Abstract: A particulate matter sensor includes a first sensing electrode and a second sensing electrode spaced away from the first sensing electrode such that an electrode gap is formed between the first sensing electrode and the second sensing electrode upon which particulate matter is collected, thereby changing conductance between the first sensing electrode and the second sensing electrode. An ionic conductive material is in electrical communication with the first sensing electrode and the second sensing electrode.

Abstract: A method is presented for diagnosing a particulate matter sensing system, where the system includes a sensing element having two electrodes spaced from one another. The method determining at a first time during a cool-down event a first sensing element temperature and a resistance of the sensing element, and determining at a later second time during the cool-down event a second sensing element temperature and the resistance of the sensing element. The method further includes calculating a predicted sensing element resistance at the second sensing element temperature, based on the first sensing element temperature, the resistance of the sensing element determined at the first time, and a predetermined model of the resistance vs. temperature characteristics of the sensing element. A fault condition for the system may be indicated based on a comparison of the predicted sensing element resistance at the second sensing element temperature and a measured sensing element resistance.

Abstract: A burner module for burning injected reformate mixed with engine exhaust in an exhaust pipe ahead of aftertreatment devices, comprising an exhaust flow divider that creates a localized region of exhaust flow for mixture of the reformate. The amount of reformate required to produce a burnable composition in the localized area is less than what is required in the prior art to provide the same composition over the entire cross-sectional region of the exhaust pipe. An igniter is provided within the localized region. Upon ignition of the reformate, the flow of reformate may be increased to the point of a stoichiometric mixture for the entire exhaust, to produce the maximum heat for warm up. The exhaust flow divider may comprise a divider tube mounted in the exhaust pipe or may be simply a protrusion from a wall of the exhaust pipe.

Abstract: A urea storage system comprising a storage tank for a urea solution is provided. The system comprises a heated reservoir, a channel connecting the storage tank to the heated reservoir and a pump for drawing urea from the heated reservoir. A second pump including an actuator comprising a memory shape metal for drawing urea from the storage tank to the heated reservoir is also provided.

Abstract: A variable buoyancy heater is provided. It comprises variable buoyancy float that includes a variable volume element. A first fluid is contained within the variable volume element and a heating element that is integral with the variable buoyancy float is provided. The heater is arranged to heat the first fluid wherein the variable volume element expands based on a temperature increase from the heating element, such that the variable buoyancy float becomes positively buoyant when the variable volume element expands and negatively buoyant when the heating element is off.

Abstract: A vehicle exhaust aftertreatment system for controlling emissions from an engine includes, in serial order: an exhaust outlet from the engine, an exhaust catalyst assembly that is in fluid communication with the exhaust outlet and includes a first NOx component coupled with a downstream oxidation catalyst, and a second NOx adsorber that is downstream from and in fluid communication with the oxidation catalyst of the exhaust catalyst assembly.

Abstract: A fuel vaporizer includes at least one surface and at least one glass coated thick film resistor applied to the at least one surface. The thick film resistor heats the surface and liquid fuel vaporizes on contact with the heated surface. By employing glass coated thick film, the fuel vaporizer provides a compact and economical solution for generating heat on a large heat transfer surface area. By integrating a temperature sensor into each heating area, the temperature of each heating area may be monitored and controlled individually. By providing multiple heated surface and multiple heater stages, rapid and complete fuel vaporization is provided. The generated fuel vapor may be used for any number of exhaust after-treatment processes, such as in exhaust fuel injection, diesel particulate filter burnout by igniting the vapor to perform fast warm-up of a nitrogen oxide absorber, or as an oxidation catalyst.

Abstract: A diverter valve is disclosed and may comprise an actively cooled valve actuation section, an actuator, and a valve section comprising a rotationally actuated valve plate that is structured to be rotationally actuated by the actuator to direct flow wherein the actuation section may be thermally insulated from the valve actuation section.

