METHOD FOR SENSING A FUEL COMPOSITION TO RESTRICT THE USABILITY OF A VEHICLE IN CASE OF MISCUE FUELING

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for CO2 certification and homologation of vehicles taking into account at least one design feature of the vehicle.

[0002] The following patents are cited as prior art: DE 10 2008 002 476 A1, DE 10 2008 002 356 A1, DE 10 2008 006 798 B3, WO 2019 / 129858 A1, DE 10 2013 215 224 A1, DE 10 2008 014 613 A1, EP 1 847 704 A1, DE 10 2017 203 849 A1, DE 10 2012 019 609 A1 and DE 10 2009 028 321 A1. Reference is also made to a publication by the Joint Research Center: "The European Commission's science and knowledge service", November 2018, pages 1-47.

[0003] The invention is based on the objective of creating a method and an associated system that influence the operation of the vehicle based on a fuel composition. The aim is to utilize the positive effect of the overall CO₂ balance of certain fuels more effectively in application.

[0004] Fuels contain increasingly higher proportions of bio- and synthetic materials. One of the key advantages of these fuels lies in their improved overall CO₂ emissions. The applicant's biofuel R33 is cited as an example. R33 BlueDiesel complies with the diesel standard DIN EN 590. This fuel consists of up to one-third renewable components and has the potential to reduce CO₂ emissions by at least 20% compared to conventional diesel.

[0005] Other CO2-reduced biofuels are also known, such as paraffinic diesel and Sweden Class, which contains bioethanol, as well as diesel fuels to which OME (polyoxymethylene dimethyl ether) is added as an additive.

[0006] Currently, the benefits that new fuels with improved CO2 balances bring are always converted to a manufacturer's fleet consumption using distribution keys.

[0007] In other words, the use of a CO₂-reduced biofuel is not attributed to the individual vehicle. As is well known, new vehicles, vehicle components, or vehicle systems must be homologated before being placed on the market in accordance with the relevant standards and regulations of the respective country of destination. The use of CO₂-reduced biofuels, for example, is not taken into account in this process.

[0008] The starting point of the invention is a method for CO2 certification and CO2-dependent homologation of vehicles taking into account at least one design feature of the vehicle.

[0009] When the invention refers to vehicles in the claims and description, this includes motor vehicles, rail vehicles, aircraft, and water vehicles alike.

[0010] According to the invention, it is provided that the use of a CO2-reduced fuel is taken into account as a design feature of the vehicle, whereby signals from a fuel sensor are checked via an engine control unit to determine whether the CO2-reduced fuel is in the fuel tank for which the vehicle has also been homologated. wherein a determined use of the CO2-reduced fuel is taken into account based on a determined specific composition pattern, wherein a fuel sensor is arranged in a fuel tank or in a fuel supply line between the fuel tank and an internal combustion engine in a fuel supply system, wherein the fuel sensor is configured to determine chemical components of the fuel in order to determine the specific composition pattern, based on which a distinction is made by comparison with at least one reference composition pattern, wherein, if the specific composition pattern matches the reference composition pattern, non-CO2-reduced fuel is distinguished from CO2-reduced fuel by comparison of the patterns, wherein the exclusive use of the CO2-reduced fuel in the vehicle is ensured to the greatest extent possible.by permitting the vehicle to be used only with CO2-reduced fuel, whereby, in the event that the fuel sensor detects that there is no CO2-reduced fuel in the fuel tank, measures are taken via the engine control unit, wherein a message regarding the current non-use of CO2-reduced fuel is issued in stages via at least one display element, wherein at least one message includes at least information about the incorrect refueling and a request for corrective action, wherein a) in the at least one display element of the vehicle's fuel supply system, information is provided in a first stage about incorrect refueling detected by the fuel sensor, and a request is made to visit the nearest workshop within a specified distance.or b) in which at least one display element of the vehicle's fuel supply system provides information in a second stage about the incorrect refueling detected by the fuel sensor, requesting the driver to visit the nearest workshop within the specified distance, and furthermore, in the display element of the vehicle's fuel supply system, information about future restrictive measures resulting from the incorrect refueling, and in order to prevent circumvention of the staged warnings, measures of varying effectiveness are initiated, such as: - Z1: a limitation of the vehicle's maximum speed or the engine speed and / or - Z2: a reduction of the engine torque and / or - Z3: a prevention of a specified nth engine start, where n = 0, so that even the next engine start is prevented.or - Z4: preventing the predefinable nth engine start in combination with reaching the predefinable distance, whereby after reaching the predefinable distance only n predefinable engine starts are allowed, where n = 0, so that after reaching the predefinable distance, the next engine start is already prevented.

