# US 11,028,753 B2 · System and method for determining engine out NOx based on in-cylinder contents > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,028,753 B2 - Document ID: US11028753B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/549,236 - Filed: 2016-02-09 - Published: 2018-02-08 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-02-10 - Assignees: Cummins Inc. - Applicants: Cummins, Inc. - Inventors: Phanindra V. Garimella; Aniket Gupta; Ming-Feng Hsieh; Paul V. Moonjelly; Anant Puri; Gokul Vishwanathan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11028753B2 ## CPC - F01N 3/208: {Control of selective catalytic reduction [SCR], e.g. by adjusting the dosing of reducing agent} - F02D 35/02: on interior conditions - F02D 35/026: {using an estimation} - F02D 41/0062: {Estimating, calculating or determining the internal EGR rate, amount or flow} - F02D 41/1454: {the characteristics being an oxygen content or concentration or the air-fuel ratio} - F02D 41/1458: {with determination means using an estimation} - F02D 41/1461: {of the exhaust gases emitted by the engine} - F02D 41/1462: {with determination means using an estimation} - F01N 3/035: with catalytic reactors - F01N 3/106: {Auxiliary oxidation catalysts} - F01N 3/2066: {Selective catalytic reduction [SCR]} - F01N 13/009: {having two or more separate purifying devices arranged in series} - F01N 2370/04: Zeolitic material - F01N 2560/021: for measuring or detecting ammonia NH3 - F01N 2560/06: the means being a temperature sensor - F01N 2560/14: having more than one sensor of one kind - F01N 2570/18: Ammonia - F01N 2610/02: the substance being ammonia or urea - F01N 2610/03: the substance being hydrocarbons, e.g. engine fuel - F01N 2900/0416: using the state of a sensor, e.g. of an exhaust gas sensor - F01N 2900/08: said parameters being related to the engine - F01N 2900/1402: Exhaust gas composition - F01N 2900/1404: Exhaust gas temperature - F02D 41/0072: {Estimating, calculating or determining the EGR rate, amount or flow (sensors in EGR systems F02M26/45)} - F02D 2041/1472: {the characteristics being a humidity or water content of the exhaust gases} - F02D 2041/228: {Warning displays} - F02D 2200/021: Engine temperature - F02D 2200/0418: Air humidity - F02D 2200/0602: Fuel pressure - F02D 2200/1002: Output torque - F02D 2200/101: Engine speed - F02D 2250/36: Control for minimising NOx emissions - Y02T 10/12: Improving ICE efficiencies - Y02T 10/40: Engine management systems - F01N: GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES (arrangements in connection with gas exhaust of propulsion units in vehicles B60K13/00; combustion-air intake silencers specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines F02M35/00; protecting against, or damping, noise in general G10K11/16) - F02D: CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES (vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed B60K31/00; conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function, road vehicle drive control systems for purposes other than the control of a single sub-unit B60W) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract An apparatus includes an engine module, an in-cylinder content module, and an engine out NOx module. The engine module is structured to interpret engine in-cylinder data regarding an operating condition within a cylinder of an engine, wherein the engine in-cylinder data includes an engine torque, an engine speed, a rail pressure, and a start-of-injection. The in-cylinder content module is structured to interpret at least one additional in-cylinder data point regarding the operating condition within the cylinder of the engine. The engine out NOx module is structured to determine an engine out NOx amount responsive to the engine in-cylinder data and the at least one additional in-cylinder data point. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus, comprising: an engine circuit structured to interpret engine in-cylinder data regarding an operating condition within a cylinder of an engine, wherein the engine in-cylinder data includes an engine torque and an engine speed; an in-cylinder content circuit structured to interpret at least one additional in-cylinder data point regarding the operating condition within the cylinder of the engine, the at least one additional in-cylinder data point including an in-cylinder trapped air mass amount, the in-cylinder trapped air mass amount determined based on a residual mass and a charge air mass; and an engine out NOx circuit structured to determine an engine out NOx amount responsive to the engine in-cylinder data and the at least one additional in-cylinder data point, wherein the engine out NOx circuit is structured to determine an increasing engine out NOx amount as the in-cylinder trapped air mass amount increases and/or as a fluid pressure increases in a rail fluidly coupled to a fuel injector for the engine. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one additional in-cylinder data point includes an in-cylinder oxygen fraction amount. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one additional in-cylinder data point includes one or more of an in-cylinder exhaust gas recirculation amount, an in-cylinder oxygen-to-fuel ratio value, a temperature value indicative of a temperature in the cylinder at intake valve closing, and a humidity value indicative of a humidity in the cylinder. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an aftertreatment circuit structured to control one or more components of an aftertreatment system fluidly coupled to the engine, wherein the aftertreatment circuit is structured to adjust a dosing amount responsive to the determined engine out NOx amount. