Hybrid Emissions Control for Catalyst Warm-Up at Engine Start
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hybrid engine systems face challenges in efficiently managing emissions during cold starts due to inefficient catalyst operation, which often requires additional fuel consumption to warm up the catalyst, leading to increased emissions and complexity or cost in emission reduction strategies.
Innovation Solution
An emissions management system that includes a sensor assembly and a controller to monitor catalyst temperature and engine power, optimizing engine operation to reduce emissions by leveraging battery power during cold starts, and transitioning to normal operation when catalyst temperature reaches an efficiency threshold.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If conventional emission reduction strategies (catalyst warm up, EGR) are employed, then emissions are reduced, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The hybrid system uses its own battery power to directly heat the catalyst through resistive heating elements integrated into the catalyst substrate, eliminating the need for external heating systems or complex EGR controls. The system serves its own emission reduction needs using resources already available in the hybrid architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the heating function from complex mechanical systems (EGR, external heaters) and implements it directly within the catalyst structure itself through integrated heating elements, simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining emission reduction effectiveness.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If catalyst warm up strategies are used, then emission conversion efficiency is improved, but fuel consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical/thermal systems that consume fuel (retarded spark timing, parasitic engine load) with an electrical heating system powered by the hybrid battery, substituting fuel-based energy with electrical energy to achieve catalyst warm-up.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the energy source parameter from fuel-based heating to electricity-based heating, allowing catalyst warm-up without the penalty of increased fuel consumption. The controller manages battery power delivery to heating elements to achieve target catalyst temperature efficiently.
3Temperature
If external heaters or heated catalytic converters are used, then catalyst activation temperature is reached, but cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heating elements are nested directly within the catalyst substrate structure, with heating wires or traces integrated into the ceramic honeycomb walls. This nested configuration allows direct heating of the catalyst active surfaces without requiring external heating hardware or complex thermal management systems.
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 reduces emissions by optimizing catalyst temperature and engine power, minimizing exhaust flow rates, and maintaining efficient emissions management across various applications without significant cost or complexity.
Implementation Method 1
catalytic converters to reduce toxic emissions in exhaust gas into less-toxic pollutants
Implementation Method 2
exhaust gas recirculation to reuse exhaust gas in future combustion events
Data Source
AI summary
Emissions management systems for engines in hybrid systems include a sensor assembly and a controller. Sensor assembly is configured to provide an activation signal in response to an engine start event and to detect emissions information, including information indicative of an engine power, a driver demanded power, a catalyst temperature, a battery state of charge, and a battery temperature. Controller communicates with sensor assembly and is configured to: receive activation signal and, in response, emissions information from sensor assembly; determine an emissions reduction mode having a threshold value for catalyst temperature and having an engine power corresponding thereto; monitor emissions information; compare catalyst temperature to threshold value; cause the engine to operate in emissions reduction mode while catalyst temperature is less than threshold value; and allow the engine to operate in a normal operation mode while catalyst temperature is greater than or equal to the threshold value.