Systems and methods for controlling exhaust gas temperature in aftertreatment systems

Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling exhaust gas temperature in an aftertreatment system are provided, wherein one or more processing circuits are configured to obtain temperature data regarding the temperature of exhaust gases entering the aftertreatment system from an engine, compare the temperature to a target temperature, and, in response to a temperature deviation from the target temperature, provide at least one command to at least one of (a) the engine, (b) a fuel system configured to supply fuel to the engine, or (c) an air system configured to supply air to the engine to (i) control the temperature of the exhaust gases to maintain an aftertreatment temperature of one or more components of the aftertreatment system within a desired temperature operating range, and (ii) control the air / fuel ratio to substantially maintain operation of the engine at an operating condition based on current demand.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] (CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS) This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 442,993, filed February 2, 2023, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] (Technical field) FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates to exhaust aftertreatment systems for vehicles. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for controlling exhaust temperature within aftertreatment systems. [Background technology]

[0003] Emissions regulations for internal combustion engines have become more stringent in recent years. Environmental concerns have motivated the implementation of stricter emission requirements for internal combustion engines around the world. In the United States, government agencies such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) carefully monitor engine emission quality and set emission standards that engines must comply with. As a result, the use of exhaust aftertreatment systems on engines to reduce emissions has increased.

[0004] Exhaust aftertreatment systems are generally designed to reduce emissions of particulate matter, nitrogen oxides (NOx), hydrocarbons, and other environmentally harmful pollutants. However, to achieve low tailpipe emissions, it is necessary to keep the exhaust temperature during aftertreatment within a preferred range to maintain high emission reductions. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] One embodiment relates to a system including one or more processing circuits having one or more memory devices coupled to one or more processors. The one or more memory devices are configured to store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to obtain temperature data regarding a temperature of exhaust gases entering an aftertreatment system from an engine, compare the temperature to a target temperature, and, in response to a temperature deviation from the target temperature, provide at least one command to at least one of: (a) the engine, (b) a fuel system configured to supply fuel to the engine, or (c) an air system configured to supply air to the engine, thereby (i) controlling the temperature of the exhaust gases to maintain an aftertreatment temperature of one or more components of the aftertreatment system within a desired temperature operating range, and (ii) controlling the air / fuel ratio to substantially maintain operation of the engine at an operating condition based on current demand.

[0006] Another embodiment relates to a system including one or more processing circuits having one or more memory devices coupled to one or more processors. The one or more memory devices are configured to store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to obtain temperature data related to a temperature of exhaust gases entering an aftertreatment system from an engine and, in response to the temperature deviating from a target temperature for one or more components of the aftertreatment system by more than a threshold amount, provide commands to (a) an engine, (b) a fuel system configured to supply fuel to the engine, and (c) an air system configured to supply air to the engine to adjust control between the engine, the fuel system, and the air system to maintain an aftertreatment temperature of one or more components of the aftertreatment system within a desired temperature operating range and substantially maintain operation of the engine at an operating condition based on current demand.

[0007] Yet another embodiment relates to a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions encoded thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations including obtaining temperature data regarding a temperature of exhaust gases entering an aftertreatment system from an engine, and, in response to the temperature deviating from a target temperature for one or more components of the aftertreatment system by more than a threshold amount, providing commands to (a) the engine, (b) a fuel system configured to supply fuel to the engine, and (c) an air system configured to supply air to the engine to adjust control among the engine, the fuel system, and the air system to maintain an aftertreatment temperature of one or more components of the aftertreatment system within a desired temperature operating range and substantially maintain operation of the engine at an operating condition based on current demand.

[0008] Numerous specific details are provided to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter. The described features of the presently disclosed subject matter may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments and / or implementations. In this regard, one or more features of one aspect of the invention may be combined with one or more features of a different aspect of the invention. Furthermore, additional features may be recognized in some embodiments and / or implementations that may not be present in all embodiments or implementations. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a block diagram of an engine system in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.

[0010] [Figure 2A] FIG. 2A is a block diagram of a control system for the engine system of FIG. 1 including an aftertreatment temperature target generator, a feedforward and feedback controller, and an air handling controller according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0011] [Figure 2B] FIG. 2B is a block diagram of the feedforward and feedback controllers of FIG. 2A in accordance with an example embodiment.

[0012] [Figure 2C] FIG. 2C is a block diagram of the air handling controller of FIG. 2A according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0013] [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic flow diagram of data and commands received by and transmitted from the air handling controller and feedforward and feedback controllers of the control system of FIGS. 2A-2C in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.

[0014] [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the processes performed by the feedforward and feedback controllers of FIGS. 2A and 2B in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.

[0015] [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a graph including various intake cam phasing curves associated with various engine speed and engine torque set points according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0016] [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a graph including various exhaust cam phasing curves associated with various engine speed and engine torque set points according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0017] [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a graph including various charge flow curves associated with various engine speed and engine torque set points according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0018] [Figure 8]FIG. 8 is a graph including various NOx correction factor curves associated with various engine speed and engine torque set points according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0019] [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a graph including various fuel flow compensation factor curves associated with various engine speed and engine torque set points according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0020] [Figure 10] FIG. 10 illustrates various graphs illustrating the effect of exhaust temperature on intake cam phasing adjustments and exhaust cam phasing adjustments according to exemplary embodiments.

[0021] [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a flow diagram of a method for controlling the temperature of an exhaust aftertreatment system according to an exemplary embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022]

[0010] What follows is a more detailed description of various concepts related to and implementation of methods, apparatus, and systems for controlling exhaust gas temperature in an aftertreatment system. Before turning to the figures which illustrate in detail certain exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the details or methodology set forth in the description or illustrated in the figures. It should also be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description only and should not be regarded as limiting.

[0023] Referring to the figures, generally, various embodiments disclosed herein relate to systems, apparatus, and methods for controlling exhaust temperatures (e.g., exhaust gases, constituents, and / or combinations thereof) in an aftertreatment system. More specifically, the systems, methods, and apparatus described herein relate to a control system structured or configured to monitor various operating parameters of the engine system (e.g., operating temperature, engine speed, engine torque, etc.) and control one or more components of the engine system (e.g., engine, fuel system, air system, etc.) to facilitate maintaining the engine exhaust temperature, and thereby the temperature of the aftertreatment system, within a desired temperature range and operating the aftertreatment system at or substantially at a predetermined desired peak efficiency.

[0024] More specifically, the disclosed systems, methods, and apparatus provide aftertreatment systems that can maintain near 100% de-NOx efficiency with minimal NO production. NOx conversion and NO control depend on the operating temperature of the aftertreatment system. The disclosed systems, methods, and apparatus control exhaust gas temperature, and thereby aftertreatment system and / or component temperature, and continuously or substantially continuously track aftertreatment system and / or component temperature and modulate engine fuel supply and air supply (e.g., through variable valve timing adjustment, turbocharger bypass adjustment, air intake throttle adjustment, fuel injector adjustment, etc.) to continue to promote desirable engine operation to meet current demand while maintaining such de-NOx efficiency.

[0025] Referring now to FIG. 1 , a system 100 (e.g., a vehicle system, a power generator system, etc.) according to an exemplary embodiment is shown. System 100 includes an engine 101, a fuel system 102 coupled to engine 101, an air system 104 coupled to engine 101, an aftertreatment system 120 coupled to engine 101, an operator input / output (I / O) device 140, and a control system 150, which is coupled, and in particular communicatively coupled, to one or more of the aforementioned components. In the configuration of FIG. 1 , system 100 is included within a vehicle. The vehicle may be any type of on-road or off-road vehicle, including, but not limited to, a wheel loader, a forklift truck, an over-the-road truck, a medium-duty truck (e.g., a pickup truck, etc.), a sedan, a coupe, a tank, an airplane, a boat, and any other type of vehicle. In another embodiment, system 100 may be embodied in stationary equipment such as a power generator or power generation device. All such variations are intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure.

[0026] Engine 101 may be any type of engine that generates exhaust gases, such as a compression ignition engine, a spark ignition engine, a hybrid engine (e.g., a combination of an internal combustion engine and an electric motor), and / or any other suitable engine that utilizes one or more fuels (e.g., gasoline, natural gas, hydrogen, diesel, propane, etc.). In the depicted example, engine 101 is a diesel-powered compression ignition engine. In some embodiments, engine 101 may include one or more engine actuators. The one or more engine actuators are configured to control at least one of engine idle speed, one or more air flaps for torque and power control, and / or fuel metering to control combustion.

