Relocatable Exhaust Reductant Tank Controller Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The flexibility in relocating reductant storage vessels in vehicle exhaust systems for incomplete vehicles can lead to increased flow resistance and degraded emission control due to longer reductant delivery lines, affecting reductant delivery and heater control.
Innovation Solution
A method of configuring a vehicle controller with exhaust system configuration information to adjust operating parameters, such as reductant delivery line lengths and heater resistance, to maintain accurate control and diagnostics during component relocation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the reductant storage vessel is relocated further away from the injection location to provide flexibility in component positioning, then the adaptability of the exhaust system is improved, but the flow resistance increases and reductant delivery is adversely affected
Solution Approach 1:
The controller dynamically adjusts exhaust system operating parameters based on the actual configuration of reductant delivery line length and heater resistance. This allows the system to adapt to different reductant storage locations while maintaining reliable reductant delivery by compensating for increased flow resistance through parameter modification.
Solution Approach 2:
The system modifies operating parameters such as heater power, injection timing, and pump pressure based on the received exhaust system configuration information. By changing these parameters, the system compensates for the adverse effects of longer delivery lines and maintains optimal reductant delivery performance regardless of storage vessel location.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the reductant delivery line is lengthened to accommodate relocated storage vessels, then the adaptability of the exhaust system is improved, but the heater resistance increases and heater control is adversely affected
Solution Approach 1:
The controller dynamically adjusts heater control parameters based on the actual heater resistance value derived from the reductant delivery line configuration. This allows the system to maintain accurate heater control despite variations in line length and resistance caused by reductant storage vessel relocation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses received exhaust system configuration information as feedback to determine appropriate heater control parameters. By incorporating this configuration data, the controller can predict and compensate for heater resistance variations, ensuring reliable heater operation across different system configurations.
3Ease of operation
If the reductant storage vessel is relocated to accommodate up-fitter modifications, then the ease of operation for vehicle customization is improved, but the emission control performance is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The controller dynamically adjusts exhaust system operating parameters based on the received configuration information that reflects up-fitter modifications. This allows vehicle customization while maintaining emission control effectiveness by compensating for the impact of component relocation on reductant delivery and heater operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system modifies operating parameters such as injection quantity, injection timing, and heater power based on the actual exhaust system configuration. These parameter changes compensate for the adverse effects of component relocation, ensuring that emission control performance is maintained even when the reductant storage vessel is relocated to accommodate vehicle modifications.
Data Source
AI summary
Modification of reductant (e.g., diesel exhaust fluid, DEF) tank location, for example during vehicle up-fitting may result in less than optimal operation of the DEF system due to inaccurate DEF system calibration. In one example approach, the above issue can be at least partially addressed by adjusting control system parameters for system control and diagnostics based on an input indicative of, or any modification to, the DEF tank location. In this way, DEF tank location flexibility is maintained, while also maintaining emission control and diagnostic accuracy.