Particulate filter soot management for internal combustion engines

A method for particulate filter soot management for internal combustion engines, the method comprising:

• receiving pressure data from within an aftertreatment chamber of an exhaust system connected to an internal combustion engine, the aftertreatment chamber having a particulate filter (PF) therein where the exhaust gas from the engine passes through the PF and, as the exhaust gas passes through the PF, soot particles within the exhaust gas are deposited on a surface of the PF;
• determining a desired soot quantity range for a particulate filter based on at least one of:
• a desired range of filter efficiency values and a pressure drop derived by comparing pressure values at a position upstream of a porous material in the particulate filter and a position downstream of the porous material;
• determining a current quantity of soot on the particulate filter;
• and
• adjusting a skip fire firing sequence based at least in part on maintaining the quantity of soot within the desired soot quantity range.

An apparatus, comprising:

• an exhaust sensor for monitoring an operating temperature of exhaust gas in an aftertreatment chamber of an exhaust system for an internal combustion engine;
• an engine controller for controlling the operation of the internal combustion engine, the engine controller configured to receive:
• a torque signal indicative of a requested torque demand for the internal combustion engine;
• and
• the engine controller further including a firing fraction calculator configured to define one or more firing fractions, each defining a different effective reduced displacement that is less than full displacement of the internal combustion engine,
• the engine controller further configured to control the firing of the cylinders of the engine in a skip fire manner while operating at a selected reduced effective displacement using a corresponding one of the one or more firing fractions;
• wherein the skip fire control causes the internal combustion engine to adjust to:
• meet varying torque demands as indicated by changes in the torque signal;
• and
• regulate the temperature of the exhaust gas to within a predefined temperature range to maintain a particulate filter (PF) efficiency within a range of efficiency values by altering a quantity of soot loading on a surface of the PF.