Powertrain and Aftertreatment Control for Well-to-Wheel Emissions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hydrogen fueled internal combustion engines and electric vehicles produce carbon oxides and other pollutants during the production and consumption of hydrogen fuel and electrical energy, necessitating effective emission control strategies.
Innovation Solution
A controller system adjusts power splits between an engine and an electric machine based on well-to-wheel emissions values, implementing reductant delivery and aftertreatment controls to minimize overall emissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If electricity is consumed to produce power in hybrid powertrain systems, then engine operation can be reduced, but carbon oxides and nitrogen oxides are released during electricity production
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a feedback loop where the controller continuously monitors well-to-wheel emissions from electricity production (including grid carbon intensity) and adjusts powertrain operation accordingly. When electricity production emissions are high, the controller reduces electric machine power contribution and increases engine operation, and vice versa, creating a real-time optimization system that minimizes total emissions while maintaining required power output.
Solution Approach 2:
The powertrain control system dynamically adjusts the power split between the engine and electric machine based on real-time emissions data from electricity production. Rather than using a fixed power distribution strategy, the controller continuously modifies the operational state of both power sources according to the carbon intensity of electricity generation, enabling adaptive emission reduction while maintaining productivity.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If aftertreatment controls are implemented to reduce emissions, then emissions levels decrease, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller performs multiple functions: it monitors well-to-wheel emissions from both production and consumption phases, calculates total emissions, determines optimal powertrain operation, and controls aftertreatment systems. By consolidating these diverse functions into a single control unit, the system achieves comprehensive emission management without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges the emissions monitoring, powertrain control, and aftertreatment control functions into an integrated system. The controller combines data from multiple sources (emissions sensors, powertrain parameters, aftertreatment status) and coordinates multiple control actions (power distribution, reductant injection, exhaust treatment) through a unified control strategy, reducing the complexity that would arise from separate independent control systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes a controller coupled an engine. The controller is configured to receive a first well to wheel emissions value and a second well to wheel emissions value. The controller is configured to compare the first well to wheel emissions value to a first threshold and a second threshold. The controller is configured to implement one or more aftertreatment controls comprising at least one of: causing a reductant delivery system to increase an amount of reductant provided to an aftertreatment system coupled to the engine, responsive to determining that the first well to wheel emissions value is at or above the first threshold, or causing the reductant delivery system to decrease the amount of reductant provided to the aftertreatment system, responsive to determining that the first well to wheel emissions value is at or below the second threshold.