Detection of leaks and blockages in a vehicle exhaust system
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsDouglas Martin, Benjamin Rocci, Tyler Kelly
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems are provided for diagnosing a source of degradation in an exhaust system of a vehicle. In one example, a method may include actuating an electric turbocharger to rotate in a first direction to evaluate integrity of an exhaust pipe of the exhaust system and rotation the turbocharger in a second direction to assess an exhaust manifold of the exhaust system, after an engine of the vehicle is turned off. Pressures generated in the exhaust system are compared to thresholds based on barometric pressure and/or turbocharger speed.
Claims20
A method, comprising:
- upon engine shutdown, operating an electric turbocharger to draw air into an exhaust system and indicating degradation of the exhaust system based on a comparison of a pressure in the exhaust system measured during operating the electric turbocharger to a threshold pressure that is based on a barometric pressure.
A method, comprising,
- following an engine key-off event and after a crankshaft of an engine stops spinning:
- electrically driving rotation of a turbine disposed in an exhaust system of the engine in a first, forward direction and pumping air from an intake system of the engine into an exhaust pipe of the exhaust system arranged downstream of the turbine and measuring a first pressure in the exhaust pipe;
- electrically driving rotation of the turbine in a second, reverse direction and pumping air from the exhaust pipe into an exhaust manifold of the exhaust system and measuring a second pressure in the exhaust manifold;
- and
- indicating degradation of one or more of the exhaust pipe and the exhaust manifold of the exhaust system based on the first pressure and the second pressure relative to a barometric pressure.
A system for an engine, comprising:
- a controller with computer readable instructions stored on non-transitory memory that, when executed during an engine-off condition, cause the controller to:
- obtain a barometric pressure after the engine stops spinning and determine one or more pressure thresholds based on the barometric pressure;
- drive rotation of an electric turbocharger in a direction to draw air into an exhaust system;
- measure an exhaust system pressure in an exhaust system of the engine;
- and
- indicate degradation of the exhaust system in response to the measured exhaust system pressure being outside of the one or more pressure thresholds.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.