[0011] It is further proposed that the fuel sensor be used to objectively determine or measure the chemical composition. A fuel with a specific composition, defined by a specific chemical composition pattern, is identified as a CO₂-reduced fuel by comparison with at least one standardized specific composition pattern, a so-called reference composition pattern. This designation applies when the specific composition pattern matches the reference composition pattern, thus enabling the differentiation between non-CO₂-reduced and CO₂-reduced fuels based on their specific chemical composition patterns and comparison with at least one standardized reference composition pattern.Thus, at least one standardized biofuel, preferably several standardized biofuels, are defined as CO2-reduced fuels that can be identified / analyzed based on their chemical composition and / or markers, wherein this / these standardized biofuel(s) is / are considered and designated as CO2-reduced fuel(s), and each of the CO2-reduced fuels is available as a comparative composition sample for comparison with other fuels.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is provided that further CO2-reducing design features of the aerodynamics and / or the lightweight construction and / or the efficiency of the engine and / or, in particular, the use of an ecologically produced share of green electricity, especially of a plug-in hybrid vehicle, of the vehicle to be certified and / or homologated are determined and taken into account in the CO2 certification and CO2-dependent homologation of the vehicle.

[0013] In particular, the distinction between a non-CO2-reduced fuel and a CO2-reduced fuel is made on the basis of chemical components of the specific composition pattern, whereby these chemical components are also present in the standardized comparison composition pattern.

[0014] In another embodiment of the method, the distinction between a non-CO2-reduced fuel and a CO2-reduced fuel is made on the basis of at least one marker of the specific composition pattern that is added to a fuel approved as a CO2-reduced fuel, wherein the at least one marker is also present in the standardized comparison composition pattern.

[0015] The two procedural designs can be combined.

[0016] Therefore, a method is preferably proposed in which the chemical components of the fuel or of the at least one marker are determined by an analytical method which is assigned to the at least one fuel sensor which detects the chemical components and / or the at least one marker added to the approved fuel in a chemical or other way and the specific composition pattern is formed by means of which a conclusion can be drawn about the CO2-reduced fuel by means of the comparison with the comparison composition pattern explained above.

[0017] It is understood that legal regulations and standards exist and are consulted which contain or reflect the chemical fuel composition, that is, the specific comparative composition patterns of established CO2-reduced fuels.

[0018] It is further preferably provided that a predefinable threshold value is set for those proportions of the chemical components of the fuel, whereby the threshold value must be exceeded in order for the fuel to be recognized and classified as a CO2-reduced fuel by means of the specific comparison composition pattern.

[0019] It is planned that a spectroscopic method, such as [method name], will be used as the analytical method for analyzing the chemical components of the fuel and / or at least one marker. a NIR spectroscopy (NIR = near-infrared spectroscopy) or an NMR spectroscopy (NMR = nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy) or a LIF spectroscopy (LIF = laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy) or a ZLIF spectroscopy (ZLIF = temporal laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy) is carried out, to which a fuel sensor is assigned that detects the chemical components of the fuel and at least one marker.

[0020] In particular, when performing LIF spectroscopy or ZLIF spectroscopy, a dilution unit (not shown in detail in the figure) is optionally assigned to the fuel sensor within the fuel supply system to dilute the sample to be analyzed, thereby achieving a higher separation efficiency when evaluating the chemical components of the fuel.

[0021] In another embodiment, it is provided that at least one of the aforementioned analytical methods or another marker-specific analytical method is used to analyze the at least one marker, and that an analytical method specifically assigned to the respective marker is carried out, to which a specific fuel sensor is assigned that exclusively detects or identifies the at least one marker in a non-chemical specific way.

[0022] The procedure is further designed in such a way that the exclusive use of a CO2-reduced fuel in the vehicle is ensured as far as possible by allowing the vehicle to be used only with the CO2-reduced fuel.

[0023] According to the invention, a notification and prompt function is implemented.

[0024] The method is characterized, for example, in that, in the event that the fuel sensor detects that there is no CO2-reduced fuel in the fuel tank and / or in the event that no electricity with a renewable energy component was used at an electric charging station, the user is given a notification, in particular a tiered notification, via at least one display element, regarding the current non-use of CO2-reduced fuel and / or the non-use of electricity with at least a certain renewable energy component, wherein a notification includes at least information about the incorrect refueling (fuel and / or electricity) and a request for corrective action.

