Energy-optimized forced regeneration of a particle filter of a hybrid vehicle

A control system for the regeneration of a particle filter in an exhaust gas flow of an internal combustion engine of a hybrid vehicle having an electric machine, the control system comprising:

• a particle filter;
• a temperature sensor arranged in a region of the particle filter;
• and
• a controller programmed to:
• determine a temperature difference between a setpoint temperature for the regeneration of the particle filter and an actual temperature of the particle filter measured by the temperature sensor;
• calculate a power output difference for the internal combustion engine to be applied based at least in part on the temperature difference;
• and
• switch the electric machine to a generator mode, so that the increase in a load on the internal combustion engine causes the actual temperature of the particle filter to increase by the temperature difference,
• wherein, if the setpoint temperature for the regeneration of the particle filter is reached or exceeded and the electric machine can provide the entire requested torque, the controller operates the internal combustion engine in an overrun mode or in a stationary mode, and
• wherein, if a new actual temperature resulting from increasing the load of the internal combustion engine is below the setpoint temperature, the controller:
• determines a resulting power output from a resulting temperature difference between the setpoint temperature and the new actual temperature of the particle filter;
• ends the overrun mode or the stationary mode of the internal combustion engine;
• and
• switches the electric machine to a generator mode, so that the increase in the load on the internal combustion engine increases the actual temperature of the particle filter by the resulting temperature difference.

A method for the regeneration of a particle filter in an exhaust gas flow of an internal combustion engine of a hybrid vehicle including an electric machine, the method comprising:

• determining a temperature difference between a setpoint temperature for the regeneration of the particle filter and an actual temperature of the particle filter;
• calculating a power output to be applied to the particle filter based at least in part on the temperature difference;
• triggering a first heat source based on the calculated power output, the first heat source arranged upstream of the particle filter in the exhaust gas flow;
• if the power output to be applied is greater than a power output capacity of the first heat source, triggering a second heat source using the power output, the second heat source arranged upstream of the particle filter in the exhaust gas flow;
• and
• interrupting the application of the power applied to the first heat source and/or the second heat source to observe the thermal inertia of the heat sources before applying further power to one or more of the heat sources.

A method for the regeneration of a particle filter in an exhaust gas flow of an internal combustion engine in a hybrid vehicle with an electric machine, the method comprising:

• determining a temperature difference between a setpoint temperature for the regeneration of the particle filter and an actual temperature of the particle filter;
• calculating a power output to be applied to the particle filter based at least in part on the temperature difference;
• and
• if the calculated power output to be applied is greater than an available power output of a first heat source, switching the electric machine to a generator mode, so that the increase in the load on the internal combustion engine increases the actual temperature of the particle filter by the temperature difference.