Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100031645 | TRAP FOR EXHAUST SYSTEM - A system for trapping liquid exhaust during a cold start of an internal combustion engine is provided. As one example, a system includes, an exhaust inlet, an exchange area fluidly coupled downstream of said exhaust inlet, a trap coupled to said exchange area having a liquid exhaust chamber for collection of liquid exhaust, and a catalytic converter fluidly coupled downstream to said exchange area. In another example, a method includes condensing, at least partly, exhaust from the engine in an exchange area in an exhaust system into liquid exhaust, collecting liquid exhaust into a trap disposed in the exchange area, and evaporating the liquid exhaust into the exchange area after an evaporation temperature is reached in the trap. | 02-11-2010 |
20100242569 | APPROACH FOR DETERMINING EXHAUST GAS SENSOR DEGRADATION - A method for determining degradation of an exhaust gas sensor positioned in an exhaust system for an internal combustion engine of a vehicle is provided. The method includes modulating an air/fuel ratio of gas exhausted by the internal combustion engine to the exhaust system through a cycle that includes at least one rich-to-lean transition and at least one lean-to-rich transition, indicating a degradation condition of the exhaust gas sensor in response to at least one of a rich-to-lean response duration of the exhaust gas sensor and a lean-to-rich response duration of the exhaust gas sensor being greater than a delay threshold, and indicating the degradation condition of the exhaust gas sensor in response to a ratio of the rich-to-lean response duration to the lean-to-rich response duration being greater than an asymmetry threshold that is relative to an axis of symmetry of the rich-to-lean response duration versus the lean-to-rich response duration. | 09-30-2010 |
20110132342 | FUEL ALCOHOL CONTENT DETECTION VIA AN EXHAUST GAS SENSOR - Various systems and methods are described for an exhaust gas sensor coupled to an exhaust system of an engine. One example method comprises, during selected engine fueling conditions, alternating between applying different voltages to the sensor; and identifying an amount of alcohol in fuel injected to the engine based on sensor outputs at the different voltages. | 06-09-2011 |
20120227714 | Method and System for Humidity Sensor Diagnostics - Methods and systems are provided for an engine including a humidity sensor. Degradation of the humidity sensor may be determined based on a change in intake air relative humidity as compared to a change in intake air temperature or pressure, under selected conditions. An amount of exhaust gas recirculated to an engine intake is adjusted differently based on whether the humidity sensor is degraded or functional. | 09-13-2012 |
20120227719 | Method and System for Humidity Sensor Diagnostics - Methods and systems are provided for an engine including a humidity sensor. Degradation of the humidity sensor may be determined based on a change in intake air relative humidity as compared to a change in intake air temperature or pressure, under selected conditions. An amount of exhaust gas recirculated to an engine intake is adjusted differently based on whether the humidity sensor is degraded or functional. | 09-13-2012 |
20120265396 | Distinguishing Between EGR Valve and Oxygen Sensor Degradation - A diagnostic method for an engine having a valve for controlling dilution of intake air. The method comprises, during engine fueling, indicating a degradation of the valve when the valve is commanded closed but sensor output corresponds to an oxygen level below that of air. The method further comprises, absent engine fueling, indicating degradation of the sensor when the valve is commanded closed but the sensor output corresponds to an oxygen level below that of air. | 10-18-2012 |
20130311073 | FUEL ALCOHOL CONTENT DETECTION VIA AN EXHAUST GAS SENSOR - Various systems and methods are described for an exhaust gas sensor coupled to an exhaust system of an engine. One example method comprises, during selected engine fueling conditions, alternating between applying different voltages to the sensor; and identifying an amount of alcohol in fuel injected to the engine based on sensor outputs at the different voltages. | 11-21-2013 |
20140150760 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR A GAS CONSTITUENT SENSOR - Various systems and methods are described for an engine system with an exhaust gas recirculation system. In one example method, a correction for a gas constituent sensor is determined based on output from the gas constituent sensor and output from a pressure sensor over a range of boost pressure. The gas constituent sensor output is adjusted based on the correction, and an amount of exhaust gas recirculation is adjusted based on the adjusted gas constituent sensor output. | 06-05-2014 |
20140202135 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR HUMIDITY DETECTION VIA AN EXHAUST GAS SENSOR - Various methods and system are described for determining ambient humidity via an exhaust gas sensor disposed in an exhaust system of an engine. In one example, a reference voltage of the sensor is modulated between a first and second voltage during non-fueling conditions of the engine. The ambient humidity is determined based on an average change in pumping current while the voltage is modulated. | 07-24-2014 |
20140238348 | HUMIDITY SENSOR DIAGNOSTICS - Embodiments for diagnosing a humidity sensor are provided. One example method comprises, responsive to a humidity sensor test cycle, pumping air conditioning and windshield washer gas flows past a humidity sensor, and indicating humidity sensor degradation based on a response of the humidity sensor to the air conditioning and windshield washer gas flows. In this way, degradation of the humidity sensor may be indicated if the humidity sensed by the humidity sensor does not change responsive to the humidity sensor test cycle being initiated. | 08-28-2014 |
