Exhaust Gas Component Analysis Patents (Class 73/114.71)
  • Patent number: 8857241
    Abstract: A protector (100) of a gas sensor (1) includes an inner protector (120) and an outer protector (110). The inner protector accommodates a gas sensor element (10) and has a tubular side wall (122) having inner gas introduction holes (130), and a bottom wall (124). The outer protector has a tubular side wall (112) having outer gas introduction holes (115), a frustum-like taper wall (117) tapering frontward and an outer gas discharge hole (170) formed inside a front end edge (117s) of the taper wall. When SL represents an area defined by the front end edge of the taper wall, the area S of the opening of the outer gas discharge hole satisfies the relational expression ½×SL?S?SL. A cover portion (127) and a bottom wall (124) are partially away from each other along the axial direction, thereby forming side openings (162).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Nakashima
  • Publication number: 20140290347
    Abstract: A sensor control apparatus which receives from a gas sensor (10) a sensor output signal Ip corresponding to the concentration of a specific gas component, and a pressure signal P output from a pressure sensor (20). The sensor control apparatus includes a computation section (38) which computes a specific component concentration which is corrected based on the pressure signal P so as to eliminate the influence of the pressure of the gas. The sensor control apparatus includes response adjustment sections (34) and (36) for adjusting the response rates of the sensor output signal Ip and the pressure signal P before being input to the computation section (38), the response rate exhibiting a time variation of the corresponding signal to a change in the pressure of the gas, such that the response rate of the sensor output signal Ip or the response rate of the pressure signal P, whichever is faster, approaches the slower of the two.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuzo HIGUCHI, Hiroshi INAGAKI
  • Patent number: 8833145
    Abstract: A method for determining a soot concentration in an engine oil of internal combustion engines, in which method a defined quantity of the engine oil is conducted with a defined flow speed along and/or through a measurement path. In a region of the measurement path, the engine oil is acted on with energy from at least one energy source in such a way that the soot particles contained in the engine oil at least partially absorb the energy. An energy quantity absorbed in the measurement path region is subsequently detected, and from this a soot concentration in the engine oil is determined. A device for determining the soot concentration in the engine oil of internal combustion engines is provided for performing the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: MAN Truck & Bus AG
    Inventors: Felix Fischer, Harald Beck
  • Publication number: 20140250992
    Abstract: It is intended to display a schematic diagram of substantially the whole of an internal combustion engine test system on a screen and a color, brightness, pattern or shape of a symbol representing a test device shown in the schematic diagram are changed according to a degree of operation safety of the test device, whereby a user is allowed to intuitively recognize a situation relating to the safety of the entire system at a glance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: HORIBA, Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsumi URATANI, Tsutomu MISOGI, Tetsu YOSHIOKA
  • Patent number: 8813546
    Abstract: A NOx sensor diagnosis device which can diagnose validity of a NOx sensor by considering an environmental condition and can prevent erroneous diagnosis, and a selective catalytic reduction system are provided. The device provided in an exhaust pipe of an engine E and diagnosing a NOx sensor that detects NOx concentration in an exhaust gas, a diagnosis prohibition determination unit is provided that prohibits diagnosis of the NOx sensor during diesel particulate filter regeneration, during power take-off operation or during exhaust brake operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Isuzu Motors Limited
    Inventors: Hirotaka Takahashi, Masashi Mizutani, Takanobu Ogawa
  • Patent number: 8783097
    Abstract: A system for sensing soot of a diesel engine includes a combustion element which is a porous ceramic structure and to which a catalytic substance that is combustion-reacted with the soot is fixed, a comparison element which is the porous ceramic structure and to which a stable substance that is not combustion-reacted with the soot, and a detection section for detecting the temperatures of the combustion element and the comparison element and for deducing the soot formation amount among exhaust gas by using the temperature difference of the respective element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Cheol Beom Lim
  • Publication number: 20140157881
