Vehicle Cabin Pre-Heating via Electrically Heated Catalyst
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle air conditioning systems that preheat cabins by starting an internal combustion engine remotely face challenges in minimizing environmental performance degradation during pre-air conditioning.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control system that calculates and optimizes the catalyst warming period and pre-air conditioning period to ensure the internal combustion engine is started only when necessary, using an electrically heated catalyst and remote controller to adjust the cabin temperature efficiently, thereby minimizing exhaust gas emission and environmental impact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the internal combustion engine is started remotely to perform pre-air conditioning of the cabin, then the cabin temperature can be adjusted to the target temperature, but environmental performance deteriorates due to exhaust gas emissions
Solution Approach 1:
The electrically heated catalyst performs catalyst warming before the internal combustion engine is started. This preliminary action ensures that when the engine starts for pre-air conditioning, the catalyst is already in active state, enabling immediate emission control and reducing harmful exhaust gas emissions from the outset
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the conventional thermal catalyst warming method (which relies on engine heat) with an electrically heated catalyst system. This substitution allows for precise control of catalyst temperature independent of engine operation, enabling the engine to start only when necessary for cabin temperature adjustment while maintaining emission control
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the internal combustion engine is started early to warm the catalyst, then the catalyst reaches active temperature, but the pre-air conditioning period extends beyond the available time margin
Solution Approach 1:
The electrically heated catalyst replaces the engine-dependent thermal warming system, enabling independent and controlled catalyst activation. This substitution allows the system to achieve catalyst active state without necessarily running the engine at full power or for extended periods, optimizing the balance between emission control and time efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the catalyst warming parameters (power, duration) based on the calculated time margin and cabin temperature requirements. By changing these parameters optimally, the system achieves sufficient catalyst activation while minimizing the pre-air conditioning period to fit within the available time
3Speed
If the internal combustion engine is started immediately upon receiving the remote signal, then the pre-air conditioning can begin without delay, but the catalyst warming period is not accounted for
Solution Approach 1:
Upon receiving the remote signal, the system immediately initiates catalyst warming through the electrically heated catalyst before starting the engine. This preliminary action ensures that when the engine starts, emission control is already active, maintaining reliability while achieving rapid response
Solution Approach 2:
The catalyst warming process continues concurrently with or immediately precedes the pre-air conditioning operation, ensuring continuous emission control capability throughout the engine operation period. This continuity maintains reliable emission control without interrupting the useful action of cabin temperature adjustment
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
The system effectively minimizes environmental performance degradation by optimizing the timing of engine start and pre-air conditioning, allowing for comfortable cabin temperatures while reducing exhaust gas emissions.
Implementation Method 1
calculating a catalyst warming period which is an estimated period required to warm, to an active temperature, an electrically heated catalyst disposed in an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine
Implementation Method 2
starting pre-air conditioning of the cabin by starting the internal combustion engine
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle control device includes a controller configured to execute: receiving a remote signal containing a target temperature in a cabin and an expected traveling start time of a vehicle from a remote controller used by a user of the vehicle; calculating a catalyst warming period which is an estimated period required to warm, to an active temperature, an electrically heated catalyst; calculating a pre-air conditioning period which is an estimated period required to adjust a temperature in the cabin to the target temperature; and starting pre-air conditioning of the cabin by starting an internal combustion engine after completion of warming of the electrically heated catalyst when a sum of the catalyst warming period and the pre-air conditioning period is equal to or shorter than a starting time margin from a time of reception of the remote signal to the expected traveling start time.