Exhaust system

Abstract

To provide an exhaust system capable of reducing an impact on a peripheral environment while suppressing accumulation of particulates.SOLUTION: An exhaust system mounted to a vehicle includes: a filter that collects particulate matters included in exhaust gas of an engine 3; and a control section that performs regeneration control for burning and removing the particulate matters collected by the filter during stop of the vehicle. When an external electric power supply section 5 for supplying stored electric power to outside of the vehicle is used, the control section lowers a high temperature threshold value of a temperature used for the regeneration control.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to exhaust systems. [Background technology]

[0002] The following Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle equipped with an exhaust aftertreatment device that performs regeneration control to remove clogging of an exhaust filter that captures particulate matter contained in exhaust gas. In this vehicle, when an object that has entered a predetermined area near the exhaust port is detected by a detection sensor, the regeneration control is stopped. This prevents surrounding objects from being thermally affected by the high-temperature exhaust gas discharged during exhaust filter regeneration. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2011-17258 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, if the regeneration control is stopped, the amount of particulate matter deposited in, for example, a diesel particulate filter (DPF) or a gasoline particulate filter (GPF) increases, which may lead to breakdowns.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an exhaust system that can suppress the accumulation of particulate matter while reducing the impact on the surrounding environment. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An exhaust system according to one embodiment of the present invention is an exhaust system mounted on a vehicle, and includes a filter that collects particulate matter contained in the exhaust of an engine, and a control unit that performs regeneration control while the vehicle is stopped, in which the particulate matter collected in the filter is burned and removed, and the control unit lowers the high temperature threshold temperature used for the regeneration control when an external power supply unit is used to supply stored electricity to the outside of the vehicle. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an exhaust system that can suppress the accumulation of particulate matter while reducing the impact on the surrounding environment. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an exhaust system according to an embodiment; [Diagram 2] 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the exhaust system according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0010] An example of the configuration of an exhaust system according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. The exhaust system is a system mounted on a vehicle, and includes, for example, an exhaust device 1 and an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 2. This exhaust system may further include various devices and equipment that can be mounted on the vehicle, such as an engine 3, a power storage device 4, and an external power supply unit 5.

[0011] The engine 3 is, for example, an internal combustion engine such as a gasoline engine or a diesel engine.

[0012] The power storage device 4 is a chargeable and dischargeable battery, and may be, for example, a secondary battery such as a lithium ion battery, a nickel metal hydride battery, or a lead storage battery, or an electric double layer capacitor, etc. The power storage device 4 stores, for example, electric power generated by a generator (motor generator) that generates power using the power of the engine 3.

[0013] The external power supply unit 5 has a function of supplying external power to an external load outside the vehicle via a power cable or the like. Specifically, the external power supply unit 5 supplies the power stored in the power storage device 4 to the external load. The external power supply unit 5 is configured with, for example, an inlet for electrically connecting a plug such as a power cable, a power conversion device, and the like.

[0014] The exhaust system 1 is a device for purifying exhaust gas (combustion gas) generated by the engine 3 and discharging it into the outside air, and is configured to include a filter that collects particulate matter such as particulates contained in the exhaust gas. This filter is sometimes called a GPF in the case of a gasoline engine and a DPF in the case of a diesel engine.

[0015] The ECU 2 is a microcomputer equipped with a processor (CPU), various memories such as a read-only memory (ROM) and a random access memory (RAM), an input / output interface, etc. The ECU 2 functions as a control unit that controls various devices and equipment mounted on the vehicle. There may be one ECU, or multiple ECUs may be provided in a distributed manner according to their roles.

[0016] For example, the ECU 2 performs regeneration control for burning and removing particulate matter trapped in the filter while the vehicle is stopped. The state in which the vehicle is stopped may include a state in which the engine 3 is stopped and the engine 3 is running.

[0017] The regeneration control is implemented, for example, by increasing the output of the engine 3 more than usual to raise the exhaust temperature, and burning the particulate matter with the exhaust temperature. Therefore, when the regeneration control is implemented, high-temperature exhaust gas is discharged from the tailpipe.

