Anti-pollution Patents (Class 60/274)
  • Patent number: 9689298
    Abstract: A method is provided for monitoring an emission control device coupled to an engine. In one example approach, the method comprises, following a deceleration fuel shut-off (DFSO) duration, indicating degradation of an emission device based on an amount of rich products required to cause a sensor to become richer than a first threshold, the indicating carried out when DFSO duration is greater than a second threshold. The method also comprises an integration which is based on inlet air-fuel ratio, the integration starting only after a pre-catalyst sensor reaches stoichiometry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Pankaj Kumar, Imad Hassan Makki, Brent Edward Sealy, Michael Casedy
  • Patent number: 9683494
    Abstract: A method is provided for carrying out a diagnosis of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle wherein, during the diagnosis, at least partially an additional drive machine, particularly an electric motor, generates a torque, and thereby changes an operating point of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Steffen Strauss, Nikolas Poertner
  • Patent number: 9683470
    Abstract: An exhaust gas control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, controls an exhaust operation of the internal combustion engine (200) provided with an exhaust gas purification catalyst (216) in an exhaust passage (215). The exhaust gas control apparatus for the internal combustion engine is provided with; a warming-up device configured to warm up the exhaust gas purification catalyst; and an oxygen supplying device (220, 221) configured to supply oxygen to the exhaust gas purification catalyst after the end of the warm-up. This makes it possible to preferably desorb sulfur adsorbed to the exhaust gas purification catalyst during warm-up. It is therefore possible to suppress a reduction in purification ability of the exhaust gas purification catalyst due to sulfur coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahiko Fujiwara, Norihisa Nakagawa, Kouichi Kimura, Shuntaro Okazaki, Keisuke Nagasaka, Ichiro Kitamura, Satoshi Kamitani, Koji Morita
  • Patent number: 9683477
    Abstract: A method pertaining to an SCR system for cleaning of exhaust gases from an engine (150). A dosing unit (250) is in thermal contact with the engine's exhaust system and supplies a reducing agent to an exhaust duct (240) of the exhaust system. Determining (s340) whether there is an undesired temperature level of the dosing unit (250). If yes, limit (s360) the temperature of the exhaust duct (240) by controlling operation of the engine. Also, a computer program product containing program code (P) for implementing the method. Also a device and a motor vehicle (100) which is equipped with the device are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: SCANIA CV AB
    Inventors: Andreas Liljestrand, Per Bremberg
  • Patent number: 9683471
    Abstract: An exhaust emission control device including a selective reduction catalyst; urea water as reducing agent being added in the pipe upstream of the reduction catalyst depurate NOx through reduction; an oxidation catalyst arranged in the pipe upstream of an added position of the urea water, the oxidation catalyst physically adsorbing NOx in the exhaust gas at a temperature lower than a lower active limit temperature of the reduction catalyst and discharging the adsorbed NOx at a temperature higher than a lower active limit temperature of the oxidation catalyst; and a fuel injection device for adding fuel into the exhaust gas upstream of the oxidation catalyst is disclosed. The start of the fuel addition by the fuel injection device is refrained until exhaust temperature on an inlet side of the reduction catalyst is increased to a preset temperature comparable with the lower active limit temperature of the oxidation catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignees: HINO MOTORS, LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiko Yabe, Haruyuki Yokota, Takaharu Shimizu, Hiroyuki Ninomiya, Shinya Sato, Takahiko Hayashi, Shunsuke Toshioka, Satoshi Watanabe, Tomihisa Oda, Yutaka Tanai
  • Patent number: 9677490
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine comprises an exhaust purification catalyst which can store oxygen, controller for controlling the air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas to become a target air-fuel ratio, and a downstream side air-fuel ratio sensor. An abnormality diagnosis system performs an active air-fuel ratio control which alternately controls the target air-fuel ratio to rich and lean air-fuel ratios, and diagnoses abnormality of said exhaust purification catalyst based on the output air-fuel ratio of the air-fuel ratio sensor. The abnormality diagnosis system judges that the exhaust purification catalyst is abnormal when the output air-fuel ratio of the air-fuel ratio sensor reaches a rich judgment air-fuel ratio and a lean judgment air-fuel ratio during the active air-fuel ratio control, and judges that said air-fuel ratio control is abnormal when the output air-fuel ratio reaches only one of the rich and lean judgment air-fuel ratios.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiro Kubo, Yasushi Iwasaki, Kouichi Kitaura, Hiroshi Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 9677493
    Abstract: A system for reducing environmentally harmful emissions from an internal combustion engine. The system may incorporate an exhaust after-treatment device. The exhaust after-treatment device may use selective catalytic reduction to remove certain emissions from the exhaust of the engine. Urea solution may be inserted into the exhaust emissions, which is decomposed to ammonia to become a reduction agent for reduction of NOx in the emissions. The engine may be managed by a controller and the exhaust after-treatment device may be managed by another controller. These controllers may be cascaded, or be managed by a third controller that provides hierarchical or coordinated control of engine performance and emissions reduction. The engine and the exhaust after-treatment device may be modeled to aid in designing and building a system for coordinated control of an actual engine and a selective catalytic reduction after-treatment device. The controllers may be predictive model controllers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Honeywell spol, s.r.o.
