IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,448,909
Granted Patent B2
US 12,448,909 · App. 18/792,986 · Granted Oct 21, 2025

System and method to maintain hot aftertreatment at engine idle

Inventors: James E. McCarthy, Jr. (Kalamazoo, MI); Mihai Dorobantu (Mission Viejo, CA); Gary Neely (Boerne, TX); Andrew Matheaus (San Antonio, TX); Viken Yeranosian (Farmington Hills, MI)
Assignee: EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED
F01N3/2013F01N3/10F01N3/2066F02D41/024F01N2900/1602
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,448,909
App. No.
18/792,986
Granted
Oct 21, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A transmission system selectively coupled to an engine crankshaft of an internal combustion engine arranged on a vehicle includes a transmission, an aftertreatment system, an accessory device and a controller. The aftertreatment system reduces emissions in an exhaust of the internal combustion engine. The accessory device is configured to provide power. The controller operates in an aftertreatment heat-up mode such that the aftertreatment system is heated up to an elevated temperature and emissions are thereby reduced based on the elevated temperature. The controller is configured to heat up the aftertreatment system to reach between one (1) and two (2) kilowatt hours (kWh) of enthalpy before two minutes at engine startup by (i) operating the internal combustion engine in cylinder deactivation mode (CDA); (ii) operating the internal combustion engine at an elevated idle speed; and (iii) operating the accessory device at a threshold power.

Claims (32)

1. A method of controlling temperature of exhaust aftertreatment, comprising:

applying a first power of 5 kW or less to an electric heater located upstream or within a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) device in an aftertreatment system to achieve a first temperature set-point of the electric heater;

detecting the first temperature set-point of the electric heater; and

after achieving the first temperature set-point, applying a second power to the electric heater, wherein the second power is a lower power than the first power.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the SCR device is a light-off SCR (LO-SCR).

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising turning the electric heater on and off to maintain the first temperature set-point.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising operating an internal combustion engine at an elevated idle speed.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising operating the internal combustion engine in a cylinder deactivation (CDA) mode.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising heating the aftertreatment system to reach 1.3 kWh.

7. The method of claim 4 , further comprising suspending an aftertreatment heat-up mode after the aftertreatment system reaches between one (1) and two (2) kWh of enthalpy until a SCR device temperature falls below a threshold, wherein the aftertreatment heat-up mode comprises applying the first power to the electric heater, operating the internal combustion engine at the elevated idle speed, and operating the internal combustion engine in CDA mode.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising re-entering the aftertreatment heat-up mode upon the SCR device temperature falling below the threshold until a temperature of the aftertreatment system returns to between one (1) and (2) kWh of enthalpy.

9. A controller, configured to:

apply a first power of 5 kW or less to an electric heater located upstream or within a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) device in an aftertreatment system to achieve a first temperature set-point of the electric heater;

detect the first temperature set-point of the electric heater; and

after achieving the first temperature set-point, apply a second power to the electric heater, wherein the second power is a lower power than the first power.

10. The controller of claim 9 , wherein the SCR device is a light-off SCR (LO-SCR).

11. The controller of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to turn the electric heater on and off to maintain the first temperature set-point.

12. The controller of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to direct an internal combustion engine to operate at an elevated idle speed.

13. The controller of claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to direct the internal combustion engine to operate in a cylinder deactivation (CDA) mode.

14. The controller of claim 13 , wherein the controller is further configured to suspend an aftertreatment heat-up mode upon the aftertreatment system reaching between one (1) and two (2) kWh of enthalpy until a SCR device temperature falls below a threshold, wherein the aftertreatment heat-up mode comprises applying a first power to an electric heater, directing the internal combustion engine to operate at the elevated idle speed, and directing the internal combustion engine to operate in the CDA mode.

15. The controller of claim 14 , wherein the controller is further configured to re-enter the aftertreatment heat-up mode upon the SCR device temperature falling below the threshold until a temperature of the aftertreatment system returns to between one (1) and (2) kWh of enthalpy.

16. The controller of claim 13 , further wherein the controller is configured to heat up the aftertreatment system to reach 1.3 kWh of enthalpy.

17. A transmission system selectively coupled to an engine crankshaft of an internal combustion engine arranged on a vehicle, the transmission system comprising:

a transmission having an input shaft, a mainshaft, an output shaft and a countershaft offset from the input shaft, the countershaft drivably connected to the input shaft and the mainshaft; an aftertreatment system that reduces emissions in an exhaust of the internal combustion engine;

an electric heater; and

a controller, wherein the controller is configured to:

apply a first power of 5 kW or less to an electric heater located upstream or within a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) device in the aftertreatment system to achieve a first temperature set-point of the electric heater;

detect the first temperature set-point of the electric heater; and

after achieving the first temperature set-point, apply a second power to the electric heater, wherein the second power is a lower power than the first power.

18. The transmission system of claim 17 , wherein the SCR device is a light-off SCR (LO-SCR).

19. The transmission system of claim 17 , wherein the controller is further configured to direct the internal combustion engine to operate at an elevated idle speed.

20. The transmission system of claim 17 , wherein the controller is further configured to direct the internal combustion engine to operate in a cylinder deactivation (CDA) mode.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 19, 2025
From: MCCARTHY, JAMES E., JR.; DOROBANTU, MIHAI; NEELY, GARY; MATHEAUS, ANDREW; YERANOSIAN, VIKEN
To: EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED
Reel/Frame 070559/0242 →
Continuity (9)
Continuation 17486889 · Sep 27, 2021
Continuation In Part PCTEP2020025146 · Mar 25, 2020
Provisional Application 63170914 · Apr 5, 2021
Provisional Application 63170931 · Apr 5, 2021
Provisional Application 63170925 · Apr 5, 2021
Provisional Application 63112528 · Nov 11, 2020
Provisional Application 62886537 · Aug 14, 2019
Provisional Application 62823584 · Mar 25, 2019
Related Publication 20240392713A1 · Nov 28, 2024
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