    Abstract: A diesel particulate filter (“DPF”) including vertically and horizontally stacked cells in which all of vertical and horizontal sides are surrounded by walls formed of a porous material, and sealing end faces of the cells alternately vertically and horizontally are provided with first and second electrodes. In a particulate matter (“PM”) sensor in which a PM deposit quantity of the DPF is detected by a capacitance of a capacitor formed by the first and second electrodes, among open cells, the first electrodes are inserted into the open cells arranged in a line in a diagonal direction, and the second electrodes are inserted into the open cells arranged in a line in the diagonal direction and including the open cells secondarily adjacent to each of the open cells into which the first electrodes are inserted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: ISUZU MOTORS LIMITED
    Inventors: Masafumi Noda, Tadashi Uchiyama, Mitsuhiro Aso
  • Publication number: 20140130589
    Abstract: A method and a device for operating a sensor is provided in an exhaust gas system of an internal combustion engine for determining the emissions contained in an exhaust gas flow, in particular, of nitrogen oxides, ammonia, oxygen and/or unburnt carbon, with the exhaust gas flow acting on the sensor during measurement phases. Between the measurement phases, the sensor is at least largely kept free from the exhaust gas flow, wherein the duration and/or the frequency of the measurement phases can be set as a function of operating parameters of the internal combustion engine and/or of the exhaust gas regulation system. A measurement space which surrounds the sensor is exposed to a pressurized flushing gas immediately after a measurement phase, as a result of which the exhaust gas present in the measurement space is displaced out of the measurement space into the exhaust gas flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: MAN TRUCK & BUS AG
    Inventor: Andreas DOERING
  • Publication number: 20140102187
    Abstract: Diesel electric hybrid powertrains and methods of operating and testing such powertrains are disclosed. Certain exemplary embodiments comprise test and certification methods in which a controller operates a diesel engine alone, an integrated motor/generator alone, or both the diesel engine and the motor/generator to provide brake torque at a common output shaft according to predetermined duty cycle criteria. Emissions are measured based upon criteria accounting for the effects of regenerative braking, engine shut off, and other operational modes unique to hybrid powertrains. Further exemplary embodiments comprise hybrid powertrain systems and methods of operating the same meeting performance and emissions requirements including respective limits on NOx, hydrocarbon, particulate matter, CO, and CO2 without reliance conventional emissions reduction devices or techniques.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Inventor: Morgan MacKenzie Andreae
  • Patent number: 8661883
    Abstract: A diagnostic test for a secondary air system comprising an air pump, a first mass air flow sensor connected to the air pump and a first check valve connected to the first mass air flow sensor. A first testing phase is disclosed comprising a first delay period and a first testing period, wherein the air pump is activated. A second testing phase is disclosed comprising a second delay period and a second testing period wherein the first check valve is opened. A third testing phase comprising a third delay period and a third testing period is disclosed wherein the first check valve is closed. A fourth testing phase is disclosed comprising a fourth delay period and a fourth testing period wherein the air pump is deactivated. An optional fifth testing phase is also disclosed comprising a fifth delay period and a fifth testing period wherein the air pump remains off but the check valve is reopened and engine RPMs are increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Chrysler Group LLC
    Inventors: Mark S. Kado, Zulfeqar Ali Kosgi
  • Patent number: 8652240
    Abstract: There is provided a fine particle sensor for detecting fine particles in exhaust gas, including an ion generating unit for generating ions by corona discharge, a charging unit for charging the fine particles by some of the generated ions, an ion trapping unit for trapping a remainder of the generated ions and a casing for accommodating therein the charging unit and the ion trapping unit in a given arrangement direction. The casing has a gas inlet hole and a gas outlet hole formed in a circumferential wall thereof so that the exhaust gas flows in the charging unit through the gas inlet hole and flows out of the ion trapping unit through the gas outlet hole. The gas inlet hole and the gas outlet hole are arranged in such a manner as to at least partially overlap each other when viewed in the given arrangement direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Sugiyama, Masayuki Motomura, Toshiya Matsuoka, Keisuke Tashima, Hitoshi Yokoi
  • Publication number: 20140033680
    Abstract: A method of monitoring a particulate filter of an exhaust aftertreatment device includes sensing a first pressure drop across the particulate filter at a first instant in time, and sensing a second pressure drop across the particulate filter at a second instant in time. A controller may then calculate a rate-of-change of the pressure drop between the first instant in time and the second instant in time while sensing a flow rate of an exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust aftertreatment device. Using the sensed exhaust flow rate, the controller may determine a rate-of-change threshold, and subsequently compare the calculated rate-of-change to the rate-of-change threshold. The method further includes updating a soot model using the sensed second pressure drop if the calculated rate-of-change is less than the rate-of-change threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2012
