Oxygen Sensor Heater Control for Cold-Start Emissions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles face increased emissions during engine cranking due to the need for open-loop control before the oxygen sensor reaches operating temperature, leading to inefficient fuel use and harmful emissions.
Innovation Solution
A control module that receives signals indicative of future engine cranking events to activate the oxygen sensor heater, ensuring it reaches operating temperature before engine start, thereby enabling closed-loop control and reducing emissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If the oxygen sensor is heated prior to engine cranking, then emissions are reduced and closed-loop control begins sooner, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control module activates the heater associated with the oxygen sensor before the engine cranking event, based on a signal indicating future cranking. This preliminary heating action ensures the sensor reaches operational temperature in advance, enabling immediate closed-loop control and reducing emissions during the critical cold-start period.
Solution Approach 2:
The control module receives a signal indicative of future engine cranking and uses this feedback information to timing the heater activation. This feedback mechanism allows the system to optimize energy consumption by heating the sensor only when and when needed, rather than continuously or unnecessarily.
2Loss of time
If the oxygen sensor is heated before engine cranking, then closed-loop control can begin sooner, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control module is configured to activate the heater before engine cranking based on a predictive signal, ensuring the oxygen sensor reaches operational temperature in advance. This preliminary action reduces the time delay between engine start and the availability of accurate emissions data for closed-loop control.
Solution Approach 2:
The control module integrates multiple functions: receiving cranking prediction signals, determining heater activation timing, and controlling the heater circuit. By consolidating these functions in a single control module, the patent manages device complexity while achieving the benefit of earlier closed-loop control.
3Reliability
If the heater is activated based on multiple trigger events, then the reliability of timing is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The processing means is designed to handle multiple types of trigger events (vehicle unlocking, door opening, ignition switch activation) through a unified control logic. This multi-functional approach improves timing reliability by monitoring various indicators of imminent engine cranking while managing complexity through integrated processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The control module monitors multiple trigger events and uses this feedback information to determine the optimal time to activate the heater. By synthesizing information from multiple sources, the system improves the reliability of timing the heating action to coincide with future engine cranking.
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 solution reduces harmful emissions by allowing closed-loop control to begin sooner, with experimental results showing a 50% reduction in CO emissions and significant reductions in particulates and NOx emissions when the oxygen sensor is preheated.
Implementation Method 1
a heater associated with the oxygen sensor... control... heating of the oxygen sensor prior to the engine cranking
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention provide An oxygen sensor (160) control module (100) for a vehicle, comprising input means (130) for receiving one or more signals (135) indicative of a likelihood of future engine cranking, an output means (140) to provide an output signal (145) to cause activation of a heater (150) associated with the oxygen sensor, and processing means (110) arranged to control, in dependence on the one or more signals (135) indicative of the likelihood of future engine cranking, the output means (140) to provide the output signal (145) to cause activation of the heater (150) associated with the oxygen sensor (160) prior to the engine cranking.