    Inventors: Greg Stewart, Jaroslav Pekar, Daniel Pachner
  • Patent number: 9670812
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to detect deterioration of a selective reduction type catalyst early and improve a detection precision in a deterioration detection system for an exhaust gas purification apparatus including a selective reduction type catalyst disposed in an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine, a reducing agent adding valve disposed in the exhaust passage upstream of the selective reduction type catalyst, and a NOx sensor disposed in the exhaust passage downstream of the selective reduction type catalyst. To achieve this object, in the deterioration detection system for an exhaust gas purification apparatus according to the present invention, during control for causing the reducing agent adding valve to add a reducing agent, the reducing agent adding valve is controlled in order to modify a reducing agent addition interval thereof while keeping an addition amount per fixed time period constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinya Asaura
  • Patent number: 9670819
    Abstract: A catalyst deterioration determination system determines deterioration of an exhaust gas purification catalyst on the basis of its oxygen storage capacity. The system includes a downstream oxygen concentration sensor having characteristics by which as rich gas components in exhaust gas increase, the oxygen concentration sensor outputs a measurement value of the oxygen concentration corresponding to a richer air-fuel ratio. The system performs a rich shift mode and a lean shift mode based on the measurement value of the oxygen concentration sensor. The rate of change of the exhaust gas air-fuel ratio in at least the lean shift mode is limited to a predetermined rate of change or lower, and the rate of change of the exhaust gas air-fuel ratio in the rich shift mode is set higher than the rate of change of the exhaust gas air fuel ratio in the lean shift mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keiichiro Aoki, Koichi Kitaura, Go Hayashita
  • Patent number: 9664091
    Abstract: A method for troubleshooting in an SCR system which has a dosing unit (250) for dosing of reducing agent into an engine's exhaust duct (290) upstream of an SCR catalytic converter (270) for reduction of NOx content in an exhaust flow from said engine and a DOC unit (259). The method comprises steps of: determining (s310) NOx content in the exhaust flow downstream of said SCR catalytic converter (270); determining satisfactory operation of said SCR catalytic converter (270); progressively altering the dosage of said reducing agent; determining whether said SCR system can reduce NOx content of the exhaust flow downstream of said SCR catalytic converter to a predetermined extent during altered dosing; using the results of determinations as a basis for deciding whether said DOC unit (259) is faulty or not. Also disclosed is a computer program product having the program code (P) for a computer (200; 210) for implementing the method according to the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: SCANIA CV AB
    Inventors: Mikael Lundström, Magnus Fröberg
  • Patent number: 9664084
    Abstract: An emission reduction system is provided. The emission reduction system includes a tank configured to store a reductant. The emission reduction system also includes a pump configured to draw the reductant from the tank and supply the reductant to an exhaust system. The pump is further configured to draw in air from an ambient air source. The emission reduction system further includes a control assembly disposed in fluid communication with the ambient air source and the pump. The control assembly is configured to selectively allow the pump to access the ambient air source for purging the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Xinyu Ge, Yun Guo
  • Patent number: 9664088
    Abstract: A catalyst regeneration processing apparatus for an internal-combustion engine includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to determine whether a gap is equal to a predetermined degree or less, the gap being a difference between (a) a progress degree of heat deterioration of a NOx catalyst in a predetermined time in a case of assuming that a regeneration process is executed for the predetermined time and (b) a progress degree of heat deterioration of the NOx catalyst in the predetermined time in a case of assuming that the regeneration process is not executed. The electronic control unit is configured to execute the regeneration process in a case of determining that the gap is equal to the predetermined degree or less, even when a sulfur poisoning quantity does not exceed a permissible upper limit quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masanobu Katayama, Itsuya Kurisaka
