Abstract: A method and system for controlling an exhaust temperature for an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The method and system include determining a range of acceptable charge flows within the internal combustion engine to meet a desired exhaust temperature. The method and system further include controlling the charge flows to fall within the range. Control strategies to utilize the charge flow as a lever to control turbine outlet temperature are disclosed. These strategies utilize the inversion of the cylinder outlet temperature virtual sensor as well as a new turbine outlet temperature virtual sensor to determine the charge flow required to achieve the desired turbine outlet temperature given the current turbine inlet and outlet pressure, SOI, charge pressure, charge temperature, fueling, and engine speed.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for estimating particulate production from a diesel engine. Engine conditions such as fuel rate, exhaust gas recirculation, and fuel injection timing are determined. Based on empirical evidence or theoretical calculations, or both, particulate production markers, each indicating a level of particulate production, are assigned to each engine condition. The markers are combined and the combined marker is used to interpolate between a minimum and a maximum level of particulate production from the engine to estimate a particulate production rate. The production rate may be combined with an oxidation rate to determine a particulate accumulation rate, which may in turn be combined with a particulate load estimate to produce a combined particulate load estimate. The combined estimate may be used to determine whether to initiate regeneration of a diesel particulate filter.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for determining a regeneration availability profile for an exhaust gas aftertreatment system. The method, in one embodiment, tracks historical attempts and success to determine the availability of regeneration for the system. In a further embodiment, the method divides the system operation into segments according to desired conditions which affect regeneration, for example the workload of an engine, and tracks separate success ratios for each operating condition. This allows prediction of success of a given regeneration based upon the current operating condition, as well as diagnostics of regeneration problems where an operating condition experiences trouble regenerating when historically it should not.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for determining the distribution of particulate matter on a particulate filter. The apparatus, in one embodiment, determines a first distribution of particulate matter by comparing the pressure change across the particulate filter with a change in engine operating conditions. The apparatus may include an input module for receiving input corresponding to engine operating conditions and input from a differential pressure sensor and a feedback module to determine a first distribution of particulate matter. The apparatus may further include a feed forward module for determining a particulate distribution trend and a selection control module to combine the first distribution of particulate matter with the particulate distribution trend to determine a second distribution of particulate matter. The distribution may be defined as a uniform distribution factor in certain embodiments.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for determining a regeneration availability profile for an exhaust gas aftertreatment system. The apparatus, in one embodiment, is configured to determine whether required regeneration conditions could be met within the system if attempted. The apparatus may include a data module for storing and retrieving a regeneration availability profile and for receiving regeneration requirements data. The apparatus may further include an input module for receiving input relative to current operating conditions of the exhaust gas aftertreatment system. The apparatus may further include a controller which uses the required regeneration conditions, the retrieved regeneration availability profile, and the input relative to current operating conditions to produce and store a new regeneration availability profile.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for adapting a regeneration profile for a particulate filter. A controller's input module receives inputs relating to conditions of the filter or engine, and a regeneration vector module creates a regeneration vector. The regeneration vector is based on the inputs and comprises a plurality of regeneration parameters. An output module directs a regeneration mechanism to regenerate the particulate filter according to the regeneration vector. The inputs may include filter condition and regeneration opportunity availability, and the parameters may include temperature, particulate load, exhaust composition and flow rate, and regeneration opportunity recognition.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for determining a regeneration availability profile for an exhaust gas aftertreatment system. The method, in one embodiment, tracks historical attempts and success to determine the availability of regeneration for the system. In a further embodiment, the method divides the system operation into segments according to desired conditions which affect regeneration, for example the workload of an engine, and tracks separate success ratios for each operating condition. This allows prediction of success of a given regeneration based upon the current operating condition, as well as diagnostics of regeneration problems where an operating condition experiences trouble regenerating when historically it should not.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for robustly estimating soot oxidation rates on a particulate filter. The invention uses empirically measured soot consumption rates as defined boundary rates, and operates between those rates using theoretical relationships between soot consumption and various operating conditions. The invention may also operate outside the defined boundaries by extrapolating the theoretical relationships beyond the defined boundary. The invention thereby overcomes the inflexibility of empirical modeling by allowing reasonable estimates at points that are not explicitly measured, and it overcomes the sensitivity of theoretical models to non-idealities that are experienced in real applications.