Vehicle Control System for Reductant Refill Motivation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle control systems that disable the engine due to low reductant levels in diesel engines can cause inconvenience to operators, especially in rural areas without easy access to reductant, and may reduce occupant comfort by preventing vehicle restart.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method to restrict vehicle motion in response to fuel refills, allowing engine idling for HVAC operation, and enabling override commands to motivate operators to refill the reductant storage vessel, thereby increasing the likelihood of reductant replenishment at service stations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the engine is completely disabled when reductant is low or improper, then emissions control is maintained, but vehicle operability and operator convenience are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the level of vehicle restriction based on detected fuel refill events. When fuel refill is detected, the system transitions from allowing normal operation to restricting vehicle motion, creating a dynamic response that adapts to changing conditions rather than using a static disabled state
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary detection of fuel refill events and uses this information to trigger reductant-related restrictions at an appropriate moment. By detecting the fuel refill condition first, the system can then apply the reductant restriction logic, ensuring restrictions are applied when the operator is most likely to be at a service location
2Reliability
If the vehicle is prevented from restarting when reductant is low or improper, then emissions control is maintained, but occupant comfort and operator convenience are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The restart capability is dynamically controlled based on the interaction between fuel refill detection and reductant conditions. Rather than a permanent restart prohibition, the system applies restart restrictions conditionally - preventing restart when both fuel refill is detected and reductant conditions are degraded, but allowing restart under other conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The fuel refill detection serves as an intermediary condition that mediates between the reductant status and the restart prohibition. The system doesn't directly prohibit restart based solely on reductant levels, but uses the fuel refill event as an intermediate trigger to apply the restriction, providing more nuanced control
3Reliability
If vehicle motion is restricted in response to fuel refill under degraded reductant conditions, then the likelihood of reductant refilling increases, but vehicle mobility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system detects fuel refill events in advance and uses this preliminary information to trigger motion restrictions. By identifying the fuel refill condition first, the system can then apply motion restrictions at the appropriate time, maximizing the likelihood that the operator will refill reductant while minimizing unnecessary restrictions
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of the vehicle based on the combination of fuel refill detection and reductant conditions. When both conditions are present, the system transitions from normal motion parameters to restricted motion parameters, creating a targeted response that affects vehicle mobility only under specific circumstances
Data Source
AI summary
Controlling a vehicle responsive to reductant conditions is provided. The method for controlling a vehicle having an engine with an exhaust, the exhaust having a reductant injection system including a reductant storage vessel, the engine further having a fuel system including a fuel storage vessel, may include under degraded reductant conditions, restricting vehicle motion in response to a fuel refill of the fuel storage vessel.