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Christopher C. Swoish, Christopher Whitt, Douglas Christopher Sarsen
  • Patent number: 8640526
    Abstract: A method for operating a particle sensor (10). The particle sensor (10) has at least two inter-digital electrodes (12, 13) which engage one in the other and to which a sensor voltage U(IDE) (21) is applied in order to determine loading of the particle sensor (10) with soot particles (16). A sensor current I(IDE) (31) across the electrodes (12, 13) is measured and evaluated. In order to remove the loading with soot, a heating element (14) heats the particle sensor (10) in a regeneration phase. The method characterized in that the sensor current I(IDE) (31) is determined, and a shunt diagnosis of the particle sensor (10) is carried out in accordance with the measured sensor current I(IDE) (31).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Ariel Di Miro, Enno Baars, Johannes Grabis, Alexander Hetznecker, Mathias Klenk, Bernhard Kamp, Bastian Roetzler, Henrik Schittenhelm
  • Patent number: 8631786
    Abstract: Methods systems and device for detecting humidity in air through use of an ammonia sensor included in the exhaust of an engine, such as a diesel engine are provided. In one example, a method for an engine having an exhaust with an ammonia sensor includes adjusting an operating parameter in response to ambient humidity, the ambient humidity based on a first ammonia sensor reading at a first exhaust air-fuel-ratio and a second ammonia sensor reading at a second exhaust air-fuel-ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michiel J. Van Nieuwstadt, Dave Charles Weber
  • Patent number: 8631690
    Abstract: A control method for monitoring a selective catalytic reduction (“SCR”) device is provided. A control method includes adjusting an existing efficiency threshold based on a dosing adaptation value to determine an efficiency threshold. The dosing adaptation value represents an adjusted value of a supply of reductant based on a determined deviation of a downstream NOx concentration value to an expected NOx concentration. The control method includes comparing the efficiency threshold with a determined efficiency of the SCR device. The control method includes generating a message based on comparing the efficiency threshold with the determined efficiency of the SCR device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Janean E. Kowalkowski, John Coppola
  • Patent number: 8635030
    Abstract: A method is provided for the determination of a NOx concentration value upstream of a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) catalyst in a Diesel engine, the engine having an exhaust line, a Diesel Particulate Filter and a NOx concentration sensor downstream of the SCR catalyst, the method including, but is not limited to estimating the NOx concentration value upstream of the SCR catalyst as a function of at least two engine parameters, measuring the NOx concentration downstream of the SCR catalyst, calculating the difference Z(x, y) between the estimated NOx concentration value and the measured value and, in case the difference is higher than a predetermined threshold, correcting the estimated NOx concentration value with a NOx concentration correction value. The NOx concentration correction value is calculated using a correction map that correlates the at least two engine parameters and the difference Z(x, y) with the NOx concentration correction value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Igor Zanetti, Davide Mercuri, Marco Petronzi
  • Patent number: 8635007
    Abstract: Embodiments for determining NH3 slip past a catalyst are provided. In one example, a filtering method for a NOx sensor of an exhaust gas system having an SCR catalytic converter comprises determining NOx concentration upstream of the catalytic converter, measuring NOx concentration downstream of the catalytic converter, modeling NOx conversion, modeling NH3 slip behavior, calculating a NOx error of the NOx modeling, calculating an NH3 error of the NH3 modeling, assigning data of the NOx sensor as NH3 measured values when a ratio of the NOx error to the NH3 error is greater than an upper threshold value, and assigning data of the NOx sensor as NOx measured values when the ratio of the NOx error to the NH3 error is smaller than a lower threshold value. In this way, NOx slip and NH3 slip may be determined from a common sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mario Balenovic, Yasser Mohamed Sayed Yacoub
  • Publication number: 20140007559
    Abstract: A method includes providing an exhaust stream for an internal combustion engine, where the exhaust stream is fluidly coupled to an aftertreatment component. The method includes optically determining an amount of an exhaust gas constituent in the exhaust stream. The method further includes modifying a model stored on a computer readable medium in response to the amount of the exhaust gas constituent. The model is an engine NOx generation model, a catalyst NOx storage model, a catalyst NOx conversion model, a catalyst NO to NO2 conversion model, a catalyst conversion efficiency model, an engine soot generation model, and/or a urea hydrolysis model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2012
