US 2014/0190147 A1 · HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLE PARTICULATE REGENERATION METHOD AND SYSTEM

Abstract

A method is applied to regenerate particulate matter in a particulate filter of a hybrid electric vehicle having a combination of a combustion engine and an electric motor for propelling the vehicle, the hybrid electric vehicle having an electrically heated catalyst disposed in flow communication with the particulate filter in an exhaust system of the vehicle. The method determines whether the combustion engine is or is not combusting fuel, and under a condition where the combustion engine is not combusting fuel, the catalyst is electrically heated until it has reached a temperature suitable to cause ignition of the particulate matter. The electric motor is used to facilitate rotation of the combustion engine at a rotational speed suitable to draw air into and be exhausted out of the combustion engine into the exhaust system, across the catalyst, and into the particulate filter to facilitate ignition of the particulate in the filter.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method to regenerate particulate matter (PM) in a particulate filter (PF) of a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) having a combination of a combustion engine and an electric motor for propelling the HEV, the HEV having an electrically heated catalyst (EHC) disposed in flow communication with the PF in an exhaust system of the HEV, the method comprising:

determining whether the combustion engine is or is not combusting fuel;
under a condition where the combustion engine is not combusting fuel, electrically heating the EHC until the EHC has reached a temperature suitable to cause ignition of the PM in the PF, and using the electric motor to facilitate rotation of the combustion engine at a rotational speed suitable to draw air into and be exhausted out of the combustion engine into the exhaust system, across the EHC, and into the PF to facilitate ignition of the PM in the PF.

A particulate regeneration system for a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), the HEV having a combination of a combustion engine and an electric motor for propelling the HEV, the system comprising:

an electrically heated catalyst (EHC) disposed in exhaust flow communication with an exhaust system of the combustion engine;
a particulate filter (PF) disposed in exhaust flow communication with and downstream of the EHC;
a controller operably disposed in signal communication with a control system of the combustion engine, a control system of the electric motor, a control system of the EHC, and a control system of the PF, the controller being responsive to computer executable instructions which when executed by the controller facilitate a method to regenerate particulate matter (PM) in the PF, the method comprising:
determining whether the combustion engine is or is not combusting fuel;
under a condition where the combustion engine is not combusting fuel, electrically heating the EHC until the EHC has reached a temperature suitable to cause ignition of the PM in the PF, and using the electric motor to facilitate rotation of the combustion engine at a rotational speed suitable to draw air into and be exhausted out of the combustion engine into the exhaust system, across the EHC, and into the PF to facilitate ignition of the PM in the PF.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Hybrid electric vehicle particulate regeneration method and system

Life of this patent

Hybrid electric vehicle particulate regeneration method and system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15