20140238369 | HUMIDITY SENSOR DIAGNOSTICS - Embodiments for testing a humidity sensor are provided. One example method comprises indicating degradation of a humidity sensor based on a humidity sensor output and output from an intake gas composition sensor. In this way, output from the intake gas composition sensor may be used to determine if the humidity sensor is degraded. | 08-28-2014 |
20140238370 | HUMIDITY SENSOR DIAGNOSTICS - Embodiments for diagnosing a humidity sensor are provided. One example method comprises adjusting an engine operating parameter based on humidity of a first gas flow measured by a humidity sensor, and indicating degradation of the humidity sensor if a humidity of a second gas flow measured by the humidity sensor is different than an expected humidity. In this way, degradation of the humidity sensor may be indicated if the humidity of the second gas flow measured by the humidity sensor is different than expected. | 08-28-2014 |
20140244135 | DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN EGR VALVE AND OXYGEN SENSOR DEGRADATION - A diagnostic method for an engine having a valve for controlling dilution of intake air. The method comprises, during engine fueling, indicating a degradation of the valve when the valve is commanded closed but sensor output corresponds to an oxygen level below that of air. The method further comprises, absent engine fueling, indicating degradation of the sensor when the valve is commanded closed but the sensor output corresponds to an oxygen level below that of air. | 08-28-2014 |
20140251285 | INTAKE AIR OXYGEN COMPENSATION FOR EGR - A method may comprise correcting an intake oxygen concentration based on fuel canister vapor purge only during boosted conditions, and adjusting exhaust gas recirculation responsive to the intake oxygen concentration. | 09-11-2014 |
20140298880 | HUMIDITY SENSOR DIAGNOSTIC METHOD USING CONDENSATION CLEARING HEATER - A diagnostic method for a capacitive humidity sensor comprising a heater, and a capacitance-sensing element that individually indentifies heater, temperature-sensing element, or capacitance-sensing element degradation. By this method, individual elements of the sensor may be replaced or compensated for to allow for further operation. | 10-09-2014 |
20140316675 | PRESERVING COMBUSTION STABILITY DURING COMPRESSOR-SURGE CONDITIONS - A method to avoid over-dilution of an intake-air charge of an engine includes, during a first condition, applying at least some feedback control to the opening and closure of a valve that adjustably admits exhaust to the intake-air charge. During a second condition predictive of compressor surge, no feedback control is applied to the opening or the closure of the valve. Rather, feedforward control is applied to the closure of the valve so that stability in the engine is maintained even during surge conditions. | 10-23-2014 |
20140316676 | HUMIDITY SENSOR AND ENGINE SYSTEM - Methods and systems are provided for an engine coupled capacitance-based humidity sensor. Degradation of the humidity sensor may be determined based on humidity readings while flowing gasses into an engine intake air downstream of the humidity sensor and upstream of a compressor change by less than a first threshold while pressure at the sensor changes greater then a second threshold. The variation in pressure can be changed by adjusting a throttle upstream and downstream of the compressor based on whether the humidity sensor is degraded or functional. | 10-23-2014 |
20150027103 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR HUMIDITY DETECTION VIA AN EXHAUST GAS SENSOR - Various methods and system are described for determining ambient humidity via an exhaust gas sensor disposed in an exhaust system of an engine. In one example, a reference voltage of the sensor is modulated between a first and second voltage during non-fueling conditions of the engine. The ambient humidity is determined based on an average change in pumping current while the voltage is modulated. | 01-29-2015 |
20150033735 | EXHAUST GAS RECIRCULATION CONTROL - Methods and systems are disclosed for controlling an exhaust gas recirculation valve in an engine by determining errors in exhaust backpressure estimates and adapting EGR flow estimations based on these errors to meet target EGR dilutions in the engine. In one example approach, a method comprises adjusting valve position based on desired EGR flow and estimated EGR flow, where the estimated flow is based on estimated exhaust backpressure, and the estimated exhaust backpressure is updated based on errors between actual and desired intake oxygen concentration. | 02-05-2015 |
20150057910 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR INDICATING WATER AT AN OXYGEN SENSOR BASED ON SENSOR HEATER POWER CONSUMPTION - Methods and systems are provided for indicating water at an oxygen sensor based on power consumption of a heating element of the oxygen sensor. In one example, water may be indicated at an oxygen sensor positioned in an intake of an engine responsive to power consumption of the heating element of the oxygen sensor increasing above a baseline level. Engine operating parameters may then be adjusted based on the water indication and the power consumption. | 02-26-2015 |
20150066334 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR HUMIDITY SENSOR DIAGNOSTICS - Methods and systems are provided for an engine including a humidity sensor. Degradation of the humidity sensor may be determined based on a change in intake air relative humidity as compared to a change in intake air temperature or pressure, under selected conditions. An amount of exhaust gas recirculated to an engine intake is adjusted differently based on whether the humidity sensor is degraded or functional. | 03-05-2015 |
20150083081 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AN INTAKE HUMIDITY SENSOR - Methods and systems are provided for adjusting an engine operating parameter based on an output of a humidity sensor during a compressor bypass valve event. When the compressor bypass valve is closed, a current output of the sensor is used for the adjustments. When the compressor bypass valve is opened, such as to mitigate surge, an output of the sensor stored from before the opening of the bypass valve is used for the adjustments. | 03-26-2015 |