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Inventors: John M. Janssen, Frederick H. Lindner, Matthew L. Schneider
  • Patent number: 8626451
    Abstract: A method and device allow the determination of the concentrations of a plurality of gas species in a gas mixture based on the output signals from a plurality of gas sensors, each of which is sensitive to a plurality of gas species in the gas mixture. The method includes measuring the response of each sensor at a number of levels of each gas in the mixture, determining a mathematical representation of the response characteristics of each sensor, and using the mathematical representation to determine gas concentrations from sensor readings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Da Yu Wang, David M. Racine, David D. Cabush
  • Patent number: 8572952
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for managing particulate emissions in an engine including a particulate filter and a CO2 sensor downstream of the filter. A CO2 sensor may be used to infer the presence of particulate matter in the exhaust, downstream of the filter. By sensing particulate matter in the post-filter exhaust, filter degradation may be identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Christopher Parnin
  • Publication number: 20130204540
    Abstract: A method for conditioning an output signal of a collecting particle sensor in the exhaust gas duct of an internal combustion engine. The method including continuously storing values of the output signal in a memory, selecting a predetermined number of the stored values of the output signal, and conditioning the output signal based on the selected stored values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventor: Robert Bosch GmbH
  • Patent number: 8478501
    Abstract: Methods, software codes, and devices for determining an emission flow rate of one or more CO2 equivalent gases from an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine of a vehicle and a method of determining a vehicle efficiency factor of the vehicle are provided. The vehicle efficiency factor is compared in real time to the corresponding point on a vehicle efficiency map based on at least one of current vehicle conditions, driving conditions, environmental conditions, and energy flow visualization data to derive a driver efficiency factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Greendrive Pty, Ltd
    Inventor: Danny Hyland Stewart Adams
  • Patent number: 8468878
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method or an arrangement for function checking of internal combustion engines in motor vehicles, in which an external testing and measuring system is connected via a diagnostic interface to an on-board diagnostic and control system, and after the start of the testing process, the testing system triggers control signals to adjust the defined operating conditions of the internal combustion engine, and performs and documents analyses. To ensure an automatic testing process, it is proposed to launch a safety routine in the diagnostic and control system that interrupts the automatic testing process when certain signals are present from on-board control and/or operating devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventors: Stefan Kamm, Robert Tappe, Manuel Bestle, Mike Helmchen
  • Patent number: 8459243
    Abstract: Methods systems and device for detecting humidity in air through use of an ammonia sensor included in the exhaust of an engine, such as a diesel engine are provided. In one example, a method for an engine having an exhaust with an ammonia sensor includes adjusting an operating parameter in response to ambient humidity, the ambient humidity based on a first ammonia sensor reading at a first exhaust air-fuel-ratio and a second ammonia sensor reading at a second exhaust air-fuel-ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michiel J. Van Nieuwstadt, Dave Charles Weber
  • Publication number: 20130139489
    Abstract: A system includes an internal combustion engine providing exhaust gases to an exhaust conduit, an aftertreatment system having an SCR catalyst component and disposed in the exhaust conduit. The system further includes a first NH3 sensing element preferentially sensitive to NH3 and a second NH3 sensing element preferentially sensitive to NO2 in the exhaust conduit. Both NH3 sensing elements are positioned downstream of the SCR catalyst component. The system includes a controller having a test conditions module that determines whether an NO2 concentration downstream of the SCR catalyst component is below a threshold value, an NH3 diagnostic module that provides a detection comparison value in response to the NO2 concentration, a first signal from the first NH3 sensing element, and a second signal from the second NH3 sensing element. The controller includes a sensor condition module that provides an NH3 sensor condition value in response to the detection comparison value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2012
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: Cummins Inc.