  • Patent number: 9664586
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for compensating an offset of a pressure sensor. The system includes a pressure sensor that is configured to detect pressure and a power management module that is configured to automatically supply power to a controller connected to the power management module or terminate the supply of power after a preset time to thereby turn the controller on or off. The system further includes the controller connected to the power management module and configured to determine the offset of the pressure sensor based on a pressure value which is detected by the pressure sensor when the power is supplied from the power management module. The system also includes a memory configured to store the determined offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Hyeon Seok Ban, Ho June Bae, Hyun Joon Lee
  • Patent number: 9657674
    Abstract: Methods and systems are presented for assessing the presence or absence of cylinder air-fuel ratio deviation that may result in air-fuel ratio imbalance between engine cylinders. In one example, the method may include assessing the presence or absence of air-fuel ratio errors based on deviation from an expected air-fuel ratio during a deceleration fuel shut-off event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Hassene Jammoussi, Imad Hassan Makki, Michael I. Kluzner, Robert Roy Jentz
  • Patent number: 9657665
    Abstract: System, apparatus, and methods are disclosed for treating a reduction catalyst that has been exposed to an amount of sulfur. The treating of the reduction catalyst includes providing a fluid stream at a position upstream of the reduction catalyst. The fluid stream includes a temperature and a reductant amount, and the reductant amount includes an amount of urea, ammonia, or hydrocarbons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Aleksey Yezerets, Krishna Kamasamudram, Neal W. Currier, Ashok Kumar, Michael A. Smith
  • Patent number: 9658255
    Abstract: According to a method herein, a multi-level inductor is created around a through-silicon-via (TSV) in a semiconductor substrate. A voltage induced in the multi-level inductor by current flowing in the TSV is sensed, using a computerized device. The voltage is compared to a reference voltage, using the computerized device. An electrical signature of the TSV is determined based on the comparing the voltage to the reference voltage, using the computerized device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mark A. DiRocco, Kirk D. Peterson, Norman W. Robson, Keith C. Stevens
  • Patent number: 9657678
    Abstract: A system includes a controller that has a processor. The processor is configured to receive a first signal from a first sensor indicative of a first exhaust measurement, wherein the first sensor is disposed at a catalytic converter system inlet of a catalytic converter system. The processor is further configured to derive one or more of an estimated length, estimated volume, or estimated transport delay of an exhaust conduit based on the first signal, wherein a first end of the exhaust conduit is connected to an engine outlet of a engine, and a second end of the exhaust conduit is connected to the catalytic converter system inlet; and to apply the one or more of estimated length, estimated volume, or estimated transport delay of the exhaust conduit during control of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Pin Zeng, Prashant Srinivasan, Mark James Lemke
  • Patent number: 9658200
    Abstract: A control method of a sensor disposed in an exhaust system may include starting an engine; performing a first logic of checking whether moisture formed on a first sensor detecting one of the characteristics of exhaust gases emitted from the engine; when it is determined by the first logic that the moisture formed on the first sensor has evaporated, heating the first sensor; and performing a second logic of checking whether moisture formed on a second sensor disposed at the rear of the first sensor and detecting one of the characteristics of the exhaust gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Jeong Sik Jin