[0027] Fuel system 102 is configured to supply fuel to engine 101. Fuel system 102 may include a fuel tank, a fuel pump, fuel injectors, and / or other fuel delivery components to store fuel and provide the fuel to combustion cylinders of engine 101 (e.g., based on current engine operating parameters and demand). Air system 104 is configured to supply air to engine 101. Air system 104 may include an air intake, an air filter, a turbocharger (including a wastegate), an intake throttle, and / or other air system components to provide clean, compressed, and / or throttle-controlled air to engine 101 (e.g., based on current engine operating parameters and demand).

[0028] The aftertreatment system 120 is in exhaust gas receiving communication with the engine 101. The aftertreatment system includes a first dosing module (system, unit, assembly, device, etc.) or first doser 121, a first selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system 122, a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) 124, a diesel particulate filter (DPF) 125, a second dosing module (system, unit, assembly, device, etc.) or second doser 126, a second SCR system 128, and a heater 129. In other embodiments, only the SCR system 122 is included, and more or fewer dosing units are included with the system. The heater 129 is structured to selectively heat exhaust gases within the aftertreatment system 120. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the heater 129 is coupled to the aftertreatment system 120 downstream of the engine 101 and upstream of the first SCR system 122. In other embodiments, aftertreatment system 120 may include additional heaters and / or heater 129 may be coupled to aftertreatment system 120 at different locations.

[0029] The DOC 124 is configured to receive exhaust gas from upstream components and oxidize hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide in the exhaust gas. The DPF 125 is disposed or positioned downstream of the DOC 124 and is structured to remove particulates, such as soot, from the exhaust gas flowing in the exhaust gas stream. The DPF 125 includes an inlet where the exhaust gas is received and an outlet where the exhaust gas exits after particulate matter has been substantially filtered from the exhaust gas and / or the particulate matter has been converted to carbon dioxide. In some implementations, the DPF 125 or other components may be omitted. Additionally, although a particular arrangement is shown with respect to the aftertreatment system 120 in FIG. 1 , the arrangement of components within the aftertreatment system 120 may differ in other embodiments (e.g., the DPF 125 may be positioned downstream of the first SCR system 122, one or more components may be omitted or added, etc.).

[0030] The first doser 121 and / or the second doser 126 are part of a reductant delivery system, which may include a decomposition chamber (e.g., a decomposition reactor, reactor pipe, decomposition tube, reactor tube, etc.) for converting the reductant into ammonia. The reductant may be, for example, urea, diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), AdBlue®, urea-water solution (UWS), aqueous urea solution (e.g., AUS32, etc.), and / or other similar fluids. The reductant may be added to the exhaust gas stream to assist in catalytic reduction. The first doser 121 may inject the reductant into the first SCR system 122, particularly upstream of the SCR catalyst 122a of the first SCR system 122, so that the SCR catalyst 122a receives a mixture of the reductant and the exhaust gas. Similarly, the second doser 126 may inject the reductant into the second SCR system 128, particularly upstream of the SCR catalyst 128a or SCR catalyst 128b of the second SCR system 128, so that the SCR catalyst 128a and / or SCR catalyst 128b receives a mixture of the reductant and exhaust gas. The reductant droplets then undergo evaporation, thermal decomposition, and hydrolysis processes to form gaseous ammonia in the decomposition chamber, the SCR catalysts 122a, 128a, and / or 128b, and / or the exhaust gas conduit system, and the gaseous ammonia then exits the aftertreatment system 120.

[0031] The aftertreatment system 120 may further include an oxidation catalyst (e.g., a DOC 124) fluidly coupled to the exhaust gas conduit system to oxidize hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide in the exhaust gas. To adequately support this reduction, the DOC 124 may be required to be at a certain operating temperature. In various embodiments, this certain operating temperature is between 200 and 500°C. According to an exemplary embodiment, this certain operating temperature is approximately 300 to 400°C. In other embodiments, the certain operating temperature is a temperature at which the conversion efficiency of the DOC 124 exceeds a predetermined threshold (e.g., the conversion of HCs to less harmful compounds, known as the hydrocarbon conversion efficiency). In some embodiments, the aftertreatment system 120 also includes a hydrocarbon (HC) dosing module or doser 123 that injects hydrocarbons upstream of the DOC 124.

[0032] The first SCR system 122 and / or the second SCR system 128 are configured to assist in reducing NOx emissions by accelerating the NOx reduction process based on the reaction of exhaust gas ammonia and NOx into diatomic nitrogen and water. As shown, the first SCR system 122 includes an SCR catalyst 122a and an ammonia slip catalyst (ASC) 122b. The second SCR system 128 includes a first catalyst 128a, a second catalyst 128b, and an ammonia slip catalyst (ASC) 128c. In some embodiments, the first SCR system 122 may include more or fewer components. For example, the first SCR system 122 may include more, fewer, or different catalysts than the SCR catalyst 122a. In some embodiments, ASC 122b may be removed from first SCR system 122 (e.g., removed entirely or included in aftertreatment system 120 separate from first SCR system 122). In some embodiments, second SCR system 128 may include more or fewer components. For example, second SCR system 128 may include more, fewer, or different catalysts than first catalyst 128a and / or second catalyst 128b. In some embodiments, ASC 128c may be removed from second SCR system 128 (e.g., removed entirely or included in aftertreatment system 120 separate from second SCR system 128). For example, ASC 122b and / or ASC 128c are not included in aftertreatment system 120 and / or are separate from first SCR system 122 and second SCR system 128. In some embodiments, only one of first SCR system 122 or second SCR system 128 includes an ASC. In still other embodiments, aftertreatment system 120 may include more than two SCR systems, less than two SCR systems, and other configurations.

[0033] If the first SCR system 122 and / or the second SCR system 128 are not at or above a certain temperature, acceleration of the NOx reduction process may be limited, and the first SCR system 122 and / or the second SCR system 128 may not operate at an efficiency level to meet regulations. In various embodiments, this certain operating temperature is between 200 and 500°C. According to an exemplary embodiment, this certain operating temperature is approximately 300 to 400°C. The first SCR system 122 and / or the second SCR system 128 may be made from a combination of an inert material and an active catalyst, such that the inert material (e.g., a ceramic substrate) directs exhaust gases toward the active catalyst, which may be any type of material suitable for catalytic reduction (e.g., metal-exchanged zeolite (Fe or Cu / zeolite), base metal oxides such as vanadium, molybdenum, tungsten, etc.).

[0034] When the ammonia in the exhaust gas does not react with the first SCR system 122 and / or the second SCR system 128 (because the first SCR system 122 and / or the second SCR system 128 are below operating temperature or because the amount of ammonia dosed significantly exceeds the amount of NOx), the unreacted ammonia may bind to and become stored within the first SCR system 122 and / or the second SCR system 128. This stored ammonia is released from the first SCR system 122 and / or the second SCR system 128 as the first SCR system 122 and / or the second SCR system 128 warms, which can cause problems if the amount of ammonia released exceeds the amount of NOx passing through (i.e., more ammonia than is needed for the amount of NOx, which can lead to ammonia slip). In some embodiments, ASC 122b and / or ASC 128c are included and configured to address ammonia slip by removing at least a portion of excess ammonia from the treated exhaust gas before it flows to downstream components or is released to the atmosphere. As the exhaust gas passes through ASC 122b and / or ASC 128c, some of the unreacted ammonia remaining in the exhaust gas (i.e., unreacted with NOx) is partially oxidized to NOx, which then subsequently reacts with the remaining unreacted ammonia to form nitrogen (N2) gas and water. However, similar to first SCR system 122 and / or second SCR system 128, if ASC 122b and / or ASC 128c are not at or above a certain temperature, acceleration of the NH3 oxidation process may be limited, and the ASC may not operate at a level of efficiency to meet regulatory or desired parameters. In some embodiments, this certain temperature is approximately 250-300°C or 300-400°C.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 1 , system 100 includes multiple sensors 130. Each of sensors 130 may represent a single sensor or a collection of sensors. The number, locations, and types of sensors 130 included in system 100 are shown for illustrative purposes only; that is, in other configurations, the number, locations, and types of sensors may differ. Sensors 130 may be NOx sensors, particulate matter (PM) sensors, other emissions component sensors, temperature sensors, flow sensors, pressure sensors, some combination thereof, etc. The NOx sensors are configured to obtain data indicative of NOx values ​​(e.g., amount, concentration, etc.) at each location where the NOx sensors are located. The PM sensors are configured to obtain data indicative of PM values ​​(e.g., amount, concentration, etc.) at each location where the PM sensors are located. The temperature sensors are configured to obtain data indicative of temperature at each location where the temperature sensors are located. The flow sensors are configured to obtain data indicative of flow rates at each location where the flow sensors are located. The pressure sensors are structured to obtain data indicative of the pressure at each location where the pressure sensors are located.