    Inventor: Cummins Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130118244
    Abstract: The exhaust gas analysis system urges a user to conduct a purge in an exhaust gas flow line by not only informing the user of the timing that the purge is necessary from the exhaust gas analysis system but also making it easy for the user to recognize the information. The exhaust gas analysis system comprises an exhaust gas flow line (L) where an exhaust gas flows, a measurement device 2, 3 that is arranged in the exhaust gas flow line (L) and that includes a pollutant component meter to measure a pollutant component to be a cause of pollutant of the exhaust gas flow line, and a display control device 5 that compares a measurement signal value obtained by the pollutant component meter or its arithmetic value with a predetermined pollutant tolerance and that displays a warning window on a display 21 in case that the measurement signal value or the arithmetic value exceeds the predetermined pollutant component tolerance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2012
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicant: HORIBA, LTD.
    Inventor: HORIBA, Ltd.
  • Publication number: 20130104638
    Abstract: A NOx sensor diagnosis device which can diagnose validity of a NOx sensor by considering an environmental condition and can prevent erroneous diagnosis, and a selective catalytic reduction system are provided. The device provided in an exhaust pipe of an engine E and diagnosing a NOx sensor that detects NOx concentration in an exhaust gas, a diagnosis prohibition determination unit is provided that prohibits diagnosis of the NOx sensor during diesel particulate filter regeneration, during power take-off operation or during exhaust brake operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Inventors: Hirotaka Takahashi, Masashi Mizutani, Takanobu Ogawa
  • Publication number: 20130104637
    Abstract: A control method for monitoring a selective catalytic reduction (“SCR”) device is provided. A control method includes adjusting an existing efficiency threshold based on a dosing adaptation value to determine an efficiency threshold. The dosing adaptation value represents an adjusted value of a supply of reductant based on a determined deviation of a downstream NOx concentration value to an expected NOx concentration. The control method includes comparing the efficiency threshold with a determined efficiency of the SCR device. The control method includes generating a message based on comparing the efficiency threshold with the determined efficiency of the SCR device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Janean E. Kowalkowski, John Coppola
  • Patent number: 8429957
    Abstract: A system and/or method for quantifying the presence of one or more components in vehicle exhaust, and more particularly to a non-contact, sampling system and method for quantifying the presence of one or more components in exhaust emissions of commercial and/or heavy-duty vehicles that emit exhaust at an elevated level, under actual operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Envirotest Systems Holdings Corp.
    Inventor: Donald H. Stedman
  • Publication number: 20130098479
    Abstract: An apparatus of a gas extractor for exhaust gas monitoring includes an extractor tube, an intake opening, a vent opening, and a plurality of sensors. The extractor tube is connected to an exhaust duct, where the exhaust duct provides an emitting gas flow. The plurality of sensors is attached to the extractor tube. A representative sample of the emitting gas flow travels through the intake opening into the extractor tube, where the intake opening is an intake angular extremity of the extractor tube. The plurality of sensors is able to take readings from the representative sample once the representative sample is within the extractor tube. Then the representative sample exits from the extractor tube through the vent opening, where the vent opening is a vent angular extremity of the extractor tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: SAFETY POWER INC.
    Inventor: SAFETY POWER INC.