  • Patent number: 9650930
    Abstract: Various methods are provided for operating an emission control device. In one example, a method for an emission control device including a catalyst and a filter comprises passively regenerating the filter, and adjusting, via a controller, a duration of active regeneration of the filter based on an oxygen storage capacity of the emission control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Christine Kay Lambert, Douglas Allen Dobson, James Robert Warner, James David Pakko, Jeffrey Scott Hepburn
  • Patent number: 9644555
    Abstract: A method of predicting the future use of a vehicle or an engine of the vehicle is used to evaluate whether NOx slippage from a lean NOx trap is likely to occur during a current drive cycle and also for scheduling when favorable conditions are likely to exist to purge the lean NOx trap before the slippage of NOx from the lean NOx trap is expected to occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jim Bromham, Frederik De Smet, Kim Ford
  • Patent number: 9645048
    Abstract: A method for analyzing the exhaust gas of internal combustion engines provides for the cooling of the exhaust gas before analysis, the determination of the concentration of at least two different exhaust gas components in at least two separate analysis stages or the determination of the concentration of a single exhaust gas component with at least two different cooling stages. In order to achieve a higher measuring accuracy, at least one first cooling is carried out before a first analysis stage and at least one second cooling is carried out at a lower temperature than that of the first cooling before at least one further analysis stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: AVL List GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Schimpl, Manuel Unger, Volker Pointner
  • Patent number: 9638088
    Abstract: A noise arresting system includes a landscape maintenance implement that has an internal combustion engine and the internal combustion engine has an exhaust. A resonator has a first end, a second end and a peripheral wall extending therebetween. The first end and the second end each is open and the resonator is substantially hollow. An intake pipe is insertably positioned within the first end. The intake pipe is fluidly coupled to the exhaust to reduce a sound level of the exhaust. An exhaust pipe has a primary end, a secondary end and a flexible section extending between the primary end and the secondary end. The primary end is insertably positioned within the second end. The flexible section is bendable to direct the secondary end away from the resonator at a selected angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Inventors: Jeton Shoshi, Arben Shoshi
  • Patent number: 9631534
    Abstract: An assembly and method for reducing nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and hydrogen gas in exhausts of internal combustion engines and simultaneously generating electrical power, wherein the exhaust is acted upon in a first stage catalytic converter and is at least in part passed through a thermoelectric generator for production of electrical power. The exhausts are thereafter directed to a second stage catalytic converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Tecogen Inc.
    Inventors: Jean Roy, Robert A. Panora, Joseph B. Gehret, Ranson Roser
  • Patent number: 9631531
    Abstract: A device for determining a regeneration abnormality of a particulate filter has a temperature sensor detecting an exhaust temperature on an entry side of a particulate filter and a controller feedback controlling an injection amount of fuel to be added to a fuel addition valve to keep the exhaust temperature on the entry side of the particulate filter to a target regeneration temperature upon forced regeneration in a predetermined temperature range around the target regeneration temperature. The controller is configured to calculate the exhaust temperature on the entry side of the particulate filter based on the commanded injection amount to the fuel addition valve and detect any abnormality in feedback control based on deviation between the calculated exhaust temperature on the entry side of the particulate filter and the actually measured value by the temperature sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: HINO MOTORS, LTD.
