Grille Shutter Malfunction Catalyst Overheating Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
When a grille shutter in a vehicle's radiator grille malfunctions and remains closed, it leads to increased engine compartment temperature, which can cause the catalyst in the exhaust system to overheat, reducing its purifying performance.
Innovation Solution
An electronic control unit adjusts the fuel injection quantity based on detected malfunctions, increasing it when a grille shutter close malfunction is detected to maintain the catalyst temperature within a predetermined range and prevent overheating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the grille shutter is kept closed due to malfunction, then the engine compartment temperature increases, but the catalyst temperature increases causing overheating and reduced purifying performance
Solution Approach 1:
The ECU changes the fuel injection quantity parameter when a grille shutter malfunction is detected. By increasing the fuel injection quantity, the exhaust gas temperature is reduced, which prevents catalyst overheating even when the grille shutter remains closed due to malfunction.
2Temperature
If the fuel injection quantity is increased to prevent catalyst overheating, then the catalyst temperature decreases, but the engine performance may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel injection quantity is increased partially or excessively only when a grille shutter malfunction is detected, rather than continuously. This targeted approach prevents catalyst overheating during malfunction conditions while minimizing the impact on normal engine performance during regular operation.
3Reliability
If the ECU detects grille shutter malfunction and adjusts fuel injection, then the exhaust-gas purification performance is maintained, but the control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ECU continuously monitors the grille shutter operation status and provides feedback control by adjusting the fuel injection quantity based on the detected malfunction state. This feedback mechanism maintains exhaust-gas purification performance by dynamically adapting the fuel injection to compensate for the closed grille shutter condition.
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 solution effectively decreases the catalyst temperature and prevents overheating, thereby maintaining the exhaust-gas purification performance even when a grille shutter malfunction occurs.
Implementation Method 1
a catalyst provided in an exhaust system of the internal combustion engine... the catalyst purifying exhaust gas of the engine
Implementation Method 2
increase the injection quantity when the malfunction is detected than that when the malfunction is not detected... effectively decreases the catalyst temperature and prevents overheating
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle is disclosed which includes: an engine; a catalyst purifying exhaust gas of the engine; a grille shutter adjusting an opening area of a radiator grille; and an electronic control unit configured to: (a) control an injection quantity of fuel to be supplied to the engine, (b) detect a malfunction of the grille shutter in a state where the grille shutter is closed, and (c) increase the injection quantity when the malfunction is detected in comparison to when the malfunction is not detected.