  • Publication number: 20130074590
    Abstract: A method for determining the state of a reducing agent in a reducing agent tank. The reducing agent is used for exhaust gas after-treatment of exhaust gas generated by an internal combustion engine. To inform the control unit of an internal combustion engine regarding the quality of the reducing agent in the reducing agent tank the method includes determining and recording the filling and extracting volumes of the reducing agent from the reducing agent tank by a fill level sensor, determining and recording the temperature of the reducing agent in the reducing agent tank by at least one temperature sensor over the entire service life of the exhaust gas after-treatment unit, determining and recording the distribution velocity of ultrasonic waves in the reducing agent by an ultrasonic transmitter and ultrasonic receiver, determining the state of a reducing agent from the parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2010
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Bertow, Hermann Ketterl
  • Patent number: 8387447
    Abstract: An object of this invention is to improve resistance to heat and to increase a measurable range of a pressure without increasing a cost. In order to attain the object, a first unit arranged near an exhaust gas pipe and a second unit arranged separately from the first unit and connected to the first unit through a connecting pipe are provided, and the first unit has an exhaust gas flow channel from one end of which an exhaust gas is introduced, an orifice part arranged in a midst of the exhaust gas flow channel, a pressure rising check valve of a mechanically operating type that is connected to a downstream side of the orifice part in the exhaust gas flow channel, and a dilution gas flow channel that is connected to a downstream side of the orifice part in the exhaust gas flow channel so that the diluted exhaust gas diluted by the dilution gas is derived from the other end of the exhaust gas flow channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Horiba, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Hanada, Yoshinori Otsuki, Masayoshi Shinohara
  • Publication number: 20130031967
    Abstract: An exhaust sensor (10) includes a cylindrical sensor body (11) arranged outside of an exhaust pipe (5) of an engine (1), a gas inlet (12) formed at one end of sensor body (11), and a gas outlet (13) formed at the other end of sensor body (11). The gas inlet (12) communicates with the exhaust pipe (5) through an introduction pipe (16), while the gas outlet (13) communicates, through a return pipe (17), with the exhaust pipe (5) on the downstream side of a communication portion (16a) of the introduction pipe (16) in terms of flow of the exhaust gas, and the exhaust gas is introduced into the sensor body (11) through the gas inlet (12) and then discharged from the sensor body (11) through the gas outlet (13) by a pressure difference between the communication portions (16a), (17a) of the introduction pipe (16) and of the return pipe (17).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: Isuzu Motors Limited
    Inventor: Toshio Ichimasa
  • Patent number: 8365586
    Abstract: A method of monitoring soot mass in a particulate filter of an exhaust system includes predicting soot mass in the particulate filter based at least partially on a pressure differential between exhaust flowing into the filter and exhaust flowing out of the filter. The predicted soot mass is then revised based at least partially on measured operating parameters indicative of mass flow rate of nitrogen oxides in exhaust flow of the exhaust system and temperature of the particulate filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Michelangelo Ardanese, Raffaello Ardanese, Jianwen Li
  • Patent number: 8359830
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine, an NOX selective reducing catalyst is arranged in an engine exhaust passage. Urea is fed in the NOX selective reducing catalyst, ammonia generated from this urea is adsorbed at the NOX selective reducing catalyst, and the NOX contained in the exhaust gas is selectively reduced mainly by the adsorbed ammonia. An NOX sensor able to detect NOX and ammonia contained in the exhaust gas is arranged in the engine exhaust passage downstream of the NOX selective reducing catalyst. It is judged that the amount of adsorption of ammonia at the NOX selective reducing catalyst is saturated based on the detection value of the NOX sensor when the feed of fuel to the engine is stopped during the deceleration operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yutaka Tanai, Tomihisa Oda, Kazuhiro Itoh, Shunsuke Toshioka, Takekazu Itoh
  • Patent number: 8347701
    Abstract: A system and/or method for quantifying the presence of one or more components in vehicle exhaust, and more particularly to a non-contact, sampling system and method for quantifying the presence of one or more components in exhaust emissions of commercial and/or heavy-duty vehicles that emit exhaust at an elevated level, under actual operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Envirotest Systems Holdings Corp.
