Abstract: Temperature estimation systems and methods for a powertrain of a vehicle, the powertrain comprising an electrically heated catalyst, utilize an electrical heater disposed proximate to the electrically heated catalyst, the electrical heater comprising a heating element and a controller configured to monitor a voltage of the electrical heater and estimate a temperature of the heating element of the electrical heater based on the monitored voltage of the electrical heater and a set of known thermoelectric effects. The estimated temperature could be utilized, for example, to estimate an exhaust gas temperature, which could then be leveraged for control of operating parameter(s) by the controller, such as engine fuel/air ratio.

Abstract: A cylinder head assembly for an internal combustion engine is provided. In one example implementation, the cylinder head assembly includes a cylinder head, a bypass passage formed within the cylinder head and defining a catalyst cavity, and a bypass catalytic converter disposed within the catalyst cavity, where the bypass catalytic converter is configured to provide emissions reduction during cold start, long idle, and/or low main catalytic converter temperature conditions.

Abstract: An exhaust treatment system configured to treat exhaust gas produced by an engine of a vehicle and its method of operation involve providing a gasoline particulate filter (GPF) configured to trap particulate matter (PM) in the exhaust gas and a utilizing a controller configured to determine a modeled PM load level on the GPF and, based on the modeled PM load level of the GPF, control operation of the engine to maintain at least a minimum PM load level on the GPF, wherein the minimum PM load level is greater than zero and corresponds to an optimized efficiency of the GPF.

Abstract: An evaporative emissions (EVAP) control system for a vehicle includes a purge pump configured to pump fuel vapor to a direct injection (DI) engine of the vehicle via a vapor line and a purge valve and a hydrocarbon (HC) sensor disposed configured to measure an amount of HC in the fuel vapor. The system also includes a controller configured to detect an HC vapor supply condition indicative of an operating condition of the Di engine where engine vacuum is less than an appropriate level for delivering the fuel vapor to the DI engine via the vapor line; and in response to detecting the HC vapor supply condition, controlling at least one of the purge pump and the purge valve, based on the measured amount of HC, to deliver a desired amount of fuel vapor to the DI engine to decrease particulate matter (PM) produced by the DI engine.

Abstract: A diagnostic system and method for diagnosing the performance of a particulate matter (PM) filter of an exhaust system each involve receiving, by a controller from at least one sensor, a gas component measurement of exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust system and the PM filter. The controller calculates a conversion efficiency of the gas component by the PM filter and compares the calculated conversion efficiency to a predetermined conversion efficiency threshold indicative of an expected conversion efficiency of a flow-through catalyst. The controller then determines whether the PM filter is cracked or damaged based on the comparison between the calculated conversion efficiency and the predetermined conversion efficiency threshold.

Abstract: An exhaust gas flow concentration system for a catalyst includes an inlet that receives a flow of exhaust gas from an exhaust pipe of an exhaust system, a stationary tube in communication with the inlet and disposed upstream from the catalyst, and an extension tube in communication with the stationary tube and disposed upstream from the catalyst, where the extension tube includes a cross-sectional area less than a cross-sectional area of the catalyst. A displacement device is coupled to the extension tube and is configured to (i) displace the extension tube relative to the stationary tube downstream towards the catalyst as a temperature in the exhaust system decreases away from a light-off temperature of the catalyst and (ii) retract the extension tube relative to the stationary tube upstream away from the catalyst when the temperature in the exhaust system reaches the light-off temperature of the catalyst.

Abstract: A diagnostic system and method for diagnosing the performance of a particulate matter (PM) filter of an exhaust system each involve receiving, by a controller from at least one sensor, a gas component measurement of exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust system and the PM filter. The controller calculates a conversion efficiency of the gas component by the PM filter and compares the calculated conversion efficiency to a predetermined conversion efficiency threshold indicative of an expected conversion efficiency of a flow-through catalyst. The controller then determines whether the PM filter is cracked or damaged based on the comparison between the calculated conversion efficiency and the predetermined conversion efficiency threshold.

Abstract: An exhaust gas flow concentration system for a catalyst includes an inlet that receives a flow of exhaust gas from an exhaust pipe of an exhaust system, a stationary tube in communication with the inlet and disposed upstream from the catalyst, and an extension tube in communication with the stationary tube and disposed upstream from the catalyst, where the extension tube includes a cross-sectional area less than a cross-sectional area of the catalyst. A displacement device is coupled to the extension tube and is configured to (i) displace the extension tube relative to the stationary tube downstream towards the catalyst as a temperature in the exhaust system decreases away from a light-off temperature of the catalyst and (ii) retract the extension tube relative to the stationary tube upstream away from the catalyst when the temperature in the exhaust system reaches the light-off temperature of the catalyst.