Method, engine, and control system for controlling soot loading of exhaust gas aftertreatment components

1. A method of operating an internal combustion engine, comprising:

determining a performance threshold of a particulate filter disposed in an exhaust gas flow of the internal combustion engine having a set time interval between regeneration events of the particulate filter;

determining a rate at which the particulate filter is reaching the performance threshold; and

controlling an exhaust gas characteristic to continuously control the rate so that the performance threshold is reached at or just before an end of the time interval.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the performance threshold is a particulate matter load limit.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the rate is a particulate matter load rate.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the time interval is an engine operating time interval.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the internal combustion engine is a compression ignition internal combustion engine.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the exhaust gas characteristic is at least one of an exhaust gas temperature, an exhaust gas O 2 content, an exhaust gas particulate matter content, and an exhaust gas NO 2 content.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein determining the rate comprises detecting at least one of a pressure differential across the particulate filter, an exhaust flow rate through the particulate filter, a particulate matter load on the particulate filter, and a temperature of exhaust gas in the particulate filter.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein controlling the rate comprises controlling engine operation to maintain a steady state of engine operation parameters.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein controlling the rate comprises controlling engine operation to increase or decrease engine operation parameters.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the exhaust gas characteristic includes controlling the exhaust gas characteristic within an operable range for delaying an onset of a regeneration event.

11. A control system for an internal combustion engine that produces an exhaust gas flow, comprising:

an input adapted to receive a value of at least one of a pressure differential across a particulate filter disposed in the exhaust gas flow, an exhaust flow rate through the particulate filter, and a particulate matter load on the particulate filter;

an output adapted to provide an engine operation command to the engine; and

a processor coupled to the input and to the output, the processor configured to:

determine a performance threshold of the particulate filter and a set time interval between regeneration events of the particulate filter;

in response to the value, determine a rate at which the particulate filter is reaching the performance threshold; and

control an exhaust gas characteristic to continuously control the rate so that the performance threshold is reached at or just before an end of the time interval.

12. An engine system, comprising:

an internal combustion engine adapted to produce an exhaust gas flow;

a particulate filter disposed in the exhaust gas flow;

at least one sensor adapted to detect a value of at least one of a pressure differential across the particulate filter, an exhaust flow rate through the particulate filter, and a particulate matter load on the particulate filter; and

a control system coupled to the engine, including an input coupled to the control system and adapted to receive the value from the sensor, the control system being configured to:

determine a performance threshold of the particulate filter and a set time interval between regeneration events of the particulate filter;

in response to the value, determine a rate at which the particulate filter is reaching the performance threshold; and

output an engine operation command to the engine to control an exhaust gas characteristic to continuously control the rate so that the performance threshold is reached at or just before an end of the time interval.

13. A method of operating an internal combustion engine, comprising

interpreting a filter condition of a particulate filter disposed in an exhaust gas flow of an internal combustion engine;

determining a particulate matter load rate of the filter as a function of the filter condition;

determining a limit of an exhaust gas characteristic based on the particulate matter load rate; and

controlling engine operation to continuously control the exhaust gas characteristic to satisfy the limit and output particulate matter from the internal combustion engine at the determined particulate matter load rate.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the filter condition is at least one of a pressure differential across the particulate filter, an exhaust flow rate through the particulate filter, and a particulate matter load on the particulate filter.

15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the exhaust gas characteristic is at least one of an exhaust gas temperature, an exhaust gas particulate matter content, an exhaust gas O 2 content, and an exhaust gas NO 2 content.

16. The method according to claim 13 , wherein controlling engine operation comprises at least one of controlling a fuel system actuator and an air handling actuator of the internal combustion engine.

17. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the internal combustion engine is a compression ignition engine and the particulate filter is a diesel particulate filter.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein controlling the exhaust gas characteristic includes controlling the exhaust gas characteristic within an operable range for delaying an onset of a regeneration event.

19. A control system for an internal combustion engine that produces an exhaust gas flow, comprising:

an input adapted to receive a value of a filter condition of a particulate filter disposed in the exhaust gas flow, the filter condition comprising at least one of a pressure differential across the particulate filter, an exhaust flow rate through the particulate filter, and a particulate matter load on the particulate filter;

an output adapted to provide an engine operation command to the engine; and

a processor coupled to the input and to the output, the processor configured to:

interpret the value of the filter condition;

determine a particulate matter load rate of the filter as a function of the filter condition;

determine a limit of an exhaust gas characteristic based on the particulate matter load rate; and

control engine operation to continuously control the exhaust gas characteristic to satisfy the limit and output particulate matter from the internal combustion engine at the determined particulate matter load rate.

20. An engine system, comprising:

an internal combustion engine adapted to produce an exhaust gas flow;

a particulate filter disposed in the exhaust gas flow;

at least one sensor adapted to detect a value of a filter condition of the particulate filter, the filter condition comprising at least one of a pressure differential across the particulate filter, an exhaust flow rate through the particulate filter, and a particulate matter load on the particulate filter; and

a control system coupled to the engine, including an input coupled to the control system and adapted to receive the value from the sensor, the control system being configured to:

interpret the value of the filter condition;

determine a particulate matter load rate of the filter as a function of the filter condition;

determine a limit of an exhaust gas characteristic based on the particulate matter load rate; and

control engine operation to continuously control the exhaust gas characteristic to satisfy the limit and output particulate matter from the internal combustion engine at the determined particulate matter load rate.