[0036] Sensor 130 may be located after engine 101 and before aftertreatment system 120, after aftertreatment system 120, within aftertreatment system 120 (e.g., upstream of first SCR system 122, downstream of first SCR system 122 and upstream of DOC 124, downstream of DOC 124 and upstream of DPF 125, downstream of DPF 125 and upstream of second SCR system 128, downstream of second SCR system 128, coupled to DPF 125 and / or DOC 124, coupled to first SCR system 122, coupled to second SCR system 128, etc.), within or proximate to engine 101, upstream of and / or with engine 101, etc. It should be understood that the location of sensor 130 may vary. In one embodiment, sensor 130 may be located both before and after aftertreatment system 120. In one embodiment, at least one of sensors 130 is configured as an exhaust gas composition sensor (e.g., a CO, NOx, PM, SOx, etc. sensor). In another embodiment, at least one of sensors 130 is configured as a non-exhaust gas composition sensor used to estimate exhaust gas emissions (e.g., temperature, flow, pressure, etc.). Additional sensors may also be included with system 100. Sensors 130 may include engine-related sensors (e.g., torque sensors, speed sensors, pressure sensors, flow sensors, temperature sensors, etc.). Sensors 130 may further include sensors associated with other components of system 100 (e.g., turbocharger speed sensors, fuel quantity and injection rate sensors, fuel rail pressure sensors, etc.).

[0037] Sensors 130 may be real or virtual (i.e., non-physical sensors structured as program logic within control system 150 that make various inferences or decisions). For example, an engine speed sensor may be a real or virtual sensor arranged to measure or otherwise obtain data, values, or information indicative of the speed of engine 101 (typically expressed in revolutions per minute). Sensor 130 is coupled to engine 101 (when structured as a real sensor) and structured to send a signal indicative of the speed of engine 101 to control system 150. When structured as a virtual sensor, at least one input may be used in an algorithm, model, lookup table, etc. by control system 150 to determine or estimate a parameter of the engine (e.g., power output, etc.). Any of sensors 130 described herein may be real or virtual.

[0038] Control system 150 is communicatively coupled to sensors 130. Thus, control system 150 is structured to receive data from one or more of sensors 130. The received data may be used by control system 150 to control one or more components in system 100 (e.g., engine 101, fuel system 102, air system 104, aftertreatment system 120, etc.).

[0039] 1 , operator I / O device 140 is coupled to control system 150 such that information can be exchanged between control system 150 and operator I / O device 140, which information may relate to one or more other components of system 100 and / or decisions / actions of control system 150 (described below). Operator I / O device 140 allows an operator of system 100 to communicate with control system 150 and one or more other components of system 100. For example, operator I / O device 140 may include, without limitation, a two-way display, a touchscreen device, one or more buttons and switches, a voice command receiver, etc. In this manner, operator I / O device 140 may provide one or more instructions or notifications to the operator, such as a malfunction indicator light (MIL). Additionally, system 100 may include a port that allows control system 150 to connect or couple to a scan tool so that fault codes and other information regarding system 100 can be obtained.

[0040] Control system 150 is structured to control, at least in part, the operation of subsystems associated with system 100 (such as engine 101, fuel system 102, air system 104, aftertreatment system 120, and operator I / O devices 140). Communication between and among components may occur via any number of wired or wireless connections. For example, wired connections may include serial cables, fiber optic cables, CAT5 cables, or any other form of wired connection. By comparison, wireless connections may include the Internet, Wi-Fi, cellular, radio, etc. In one embodiment, a controller area network (CAN) bus provides for the exchange of signals, information, and / or data. A CAN bus includes any number of wired and wireless connections. Because control system 150 is communicatively coupled to the systems and components of FIG. 1 , control system 150 is structured to receive data from one or more of the components shown in FIG. 1 . The structure and functionality of control system 150 are further described with respect to FIGS. 2A-3 .

[0041] 1 are shown embodied in system 100, control system 150 may be structured as one or more controllers, such as one or more electronic control units (ECUs), transmission control units, powertrain control modules, etc. Accordingly, the controllers may be one or more microcontrollers. While a single control system is shown in the figure, it should be understood that multiple "controllers" may be implemented / utilized. Control system 150 may be separate from or included with at least one of the transmission control unit, exhaust aftertreatment control unit, powertrain control module, engine control module, etc.

[0042] 2A-3, schematic diagrams of the control system 150 of the system 100 of FIG. 1 and various components of the system 100 are shown, according to an exemplary embodiment. Generally, the control system 150 is structured or configured to monitor various operating parameters of the system 100 (e.g., operating temperature, engine speed, engine torque, etc.) and control components of the system 100 (e.g., the engine 101, the fuel system 102, the air system 104, etc.) to facilitate maintaining the engine exhaust temperature, and thereby the temperature of the aftertreatment system 120, within a desired temperature range (e.g., approximately 300-400°C) and operating the aftertreatment system 120 at or substantially at peak efficiency, depending on the engine load. The desired temperature range may be for exhaust gases at one or more locations, one or more catalyst temperatures, or one or more component temperatures. The desired temperature range may indicate a need to increase (for low engine loads) or decrease (for high engine loads) the exhaust temperature, depending on the engine speed and / or load operation. As one example, if the actual temperature of the exhaust and / or aftertreatment system 120 is high (above a predetermined high temperature threshold, which may be specific to the catalyst, component, location of the measured temperature, etc.), the control system 150 may be structured or configured to generate commands for the engine 101, fuel system 102, and / or air system 104 (e.g., variable valve timing of the intake and / or exhaust cams, turbocharger bypass, intake throttle, fuel injectors, etc.) to reduce the temperature of the exhaust gases and thereby the temperature of the aftertreatment system 120. As another example, if the actual temperature of the exhaust and / or aftertreatment system 120 is low (at or below a predetermined low temperature threshold, which may be specific to the catalyst, component, etc.), the control system 150 may be structured or configured to generate commands for the engine 101, fuel system 102, and / or air system 104 to increase the temperature of the exhaust and thereby the temperature of the aftertreatment system 120.

[0043] 2A , control system 150 includes an after-treatment (AFT) temperature target generator 152, a feedforward and feedback controller 160, and an air handling controller 180. Although shown as separate controllers or components of control system 150, in some embodiments, two or more of AFT temperature target generator 152, feedforward and feedback controller 160, and air handling controller 180 are combined into a single component or controller (e.g., a single controller for AFT temperature target generator 152 and feedforward and feedback controller 160, a single controller for feedforward and feedback controller 160 and air handling controller 180, a single controller for AFT temperature target generator 152, feedforward and feedback controller 160, and air handling controller 180, etc.).

[0044] 2A , the AFT temperature target generator 152 is coupled to the engine 101 (e.g., its sensors 130), the aftertreatment system 120 (e.g., its sensors 130), and the feedforward and feedback controller 160. The AFT temperature target generator 152 may be structured or configured to execute or implement instructions, commands, and / or control processes based on data obtained from the aftertreatment system 120 and / or the sensors 130 of the engine 101. More specifically, AFT temperature target generator 152 may be structured or configured to monitor conditions or operating parameters of aftertreatment system 120 and / or engine 101 (or system 100 as a whole) based on data obtained from data sensors 130 and determine an aftertreatment temperature target (e.g., aftertreatment temperature target 302) for aftertreatment system 120 and / or exhaust gases exiting from engine 101 into aftertreatment system 120 to promote peak efficiency and operation of aftertreatment system 120 (e.g., maintaining near or substantially near 100% de-NOx efficiency with minimal NO production). AFT temperature target generator 152 may then be structured or configured to transmit the aftertreatment temperature target to feedforward and feedback controller 160 for use thereby, as described in more detail herein. Further details regarding the AFT temperature target generator 152 may be found in International Patent Application No. PCT / US2023 / 033280, filed September 20, 2023, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The AFT temperature target generator 152 may include similar components (e.g., processing circuitry, processors, memory devices, communication interfaces, etc.) as the feedforward and feedback controller 160 and / or air handling controller 180 described herein.

[0045] 2A and 2B, feedforward and feedback controller 160 is coupled to engine 101 (e.g., its sensors 130, intake cam, exhaust cam, etc.), fuel system 102 (e.g., fuel injectors), aftertreatment system 120 (e.g., its sensors 130), AFT temperature target generator 152, and air handling controller 180. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2C, air handling controller 180 is coupled to air system 104 (e.g., wastegate, intake throttle, etc.) and feedforward and feedback controller 160. In some embodiments (e.g., embodiments in which feedforward and feedback controller 160 and air handling controller 180 are combined into a single controller), feedforward and feedback controller 160 is additionally coupled directly to air system 104 rather than indirectly through air handling controller 180.

