US 2026/0092571 A1Published application

Systems and methods for migitating cold start emissions in a vehicle including a catalyst heater via rotation of a turbocharger turbine

AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC

InventorsAzeem Sarwar, Mark Claywell, Maqsood Rizwan Ali Khan

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Abstract

Control signals are issued to open a wastegate, rotate a turbine, and turn on a catalyst heater disposed between the turbine and a catalyst in response to a trigger signal. The rotation of the turbine causes recirculated air flow in a recirculation flow path including an exhaust manifold, exhaust walls between the exhaust manifold and the turbine, a turbine housing, exhaust walls between the turbine and the wastegate, exhaust walls between the wastegate and the exhaust manifold, and exhaust walls between the turbine and the catalyst heater. Heat is transferred from the recirculated air heated by the catalyst heater to the exhaust manifold, the exhaust walls between the exhaust manifold and the turbine, the turbine housing, the exhaust walls between the turbine and the wastegate, the exhaust walls between the wastegate and the exhaust manifold, and the exhaust walls between the turbine and the catalyst heater.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of mitigating cold start emissions in a vehicle including a catalyst heater via rotation of turbocharger turbine comprising:

receiving, at a controller, a trigger signal from a trigger signal source of the vehicle;
issuing by the controller, a first control signal to a wastegate actuator to open a wastegate responsive to the trigger signal;
issuing by the controller, a second control signal to a turbo shaft actuator to rotate a turbine of a turbocharger responsive to the trigger signal;
and
issuing by the controller, a third control signal to the catalyst heater to turn on the catalyst heater responsive to the trigger signal, the catalyst heater being disposed between the turbine and a catalyst, wherein:
the rotation of the turbine causes recirculated air to flow in a recirculation flow path and/or flow path through the catalyst;
the recirculation flow path comprises an exhaust manifold, exhaust walls between the exhaust manifold and the turbine, a turbine housing of the turbine, exhaust walls between the turbine and the wastegate, exhaust walls between the wastegate and the exhaust manifold, and exhaust walls between the turbine and the catalyst heater;
the recirculated air is heated by the catalyst heater;
and
heat is transferred from the heated recirculated air to the exhaust manifold, the exhaust walls between the exhaust manifold and the turbine, the turbine housing of the turbine, the exhaust walls between the turbine and the wastegate, the exhaust walls between the wastegate and the exhaust manifold, and the exhaust walls between the turbine and the catalyst heater.

7 more elements

A system for mitigating cold start emissions generated by a vehicle including a catalyst heater via rotation of turbocharger turbine, comprising:

at least one processor;
and
at least one memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processor, the at least one memory comprising instructions that upon execution by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to:
receive a trigger signal from a trigger signal source of the vehicle;
issue a first control signal to a wastegate actuator to open a wastegate responsive to the trigger signal;
issue a second control signal to a turbo shaft actuator to rotate a turbine of a turbocharger responsive to the trigger signal;
and
issue a third control signal to the catalyst heater to turn on the catalyst heater responsive to the trigger signal, the catalyst heater being disposed between the turbine and a catalyst, wherein:
the rotation of the turbine causes recirculated air to flow in a recirculation flow path and/or flow path through the catalyst;
the recirculation flow path comprises an exhaust manifold, exhaust walls between the exhaust manifold and the turbine, a turbine housing of the turbine, exhaust walls between the turbine and the wastegate, exhaust walls between the wastegate and the exhaust manifold, and exhaust walls between the turbine and the catalyst heater;
the recirculated air is heated by the catalyst heater;
and
heat is transferred from the heated recirculated air to the exhaust manifold, the exhaust walls between the exhaust manifold and the turbine, the turbine housing of the turbine, the exhaust walls between the turbine and the wastegate, the exhaust walls between the wastegate and the exhaust manifold, and the exhaust walls between the turbine and the catalyst heater.

10 more elements

A vehicle including a cold start emissions mitigation system comprising:

at least one processor;
and
at least one memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processor, the at least one memory comprising instructions that upon execution by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to:
receive a trigger signal from a trigger signal source of the vehicle;
issue a first control signal to a wastegate actuator to open a wastegate responsive to the trigger signal;
issue a second control signal to a turbo shaft actuator to rotate a turbine of a turbocharger responsive to the trigger signal;
and
issue a third control signal to the catalyst heater to turn on the catalyst heater responsive to the trigger signal, the catalyst heater being disposed between the turbine and a catalyst, wherein:
the rotation of the turbine causes recirculated air to flow in a recirculation flow path and/or flow path through the catalyst;
the recirculation flow path comprises an exhaust manifold, exhaust walls between the exhaust manifold and the turbine, a turbine housing of the turbine, exhaust walls between the turbine and the wastegate, exhaust walls between the wastegate and the exhaust manifold, and exhaust walls between the turbine and the catalyst heater;
the recirculated air is heated by the catalyst heater;
and
heat is transferred from the heated recirculated air to the exhaust manifold, the exhaust walls between the exhaust manifold and the turbine, the turbine housing of the turbine, the exhaust walls between the turbine and the wastegate, the exhaust walls between the wastegate and the exhaust manifold, and the exhaust walls between the turbine and the catalyst heater;
issue a second control signal to a turbo shaft actuator to rotate a turbine of a turbocharger, wherein the rotation of the turbine causes recirculated air to flow in a recirculation flow path comprising an exhaust manifold, the turbine, an exhaust wall system, and the wastegate, wherein:
the exhaust wall system comprises a turbine housing of the turbine, exhaust walls disposed between the turbine and the wastegate, and exhaust walls disposed between the turbine and a catalyst brick;
at least a portion of the recirculation flow path is adjacent a side of the catalyst brick;
and
heat transfer occurs from the recirculated air to the exhaust wall system and to the catalyst brick via the side of the catalyst brick.

15 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.