[0018] Here, it is assumed that external power supply from the external power supply unit 5 is used when the vehicle is parked next to a space for outdoor activities and electricity is used. When using external power supply in this way, the emission of high-temperature exhaust gas from the tailpipe is undesirable for people and objects in the vicinity.

[0019] Therefore, the ECU 2 in this embodiment lowers the high temperature threshold temperature used for regeneration control when the external power supply unit 5 is used. The temperature used for regeneration control may be the exhaust temperature or the filter temperature. When lowering the high temperature threshold, it is preferable to lower the high temperature threshold from a normal value (temperature) to a value (temperature) during power supply. It is preferable to set the value during power supply within a range in which the effect of regeneration control can be expected and in which the risk of impact on people and objects in the vicinity can be reduced.

[0020] The fact that the external power supply unit 5 is being used may be detected, for example, by detecting that a switch for external power supply is in an on state, or may be detected using the contents of control that estimates the state of external power supply.

[0021] Furthermore, when a predetermined time or more has elapsed since the use of the external power supply unit 5 was terminated, it is preferable to return the high temperature threshold value for use in regeneration control from the value during power supply to the normal value.

[0022] This makes it possible to reduce the risk of impacts on people and objects around the vehicle when cleaning up after using the external power supply unit 5.

[0023] Next, an example of the operation of the exhaust system according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0024] First, the exhaust system judges whether or not regeneration control is being performed (step S101). If the judgment is NO (step S101; NO), this operation is terminated.

[0025] In the above step S101, when it is determined that the regeneration control is being performed (step S101; YES), the exhaust system determines whether the vehicle is stopped (step S102). When this determination is NO (step S102; NO), this operation is terminated.

[0026] In the above step S102, when it is determined that the vehicle is stopped (step S102; YES), the exhaust system determines whether or not the external power supply unit 5 is being used (step S103). When this determination is NO (step S103; NO), this operation is terminated.

[0027] In the above step S103, when it is determined that the external power supply unit 5 is being used (step S103; YES), the exhaust system lowers the high temperature threshold value used for regeneration control from the normal value to the power supply value (step S104).

[0028] Next, the exhaust system judges whether or not the use of the external power supply unit 5 has ended (step S105). If this judgment is NO (step S105; NO), the exhaust system repeats this judgment or waits until the judgment becomes YES.

[0029] In the above step S105, when it is determined that the use of the external power supply unit 5 has ended (step S105; YES), the exhaust system determines whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed since the use of the external power supply unit 5 ended (step S106). If this determination is NO (step S106; NO), the process is repeated or the exhaust system waits until this determination becomes YES.

[0030] In the above step S106, if it is determined that a predetermined time or more has passed since the use of the external power supply unit 5 was terminated (step S106; YES), the exhaust system returns the high temperature threshold value used for regeneration control from the value during power supply to the normal value (step S107). Then, this operation is terminated.

[0031] As described above, according to the exhaust system of the embodiment, when the external power supply unit 5 is used, the high temperature threshold value for the temperature used in regeneration control can be lowered from the normal value to the value during power supply.

[0032] As a result, when the external power supply is being used, the temperature of the exhaust gas discharged from the tailpipe can be lowered below the normal temperature even if regeneration control is performed.

[0033] Therefore, according to the exhaust system of the embodiment, it is possible to suppress the accumulation of particulate matter while also reducing the impact on the surrounding environment.

[0034] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be implemented in various other forms without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the above-described embodiment is merely an example in every respect, and should not be interpreted as being restrictive. For example, the order of each of the above-described processing steps can be arbitrarily changed or executed in parallel as long as no contradiction occurs in the processing content. [Explanation of symbols]

[0035] 1... exhaust system, 2... ECU, 3... engine, 4... power storage device, 5... external power supply unit

Claims

[Claim 1] An exhaust system mounted on a vehicle, comprising: A filter for collecting particulate matter contained in engine exhaust; a control unit that performs regeneration control for burning and removing the particulate matter trapped in the filter while the vehicle is stopped; Equipped with the control unit lowers a high temperature threshold value used for the regeneration control when an external power supply unit for supplying the stored electric power to an outside of the vehicle is being used. Exhaust system.

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