[0046] 2B , feedforward and feedback controller 160 includes processing circuitry 161 having processor 162 and memory device 163; communication interface 164; and control circuitry including interpolation coefficient circuitry 166, variable valve actuation (VVA) command circuitry 167, boost flow circuitry 168, NOx response correction circuitry 169, and fuel correction circuitry 170. Communication interface 164 is structured to facilitate communication between (a) feedforward and feedback controller 160 and (b) engine 101, fuel system 102, aftertreatment system 120, AFT temperature target generator 152, and air handling controller 180. Generally, feedforward and feedback controller 160 is structured or configured to maintain exhaust temperatures, and therefore temperatures of components of aftertreatment system 120, within target or optimal temperature ranges, and maintain aftertreatment system 120 operating at peak efficiency, thereby facilitating high emission reductions, as described in further detail herein. As an example, if the aftertreatment temperature target exceeds the current or actual aftertreatment temperature, the feedforward and feedback controller 160 may be structured or configured to generate commands to control the engine 101, the fuel system 102, and / or the air system 104 to increase the exhaust gas temperature, and thereby the current or actual aftertreatment temperature. On the other hand, if the aftertreatment temperature target is less than the current or actual aftertreatment temperature, the feedforward and feedback controller 160 may be structured or configured to generate commands to control the engine 101, the fuel system 102, and / or the air system 104 to decrease the exhaust gas temperature, and thereby the current or actual aftertreatment temperature.

[0047] In one configuration, the interpolation factor circuit 166, the VVA command circuit 167, the boost flow circuit 168, the NOx response correction circuit 169, and the fuel correction circuit 170 are embodied as a machine or computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor, such as processor 162. As described herein, among other uses, the machine-readable medium facilitates the performance of certain operations and enables the receipt and transmission of data. For example, the machine-readable medium may provide instructions (e.g., commands, etc.) and, for example, obtain data. In this regard, the machine-readable medium may include programmable logic that defines the frequency of data obtainment (or data transmission). The computer-readable medium may include code, which may be written in any programming language, including, but not limited to, Java® and any conventional procedural programming language, e.g., the “C” programming language or similar programming language. The computer-readable program code may be executed on one processor or multiple remote processors. In the latter scenario, the remote processors may be connected to each other through any type of network (e.g., CAN bus, etc.).

[0048] In another configuration, the interpolation factor circuit 166, the VVA command circuit 167, the boost flow circuit 168, the NOx response correction circuit 169, and the fuel correction circuit 170 are embodied as hardware units such as electronic control units. Accordingly, the interpolation factor circuit 166, the VVA command circuit 167, the boost flow circuit 168, the NOx response correction circuit 169, and the fuel correction circuit 170 may be embodied as one or more circuitry components including, but not limited to, processing circuitry, a network interface, a peripheral device, an input device, an output device, a sensor, etc. In some embodiments, the interpolation factor circuit 166, the VVA command circuit 167, the boost flow circuit 168, the NOx response correction circuit 169, and the fuel correction circuit 170 may take the form of one or more analog circuits, electronic circuits (e.g., integrated circuits (ICs), discrete circuits, system-on-chip (SOC) circuits, microcontrollers, etc.), telecommunications circuits, hybrid circuits, and any other type of “circuitry.” In this regard, the interpolation factor circuit 166, the VVA command circuit 167, the boost flow circuit 168, the NOx response correction circuit 169, and the fuel correction circuit 170 may include any type of component for performing or facilitating the accomplishment of the operations described herein. For example, the circuits as described herein may include one or more transistors, logic gates (e.g., NAND, AND, NOR, OR, XOR, NOT, XNOR, etc.), resistors, multiplexers, registers, capacitors, inductors, diodes, wiring, etc. The interpolation factor circuit 166, the VVA command circuit 167, the boost flow circuit 168, the NOx response correction circuit 169, and the fuel correction circuit 170 may also include programmable hardware devices such as field programmable gate arrays, programmable array logic, programmable logic devices, etc. The interpolation coefficient circuit 166, the VVA command circuit 167, the boost flow circuit 168, the NOx response correction circuit 169, and the fuel correction circuit 170 may include one or more memory devices for storing instructions executable by the processors of the interpolation coefficient circuit 166, the VVA command circuit 167, the boost flow circuit 168, the NOx response correction circuit 169, and the fuel correction circuit 170.The one or more memory devices and processors may have the same definitions as provided below with respect to memory device 163 and processor 162. In some hardware unit configurations, interpolation factor circuit 166, VVA command circuit 167, boost flow circuit 168, NOx response correction circuit 169, and fuel correction circuit 170 may be geographically distributed throughout separate locations within system 100. Alternatively, as shown, interpolation factor circuit 166, VVA command circuit 167, boost flow circuit 168, NOx response correction circuit 169, and fuel correction circuit 170 may be embodied in or within a single unit / enclosure, shown as feedforward and feedback controller 160.

[0049] In the illustrated example, feedforward and feedback controller 160 includes processing circuitry 161 having processor 162 and memory device 163. Processing circuitry 161 may be structured or configured to execute or implement the instructions, commands, and / or control processes described herein with respect to interpolation factor circuitry 166, VVA command circuitry 167, boost flow circuitry 168, NOx response correction circuitry 169, and fuel correction circuitry 170. The depicted configuration represents interpolation factor circuitry 166, VVA command circuitry 167, boost flow circuitry 168, NOx response correction circuitry 169, and fuel correction circuitry 170 as a machine- or computer-readable medium. However, as noted above, this illustration is not meant to be limiting, and the present disclosure contemplates other embodiments, in which the interpolation factor circuit 166, the VVA command circuit 167, the supercharging flow rate circuit 168, the NOx response correction circuit 169, and the fuel correction circuit 170, or at least one of the interpolation factor circuit 166, the VVA command circuit 167, the supercharging flow rate circuit 168, the NOx response correction circuit 169, and the fuel correction circuit 170, are configured as a hardware unit. All such combinations and variations are intended to fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0050] The hardware and data processing components (e.g., processor 162, processor 182, etc.) used to implement the various processes, operations, illustrative logic, logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented or performed using general-purpose single- or multi-chip processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof, designed to perform the functions described herein. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, or any conventional processor or state machine. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. In some embodiments, one or more processors may be shared by multiple circuits (e.g., the interpolation factor circuit 166, the VVA command circuit 167, the boost flow circuit 168, the NOx response correction circuit 169, and the fuel correction circuit 170 may comprise or otherwise share the same processor, which, in some exemplary embodiments, may execute instructions stored or otherwise accessed via different areas of memory). Alternatively, or in addition, one or more processors may be configured to perform or otherwise execute certain operations independently from one or more coprocessors. In other exemplary embodiments, two or more processors may be coupled via a bus, enabling independent, parallel, pipelined, or multithreaded instruction execution. All such variations are intended to fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0051] Memory device 163 (and memory device 183) (e.g., memory, memory unit, storage device) may include one or more devices (e.g., RAM, ROM, flash memory, hard disk storage) for storing data and / or computer code for completing or facilitating the various processes, layers, and modules described in this disclosure. For example, memory device 163 may include dynamic random access memory (DRAM). Memory device 163 may be communicatively coupled to processor 162 and may provide computer code or instructions to processor 162 to execute at least some of the processes described herein. Furthermore, memory device 163 may be or include tangible non-transitory volatile or non-volatile memory. Thus, memory device 163 may include database components, object code components, script components, or any other type of information structure to support the various activities and information structures described herein.

[0052] Communications interface 164 may include any combination of wired and / or wireless interfaces (e.g., jacks, antennas, transmitters, receivers, transceivers, wire terminals) for communicating data with various systems, devices, or networks structured to enable intra-system communications (e.g., between and within components of system 100) and extra-system communications (e.g., with a remote server). For example, with respect to extra-system communications, communications interface 164 may include an Ethernet card and port for transmitting and receiving data via an Ethernet-based communications network and / or a Wi-Fi transceiver for communicating via a wireless communications network. Communications interface 164 may be structured to communicate over a local area network or a wide area network (e.g., the Internet) and may use various communications protocols (e.g., IP, LON, Bluetooth, ZigBee, wireless, cellular, short-range communications).

[0053] 2C , air handling controller 180 includes processing circuitry 181 having processor 182 and memory device 183; communications interface 184; and control circuitry including air system circuitry 186. Communications interface 184 is structured to facilitate communication between (a) air handling controller 180 and (b) air system 104 and feedforward and feedback controller 160. Generally, air handling controller 180 is structured to control air system 104 based on information or commands received from feedforward and feedback controller 160, as described in further detail herein, to control or regulate, at least in part, exhaust temperatures, and therefore temperatures of components of aftertreatment system 120, within target or optimal temperature ranges, to maintain aftertreatment system 120 operating at peak efficiency, thereby promoting high emission reductions.