    Inventor: Donald H. Stedman
  • Publication number: 20130000396
    Abstract: A system and/or method for quantifying the presence of one or more components in vehicle exhaust, and more particularly to a non-contact, extractive sampling system and method for quantifying the presence of one or more components in exhaust emissions of commercial and/or heavy-duty vehicles that emit exhaust at an elevated level, under actual operating conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Inventor: Donald H. Stedman
  • Patent number: 8332121
    Abstract: Methods, software codes, and devices for determining an emission flow rate of one or more CO2 equivalent gases from an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine of a vehicle and a method of determining a vehicle efficiency factor of the vehicle are provided. The vehicle efficiency factor is compared in real time to the corresponding point on a vehicle efficiency map based on at least one of current vehicle conditions, driving conditions, environmental conditions, and energy flow visualization data to derive a driver efficiency factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Greendrive PTY. LTD
    Inventor: Danny Hyland Stewart Adams
  • Patent number: 8330470
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for checking the operability of a sensor element (100) for determining the concentration of gas components in a gas mixture, particularly of the concentration of gas components in the exhaust gas of internal combustion engine, having an external pump electrode (APE) and an internal pump and Nernst electrode (IPE), a measurement resistor (Rm) and a balancing resistor (Rtrim) connected parallel thereto being provided upstream of the external pump electrode (APE), and a pump current (Ip) being impressible into the external pump electrode by means of a pump current source, and a measuring voltage (Um) incident across the measuring resistor (Rm) via a measuring and analysis device (200) being detectable, characterized in that an activatable switch means (S) is disposed in series to the measuring resistor (Rm), which can be switched at a high impedance for a predetermined amount of time, during which the voltage across the measuring resistor is detected and analyzed in the measurin
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Claudius Bevot, Uwe Lueders
  • Patent number: 8319183
    Abstract: Methods of characterizing and measuring particulate accumulation in a family of particulate filters (10) are disclosed. The disclosure can be applied to diesel, gasoline and natural gas fueled engines, fluid streams bearing dust, and chemical and biological substances such as may be found in laboratory fluids, for example, air. In one embodiment, the disclosure is directed to measuring diesel particulate accumulation in a family of diesel particulate filters. The methods include measuring calibration complex terahertz transmission spectra (PC(f)) of at least a portion (17) of at least one particulate or diesel particulate filter in the family for different known particulate or diesel particulate amounts (ADP). The method also involves performing a partial least squares (PLS) analysis on the calibration complex terahertz transmission spectra to establish a calibration relationship between the complex terahertz transmission spectra and the particulate or diesel particulate amounts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Natarajan Gunasekaran, Vitor Marino Schneider, Charlene Marie Smith, Carlo Anthony Kosik Williams
  • Publication number: 20120291632
    Abstract: A particulate matter detecting apparatus for an internal combustion engine that can estimate a discharge amount of the particulate matter accurately. The particulate matter detecting apparatus for an internal combustion engine, comprises: a sensor disposed at an exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine, the sensor including a pair of electrodes for detecting particulate matter in an exhaust gas; means for estimating a discharge amount of the particulate matter based on an output of the sensor, and means for acquiring a predetermined parameter that serves as an index for a rate with which the particulate matter in the exhaust gas is deposited on the sensor. The discharge amount estimating means corrects an estimated value of the discharge amount of the particulate matter based on the parameter acquired by the parameter acquiring means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroki Nishijima
  • Patent number: 8310249
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for sensing particulates within an exhaust flow are provided. The methods and apparatus utilize a soot sensor that includes opposed electrodes separated by an insulator. Preferably, a gap is formed between the electrodes and the insulator to prevent electrical current from flowing therebetween. The soot sensor, when positioned in an exhaust flow, will accumulate a layer of particulates on an outer surface thereof. As the layer of particulates increases the particulates will bridge the two electrodes permitting current flow. The sensor is configured with a proper geometry and potential difference between the electrodes to generate currents in the milli-amp range. Further, the sensor is configured to have a regenerative effect that causes the bridge to be broken when particles sees to impinge the soot sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Woodward, Inc.
    Inventor: Clark Paterson
  • Publication number: 20120272641
    Abstract: A particulate matter control system includes: an electrode that is provided in an exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine; a power supply that is connected to the electrode and that applies voltage; a particle number detecting unit that detects the particle number of particulate matter on a downstream side of the electrode; a calculation unit that calculates a reduction rate of the particle number at the time when voltage is applied on the basis of the particle number detected by the particle number detecting unit at the time when voltage is applied and the particle number detected by the particle number detecting unit at the time when no voltage is applied; and a determination unit that determines that there is a failure when the reduction rate of the particle number, calculated by the calculation unit, is smaller than a threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinichi Mitani, Hiroshi Nomura, Eiji Murase
  • Patent number: 8266952
    Abstract: A system and/or method for quantifying the presence of one or more components in vehicle exhaust, and more particularly to a non-contact, extractive sampling system and method for quantifying the presence of one or more components in exhaust emissions of commercial and/or heavy-duty vehicles that emit exhaust at an elevated level, under actual operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Envirotest Systems Holdings Corp.
