Hybrid Vehicle Engine Control for Catalyst Temperature and Fuel Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
In hybrid vehicles, the engine is often wastefully fueled to maintain catalyst activation temperature during low power supply or intermittent operations, leading to inefficient fuel consumption.
Innovation Solution
A control apparatus that operates the engine based on power supply conditions, suppressing engine operation when power remains below a predetermined value for extended periods and allowing operation when power demand increases or storage capacity falls, thereby optimizing fuel usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the engine is driven to maintain catalyst activation temperature during power supply operation, then the catalyst temperature is maintained, but fuel is consumed wastefully when power supply is small or intermittent
Solution Approach 1:
The control apparatus dynamically adjusts engine operation based on real-time monitoring of power supply conditions. When power supply exceeds a threshold value, the engine is controlled to operate; when power supply falls below the threshold, engine operation is suppressed. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by making engine operation conditional rather than continuous, maintaining catalyst temperature only when necessary while avoiding wasteful fuel consumption during low-power periods
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of the engine based on power supply conditions. By setting a threshold value for power supply and adjusting engine operation status accordingly, the system optimizes the balance between maintaining catalyst activation temperature and minimizing fuel consumption. The threshold parameter serves as a critical control point that determines when engine operation is beneficial versus when it becomes wasteful
2Loss of energy
If the engine operation is suppressed during low power supply, then fuel consumption is reduced, but the catalyst temperature may fall below activation temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The control apparatus implements a feedback mechanism that continuously monitors power supply conditions and adjusts engine operation accordingly. By detecting when power supply exceeds the threshold value, the system activates or maintains engine operation to ensure catalyst temperature remains at activation level. This feedback loop resolves the contradiction by ensuring engine operation is maintained only when power supply conditions support it, preventing both wasteful operation and temperature deficiency
3Speed
If the engine operates continuously to maintain readiness, then the system can respond quickly to power supply demands, but fuel is wasted during intermittent operations
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static continuous operation to dynamic conditional operation. By monitoring power supply conditions in real-time and adjusting engine operation status based on threshold comparisons, the system maintains readiness to respond to power supply demands while avoiding continuous operation during low-power periods. This dynamic approach resolves the contradiction between response readiness and fuel efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic control unit (ECU) including non-transitory instructions executable to set a threshold β as a shutdown threshold when, during a power supply operation, a duration of a power supply stoppage exceeds a first time; stop an operation of an engine or prohibit the engine from operating; and executing system shutdown processing when an SOC of a storage apparatus falls to or below the shutdown threshold or the duration of the power supply stoppage exceeds a second time.