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors CorporationInventor: Bong Sang Lee
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Patent number: 8001768Abstract: The disclosure sets forth operating a spark-ignition, direct-fuel injection internal combustion engine equipped with an exhaust aftertreatment system including a lean-NOx reduction catalyst upstream of a second converter element. The engine preferentially operates in one of a homogeneous charge combustion mode and a stratified charge combustion mode based upon temperature of the lean-NOx reduction catalyst. Exhaust gas flow is selectively diverted to the second converter element.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2008Date of Patent: August 23, 2011Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: David J. Cleary, Calvin K. Koch, Wei Li