    Inventor: Munechika Tsutsumi
  • Patent number: 9624879
    Abstract: The condensed water processing device determines (S2) whether the pH of condensed water stored in the condensed water tank is smaller than a threshold value (t). When the pH of condensed water is smaller than the threshold value (t), the supply quantity of urea water being supplied to the upstream side of the NOx catalyst is increased (S7) so that the supply quantity is larger than that in normal control (S4) executed when the pH of the condensed water is equal to or more than the threshold value (t).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noriyuki Takada, Takeshi Hashizume
  • Patent number: 9616385
    Abstract: An exhaust gas treatment system for an internal combustion engine includes an exhaust gas pathway configured to receive exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine, an ammonia source, and a first ammonia injector in fluid communication with the ammonia source. The first ammonia injector is configured to inject ammonia into the exhaust gas pathway at a first rate. The exhaust gas treatment system also includes a first treatment element positioned downstream of the first ammonia injector and a second ammonia injector in fluid communication with the ammonia source and positioned downstream of the first treatment element. The second ammonia injector is configured to inject ammonia into the exhaust gas pathway at a second rate different from the first rate. The exhaust gas treatment system further includes a second treatment element positioned downstream of the second ammonia injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Shyan-Cherng Huang, Taner Tuken, Thomas M. Harris
  • Patent number: 9617900
    Abstract: A deterioration diagnosis device for an exhaust gas purification apparatus which performs inducement processing when the internal combustion engine is operated at a lean air fuel ratio, measures, by means of air fuel ratio sensors, the air fuel ratio of exhaust gas flowing into the SCR catalyst and the air fuel ratio of exhaust gas flowing out from the SCR catalyst during a period while the inducement processing is performed, and diagnoses deterioration of the SCR catalyst based on a difference between the measured values of these sensors, wherein an amount of hydrogen produced by each of a three-way catalyst and an NSR catalyst is estimated based on the deterioration degree thereof, and an air fuel ratio of exhaust gas discharged from the internal combustion engine is feedback-controlled so that the air fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into one of the three-way catalyst and the NSR catalyst in which the hydrogen production amount thus estimated is larger than that in the other becomes a target value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koji Hagiwara, Hirotaka Saitoh, Yasushi Iwazaki
  • Patent number: 9617891
    Abstract: A urea backflow prevention apparatus of SCR in an SCR system which injects a urea solution into an exhaust pipe may include: a urea tank to store the urea solution; a nozzle to be installed in the exhaust pipe to inject the urea solution; a supply pump to pump the urea solution; a suction line connecting the urea tank to the supply pump; a pressure line connecting the supply pump to the nozzle; a return line connecting the supply pump to the urea tank to return un-injected urea solution back to the urea tank; and a backflow prevention line connecting the pressure line to the return line. The backflow prevention line keeps pressures of the pressure line, the supply pump directly connected to the pressure line and the suction line indirectly connected to the pressure line equal to an atmospheric pressure after an operation of the SCR system ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Dae-Won Yang
  • Patent number: 9611776
    Abstract: In an deterioration diagnosis device for the exhaust gas purification apparatus in which in a period of time in which inducement processing is carried out which is to induce a water-gas-shift-reaction in a catalyst disposed at the upstream side of the SCR catalyst, by changing an air fuel ratio of exhaust gas discharged from an internal combustion engine from a lean air fuel ratio into a predetermined rich air fuel ratio, an air fuel ratio of exhaust gas flowing into the SCR catalyst and an air fuel ratio of exhaust gas flowing out from the SCR catalyst are measured by the air fuel ratio sensors, respectively, so that deterioration of the SCR catalyst is diagnosed based on a difference between the measured values of these sensors, wherein an end time of the execution of the inducement processing is adjusted in such a manner that an amount of hydrogen oxidized in the SCR catalyst during the period of the execution of the inducement processing becomes constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koji Hagiwara, Hirotaka Saitoh, Toru Kidokoro, Yasushi Iwazaki, Takahiko Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 9605613
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus to reduce fuel consumption while remaining in NOx compliance by simultaneous and coordinated control of the engine and the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system. More particularly, the present disclosure identifies methods and apparatus to increase NOx output within a diesel engine to optimize the performance of a given SCR system while simultaneously reducing fuel consumption at a selected and targeted intake oxygen concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Jayant V. Sarlashkar, Ryan C. Roecker
  • Patent number: 9605574