[0054] In one configuration, air system circuit 186 is embodied as a machine- or computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor, such as processor 182. As described herein, machine-readable media, among other uses, facilitate the performance of certain operations and enable the receipt and transmission of data. For example, machine-readable media may provide instructions (e.g., commands, etc.) and, for example, obtain data. In this regard, machine-readable media may include programmable logic that defines the frequency of data obtainment (or data transmission). Computer-readable media may include code, which may be written in any programming language, including, but not limited to, Java® and any conventional procedural programming language, e.g., the “C” programming language or similar programming language. The computer-readable program code may be executed on one processor or multiple remote processors. In the latter scenario, the remote processors may be connected to each other through any type of network (e.g., CAN bus, etc.).

[0055] In another configuration, the air system circuitry 186 is embodied as a hardware unit, such as an electronic control unit. Accordingly, the air system circuitry 186 may be embodied as one or more circuitry components, including, but not limited to, processing circuitry, network interfaces, peripheral devices, input devices, output devices, sensors, etc. In some embodiments, the air system circuitry 186 may take the form of one or more analog circuits, electronic circuits (e.g., integrated circuits (ICs), discrete circuits, system-on-a-chip (SOC) circuits, microcontrollers, etc.), telecommunications circuits, hybrid circuits, and any other type of “circuitry.” In this regard, the air system circuitry 186 may include any type of component for performing or facilitating the accomplishment of the operations described herein. For example, circuits as described herein may include one or more transistors, logic gates (e.g., NAND, NOR, OR, XOR, NOT, XNOR, etc.), resistors, multiplexers, registers, capacitors, inductors, diodes, wiring, etc. Air system circuitry 186 may also include programmable hardware devices such as field programmable gate arrays, programmable array logic, programmable logic devices, etc. Air system circuitry 186 may include one or more memory devices for storing instructions executable by the processor of air system circuitry 186. The one or more memory devices and processors may have the same definitions as provided below with respect to memory device 183 and processor 182. In some hardware unit configurations, air system circuitry 186 may be geographically distributed throughout separate locations within system 100 relative to the circuitry of feedforward and feedback controller 160. Alternatively, air system circuitry 186 may be embodied in or within a single unit / enclosure along with one or more of the circuits of feedforward and feedback controller 160.

[0056] In the illustrated example, air handling controller 180 includes processing circuitry 181 having processor 182 and memory device 183. Processing circuitry 181 may be structured or configured to execute or implement the instructions, commands, and / or control processes described herein with respect to air system circuitry 186. The depicted configuration represents air system circuitry 186 as a machine- or computer-readable medium. However, as noted above, this illustration is not meant to be limiting, and the present disclosure contemplates other embodiments in which air system circuitry 186 is configured as a hardware unit. All such combinations and variations are intended to fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0057] Communications interface 184 may include any combination of wired and / or wireless interfaces (e.g., jacks, antennas, transmitters, receivers, transceivers, wire terminals) for communicating data with various systems, devices, or networks structured to enable intra-system communications (e.g., between and within components of system 100) and extra-system communications (e.g., with a remote server). For example, with respect to extra-system communications, communications interface 184 may include an Ethernet card and port for transmitting and receiving data via an Ethernet-based communications network and / or a Wi-Fi transceiver for communicating via a wireless communications network. Communications interface 184 may be structured to communicate over a local area network or a wide area network (e.g., the Internet) and may use various communications protocols (e.g., IP, LON, Bluetooth, ZigBee, wireless, cellular, short-range communications).

[0058] As shown in Figures 2A, 2B, and 3, the feedforward and feedback controller 160 is structured or configured to communicate with the engine 101 (e.g., its sensors 130), the fuel system 102, the aftertreatment system 120 (e.g., its sensors 130), and / or the AFT temperature target generator 152 via a communication interface 164 to obtain or receive various input data 300. More specifically, the feedforward and feedback controller 160 is structured or configured to obtain or receive input data 300 including: (a) an aftertreatment temperature target 302 from the AFT temperature target generator 152; (b) an actual exhaust gas temperature 304 (e.g., the temperature of the exhaust gas exiting the engine 101 and entering the aftertreatment system 120) from the sensors 130 of the engine 101 and / or the aftertreatment system 120; (c) an engine speed 306 from the sensors 130 of the engine 101; (d) an engine torque 308 from the sensors 130 of the engine 101; (e) a NOx response 310 from the sensors 130 of the aftertreatment system 120 (e.g., without the exhaust temperature control disclosed herein); and a desired amount of fuel 312 from the engine 101 and / or the fuel system 102 (e.g., based on engine load demand, without the exhaust temperature control disclosed herein).

[0059] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the interpolation factor circuit 166 calculates the post-processing temperature target 302 (T des ), actual exhaust gas temperature 304 (T act ), low temperature threshold 314 (T io ), and high temperature threshold 316 (T hi), and provide an interpolation factor 320 (γ) to each of the VVA command circuit 167, the boost flow circuit 168, the NOx response correction circuit 169, and the fuel correction circuit 170. The low temperature threshold 314 may be pre-stored by the interpolation factor circuit 166 and considered a minimum temperature value (e.g., 300°C, 250°C, etc.) for achieving efficient operation of the aftertreatment system 120 and / or the engine 101. The high temperature threshold 316 may be pre-stored by the interpolation factor circuit 166 and considered a maximum temperature value (e.g., 400°C, 500°C, etc.) for achieving efficient operation of the aftertreatment system 120 and / or the engine 101. The low temperature threshold 314 and the high temperature threshold 316 may define a “desired temperature range,” as described herein.

[0060] 4, the interpolation factor circuit 166 implements a feedforward control function 166a and a feedback control function 166b to determine the interpolation factor 320. The feedforward control function 166a determines the feedforward interpolation factor value based on the post-processing temperature target 302, the low temperature threshold 314, and the high temperature threshold 316. As an example, the feedforward interpolation factor value (FF) may be represented by the following expression:

number

[0061] Feedback control function 166b determines a feedback interpolation factor value based on aftertreatment temperature target 302 and actual exhaust gas temperature 304 (e.g., the difference therebetween). As an example, the feedback interpolation factor value may be determined using proportional-integral (PI) control. Interpolation factor circuit 166 may then be structured or configured to use the feedforward interpolation factor value and the feedback interpolation factor value to determine interpolation factor 320. Feedforward control function 166a acts only on aftertreatment temperature target 302, while feedback control function 166b uses both aftertreatment temperature target 302 and actual exhaust gas temperature 304. Feedforward control function 166a may be responsible for the “primary control process” but may have inaccuracies. Feedback control function 166b may provide corrections to feedforward control function 166a. According to an exemplary embodiment, the combination of feedforward control function 166a and feedback control function 166b ensures control performance, and therefore efficient aftertreatment performance, of engine operation both in transient and stationary conditions.

[0062] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the VVA command circuit 167, the boost flow circuit 168, the NOx response correction circuit 169, and the fuel correction circuit 170 are structured or configured to obtain or receive (a) the interpolation coefficient 320 from the interpolation coefficient circuit 166, (b) the engine speed 306 from the engine 101 (e.g., the sensor 130 associated therewith), and (c) the engine torque 308 from the engine 101 (e.g., the sensor 130 associated therewith). As shown in FIGS. 2A-3 , (i) VVA command circuit 167, boost flow circuit 168, NOx response correction circuit 169, and fuel correction circuit 170 of feedforward and feedback controller 160, and (ii) air handling controller 180 are structured or configured to communicate with engine 101 (e.g., intake cam, exhaust cam, etc.), fuel system 102 (e.g., fuel injectors), and / or air system 104 (e.g., intake throttle, wastegate, etc.) and provide various outputs 340 thereto based on interpolation coefficients 320, engine speed 306, engine torque 308, NOx response 310, and desired amount of fuel 312.

[0063] The VVA command circuit 167 of the feedforward and feedback controller 160 is structured or configured to (a) determine an intake cam phasing and / or exhaust cam phasing command 342 based on the interpolation coefficients 320, the engine speed 306, and the engine torque 308, and (b) provide the intake cam phasing and / or exhaust cam phasing command 342 to the engine 101 to adjust the cam phasing of the intake cam and / or the exhaust cam of the engine 101.

[0064] The supercharged air flow circuit 168 of the feedforward and feedback controller 160, together with the air system circuit 186 of the air handling controller 180, is structured or configured to (a) determine an intake air throttle (IAT) and / or wastegate (WG) command 344 based on the interpolation coefficient 320, the engine speed 306, and the engine torque 308, and (b) provide the IAT and / or WG command 344 to the air system 104 to regulate the supercharged air flow provided by the IAT and / or turbocharger of the air system 104 and the amount of exhaust gas bypassing the turbocharger through the WG.