[0025] In other words, the use of charging current with a specific, predetermined proportion of green electricity standardized for the vehicle will be used analogously to the use of fuel standardized as CO2-reduced fuel for the homologation of the vehicle.

[0026] The measures explained below are taken, for example, if no charging current with the specified standardized share of green electricity and / or if no fuel considered to be standardized to be CO2-reduced has been used.

[0027] According to the invention, a measure information function according to claim 1 is implemented.

[0028] In particular, it is preferably provided as an information measure that a) in the at least one display element of a fuel supply system of the vehicle, information is provided in a first stage about a misfuelling detected by the fuel sensor, whereby it is requested to visit the nearest workshop within a specified distance.

[0029] Or, as an information measure, it is preferably provided that b) in the at least one display element of a fuel supply system of the vehicle, information is provided in a second stage about a misfuelling detected by the fuel sensor, requesting the driver to visit the nearest workshop within a specified distance, and furthermore, the display element of the fuel supply system of the vehicle provides information about restrictive measures that will occur in the future as a result of the misfuelling.

[0030] According to the invention, the intervention function is implemented which actively intervenes in certain parameters of the vehicle without endangering the user of the vehicle.

[0031] According to claim 1, it is provided that, with regard to preventing the circumvention of at least one of the tiered indications a), b), the tiered effectiveness measures are initiated.

[0032] Z1: A limitation of the vehicle's maximum speed or the internal combustion engine's speed and / or Z2: a reduction of the internal combustion engine's torque and / or Z3: a prevention of a predefinable nth engine start (n = predefinable number of remaining permissible engine starts), where n = 0, so that the next engine start is already prevented, or Z4: a prevention of a predefinable nth engine start (n = predefinable number of remaining permissible engine starts) in combination with reaching a predefinable distance (x), where after reaching the predefinable distance (x) only n predefinable engine starts (n = predefinable number of remaining permissible engine starts) are allowed, where n = 0, so that after reaching the predefinable distance (x) the next engine start is already prevented.

[0033] According to the invention, an arrangement of a fuel sensor in a fuel supply system of an internal combustion engine is proposed for carrying out the method for CO2 certification and CO2-dependent homologation of vehicles, taking into account at least one design feature of the vehicle, wherein it is provided according to the invention that at least the determined use of a CO2-reduced fuel based on a determined specific composition pattern is taken into account as a design feature of the vehicle, wherein the fuel sensor is arranged in the fuel supply system in a fuel tank or in a fuel supply line between the fuel tank and the internal combustion engine, wherein the fuel sensor is configured to determine the chemical components of the fuel in order to determine specific composition patterns.based on which a distinction can be made by comparison with at least one comparison composition pattern.

[0034] The invention is explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings. These show: Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of the essential system components in a first embodiment to illustrate the material and signal flow of a vehicle which enables an associated fuel supply system to sensing the fuel composition and / or a marker. Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of the essential system components in a first embodiment to illustrate the material and signal flow of the vehicle which enables the associated fuel supply system to sensing the fuel composition and / or a marker.

[0035] The invention is presented in a synthesis of Figures 1 and 2explained, with the description referring accordingly to the characters.

[0036] The invention is based on a fuel supply system to which a corresponding control device, in particular an engine control unit 10, is assigned and which is connected to an internal combustion engine 100 and, according to the invention, to a special fuel sensor 300 on the control side.

[0037] The fuel supply system comprises a fuel tank 200 and the usual other components, also controllable via the engine control unit 10, which are shown in the simplified schematic diagrams according to Figures 1 and 2 are not shown.

[0038] In Figure 1 The fuel sensor 300 is located in the fuel tank 200.

[0039] In Figure 2 The fuel sensor 300 is located in the fuel supply line between fuel tank 200 and internal combustion engine 100.

[0040] In principle, the basic idea is that the fuel sensor 300 is connected to the engine control unit 10 on the control side, whereby the fuel sensor 300 is designed in such a way that it recognizes which fuel is in the fuel tank 200 and is currently being used when the internal combustion engine 100 is in use.

[0041] The plan is for the engine control unit to check the signals from the fuel sensor 300 to determine whether there is a CO2-reduced fuel in the fuel tank 200 for which the vehicle has also been homologated (approved).