Abstract: A method for modified pulsed control of an electromechanical actuator in accordance with the invention comprising the steps of a) setting a common time length for all of the pulses in a pulse train, and b) varying (modulating) the number of such pulses per unit time (repetition rate) by varying the length of time between pulses in the train. Such control is defined herein as pulse-density modulation, or PDM. Especially in applications having a relatively low percent duty cycle if controlled by the prior art Pulse Width Modulation (PWM), PDM control results in more accurate control of an actuator, with higher resolution. The method is especially useful in controlling flow of a fluid, through a valve, such as a fuel injector, and especially at relatively low flow rates at high supply pressures P1 in the fluid supply.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of heating an exhaust treatment device can comprise: generating reformate in a reformer, wherein the reformate comprises hydrogen; introducing oxygen to the reformate prior to combining the reformate with another stream; combusting a portion of the reformate and generating an exotherm to form heated reformate; and introducing the heated reformate to the exhaust treatment device. In one embodiment the exhaust system can comprise: a reformer; a reformate conduit disposed in physical communication with a reformate outlet of the reformer; an exhaust treatment device disposed in fluid communication with the reformer; and an oxygen supply disposed in fluid communication with the reformate conduit such that oxygen can be introduced into the reformate conduit upstream of a reformate conduit outlet, wherein the reformate conduit outlet is disposed in physical communication with an exhaust conduit and/or the exhaust treatment device.

Abstract: A diverter valve is disclosed and may comprise an actively cooled valve actuation section, an actuator, and a valve section comprising a rotationally actuated valve plate that is structured to be rotationally actuated by the actuator to direct flow wherein the actuation section may be thermally insulated from the valve actuation section.

Abstract: A diverter valve is disclosed and may comprise an actively cooled valve actuation section, an actuator, and a valve section comprising a rotationally actuated valve plate that is structured to be rotationally actuated by the actuator to direct flow wherein the actuation section may be thermally insulated from the valve actuation section.

Abstract: A burner module for burning injected reformate mixed with engine exhaust in an exhaust pipe ahead of aftertreatment devices, comprising an exhaust flow divider that creates a localized region of exhaust flow for mixture of the reformate. The amount of reformate required to produce a burnable composition in the localized area is less than what is required in the prior art to provide the same composition over the entire cross-sectional region of the exhaust pipe. An igniter is provided within the localized region. Upon ignition of the reformate, the flow of reformate may be increased to the point of a stoichiometric mixture for the entire exhaust, to produce the maximum heat for warm up. The exhaust flow divider may comprise a divider tube mounted in the exhaust pipe or may be simply a protrusion from a wall of the exhaust pipe.

Abstract: A diesel exhaust gas system includes a diesel particulate filter (DPF), a trap for nitrogen oxides (LNT), a hydrocarbon catalytic reformer for generating reformate, and an air supply. A method for controlling the rate of burn of soot in a DPF limits the oxygen percentage in the exhaust to about 6%. The LNT may be located ahead of the DPF in the exhaust line. Reformate is directed with exhaust through the LNT. The second flow of air cools the exhaust gas and thereby prevents overheating of the DPF substrate. The DPF also may be located ahead of the LNT. Reformate is controllably combusted by the second air flow in the DPF, reducing the oxygen percentage to about 6%, thus limiting the rate at which soot in the DPF can burn and thereby preventing overheating of the DPF substrate.

Abstract: A method for controlling exhaust gases produced by an internal combustion engine, a medium encoded with a machine-readable computer program code for controlling exhaust gases produced by an internal combustion engine and a system for controlling exhaust gases produced by an internal combustion engine is provided wherein the system includes a vehicle sensor and an engine control module and wherein the method includes obtaining a vehicle data signal responsive to the engine performance of the internal combustion engine, processing the vehicle data signal so as to formulate an engine operating parameter, wherein the engine operating parameter is responsive to the hydrocarbon content of the exhaust gases and controlling the fuel introduced into the internal combustion engine in a manner responsive to the engine operating parameter.