Power system with cylinder-disabling strategy

A power system for an engine having at least one cylinder, a piston disposed within the at least one cylinder, and a fuel injector and an exhaust valve associated with the at least one cylinder, the power system comprising:

• an exhaust passage connected to the engine and configured to direct exhaust from the at least one cylinder to the atmosphere;
• an aftertreatment component disposed within the exhaust passage and configured to treat exhaust flowing through the exhaust passage;
• a valve actuator configured to selectively move the exhaust valve;
• and
• a controller in communication with the fuel injector and the valve actuator, the controller configured to;
• make a determination to heat the aftertreatment component;
• activate the valve actuator to hold open the exhaust valve as the piston moves through a top-dead-center position and into a power stroke, and disable the at least one cylinder;
• and
• activate the fuel injector to inject fuel into the at least one cylinder while the exhaust valve is held open for a duration extending through the top-dead-center position in which the exhaust valve is held open.

A power system for an engine having at least one cylinder, a piston disposed within the at least one cylinder, and a fuel injector and an exhaust valve associated with the at least one cylinder, the power system comprising:

• an exhaust passage connected to the engine and configured to direct exhaust from the at least one cylinder to the atmosphere;
• a catalyst substrate disposed within the exhaust passage and configured to reduce a constituent of exhaust flowing through the exhaust passage;
• a valve actuator configured to selectively move the exhaust valve;
• and
• a controller in communication with the fuel injector and the valve actuator, the controller configured to:
• make a determination to heat the catalyst substrate and remove deposits;
• activate the valve actuator to hold open the exhaust valve as the piston moves through a top-dead-center position and into a power stroke to disable the at least one cylinder based on the determination;
• and
• activate the fuel injector to inject fuel into the at least one cylinder while the at least one cylinder is disabled and while the exhaust valve is held open for a duration extending through the top-dead-center position in which the exhaust valve is held open.

A method of treating exhaust from an engine, comprising:

• combusting a mixture of fuel and air to generate a mechanical output and a flow of exhaust;
• directing exhaust through an aftertreatment component;
• making a determination to heat the aftertreatment component;
• selectively relieving a pressure within an engine cylinder as a piston in the engine cylinder moves through a top-dead-center position and into a power stroke to inhibit the combusting based on the determination;
• and
• selectively injecting fuel while cylinder pressure is being relieved,
• wherein selectively injecting fuel includes injecting fuel into the engine cylinder for a duration extending through the top-dead-center position in which an exhaust valve is held open.