[0065] NOx response correction circuit 169 of feedforward and feedback controller 160 is structured or configured to determine corrected NOx response 346 based on interpolation coefficients 320, engine speed 306, engine torque 308, and NOx response 310. For example, NOx response correction circuit 169 may be structured or configured to determine a NOx correction factor based on interpolation coefficients 320, engine speed 306, engine torque 308, and / or other system operating conditions, apply the NOx correction factor to NOx response 310, and determine corrected NOx response 346. Control system 150 may be structured or configured to use corrected NOx response 346 to accurately track NOx so that system 100 can notice and adapt to changes to engine 101 NOx production.

[0066] The fuel correction circuit 170 of the feedforward and feedback controller 160 is structured or configured to (a) determine a fuel injection command 348 based on the interpolation coefficients 320, the engine speed 306, the engine torque 308, and the desired amount of fuel 312, and (b) provide the fuel injection command 348 to the fuel system 102 to adjust fuel delivery characteristics or parameters (e.g., injection pattern, injection timing, injection amount, etc.) provided to the cylinders of the engine 101 by the fuel injectors of the fuel system 102. For example, the fuel correction circuit 170 may be structured or configured to determine a fuel flow compensation factor based on the interpolation coefficients 320, the engine speed 306, the engine torque 308, and / or other system operating conditions (e.g., IAT setting, WG setting, cam phasing setting, etc.), apply the fuel flow compensation factor to the desired amount of fuel 312, and determine the fuel injection command 348. Further details regarding the generation of the output 340 by the feedforward and feedback controller 160 and the air handling controller 180 are described herein with respect to FIGS. 4-9 .

[0067] As shown in FIG. 4 , each of the VVA command circuit 167, the boost flow circuit 168, the NOx response correction circuit 169, and / or the fuel correction circuit 170 is structured or configured to store one or more calibratable maps 172 that define actuator settings or response correction factors (e.g., intake cam phase setting, exhaust cam phase setting, WG setting, IAT setting, fuel injector setting, NOx correction factor, fuel flow compensation factor, etc.) for the desired behavior of the engine 101, fuel system 102, and / or air system 104 (and therefore the temperature of the exhaust gases discharged by the engine 101) over the speed and torque operating range of the engine 101 and at various pre-selected interpolation factors (e.g., γ1, γ2, γ3, γ4, etc.). The VVA command circuit 167, the boost flow circuit 168, the NOx response correction circuit 169, and / or the fuel correction circuit 170 may be configured to select a respective one of the calibratable maps 172 for the actuator being controlled to determine the output 340, thereby adjusting the exhaust temperature (e.g., intake cam, exhaust cam, wastegate, intake throttle, fuel injector, etc.) based on the engine speed 306, engine torque 308, and interpolation factor 320, or to interpolate between two of the calibratable maps 172 that are closest to the engine speed 306, engine torque 308, and interpolation factor 320, as needed.

[0068] As a first example, if each one of the calibratable maps 172 is directly related to engine speed 306, engine torque 308, and interpolation factor 320, the value provided by each one of the calibratable maps 172 may be used by VVA command circuit 167, boost flow circuit 168, NOx response correction circuit 169, or fuel correction circuit 170, respectively, to determine its associated output 340 (e.g., intake cam phasing and / or exhaust cam phasing command 342, IAT and / or WG command 344, NOx correction factor and corrected NOx response 346, fuel flow compensation factor and fuel injection command 348, etc.).

[0069] As a second example, if each one of the calibratable maps 172 is not directly related to the engine speed 306, engine torque 308, and interpolation factor 320, then each of the VVA command circuit 167, the boost flow circuit 168, the NOx response correction circuit 169, or the fuel correction circuit 170 may interpolate (e.g., linearly interpolate) between two of the calibratable maps 172 on either side with the closest engine speed 306, engine torque 308, and interpolation factor 320. Such interpolation may be represented by the following equation:

number

[0070] Once the raw values ​​are determined by the respective circuits based on the interpolation coefficients 320, engine speed 306, and engine torque 308, the respective circuits may apply saturation, rate limiters, and / or filters 178 to the raw values ​​to generate the respective outputs 340 or final values ​​(in this case, VVA commands) that may be used to generate the respective outputs 340.

[0071] 5-10 , various graphs are shown to graphically depict how values ​​used to generate one or more of the outputs 340 are selected based on the interpolation coefficients 320, engine speed 306, and engine torque 308. The various graphs may show only a portion of a data set to help illustrate the functionality of the graphs. In practice, additional data sets may be used. The data sets shown may illustrate the interpolation process described above for various engine speeds, engine torques, and interpolation coefficients. Furthermore, the various graphs may be stored and implemented by the VVA command circuit 167, the boost flow circuit 168, the NOx response correction circuit 169, and / or the fuel correction circuit 170, similar to a look-up table, without having to implement the interpolation process outlined above, or the various graphs may be developed over time as different operating parameters are encountered.

[0072] 5, intake cam phasing graph 173 provides various phase curves associated with various engine speed 306 and engine torque 308 set points. The x-axis represents the interpolation factor ranging from 0 to 1, and the y-axis represents the intake cam phasing that is retarded from 0 to 35 degrees. In some embodiments, the intake cam phasing may range more or less than 0 to 35 degrees. Thus, by receiving engine speed 306 from engine 101, engine torque 308 from engine 101, and interpolation factor 320 from interpolation factor circuit 166, VVA command circuit 167 can determine the intake cam phase value to be included in intake cam phasing command 342 provided to the intake cam of engine 101.

[0073] 6, exhaust cam phasing graph 174 provides various phase curves associated with various engine speed 306 and engine torque 308 set points. The x-axis represents the interpolation factor ranging from 0 to 1, and the y-axis represents the exhaust cam phasing adjustment advanced from 0 to 70 degrees. In some embodiments, the exhaust cam phasing adjustment may range more or less than 0 to 70 degrees. Thus, by receiving engine speed 306 from engine 101, engine torque 308 from engine 101, and interpolation factor 320 from interpolation factor circuit 166, VVA command circuit 167 can determine the exhaust cam phase value to be included in exhaust cam phasing command 342 provided to the exhaust cam of engine 101.

[0074] As shown in FIG. 7 , desired boost flow graph 175 provides various boost flow curves associated with various engine speed 306 and engine torque 308 set points. The x-axis represents the interpolation factor ranging from 0 to 1, and the y-axis represents the boost flow rate ranging from 0 to 500 kilograms per hour. In some embodiments, the boost flow rate may range more or less than 0 to 500 kilograms per hour. Thus, by receiving engine speed 306 from engine 101, engine torque 308 from engine 101, and interpolation factor 320 from interpolation factor circuit 166, boost flow circuit 168 can determine the boost flow value to be provided to air handling controller 180 so that air handling controller 180 can generate IAT and / or WG commands 344 to be provided to the IAT and WG of air system 104.

[0075] As shown in FIG. 8 , the NOx correction factor graph 176 provides various NOx correction factor curves associated with various engine speed 306 and engine torque 308 set points. The x-axis represents the interpolation factor ranging from 0 to 1, and the y-axis represents the NOx correction factor ranging from 2 to 16 grams per kilowatt-hour. In some embodiments, the NOx correction factor may range more or less than 0 to 16 grams per kilowatt-hour. The intake cam phasing and / or exhaust cam phasing command 342 can affect NOx emissions in the engine 101, and effective NOx control requires an accurate NOx response model. Because the system herein has the authority to dynamically change the VVA command, variations in NOx emissions based on cam phasing are accounted for through normalized factors, such as the interpolation factor 320. Thus, by receiving engine speed 306 from engine 101, engine torque 308 from engine 101, and interpolation factor 320 from interpolation factor circuit 166, NOx response correction circuit 169 can determine a NOx correction factor value to be applied to NOx response 310, which generates a corrected NOx response 346 to more accurately track NOx emissions.

[0076] As shown in FIG. 9 , the fuel flow compensation factor graph 177 provides various fuel flow compensation factor curves associated with various engine speed 306 and engine torque 308 set points. The x-axis represents the interpolation factor ranging from 0 to 1, and the y-axis represents the fuel flow compensation factor ranging from 16 to 44 milligrams per cylinder. In some embodiments, the fuel flow compensation factor may range more or less than 0 to 44 milligrams per cylinder. The intake cam phasing and / or exhaust cam phasing command 342 may affect fueling within the engine 101, which may cause inefficient engine torque production and operation. Because the system herein has the authority to dynamically change the VVA command, variations in fueling based on cam phasing are accounted for through normalized factors, such as the interpolation factor 320. Thus, by receiving engine speed 306 from engine 101, engine torque 308 from engine 101, and interpolation factor 320 from interpolation factor circuit 166, fuel correction circuit 170 can determine a fuel flow compensation factor to be applied to the desired amount of fuel 312 to generate fuel injection command 348.