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the engine includes a compression-ignition engine utilizing diesel fuel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a notification circuit structured to provide a notification relating to the determined engine out NOx amount to an input/output device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein use of the at least one additional in-cylinder data point facilitates a relatively accurate engine out NOx amount determination at both steady state and transient engine cycles. ### Claim 8 A system, comprising: an exhaust aftertreatment system in fluid communication with an engine; and a controller communicably and operatively coupled to the exhaust aftertreatment system, the controller structured to: interpret engine in-cylinder data regarding an operating condition within a cylinder of the engine, wherein the engine in-cylinder data includes an engine torque and an engine speed; interpret at least one additional in-cylinder data point regarding the operating condition within the cylinder of the engine, the at least one additional in-cylinder data point including an in-cylinder trapped air mass amount, the in-cylinder trapped air mass amount determined based on a residual mass and a charge air mass; and determine an engine out NOx amount responsive to the engine in-cylinder data and the at least one additional in-cylinder data point, wherein determining the engine out NOx amount includes determining an increasing engine out NOx amount as the in-cylinder trapped air mass amount increases and/or as a fluid pressure increases in a rail fluidly coupled to a fuel injector for the engine. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one additional in-cylinder data point includes an in-cylinder oxygen fraction amount. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one additional in-cylinder data point includes an in-cylinder exhaust gas recirculation amount. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one additional in-cylinder data point includes an in-cylinder oxygen-to-fuel ratio value. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one additional in-cylinder data point includes a temperature value indicative of a temperature in the cylinder at intake valve closing. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one additional in-cylinder data point includes a humidity value indicative of a humidity in the cylinder. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The system, of claim 8, wherein the controller is structured to control a dosing amount in the exhaust aftertreatment system responsive to the determined engine out NOx amount. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is structured to provide a notification relating to the determined engine out NOx amount to an input/output device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein use of the at least one additional in-cylinder data point facilitates a relatively accurate engine out NOx amount determination at both steady state and transient engine cycles. ### Claim 17 A method, comprising: identifying, by a controller, an in-cylinder data point indicative of one or more conditions within a cylinder of an engine; selecting, by the controller, one or more of the in-cylinder data points, the one or more in-cylinder data points including an in-cylinder trapped air mass amount, the in-cylinder trapped air mass amount determined based on a residual mass and a charge air mass; responsive to selecting the one or more in-cylinder data points, formulating, by the controller, a steady state approximation indicative of operating conditions of the engine in a steady state condition; and determining, by the controller, an engine out NOx amount at a transient engine cycle based on the steady state approximation. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the in-cylinder data point includes an oxygen fraction amount. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising adjusting, by the controller, a dosing amount in an exhaust aftertreatment system fluidly coupled to the engine responsive to the determined engine out NOx amount. ### Claim 20 A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored therein that, when executed by a controller comprising one or more processors, cause the controller to perform functions comprising: interpreting engine in-cylinder data regarding an operating condition within a cylinder of an engine, the engine in-cylinder data including an engine torque and an engine speed; interpreting at least one additional in-cylinder data point regarding the operating condition within the cylinder of the engine, the at least one additional in-cylinder data point including an in-cylinder trapped air mass amount, the in-cylinder trapped air mass amount determined based on a residual mass and a charge air mass; and determining an engine out NOx amount responsive to the engine in-cylinder data and the at least one additional in-cylinder data point, wherein determining the engine out NOx amount includes determining an increasing engine out NOx amount as the in-cylinder trapped air mass amount increases and/or as a fluid pressure increases in a rail fluidly coupled to a fuel injector for the engine. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the instructions further cause functions comprising controlling one or more components of an aftertreatment system fluidly coupled to the engine. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the controlling the one or more components of the aftertreatment system includes adjusting a dosing amount responsive to the determined engine out NOx amount. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the at least one additional in-cylinder data point includes an in-cylinder oxygen fraction amount. ### Claim 24 (depends on 20) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the at least one additional in-cylinder data point includes one or more of an in-cylinder exhaust gas recirculation amount, an in-cylinder oxygen-to-fuel ratio value, a temperature value indicative of a temperature in the cylinder at intake valve closing, and a humidity value indicative of a humidity in the cylinder.