[0042] According to the invention, it is provided that in the event that the fuel sensor 300 detects that there is no CO2-reduced fuel in the fuel tank 200, measures are taken via the engine control which are explained below. a) The user is clearly informed of the incorrect fueling via a display element 20 of the vehicle's fuel supply system and is prompted to visit the nearest workshop within a further specified distance x (x = for example, 100 km). At the workshop, the fuel supply system is cleaned and the vehicle is refilled with the approved CO₂-reduced fuel, thus restoring its operational readiness. If the user does not bring the vehicle to the workshop within the specified distance (for example, 100 km), further measures will be taken.b) The user is informed of the incorrect fueling and of the restrictive measures resulting from the incorrect fueling via clear messages in a display element 20 of the vehicle's fuel supply system, in order to compel the user to take the vehicle to a workshop so that the fuel supply system can be cleaned and the vehicle can be refilled with the approved fuel.

[0043] The following coercive measures Zn are proposed: According to a first measure Z1, the maximum speed will be limited.

[0044] According to a second measure Z2, a reduction in the torque of the internal combustion engine 100 results in poor drivability of the vehicle.

[0045] According to a third measure Z3, only n engine starts (n = predefinable number of engine starts still permitted) are allowed, where n = 0, so that the next engine start is already prevented.

[0046] According to a fourth measure Z4, a combination of the third measure Z3 with a predefinable remaining x = km permissible driving distance, whereby after reaching the predefinite driving distance only n engine starts (n = predefinable number of remaining permissible engine starts) are allowed, where n = 0, so that the next engine start is already prevented.

[0047] The fuel sensor 300 and the associated analysis method are designed in such a way that CO2-reduced fuels, in particular bio- and synthetic components of CO2-reduced fuels or CO2-reducing additives or CO2-reduced fuels, can be identified by specific markers in the specific composition pattern by comparison with at least one comparison composition pattern standardized or normalized as a CO2-reduced fuel. CO₂-reduced fuels: Biodiesel (e.g., the applicant's R33 BlueDiesel), paraffinic diesel Sweden Class, CO₂-reducing additives: OME (polyoxymethylene dimethyl ether), ethanol additives of any kind, CO₂-reduced fuels and / or CO₂-reducing additives, signaling markers, CO₂-reduced fuel with a chemical or other marking marker

[0048] It is proposed to use a homologation procedure in which the CO2 values ​​of a vehicle, in particular a passenger car or a truck, are determined.

[0049] Such a procedure essentially consists of a calculation tool that is based on the calculation of components, technical equipment or design features that are relevant to the CO2 emissions of the respective vehicle (car, truck and so on).

[0050] This calculation tool takes into account CO2-reducing design features of the vehicle, in particular features of aerodynamics, lightweight construction, engine efficiency and / or the use of an ecologically produced share of green electricity in the charging of a plug-in hybrid vehicle, and also, according to a standard, the use of a fuel that is classified as a CO2-reduced fuel, whereby, according to the method according to the invention, it is essentially ensured that only the CO2-reduced fuel and / or an ecologically produced share of green electricity in the charging is used.

[0051] It is specifically proposed to extend the EU Commission's VECTO (Vehicle Energy Consumption Calculation Tool), currently under development, to include the feature of using a CO2-reduced fuel in the vehicle and to introduce a special homologation for certain "CO2-reduced vehicles". This would allow for an effective contribution to reducing CO2 emissions, taking into account the inventive method and the associated system. List of reference symbols

[0052] 100 Internal combustion engine 200 Fuel tank 300 Fuel sensor 10 Engine control unit 20 Display element