    Abstract: A clogging detection device includes a urea water sensor which detects temperature in a urea water tank, a pressure sensor which detects pressure in a urea water feed line, an exhaust gas temperature sensor disposed in an exhaust pipe upstream of a selective catalytic reduction device, and a determination unit. When a key switch is turned on, the determination unit performs a startup control to drive a supply pump and increase the pressure in a pipe segment extending to a dosing value. If a detection value of the exhaust gas temperature sensor is no greater than a predetermined temperature, and a detection value of the urea water sensor is no smaller than a freezing temperature, then the determination unit performs emptying control for returning the urea water from the pipe segment to the urea water tank to detect clogging of the pipe segment from the detection value of the pressure sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: ISUZU MOTORS LIMITED
    Inventors: Shigeru Nihongi, Masanobu Minezawa
  • Patent number: 9599051
    Abstract: A method of conditioning a particle filter provided for receiving exhaust gases from internal combustion engine is provided and includes providing a first engine control mode and a second engine control mode, wherein in the second engine control mode at least one combustion control parameter that affects the characteristics of particles emitted together with and carried by the exhaust gases from the engine is different in relation to the first control mode such that the filling rate of the particle filter with particles is increased compared to the filling rate that would have been achieved with the first engine control mode, determining a soot loading status of the particle filter, and temporarily applying the second engine control mode to the engine based on the soot loading status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Volvo Truck Corporation
    Inventors: Björn Lundstedt, Styrbjörn Törngren
  • Patent number: 9598998
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine according to the invention is applied to an internal combustion engine that is equipped with an exhaust gas treatment device that is provided in an exhaust passage, and a burner device that is provided in the exhaust passage upstream of the exhaust gas treatment device so as to raise a temperature of exhaust gas supplied to the exhaust gas treatment device. The control apparatus performs an increase control for increasing a concentration of oxygen in exhaust gas supplied to the burner device if the concentration of oxygen is not higher than a predetermined required concentration of oxygen when there is a request to operate the burner device. The combustion performance of the burner device is stably ensured by securing or compensating for an insufficient concentration of oxygen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akinori Morishima, Kenichi Tsujimoto
  • Patent number: 9598996
    Abstract: A method for feeding reducing agent to an exhaust gas mass flow in an exhaust gas treatment device provides a reducing agent feed port, a storage catalytic converter storing reducing agent and an SCR catalytic converter for selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxygen compounds in exhaust gas. A first dosing strategy is followed, loading of the storage catalytic converter with reducing agent is monitored and a first target conversion rate is determined based on current loading. Reducing agent is fed according to the first target conversion rate. A current conversion rate obtained with the SCR catalytic converter is determined. The current conversion rate is compared to the first target conversion rate and any deviation is registered. A further dosing strategy, not considering the loading of the storage catalytic converter, is used if the deviation exceeds a first threshold value. A motor vehicle and a stationary installation are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: EMITEC Gesellschaft fuer Emissionstechnologie mbH
    Inventor: Peter Bauer
  • Patent number: 9593616
    Abstract: An exhaust pipe fuel injector capable of preventing fuel from remaining in a fuel supply system and thus capable of preventing the fuel supply system from being blocked due to carbonization of the fuel, is provided. The exhaust pipe fuel injector includes: a fuel injection nozzle that injects the fuel into an exhaust pipe; a supply pipe through which a mixed fluid of the fuel and air is supplied into the fuel injection nozzle; and a control unit. The control unit has a function of continuing combustion until no fuel remains in the inside of the supply pipe during regeneration of a diesel particulate filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Volvo Truck Corporation
    Inventor: Takafumi Amano
  • Patent number: 9594067
    Abstract: Exhaust after treatment systems for internal combustion engine powered vehicles are provided. One system includes logic in the form of one or more routines implemented by one or more of the system's components for determining the quantity of NO2 present in the exhaust that exits an oxidation catalyst, such as a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC), without the use of an NO2 sensor. Results from such a determination may then be used to estimate the amount of soot present in the particulate filter. This estimated value of soot present in the particulate filter can then be subsequently used to determine when the particulate filter should be actively regenerated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: PACCAR Inc
    Inventor: Michael Gerty
  • Patent number: 9593617
