# US 2014/0190147 A1 · Hybrid electric vehicle particulate regeneration method and system

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- Number: US 2014/0190147 A1
- Document ID: US20140190147A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/735,576
- Filed: 2013-01-07
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2013-01-07
- Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
- Applicants: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
- Inventors: Bryan N. Roos; Eugene V. Gonze; Michael J. Paratore, JR.
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190147A1

## CPC

- F01N 3/0238: {for regenerating during engine standstill}
- B60W 10/06: including control of combustion engines
- B60W 10/08: including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
- B60W 20/16: for reducing engine exhaust emissions
- F01N 3/027: using electric or magnetic heating means
- F01N 3/2026: {directly electrifying the catalyst substrate, i.e. heating the electrically conductive catalyst substrate by joule effect}
- F01N 9/002: {of filter regeneration}
- F02D 41/029: {the exhaust gas treating apparatus being a particulate filter}
- B60K 6/485: Motor-assist type
- B60W 2510/068: Engine exhaust temperature
- B60W 2530/12: Catalyst or filter state
- B60W 2710/0622: Air-fuel ratio
- B60W 2710/0633: Inlet air flow rate
- B60W 2710/0644: Engine speed
- B60W 2710/0694: Engine exhaust temperature
- B60Y 2300/474: Catalyst warm up
- B60Y 2300/476: Regeneration of particle filters
- F01N 2900/1602: Temperature of exhaust gas apparatus
- Y02A 50/20: Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters
- Y02T 10/12: Improving ICE efficiencies
- Y02T 10/40: Engine management systems
- Y02T 10/62: Hybrid vehicles
- Y10S 903/902: Prime movers comprising electrical and internal combustion motors
- 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)
- B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
- 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)
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY
- Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## 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.

## Claims

### Claim 1

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.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
under a condition where the PM in the PF is under ignition, monitoring a temperature indicative of a temperature of the PM in the PF, and using the electric motor to raise or lower the rotational speed of the combustion engine if the temperature of the PM is indicated to be higher or lower, respectively, than a threshold value.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, further comprising:
determining if regeneration of the PF is complete, and if yes, then stopping rotation of the combustion engine to stop further air flow through the exhaust system.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
turning the EHC off subsequent to the EHC having reached a temperature suitable to facilitate ignition of the PM in the PF.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein:
the HEV is being propelled by the electric motor with no exhaust flow from the combustion engine.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3 wherein:
if regeneration of the PF is determined to be not complete, then continuing with the monitoring of the PM temperature, and the raising and lowering of the rotational speed of the combustion engine in response to whether the temperature of the PM is indicated to be higher or lower, respectively, than the threshold value.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
under a condition where the combustion engine is combusting fuel, setting the air-fuel ratio of the combustion engine to be about equal to a stoichiometric ratio associated with the combustion engine such that all of the oxygen used by the combustion engine for combustion of the fuel is consumed.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising:
monitoring a temperature indicative of a temperature of the PM in the PF;
if the temperature of the PM is indicated to be higher than a threshold value, then continuing to set the air-fuel ratio equal to the stoichiometric ratio;
if the temperature of the PM is indicated to be lower than a threshold value, then discontinuing to set the air-fuel ratio equal to the stoichiometric ratio.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
monitoring a state of the particulate filter to determine if the particulate filter requires regeneration or not;
if the particulate filter is determined to not require regeneration, then continuing with the monitoring of the state of the particulate filter until it does require regeneration or until the monitoring is otherwise interrupted.

### Claim 10

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.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The particulate regeneration system of claim 10, wherein the method facilitated by the controller further comprises:
under a condition where the PM in the PF is under ignition, monitoring a temperature indicative of a temperature of the PM in the PF, and using the electric motor to raise or lower the rotational speed of the combustion engine if the temperature of the PM is indicated to be higher or lower, respectively, than a threshold value.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The particulate regeneration system of claim 11, wherein the method facilitated by the controller further comprises:
determining if regeneration of the PF is complete, and if yes, then stopping rotation of the combustion engine to stop further air flow through the exhaust system.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The particulate regeneration system of claim 12, wherein the method facilitated by the controller further comprises:
if regeneration of the PF is determined to be not complete, then continuing with the monitoring of the PM temperature, and the raising and lowering of the rotational speed of the combustion engine in response to whether the temperature of the PM is indicated to be higher or lower, respectively, than the threshold value.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The particulate regeneration system of claim 10, wherein the method facilitated by the controller further comprises:
under a condition where the combustion engine is combusting fuel, setting the air-fuel ratio of the combustion engine to be about equal to a stoichiometric ratio associated with the combustion engine such that all of the oxygen used by the combustion engine for combustion off the fuel is consumed.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The particulate regeneration system of claim 14, wherein the method facilitated by the controller further comprises:
monitoring a temperature indicative of a temperature of the PM in the PF;
if the temperature of the PM is indicated to be higher than a threshold value, then continuing to set the air-fuel ratio equal to the stoichiometric ratio; and
if the temperature of the PM is indicated to be lower than a threshold value, then discontinuing to set the air-fuel ratio equal to the stoichiometric ratio.