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US 7,406,822 B2Granted
Particulate trap regeneration system and control strategy
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsSteven J. Funke, Jason K. Bloms, Andrew A. Knitt, Chandini A. M. Ammineni, Michael P. Withrow
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A particulate trap regeneration system is provided. The system may include a particulate trap configured to remove one or more types of particulate matter from an exhaust flow of an engine. The system may also include a regeneration device configured to reduce an amount of particulate matter in the particulate trap. The system may further include a controller configured to activate the regeneration device in response to the first to occur of at least three trigger conditions.
Claims43
A particulate trap regeneration system, comprising:
- a particulate trap configured to remove one or more types of particulate matter from an exhaust flow of an engine;
- a regeneration device configured to reduce an amount of particulate matter in the particulate trap;
- and
- a controller configured to activate the regeneration device in response to the first to occur of at least three trigger conditions;
- wherein each of the at least three trigger conditions is associated with a separate, individual operating parameter of the regeneration system;
- wherein each individual operating parameter is indicative of an amount of particulate matter in the particulate trap and is associated with a separate, individual, predetermined threshold;
- and
- wherein, for each of the at least three trigger conditions, the respective trigger condition exists when the respective individual operating parameter that is associated with the respective trigger condition is at, or beyond, the predetermined threshold associated with the respective individual operating parameter.
5 more elements
A method of regenerating a particulate trap, comprising:
- monitoring three individual aspects of an exhaust flow producing engine and an exhaust system configured to carry exhaust produced by the engine away from the engine, each of the three individual aspects being indicative of an amount of particulate matter in the particulate trap;
- wherein each of the three individual aspects is associated with a separate, individual, predetermined threshold, and
- wherein, for each of the three individual aspects, a respective trigger condition exists when the respective individual aspect is at, or beyond, the respective predetermined threshold that is associated with the respective individual aspect;
- and
- activating a regeneration device configured to reduce an amount of particulate matter in a particulate trap configured to remove one or more types of particulate matter from the exhaust flow of the engine, in response to at least one of the three individual aspects being determined to meet the respective trigger condition associated therewith.
2 more elements
A method of regenerating a particulate trap, comprising:
- monitoring three aspects of an exhaust flow producing engine and an exhaust system configured to carry exhaust produced by the engine away from the engine;
- increasing a temperature of the particulate trap by activating a regeneration device configured to reduce an amount of particulate matter in a particulate trap configured to remove one or more types of particulate matter from the exhaust flow of the engine, in response to at least one of the three aspects being determined to meet a trigger condition;
- measuring an upstream temperature of the exhaust flow upstream from the particulate trap;
- measuring a downstream temperature of the exhaust flow downstream from the particulate trap;
- comparing the upstream temperature with the downstream temperature and generating a fault code if the downstream temperature exceeds the upstream temperature by more than a predetermined amount;
- and
- preventing future regeneration attempts and illuminating a warning light if the fault code is generated more than a predetermined number of times.
4 more elements
A method of regenerating a particulate trap, comprising:
- monitoring three aspects of an exhaust flow producing engine and an exhaust system configured to carry exhaust produced by the engine away from the engine;
- activating a regeneration device configured to reduce an amount of particulate matter in a particulate trap configured to remove one or more types of particulate matter from the exhaust flow of the engine, in response to at least one of the three aspects being determined to meet a trigger condition;
- wherein the regenerating includes increasing a temperature of the particulate trap by creating a flame with a burner assembly having a fuel injector, the flame being in a heat exchange relationship with the exhaust flow;
- and
- flushing the fuel injector with fresh air at one or more of the following times to clear the fuel injector of any debris or unburned fuel:
- prior to ignition of the flame;
- and
- subsequent to the flame being extinguished.
5 more elements
A method of regenerating a particulate trap, comprising:
- monitoring three aspects of an exhaust flow producing engine and an exhaust system configured to carry exhaust produced by the engine away from the engine;
- activating a regeneration device configured to reduce as amount of particulate matter in a particulate trap configured to remove one or more types of particulate matter from the exhaust flow of the engine, in response to at least one of the three aspects being determined to meet a trigger condition;
- wherein the regenerating includes increasing a temperature of the particulate trap by creating a flame with a burner assembly having a fuel injector, the flame being in a heat exchange relationship with the exhaust flow;
- and
- operating an ignition source at various times during operation of the system, including after the flame has been extinguished, to ignite fuel delivered to the burner assembly by the fuel injector and to ignite any unburned fuel in the fuel injector after the flame has been extinguished.
2 more elements
A machine, comprising:
- an exhaust flow producing engine;
- a particulate trap configured to remove particulate matter from the exhaust flow produced by the engine;
- a pressure differential measurement system configured to measure a pressure differential between an upstream pressure of the exhaust flow upstream from the particulate trap and a downstream pressure of the exhaust flow downstream from the particulate trap;
- a particulate loading monitor configured to determine an amount of particulate matter that has accumulated in the particulate trap;
- a regeneration device configured to reduce the amount of particulate matter in the particulate trap;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- determine, by a comparison of an individual operating parameter to a predetermined threshold, whether each of the following trigger conditions has occurred:
- the engine has been operated for a predetermined amount of time;
- the pressure differential exceeds a predetermined pressure differential;
- and
- the amount of particulate matter determined, by the particulate loading monitor, to have accumulated in the particulate trap exceeds a predetermined amount;
- and
- activate the regeneration device in response to the first to occur of the three trigger conditions.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.