    Abstract: A method for diagnosing an exhaust-gas catalytic converter (28) arranged in an exhaust-gas system (20) of an internal combustion engine (12) for the catalytic conversion of at least one exhaust-gas component from the internal combustion engine (12), which has an exhaust-gas recirculation means with which a partial stream of the exhaust gas can be drawn off downstream of the catalytic converter (14) and fed into the combustion air of the internal combustion engine (12), involves determining the current raw emission (NOx—raw) of the internal combustion engine (12) in of the exhaust-gas component; measuring the current concentration of the exhaust-gas component (NOx—meas) in the exhaust gas upstream of the catalytic converter (28); and determining a diagnostic value for the catalytic converter (28) in terms of the conversion of the exhaust-gas component as a function of the modelled raw emission (NOx—raw) from the internal combustion engine (12) and the measured concentration of the exhaust-gas component (NOx—me
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Burkhard Veldten, Maciej Kulaszewski
  • Patent number: 9587597
    Abstract: In the present invention, an internal combustion engine is provided with an in-cylinder fuel injection valve and a secondary air supply device and is formed so as to make possible first catalyst warming control and second catalyst warming control that promote the raising of the temperature of an exhaust gas purification catalyst. The first catalyst warming control comprises control to inject fuel from the in-cylinder fuel injection valve during the compression stroke to form a stratified state, and control to greatly delay ignition timing. The second catalyst warming control comprises control to supply secondary air to an engine exhaust gas passage. The internal combustion engine executes the first catalyst warming control after startup and, after the first catalyst warming control is executed, carries out control (third catalyst warming control) to execute the first catalyst warming control and the second catalyst warming control simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoya Kaneko, Shinichi Mitani, Daisuke Uchida
  • Patent number: 9582013
    Abstract: An additive delivery system including a tank for storing an additive, an active component, and a controller connected to the component, wherein the controller is adapted to determine a value representative of temperature of the additive in the system based on an electrical characteristic of a part inside the component, or inside the controller, wherein the part has a further function next to the temperature estimation function in normal operation of the additive delivery system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Inergy Automotive Systems Research (Societe Anonyme)
    Inventor: Volodia Naydenov
  • Patent number: 9574478
    Abstract: The invention relates to an exhaust gas after-treatment device and a method, having a storage container and a buffer reservoir, both of which can be heated. In this manner it is possible to significantly reduce the energy requirement for providing gaseous ammonia for an exhaust gas after-treatment device of an internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Sebastian Kaefer
  • Patent number: 9567917
    Abstract: A method is provided for controlling an engine system including an engine, a controller, a clean emissions module (CEM), and a cooling system driven at least partly by the engine system for regulating a temperature of at least part of the CEM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Perkins Engines Company Limited
    Inventors: James K. McCloskey, Siddharth Subhash Gharpure, Stuart P. Smith
  • Patent number: 9562457
    Abstract: A device for delivering a liquid additive includes an additive delivery unit and an electronic unit. The additive delivery unit has at least one hydraulic component for delivering the liquid additive. All electrical connections of the at least one hydraulic component are brought together in a first plug connector on the additive delivery unit. The electronic unit has a second plug connector which can be connected to the first plug connector. The first plug connector and the second plug connector are connected to one another and form a plug connection when the electronic unit and the additive delivery unit are connected to one another. A motor vehicle having the device is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: EMITEC Gesellschaft fuer Emissionstechnologie mbH
    Inventors: Georges Maguin, Cheikh Diouf, Finn Frederiksen, Sven Schepers, Jan Hodgson
  • Patent number: 9562490
    Abstract: A method for controlling a direct-injection internal combustion engine includes monitoring internal combustion engine operational parameters, determining a start of injection in response to the engine operational parameters, monitoring an intake air flow comprising a residual gas component, monitoring an exhaust gas flow, monitoring a fuel flow, determining a time constant corresponding to an intake air flow reaction time based upon the intake air flow, the exhaust gas flow, and the fuel flow, modifying the start of injection with the time constant, and operating the engine subject to the modified start of injection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Ibrahim Haskara, Yue-Yun Wang
  • Patent number: 9562456
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine is coupled to an electric power generator. An exhaust manifold for the engine includes an exhaust gas conduit. A housing includes a catalyst in fluid communication with the conduit to receive exhaust produced by the engine. The catalyst is operable to reduce one or more constituents of the exhaust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Cummins Power Generation IP, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark E. Turpin, Clayton Smith, Gary A. Salmonson, Brian G. Haupt, Shawn John Kipka, Kurt Butz, Lee Severtson, David W. Strombeck
