Method and device for predicting exhaust emissions from an exhaust aftertreatment system of an internal combustion engine

Abstract

A method and a device for predicting exhaust emissions from an exhaust aftertreatment system of an internal combustion engine are proposed, in which exhaust emissions are influenced by means of exhaust aftertreatment units (27, 29, 33) of the exhaust aftertreatment system (22), the functionality of at least one of the exhaust aftertreatment units (27, 29, 33) is checked by means of an on-board diagnostic unit (40), and exhaust emissions are calculated via an emissions model (42) from the combustion data and by simulating the physical and chemical processes in the exhaust aftertreatment system (22). Upon detection of a change in the functionality of the at least one exhaust aftertreatment unit (27, 29, 33) checked via the on-board diagnostic unit (40), this change is transmitted to the emissions model (42) according to the invention and taken into account in the calculation of the exhaust emissions via the emissions model (42).This allows for very accurate predictions of the emissions of an internal combustion engine over its entire operating period.