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for estimating ash accumulation. An interpolation module calculates a first particulate accumulation from an interpolation function. An ash feedback module calculates an ash accumulation as an ash feedback function of the first particulate accumulation and a stored first ash accumulation estimate. In one embodiment, an ash feedforward module calculates an added ash estimate. An ash accumulation module may calculate a second ash accumulation estimate as the sum of the ash accumulation and the added ash estimate. A regeneration module may deep clean the filter if the second ash accumulation estimate exceeds an ash threshold. In one embodiment, a soot calculation module calculates a soot accumulation as a second particulate accumulation minus the second ash accumulation estimate.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for estimating particulate production from a diesel engine. Engine conditions such as fuel rate, exhaust gas recirculation, and fuel injection timing are determined. Based on empirical evidence or theoretical calculations, or both, particulate production markers, each indicating a level of particulate production, are assigned to each engine condition. The markers are combined and the combined marker is used to interpolate between a minimum and a maximum level of particulate production from the engine to estimate a particulate production rate. The production rate may be combined with an oxidation rate to determine a particulate accumulation rate, which may in turn be combined with a particulate load estimate to produce a combined particulate load estimate. The combined estimate may be used to determine whether to initiate regeneration of a diesel particulate filter.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for determining the reliability of an estimate such as particulate accumulation on a diesel particulate filter, weighing the estimate according to a function of its reliability, weighing a prediction of particulate accumulation on the filter according to a function of the estimate's reliability, and combining the weighted estimate and weighted prediction to determine a combined particulate load estimate. The degree of reliability can be expressed as a trust factor, and a function of the trust factor can be used in a low-pass filter of the estimate. The trust factor value depends on filter air flow and particulate distribution in one embodiment. Regeneration of the particulate filter may be initiated depending on the value of the combined particulate load estimate.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for estimating particulate production from a diesel engine. Engine conditions such as fuel rate, exhaust gas recirculation, and fuel injection timing are determined. Based on empirical evidence or theoretical calculations, or both, particulate production markers, each indicating a level of particulate production, are assigned to each engine condition. The markers are combined and the combined marker is used to interpolate between a minimum and a maximum level of particulate production from the engine to estimate a particulate production rate. The production rate may be combined with an oxidation rate to determine a particulate accumulation rate, which may in turn be combined with a particulate load estimate to produce a combined particulate load estimate. The combined estimate may be used to determine whether to initiate regeneration of a diesel particulate filter.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for detecting and evaluating a filter regeneration event. The apparatus, in one embodiment, is configured to determine whether an oxidation rate of soot accumulated on a particulate filter has attained a level sufficient to indicate that a filter regeneration event is occurring. The apparatus may include an input module for receiving input relative to engine operating conditions and exhaust gas produced as a byproduct of engine operation, an oxidation module for communicating with the input module and for determining an oxidation rate of soot accumulated on a particulate filter from the input, and a regeneration detection module to determine whether a filter regeneration event is occurring. The apparatus may further categorize a detected filter regeneration event and to facilitate defining the actual condition of soot on a particulate filter.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for providing system feedback from combined input values in a sensor-based control system wherein the reliability of a sensor response is questionable under defined conditions. The apparatus, in one embodiment, is configured to determine an output value. The apparatus may include an input module for receiving input from a sensor configured to provide a sensor response, an estimated expected response value, and a control module for determining an output value based on input from the sensor response and from the expected response value. To determine an output value, the sensor response and the expected response value may be weighted according to a predicted reliability of the sensor response or the model. The system may be embodied in an exhaust gas after-treatment system.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for calibrating an estimate of the status of a mechanism or process, for example, particulate production from a diesel engine. A first estimator makes a first particulate production rate estimate as a function of, for example, differential pressure over a particulate filter over time, a second estimator makes a second particulate production rate estimate by interpolating between high and low production rates, and a calibrator calibrates the second estimator according to the difference between the first and second estimates. The calibration may be carried out by calculating new high and/or low production rates, and may depend on the reliability of the first estimate.