[0077] According to an exemplary embodiment, the VVA command circuit 167, the boost flow circuit 168, the NOx response correction circuit 169, and the fuel correction circuit 170 of the feedforward and feedback controller 160 provide coordinated control of the engine 101, the fuel system 102, and / or the air system 104 via output 340 to control the actual exhaust gas temperature 304 and achieve or substantially achieve the aftertreatment temperature target 302 (e.g., threshold difference 10 , by adjusting the intake cam phasing (as shown in graph 402) and / or the exhaust cam phasing (as shown in graph 404) (at a fixed engine speed 306 and engine torque 308), the actual exhaust gas temperature 304 can be manipulated to achieve the aftertreatment temperature target 302 and keep the temperature between the low temperature threshold 314 and the high temperature threshold 316 (as shown in graph 400). More specifically, as shown in graphs 400-404, exhaust temperature can be increased by retarding intake cam phasing (from the nominal position) and / or advancing exhaust cam phasing. Similarly, exhaust temperature can be decreased by (a) returning intake cam phasing toward the nominal position or further advancing the intake cam phasing, and / or (b) returning exhaust cam phasing toward the nominal position or further retarding the exhaust cam phasing. As another example, the IAT and / or WG command 344 can affect the air / fuel ratio, which may require a change to the fuel supply (e.g., via fuel injection command 348) and affect exhaust temperature. For example, by leaving the WG open, hot exhaust gases can bypass the turbocharger and flow directly into the aftertreatment system 120, thereby increasing its temperature. However, bypassing the turbocharger via the WG can affect the boost air flow rate provided to the engine 101 by the air system 104 and therefore the air / fuel ratio.Thus, the IAT and / or WG command 344 may accommodate this by opening the IAT further and providing more boost air, and / or the fueling command 348 may accommodate this by adjusting the fueling to provide an appropriate air / fuel ratio based on current engine operation. Likewise, the reverse is also true: closing the WG may reduce exhaust temperatures and allow more boost air to be provided to the engine 101, which may require the IAT to be set to a more closed position and / or the fueling may need to be adjusted to compensate.

[0078] 11 , a method 500 is shown for controlling the temperature of an exhaust aftertreatment system (e.g., aftertreatment system 120) within an optimal operating range to maintain proper operation of an engine (e.g., engine 101) based on current demand while facilitating the aftertreatment system to operate at peak efficiency. In step 510, a control system (e.g., control system 150, feedforward and feedback controller 160, etc.) is structured or configured to determine whether the temperature target (e.g., aftertreatment temperature target 302, as determined by AFT temperature target generator 152) exceeds the actual aftertreatment temperature (e.g., the actual exhaust gas temperature 304 exceeds a threshold amount or difference, etc.). The threshold amount may be 0, 2, 5, 10, or 15 degrees, or the threshold difference may be 1%, 2%, 5%, 10%, etc. If the temperature target does not exceed the aftertreatment temperature (e.g., by a threshold amount or difference), the control system is structured or configured to proceed to step 520. If the temperature target exceeds the post-treatment temperature (eg, by more than a threshold amount or difference), the control system is structured or configured to proceed to step 540 .

[0079] In step 520, the control system is structured or configured to determine whether the temperature target is less than the actual post-treatment temperature (e.g., by more than a threshold amount or difference). If the temperature target is not less than the post-treatment temperature (e.g., by more than a threshold amount or difference), the control system is structured or configured to return to step 510. If the temperature target is less than the post-treatment temperature (e.g., by more than a threshold amount or difference), the control system is structured or configured to proceed to step 530.

[0080] In step 530, in response to the target temperature being less than the actual aftertreatment temperature, the control system is configured to adjust control between a fuel system (e.g., fuel system 102), an air system (e.g., air system 104), and an engine (e.g., engine 101) to reduce the actual aftertreatment temperature. As an example, the control system may adjust the injection pattern, injection timing, and / or amount of fuel supply provided by fuel injectors in the fuel system, adjust the boost air flow provided by the IAT, adjust the amount of exhaust gas bypassing the turbocharger through the WG, adjust intake cam phasing, and / or adjust exhaust cam phasing in a coordinated manner to effectively reduce the actual aftertreatment temperature while maintaining proper operation of the engine based on current demand.

[0081] In step 540, in response to the target temperature exceeding the actual aftertreatment temperature, the control system is configured to adjust controls between the fuel system, the air system, and the engine to increase the actual aftertreatment temperature. By way of example, the control system may adjust the injection pattern, injection timing, and / or amount of fuel provided by fuel injectors in the fuel system, adjust the boost air flow provided by the IAT, adjust the amount of exhaust gas bypassing the turbocharger through the WG, adjust intake cam phasing, and / or adjust exhaust cam phasing in a coordinated manner to effectively increase the actual aftertreatment temperature while maintaining proper operation of the engine based on current demand.

[0082] As used herein, the terms "approximately," "about," "substantially," and similar terms are intended to have a broad meaning consistent with common and accepted use by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the subject matter of this disclosure pertains. It should be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art reviewing this disclosure that these terms are intended to enable the description of certain features as described and claimed without limiting the scope of those features to the precise numerical ranges provided. These terms should thus be interpreted to indicate that insubstantial or insignificant modifications or variations of the subject matter as described and claimed are considered within the scope of the present disclosure as recited in the appended claims.

[0083] It should be noted that the term "exemplary" and variations thereof, as used herein to describe various embodiments, are intended to indicate that such embodiments are possible examples, representations, or illustrations of possible embodiments (and such terms are not intended to imply that such embodiments are necessarily extraordinary or the best examples).

[0084] As used herein, the term "coupled" and variations thereof refer to the direct or indirect joining of two members to one another. Such joining can be fixed (e.g., permanent or fixed) or movable (e.g., removable or releasable). Such joining can be achieved where two members are directly joined to one another, where two members are joined to one another using one or more separate intervening members, or where two members are joined to one another using an intervening member integrally formed as a single, unitary body with one of the two members. When "coupled" or variations thereof are modified by additional terms (e.g., directly coupled), the general definition of "coupled" provided above is modified by the plain language meaning of the additional terms (e.g., "directly coupled" means the joining of two members without any separate intervening members), resulting in a definition narrower than the general definition of "coupled" provided above. Such joining can be mechanical, electrical, or fluid. For example, circuit A being communicatively "coupled" to circuit B may indicate that circuit A communicates directly with circuit B (i.e., no intermediate stages) or indirectly with circuit B (e.g., through one or more intermediate stages).

[0085] References herein to the location of elements (e.g., "top," "bottom," "upper," "lower") are merely used to describe the orientation of various elements in the figures. It should be noted that the orientation of various elements may differ according to other exemplary embodiments, and such variations are intended to be encompassed by the present disclosure.

[0086] While various circuits with specific functionality are shown in Figures 2B and 2C, it should be understood that control system 150 (e.g., AFT temperature target generator 152, feedforward and feedback controller 160, air handling controller 180) may include any number of circuits to complete the functions described herein. For example, the activities and functionality of control system 150 may be combined in multiple circuits or as a single circuit. Additional circuits with additional functionality may also be included. Furthermore, control system 150 may control other activities outside the scope of this disclosure.

[0087] As mentioned above, in one configuration, a “circuit” may be implemented in a machine-readable medium for execution by various types of processors, such as processor 162 of FIG. 2B and processor 182 of FIG. 2C. Executable code may comprise one or more physical or logical blocks of, for example, computer instructions, which may be organized as, for example, an object, a procedure, or a function. Nevertheless, executable files need not be physically located together but may comprise heterogeneous instructions stored in different locations that, when logically joined together, constitute a circuit and achieve the purpose described with respect to the circuit. In fact, a circuit of computer-readable program code may be a single instruction or many instructions, and may further be distributed across several different code segments, among different programs, and across several memory devices. Similarly, operational data, as identified and illustrated herein in a circuit, may be embodied in any suitable form and organized within any suitable type of data structure. Operational data may be collected as a single data set or distributed across different locations, including different storage devices, and may exist, at least in part, solely as electronic signals over a system or network.

[0088] While the term "processor" is briefly defined above, the terms "processor" and "processing circuitry" are meant to be broadly interpreted. In this regard, as noted above, a "processor" may be implemented as one or more processors, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), digital signal processors (DSPs), or other suitable electronic data processing components structured to execute instructions provided by a memory. The one or more processors may take the form of a single-core processor, a multi-core processor (e.g., a dual-core processor, a triple-core processor, a quad-core processor, etc.), a microprocessor, etc. In some embodiments, one or more processors may be external to the device; for example, one or more processors may be remote processors (e.g., cloud-based processors). Alternatively, or in addition, one or more processors may be internal and / or local to the device. In this regard, a given circuit or component thereof may be located locally (e.g., as part of a local server, a local computing system, etc.) or remotely (e.g., as part of a remote server, such as a cloud-based server). To that end, a "circuit" as described herein may include components that are distributed across one or more locations.