  • Patent number: 9562486
    Abstract: A control device for an internal combustion engine in which an exhaust purification device is provided the control device controls the air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas flowing into an exhaust purification device when the temperature of a three-way catalyst belongs to a temperature range in which it is not less than an activation onset temperature and is less than an activation complete temperature. The control device controls the air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas flowing into the exhaust purification device to a first air-fuel ratio which is lower than or equal to a theoretical air-fuel ratio when the temperature of the three-way catalyst belongs to a low-side temperature region, and controls the air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas flowing into the exhaust purification device to a second air-fuel ratio which is higher than the theoretical air-fuel ratio when the temperature of the three-way catalyst belongs to a high-side temperature region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigemasa Hirooka, Takahiko Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 9556774
    Abstract: A conveying unit which can be mounted in a tank for conveying a liquid additive from the tank includes a filling level sensor which can emit and receive waves that are reflected back to the filling level sensor at a surface of liquid in the tank, so that a filling level measurement can be carried out by measuring the transit time of the waves. The conveying unit has at least one additional sensor device or sensor with which it is possible to determine if there is frozen additive in the tank. A tank for storing a liquid additive, a motor vehicle having the conveying unit and a method for determining a liquid additive quantity in a tank are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: EMITEC Gesellschaft fuer Emissionstechnologie mbH
    Inventors: Jan Hodgson, Joerg-Roman Konieczny
  • Patent number: 9550149
    Abstract: An exhaust gas purification apparatus for an internal combustion engine is designed to prevent a decrease in the accuracy of measurement by a PM sensor (17). The apparatus includes an NOx catalyst (7) provided in an exhaust passage (3) of an internal combustion engine (1) to reduce NOx by reducing agent supplied to it, a supplying device (6) that supplies urea to the NOx catalyst (7) from the upstream of the NOx catalyst (7), the PM sensor (17) that detects the amount of particulate matter in the exhaust gas in the downstream of the NOx catalyst (7), and a restriction part (10) that restricts supply of urea by the supplying device (6) when the amount of particulate matter adhering to the NOx catalyst (7) is equal to or larger than a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuya Takaoka, Toru Kidokoro
  • Patent number: 9539546
    Abstract: An exhaust gas processing device includes a NOx detection sensor, a first catalyst provided to a first branch pipe, a second catalyst provided to a second branch pipe, a first pressure sensor and a second pressure sensor which are arranged on the upstream side of the first catalyst and the second catalyst and which detect pressures in the first branch pipe and the second branch pipe, and a control device that obtains flow rates of exhaust gas flowing through the first branch pipe and the second branch pipe based on detection values of the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor and obtains amounts of reducing agent to be given to the first catalyst and the second catalyst from the obtained flow rates and a concentration of NOx of the exhaust gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
    Inventors: Izumi Nishizawa, Tadashi Iijima, Takumi Sugihara
  • Patent number: 9541010
    Abstract: An engine assembly includes a camshaft having an exhaust cam lobe defining an exhaust lift region and an exhaust base circle region and an EGR cam lobe defining an EGR lift region and an EGR base circle region. The EGR lift region is rotationally offset from the exhaust lift region and the EGR base circle region is rotationally aligned with the exhaust lift region. An exhaust valve lift mechanism is engaged with an exhaust valve, the exhaust cam lobe and the EGR cam lobe and is operable in first and second modes. The exhaust valve remains closed when the EGR lift region engages the exhaust valve lift mechanism during the second mode and the exhaust valve is opened when the EGR lift region engages the exhaust valve lift mechanism during the first mode to provide exhaust gas flow into the combustion chamber during an intake stroke of the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Manuel Angel Gonzalez Delgado, Charles Dean, Joseph J. Moon
  • Patent number: 9540983
    Abstract: A regeneration device (22) executes regeneration treatment of a filter (21) in an exhaust gas purifying device (18) by burning particulate matter trapped in the filter (21). The regeneration device (22) interrupts the regeneration treatment of the filter (21) when an exhaust gas temperature T detected by an exhaust gas temperature sensor (26) becomes less than an exhaust gas temperature threshold Tt during a period of performing the regeneration treatment of the filter (21). In a case where the regeneration treatment of the filter (21) is interrupted, when the exhaust gas temperature T becomes equal to or more than the exhaust gas temperature threshold Tt, the regeneration treatment of the filter (21) is restarted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuuhei Noguchi, Hajime Yoshida