Systems and methods for turbo wastegate diagnostics
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorAed M. Dudar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems are provided for indicating whether a wastegate positioned in a vehicle exhaust system is stuck in a closed or open configuration. In one example, a method comprises activating an electric air compressor positioned in an intake of the engine and obtaining a first baseline air flow and a second baseline air flow in the exhaust system, and in response to an indication that the wastegate is potentially stuck open or closed, obtaining a test air flow measurement via activating the electric air compressor and comparing the test air flow in the exhaust system to the first and/or the second baseline air flow. In this way, the wastegate may be diagnosed under conditions of limited engine operation, such as that which may occur in hybrid electric vehicles.
Claims13
A method comprising:
- activating an electric air compressor in an intake of an engine to obtain a first and a second baseline air flow in an exhaust system of the engine;
- and
- during a degradation test, diagnosing whether a wastegate in the exhaust system is functioning as desired by activating the electric air compressor and comparing a test air flow in the exhaust system to the first and/or the second baseline air flow.
A system for a hybrid electric vehicle, comprising:
- an engine positioned in an engine system, the engine system including an intake and an exhaust system;
- an exhaust gas recirculation passage including an exhaust gas recirculation valve;
- a turbine positioned in the exhaust system, the turbine mechanically coupled to a compressor in the intake;
- a wastegate valve positioned in a wastegate passage, the wastegate passage in parallel with the turbine;
- an electric compressor positioned in the intake;
- a differential pressure sensor positioned in the exhaust system downstream of the turbine;
- and
- a controller storing instructions in non-transitory memory that, when executed cause the controller to:
- obtain a first baseline air flow through the engine system via activating the electric compressor with the wastegate valve commanded closed and indicating a difference between a first air flow and a second air flow as monitored via the differential pressure sensor, the first air flow obtained with the exhaust gas recirculation valve closed and the second air flow obtained with the exhaust gas recirculation valve open;
- obtain a second baseline air flow through the engine system via activating the electric compressor with the wastegate valve commanded open and indicating a difference between a third air flow and a fourth air flow as monitored via the differential pressure sensor, the third air flow obtained with the exhaust gas recirculation valve closed and the second air flow obtained with the exhaust gas recirculation valve open;
- and
- in response to an indication that the wastegate valve is potentially stuck closed, commanding open the wastegate valve and obtaining a first test measurement air flow via activating the electric compressor to determine a difference between a fifth air flow obtained with the exhaust gas recirculation valve closed and a sixth air flow obtained with the exhaust gas recirculation valve open, or in response to an indication that the wastegate valve is potentially stuck open, commanding the wastegate valve closed and obtaining a second test measurement air flow via activating the electric compressor to determine a difference between a seventh air flow obtained with the exhaust gas recirculation valve closed and an eighth air flow obtained with the exhaust gas recirculation valve open.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.