    Inventor: Donald H. Stedman
  • Patent number: 8225648
    Abstract: A particulate matter sensor is provided for sensing particulate matter present in exhaust gases in a conduit. The particulate matter sensor includes a sensing element with a sensing face which extends into the exhaust conduit and provides a signal indicative of the amount of particulate matter detected in the exhaust conduit. An inner shield is provided to surround the sensing face and includes an inner shield inlet for admitting exhaust gases therein to be sensed. An outer shield surrounds a portion of the inner shield and defines an outer shield chamber extending axially beyond the inner shield. The outer shield has an outer shield inlet passage to receive exhaust gasses from the conduit. Exhaust gases enter the inner shield from the outer shield chamber through the inner shield inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles Scott Nelson
  • Patent number: 8210033
    Abstract: A device for detecting an accumulation amount of particulates is provided. The device has a filter for trapping particulates from a gas containing the particulates, a container for containing the filter, an upstream pipe provided on the upstream side of the container to lead the gas into the container, a downstream pipe provided on the downstream side of the container to lead the gas after passed through the filter, a transmitting antenna provided within the downstream pipe to transmit an electromagnetic wave having a frequency of 30 GHz or more but not exceeding 10 THz, and a receiving antenna provided within the upstream pipe to receive the electromagnetic wave. An amount of the particulates trapped in the filter is detected based on an intensity of the electromagnetic wave received by the receiving antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jungo Kondo, Keiji Matsuhiro, Kenji Aoki, Atsuo Kondo
  • Patent number: 8191412
    Abstract: A method for determining a deviation of a fuel quality from a reference quality and for determining a change in exhaust gas emissions caused by this deviation by evaluating pressure waves in a fuel system of an internal combustion engine outfitted with one of a discontinuous fuel delivery and a fuel take-off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Man Truck & Bus AG
    Inventor: Andreas Döring
  • Patent number: 8191413
    Abstract: In a method for determining an NO2 concentration and/or a concentration ratio of NO2 and NO in an exhaust tract of a combustion device, such as an internal combustion engine, an NOx sensor that is sensitive with respect to NO2 and NO is utilized, which provides a NOx output signal correlating with an NOx concentration representing the sum of the concentrations of NO2 and NO. In order to determine the NO2 concentration and/or the concentration ratio of NO2 and NO, the NOx output signal of a first NOx sensor, which is arranged upstream of an exhaust gas treatment element arranged in the exhaust tract and having the capability of converting NO to NO2 and/or converting NO2 to NO, is compared to the NOx output signal of a second NOx sensor, which is disposed downstream of the exhaust gas treatment element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Jochen Lahr, Rainer Pauls
  • Patent number: 8171780
    Abstract: An exhaust-gas sensor signal (vls_down) of an exhaust-gas sensor that is disposed in an exhaust gas train downstream of at least one first catalytic converter volume (V1) and upstream of at least one second catalytic converter volume (V2) is acquired. An estimated value of an intermediate emission for a position of the exhaust-gas sensor is determined in dependence upon the exhaust-gas sensor signal (vls_down). An estimated value of an emission downstream of the at least one second catalytic converter volume (V2) is determined in dependence upon the estimated value of the intermediate emission and in dependence upon at least one predefined correction characteristic (fac_cor_ufc) or at least one predefined correction characteristics map for correcting the estimated value of the intermediate emission with regard to an influence of the at least one second catalytic converter volume (V2) upon the emission of the at least one exhaust gas component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Brandt, Gerd Rösel
  • Patent number: 8161944
    Abstract: A control device of an internal combustion engine that can accurately estimate an NOx concentration in exhaust gas by using a cylinder internal pressure as basic data. A cylinder internal pressure sensor provided to the internal combustion engine detects a cylinder internal pressure P?. An internal energy correlation value (?V·dP?/d?·??) having correlation with internal energy consumed in the cylinder is calculated based on the cylinder internal pressure P? and an in-cylinder volume V? (? represents a crank angle). The internal energy correlation value is standardized by a load ratio KL, then corrected by a function f(kl) as for a load factor KL so as to calculate an NOx concentration estimated value [NOx]={(?V·dP?/d?·??)/KL}×f(kl).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidenori Moriya, Ryo Tadokoro