Particulate Sensor Regeneration via Lean Air/Fuel Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing particulate detection devices struggle to regenerate and accurately detect exhaust particulates in gasoline engines, as the low oxygen levels in exhaust gases prevent effective burning and removal of accumulated particulates during the regeneration treatment.
Innovation Solution
A particulate detection device with a controller that adjusts the air/fuel ratio to a lean condition, combined with a heater to increase the temperature of the insulation part, ensuring sufficient oxygen is present for burning and removing accumulated particulates, even in engines operating at a theoretical air/fuel ratio.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the heater is used to perform regeneration treatment by burning accumulated exhaust particulates, then the particulate sensor can be regenerated and continue detecting, but the low oxygen levels in gasoline engine exhaust gases prevent effective burning and removal of particulates
Solution Approach 1:
The controller changes the air/fuel ratio parameter from theoretical to lean condition temporarily during regeneration, increasing oxygen concentration in exhaust gas to enable effective burning of accumulated particulates on the sensor
Solution Approach 2:
The controller performs preliminary action by adjusting the air/fuel ratio to lean condition before initiating heater operation, ensuring sufficient oxygen is available in the exhaust gas before the burning process begins
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
Enables effective regeneration and continued detection of exhaust particulates in gasoline engines by ensuring sufficient oxygen is available for burning, overcoming the limitations of low oxygen levels in exhaust gases.
Implementation Method 1
a heater (125) heating the sensor part (121)
Implementation Method 2
an adhesion amount calculation section (111) calculating an adhesion amount of the exhaust particulates (200) adhered to the insulation part (124) based on an electrical resistance between two of the plurality of electrodes (122, 123)
Implementation Method 3
removes the exhaust particulates (200) by burning the exhaust particulates (200)
Data Source
AI summary
A particulate detection device has an insulation part, electrodes, an adhesion amount calculation section, a heater and a controller. The insulation part is located in an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine and has an adhesion surface to which exhaust particulates emitted from the internal combustion engine adhere. The adhesion amount calculation section calculates an adhesion amount of the exhaust particulates adhered to the insulation part based on an electrical resistance between two of the electrodes. The controller, in a normal control, controls an air/fuel ratio in the internal combustion engine to be a theoretical air/fuel ratio. The controller, in a regeneration control, controls the heater to increase a temperature of the insulation part and removes the exhaust particulates from the insulation part by burning the exhaust particulates, and controls the air/fuel ratio to be lean as compared to the theoretical air/fuel ratio.