[0089] Embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure include program products comprising computer- or machine-readable media for carrying or having stored thereon computer- or machine-executable instructions or data structures. Such machine-readable media may be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer. The computer-readable medium may be a tangible computer-readable storage medium that stores computer-readable program code. The computer-readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, holographic, micromechanical, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples of computer-readable media may include, but are not limited to, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), a portable compact disc-read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disc (DVD), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, a holographic storage medium, a micromechanical storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document, a computer-readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that may contain and / or store computer-readable program code for use by and / or associated with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. Machine-executable instructions include, for example, instructions and data that cause a computer or processing machine to perform a certain function or group of functions.

[0090] The computer-readable medium may also be a computer-readable signal medium. A computer-readable signal medium may include a propagated data signal with computer-readable program code embodied therein, for example, in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may take any of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, electrical, electromagnetic, magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer-readable signal medium is not a computer-readable storage medium, but may be any computer-readable medium that can communicate, propagate, or transport computer-readable program code for use by or in association with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. Computer-readable program code embodied on a computer-readable signal medium may be transmitted using any suitable medium, including, but not limited to, wireless, wired, fiber optic cable, radio frequency (RF), etc., or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

[0091] In one embodiment, the computer-readable medium may comprise a combination of one or more computer-readable storage media and one or more computer-readable signal media. For example, computer-readable program code may be both propagated as an electromagnetic signal over fiber optic cable for execution by a processor and stored on a RAM storage device for execution by the processor.

[0092] Computer-readable program code for performing operations for aspects of the present disclosure may be written in any combination of one or more other programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Java, Smalltalk, C++, etc., and conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as the "C" programming language or similar programming languages. The computer-readable program code may execute entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, as a stand-alone computer-readable package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be to an external computer (e.g., through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider).

[0093] Program code may also be stored in a computer-readable medium that can instruct a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to function in a particular manner to produce an article of manufacture, where the instructions stored in the computer-readable medium include instructions that implement the function(s) / act(s) defined in a block or blocks of the schematic flowchart diagrams and / or schematic block diagrams.

[0094] While the figures and descriptions may illustrate a specific order of method steps, the order of such steps may differ from that depicted and described unless otherwise specified above. Also, two or more steps may be performed in parallel or partially parallel, unless otherwise specified above. Such variations may depend, for example, on the software and hardware systems selected and the designer's choices. All such variations are within the scope of this disclosure. Similarly, software implementations of the described methods may be performed using standard programming techniques involving rule-based and other logic to perform the various connecting, processing, comparing, and determining steps.

[0095] It is important to note that the construction and arrangement of the devices and systems as shown in the various exemplary embodiments are illustrative only. Additionally, any element disclosed in one embodiment may be incorporated into or utilized with any other embodiment disclosed herein.

Claims

1. 1. A system comprising: one or more processing circuits comprising one or more memory devices coupled to one or more processors, the one or more memory devices configured to store instructions thereon, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, obtaining temperature data relating to the temperature of exhaust gases entering the aftertreatment system from the engine; comparing the temperature to a target temperature; In response to the temperature deviating from the target temperature, providing at least one command to at least one of: (a) the engine; (b) a fuel system configured to supply fuel to the engine; or (c) an air system configured to supply air to the engine to (i) control the temperature of the exhaust gases to maintain an aftertreatment temperature of one or more components of the aftertreatment system within a desired temperature operating range, and (ii) control the air / fuel ratio to substantially maintain operation of the engine at an operating condition based on current demand. The system causes the one or more processors to perform the following:

2. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to, in response to the temperature exceeding the target temperature, provide the at least one command to decrease the temperature.

3. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to, in response to the temperature being less than the target temperature, provide the at least one command to increase the temperature.

4. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to provide the at least one command to at least one of: (a) an intake cam of the engine; (b) an exhaust cam of the engine; (c) a fuel injector of the fuel system to control the supply of fuel to the engine; (d) an intake throttle or a turbocharger wastegate of the air system to control the supply of supercharged air flow to the engine; or (e) the turbocharger wastegate to bypass a turbocharger and control the amount of exhaust gas received by the aftertreatment system.

5. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to coordinate control between the engine, the fuel system, and the air system, maintain the aftertreatment temperature of the one or more components of the aftertreatment system within the desired temperature operating range, and provide the at least one command to the engine, the fuel system, and the air system to maintain operation of the engine at the operating condition.

6. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to provide the at least one command in response to the temperature deviating from the target temperature by more than a threshold amount.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the threshold amount is at least outside the desired temperature operating range.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the desired temperature operating range is from about 300 degrees Celsius to about 400 degrees Celsius.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the operating conditions include engine speed and engine torque.

10. the desired temperature operating range includes a low temperature threshold and a high temperature threshold, and the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, determining an interpolation factor based on the temperature of the exhaust gas, the target temperature, the low temperature threshold, and the high temperature threshold; determining the at least one command based on the interpolation factor, the engine speed, and the engine torque; The system of claim 9 , further causing the one or more processors to:

11. 1. A system comprising: one or more processing circuits comprising one or more memory devices coupled to one or more processors, the one or more memory devices configured to store instructions thereon, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, obtaining temperature data relating to the temperature of exhaust gases entering the aftertreatment system from the engine; in response to the temperature deviating from a target temperature for one or more components of the aftertreatment system by more than a threshold amount, providing commands to (a) the engine, (b) a fuel system configured to supply fuel to the engine, and (c) an air system configured to supply air to the engine to coordinate control among the engine, the fuel system, and the air system to maintain an aftertreatment temperature of one or more components of the aftertreatment system within a desired temperature operating range and to substantially maintain operation of the engine at an operating condition based on current demand; The system causes the one or more processors to perform the following:

12. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to provide the commands to: (a) at least one of: (i) an intake cam of the engine; or (ii) an exhaust cam of the engine; (b) a fuel injector of the fuel system for controlling the supply of the fuel to the engine; and (c) at least one of: (i) an intake throttle of the air system for at least partially controlling the supply of supercharged air flow to the engine; (ii) a turbocharger wastegate of the air system configured to at least partially control the supply of supercharged air flow to the engine; or (iii) the turbocharger wastegate for bypassing a turbocharger and controlling the amount of the exhaust gases received by the aftertreatment system.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the threshold amount is at least outside the desired temperature operating range.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the desired temperature operating range is from about 300 degrees Celsius to about 400 degrees Celsius.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the operating conditions include engine speed and engine torque.

16. the desired temperature operating range includes a low temperature threshold and a high temperature threshold, and the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, determining an interpolation factor based on the temperature of the exhaust gas, the target temperature for the one or more components of the aftertreatment system, the low temperature threshold, and the high temperature threshold; determining the command based on the interpolation factor, the engine speed, and the engine torque; The system of claim 15 , further causing the one or more processors to:

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions encoded thereon, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, obtaining temperature data relating to the temperature of exhaust gases entering the aftertreatment system from the engine; in response to the temperature deviating from a target temperature for one or more components of the aftertreatment system by more than a threshold amount, providing commands to (a) the engine, (b) a fuel system configured to supply fuel to the engine, and (c) an air system configured to supply air to the engine to coordinate control among the engine, the fuel system, and the air system to maintain an aftertreatment temperature of one or more components of the aftertreatment system within a desired temperature operating range and to substantially maintain operation of the engine at an operating condition based on current demand; a non-transitory computer-readable medium that causes the one or more processors to perform operations including:

18. 18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to perform operations including providing the commands to at least one of: (i) an intake cam of the engine; or (ii) an exhaust cam of the engine; (b) a fuel injector of the fuel system for controlling the supply of the fuel to the engine; and (c) at least one of: (i) an intake throttle of the air system for at least partially controlling the supply of supercharged air flow to the engine; (ii) a turbocharger wastegate of the air system configured to at least partially control the supply of supercharged air flow to the engine; or (iii) the turbocharger wastegate for bypassing a turbocharger and controlling the amount of the exhaust gases received by the aftertreatment system.

19. 20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the operating conditions include engine speed and engine torque.

20. the desired temperature operating range includes a low temperature threshold and a high temperature threshold, and the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, determining an interpolation factor based on the temperature of the exhaust gas, the target temperature for the one or more components of the aftertreatment system, the low temperature threshold, and the high temperature threshold; determining the command based on the interpolation factor, the engine speed, and the engine torque; 20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, further causing the one or more processors to perform operations including:

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