Phev evap system canister loading state determination
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsAED M. DUDAR, DENNIS SEUNG-MAN YANG, MARK DANIEL BUNGE
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Abstract
An evaporative emission control system for a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle that indicates the level of loading of a carbon canister of the system. The system has multiple thermocouples positioned space apart from each other along a vapor flow path within the carbon canister. A controller is connected to each thermocouple, which monitors the temperature of the thermocouples. The controller indicates the level of saturation of the carbon canister based on certain pre-determined temperature criteria.
Claims12
An evaporative emission control system for a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, configured to indicate the saturated state of a system carbon canister, the system comprising:
- a plurality of temperature sensors spaced along a vapor flow path within the carbon canister;
- and
- a controller operatively connected to each temperature sensor, for monitoring the temperature of the temperature sensors, the controller being configured to indicate the level of saturation of the carbon canister based on pre-determined temperature criteria.
A method for determining the level of saturation of a carbon canister in an evaporative emission control system of a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, the method comprising:
- providing a carbon canister having a plurality of temperature sensors spaced apart from each other along a vapor flow path within the carbon canister;
- monitoring the temperature detected by each temperature sensor, employing a controller, during a preselected time period;
- identifying a inflection point in each temperature sensor's temperature variation as a function of time;
- and
- indicating a saturation state of the carbon canister based on preselected criteria related to the inflection point identifications.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.