Approach for Controlling a Vehicle Engine That Includes an Electric Boosting Device

A vehicle system, comprising:

• an engine including at least one cylinder;
• a boosting device including a compressor to boost intake air to the at least one cylinder;
• an electric motor to at least partially drive the compressor;
• a fuel tank;
• a fuel vapor canister to store fuel vapor vented from the fuel tank;
• a fuel vapor sensor positioned between the fuel vapor canister and the engine;
• an emission control device to treat exhaust gas exhausted from the engine;
• and
• a control system configured to during an engine cold start condition, operate the electric motor of the boost device to boost intake air, direct the boosted intake air through the fuel vapor canister to release a fuel vapor stored in the fuel vapor canister, direct the fuel vapor released from the fuel vapor canister to the engine such that the fuel vapor sensor measures the fuel vapor to indicate a measured fuel vapor, and perform combustion in the at least one cylinder using the fuel vapor when the measured fuel vapor is determined to be greater than a fuel vapor threshold during the engine starting.

A method of operating a vehicle including an engine having at least one cylinder, a boosting device to boost intake air, a throttle located downstream from the boosting device to control air flow to the at least one cylinder, a fuel tank, at least one fuel injector to provide fuel from the fuel tank to the at least one cylinder, a fuel vapor canister to store fuel vapors vented from the fuel tank, an upstream valve positioned between the boosting device and the throttle and upstream from the fuel vapor canister, a downstream valve positioned between the throttle and the at least one cylinder and downstream from the fuel vapor canister, an emission control device to treat exhaust gas from the engine, the boosting device including a compressor at partially driven by an electric motor that is supplied with electrical power from an electrical storage device, the method comprising:

• during a first engine cold start condition where a state of charge of the electrical storage device is greater than a charge threshold, operating the electric motor of the boost device to boost intake air;
• adjusting the throttle to direct boosted intake air to the upstream valve;
• adjusting the upstream valve to direct the boosted intake air through the fuel vapor canister to release a fuel vapor stored in the fuel vapor canister;
• adjusting the downstream valve to direct the fuel vapor released from the fuel vapor canister to the engine;
• and
• in response to the fuel vapor being greater than a fuel vapor threshold, performing combustion in the at least one cylinder using the fuel vapor during the engine starting;
• and
• during a second engine cold start condition where the state of charge of the electrical storage device is not greater than the charge threshold,
• adjusting the throttle to direct intake air to the at least one cylinder;
• and
• performing combustion in the at least cylinder using liquid fuel injected by the at least one cylinder during the engine starting.