Claims

1. Method for CO2 certification and CO2-dependent homologation of a vehicle taking into account at least one design feature of the vehicle, wherein as a design feature of the vehicle the detected use of a CO2-reduced fuel is taken into account, wherein signals from a fuel sensor (300) are checked via an engine control unit to determine whether there is CO2-reduced fuel in the fuel tank (200), for which the vehicle has also been homologated, • wherein a detected use of CO2-reduced fuel is taken into account on the basis of a determined specific composition pattern, wherein a fuel sensor (300) is arranged in a fuel tank (200) or in a fuel supply line between the fuel tank and an internal combustion engine in a fuel supply system, • wherein the fuel sensor (300) is configured to determine chemical components of the fuel in order to determine the specific composition pattern on the basis of which a distinction is made by comparison with at least one reference composition pattern, • wherein if the specific composition pattern matches the reference composition pattern, by comparing the patterns non-CO2-reduced fuel is distinguished from CO2-reduced fuel, • wherein the exclusive use of CO2-reduced fuel in the vehicle is ensured as far as possible by allowing vehicle use only when using the CO2-reduced fuel, wherein • in the event that the fuel sensor (300) detects that there is no CO2-reduced fuel in the fuel tank (200), measures are taken via the engine control unit, wherein at least one display element (20) indicates in stages the current non-use of CO2-reduced fuel, wherein at least one indication (a), b)) comprises at least one piece of information about the incorrect refueling and a request for corrective action, wherein • a) in the at least one display element (20) of the fuel supply system of the vehicle, information is provided in a first stage about an incorrect refueling detected by the fuel sensor (300), wherein a request is issued to visit the nearest workshop within a predeterminable driving distance (x), or • b) in the at least one display element (20) of the fuel supply system of the vehicle, information is provided in a second stage about the incorrect refueling detected by the fuel sensor (300), wherein a request is issued to visit the nearest workshop within the predeterminable driving distance (x), wherein further information is provided in the display element (20) of the fuel supply system of the vehicle about future restrictive measures (Zn) that will occur as a result of the incorrect refueling, wherein • with regard to avoiding the circumvention of the graded indications (a), b)), measures (Zn) graded in terms of effectiveness are introduced, such as • - Z1: a limitation of a maximum speed of the vehicle or a rotational speed of the internal combustion engine (100) and / or • - Z2: a reduction in the torque of the internal combustion engine (100) and / or • - Z3: a prevention of a predeterminable nth engine start, where n = 0 is possible, so that a next engine start is already prevented, or • - Z4: a prevention of the predeterminable nth engine start in combination with reaching the predefined driving distance (x), wherein after reaching the predefined driving distance (x) only n-predeterminable engine starts are permitted, where n = 0 is possible, so that after reaching the predefined driving distance (x) a next engine start is already prevented.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that further CO2-reducing design features of the aerodynamics and / or the lightweight construction and / or the efficiency of the engine, and / or the use of an ecologically generated green electricity share of a plug-in hybrid vehicle, of the vehicle to be certified and homologated are detected and are taken into account in the CO2 certification and CO2-dependent homologation.

3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the chemical specific composition of the fuel is objectively detected by means of the fuel sensor (300), a specific chemical composition pattern being created from the chemical specific composition of the fuel, which pattern is compared with the at least one of a plurality of reference composition patterns of CO2-reduced fuels, so that if they match, the CO2-reduced applicable fuel is concluded.

4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that the non-CO2-reduced fuel is distinguished from the CO2-reduced fuel using at least one marker detected in the specific chemical composition pattern, which is added as CO2-reduced fuel to the approved fuel, the marker also being included in the reference composition pattern, so that if they match, the CO2-reduced applicable fuel is concluded.

5. Method according to claim 1 and 4, characterized in that the chemical components of the fuel or of the at least one marker are detected by an analytical method which is associated with the at least one fuel sensor (300) which identifies the chemical components and / or the at least one added marker chemically or otherwise.

6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that a predeterminable threshold value is set for the proportions of the chemical components of the fuel, which threshold value must be exceeded for the fuel to be identified and classified as CO2-reduced fuel.

7. Method according to claim 1 and 5, characterized in that as an analytical method for analyzing the chemical components of the fuel and / or the at least one marker, a spectroscopy method, • NIR spectroscopy (NIR = near-infrared spectroscopy) or • NMR spectroscopy (NMR = nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy) or • LlF spectroscopy (LIF = laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy) or • TR-LIF spectroscopy (TR-LIF = time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy) is carried out, to which a fuel sensor (300) is assigned, which detects the chemical components of the fuel and the at least one marker.

8. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that as an analytical method for analyzing the at least one marker, an analytical method specifically assigned to the relevant marker is carried out, to which a specific fuel sensor (300) is assigned, which exclusively detects the at least one marker.

9. Arrangement of a fuel sensor (300) in a fuel supply system of an internal combustion engine (100) for carrying out the method according to at least one of claims 1 to 8 for CO2 certification and CO2-dependent homologation of vehicles taking into account at least one design feature of the vehicle, characterized in that as a design feature of the vehicle at least the detected use of a CO2-reduced fuel is taken into account, the fuel sensor (300) • being arranged in a fuel tank (200) of the fuel supply system or • in a fuel supply line of the fuel supply system between the fuel tank (200) and an internal combustion engine (100), the fuel sensor (300) being configured to determine the chemical components of the fuel in order to determine specific composition patterns on the basis of which a distinction is made by comparison with at least one reference composition pattern.