Active Thermal Management for Vehicle Exhaust Temperature Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle exhaust treatment systems face inefficiencies in managing exhaust gas temperatures, particularly during filter regeneration events, which can lead to fuel wastage and reduced engine performance.
Innovation Solution
An active thermal management system that uses an electronic engine controller to adjust coolant flow temperatures around the engine cylinders, allowing for selective operation in normal, thermal increase, and thermal decrease modes to optimize exhaust gas temperatures for efficient treatment processes without additional fuel injection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If fuel is injected into the exhaust treatment system to heat it, then the temperature of the exhaust treatment devices increases, but fuel consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses coolant as an intermediary substance to transfer thermal energy to the exhaust treatment devices. Instead of directly injecting fuel into the exhaust system, the coolant circulates through channels in the exhaust treatment devices, transferring heat from the engine coolant system to the exhaust treatment devices, thereby eliminating the need for additional fuel injection while maintaining effective operating temperatures
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the coolant system serve multiple functions: it continues to cool the engine cylinders while simultaneously heating the exhaust treatment devices. By routing coolant through both the engine blocks and the exhaust treatment devices, the same thermal management system performs both cooling and heating functions, eliminating the need for separate heating mechanisms and reducing overall fuel consumption
2Temperature
If coolant temperature is increased to heat exhaust treatment devices, then exhaust gas temperature increases, but engine cooling efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The coolant system is divided into separate circulation paths: one path cools the engine cylinders while another path heats the exhaust treatment devices. The engine control unit independently controls coolant flow to each path, allowing the engine cooling system to maintain efficient low-temperature operation while the exhaust treatment devices receive heated coolant separately, thus resolving the conflict between engine cooling efficiency and exhaust heating requirements
3Productivity
If exhaust gas temperature is rapidly adjusted for aftertreatment device operation, then treatment efficiency improves, but system response time increases without active control
Solution Approach 1:
The engine control unit continuously monitors exhaust gas temperature and coolant temperature, and adjusts coolant flow distribution in real-time based on feedback from temperature sensors. When exhaust treatment devices require higher temperatures, the control unit increases coolant flow to the heating path; when temperatures are sufficient, it redirects coolant to maximize engine cooling, enabling rapid thermal response without delaying treatment efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The coolant flow distribution is made dynamic rather than static. The system continuously adjusts coolant flow rates and distribution between engine cooling and exhaust heating paths based on real-time operating conditions and temperature requirements, allowing rapid adaptation to changing thermal demands and improving system response time for aftertreatment device operation
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach minimizes fuel consumption, rapidly adjusts exhaust gas temperatures for effective aftertreatment device operation, and improves overall fuel efficiency by actively controlling exhaust gas temperatures, thereby preventing conversion losses in SCR systems and reducing the temperature of aftertreatment devices.
Implementation Method 1
The active thermal management system flows coolant around the at least one cylinder thereby varying an exhaust temperature of the exhaust gas
Data Source
AI summary
An automotive vehicle includes an internal combustion engine that outputs exhaust gas from a cylinder, and an active thermal management system. The active thermal management system flows coolant around the cylinder thereby varying an exhaust temperature of the exhaust gas. An electronic engine controller controls the internal combustion engine and the active thermal management system. The engine controller generates a control signal to selectively operate the active thermal management system in a normal mode, a thermal increase mode, and a thermal decrease mode. The normal mode flows the coolant at a first coolant temperature. The thermal increase mode flows the coolant at a second coolant temperature greater than the first coolant temperature thereby increasing the exhaust temperature of the exhaust gas. The thermal decrease mode flows the coolant at a third coolant temperature less than the first coolant temperature thereby decreasing the exhaust temperature of the exhaust gas.