Internal Combustion Engine Emission Control via Exhaust Gas Composition Analysis

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for operating internal combustion engines fail to effectively monitor and adjust emissions over an entire operating cycle, leading to potential exceedance of statutory exhaust-gas limit values and inefficient use of exhaust treatment systems.

Innovation Solution

A method that determines the current composition of combustion exhaust gases, calculates an emission collective over a predefined interval, and adjusts the air-fuel mixture composition based on this collective to maintain compliance with emission limits, optimizing the engine's operation and reducing pollutant emissions by adjusting the lambda setpoint and sequencing diagnostic measures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If conventional methods monitor only current emission behavior, then immediate emission control is achieved, but overall emission reduction over the operating cycle is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoverall emission reductionVSAvoidemission monitoring and control system

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by determining an emission collective over a predefined interval before making composition adjustments. This allows the control to anticipate and prevent emission limit exceedances rather than merely reacting to current emissions, thereby reducing overall emissions while maintaining manageable system complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring exhaust gas composition, calculating emission collectives, and using this information to adjust the air-fuel mixture composition. This closed-loop control ensures compliance with emission limits while optimizing overall emission reduction across the operating cycle

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If the air-fuel mixture composition is adjusted based on current emissions, then immediate emission compliance is maintained, but cumulative emissions over the operating cycle may exceed statutory limits

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveemission limit complianceVSAvoidcumulative pollutant emissions

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system determines the emission collective over a predefined interval before making composition adjustments, allowing it to prevent cumulative emission exceedances rather than merely reacting to current emissions. This preliminary assessment ensures both immediate compliance and control of cumulative emissions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from exhaust gas composition measurements to continuously adjust the air-fuel mixture, ensuring that both immediate emission compliance and cumulative emission control are maintained throughout the operating cycle

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Adaptability or versatility

If diagnostic measures are performed without considering emission collectives, then diagnostic completeness is achieved, but emission limits may be exceeded during diagnostic operations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvediagnostic capabilityVSAvoidemissions during diagnostics

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the air-fuel mixture composition based on the emission collective determined over a predefined interval. This dynamic control allows diagnostic measures to be performed while maintaining compliance with emission limits, as the composition can be adjusted in real-time to compensate for emissions generated during diagnostics

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback control by monitoring exhaust gas composition during diagnostic operations and adjusting the air-fuel mixture accordingly, ensuring that diagnostic completeness is achieved without exceeding emission limits

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

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 allows for real-time monitoring and adjustment of emissions, ensuring compliance with statutory limits throughout the operating cycle, reducing overall pollutant emissions and optimizing the performance of exhaust treatment systems.

Implementation Method 1

combusting an air-fuel mixture of a first composition, determining a current composition of a combustion exhaust gas produced during the combustion

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCombustion: Combustion

Data Source

PatentUS20230407806A1Method for operating an internal combustion engine, computing unit, and computer program

Publication Date: 2023.12.21 ROBERT BOSCH GMBH

AI summary

The invention relates to a method (200) for operating an internal combustion engine (110), comprising providing and combusting an air-fuel mixture of a first composition, determining (210) a current composition of a combustion exhaust gas produced during the combustion, determining (220) an emission collective, which comprises a total amount emitted over a predefined interval for at least one component of the combustion exhaust gas, from multiple successively determined current compositions of the combustion exhaust gas, and setting (250) a second composition of the air-fuel mixture depending on the emission collective determined. The invention also relates to a computing unit and a computer program product for carrying out such a method.