Elevated exhaust temperature, zoned, electrically-heated particulate matter filter
View Patent ↗A system includes an electrical heater and a particulate matter (PM) filter that is arranged one of adjacent to and in contact with the electrical heater. A control module selectively increases an exhaust gas temperature of an engine to a first temperature and that initiates regeneration of the PM filter using the electrical heater while the exhaust gas temperature is above the first temperature. The first temperature is greater than a maximum exhaust gas temperature at the PM filter during non-regeneration operation and is less than an oxidation temperature of the PM.
1. A system comprising:
an electrical heater comprising N zones, wherein N is an integer greater than one;
a particulate matter (PM) filter that is arranged one of adjacent to and in contact with said electrical heater, wherein said PM filter comprises N longitudinal portions that each extend along a length of said PM filter, and wherein said N portions of said PM filter are associated with said N zones of said electrical heater, respectively; and
a control module that selectively increases an exhaust gas temperature of an engine to a first temperature using one of (i) a fuel burner and (ii) a catalytic oxidizer with post-combustion fuel injection, and that initiates regeneration in one of said N longitudinal portions of said PM filter using said electrical heater while said exhaust gas temperature is above said first temperature,
wherein said first temperature is greater than a maximum exhaust gas temperature at said PM filter during normal operation of said engine and is less than an oxidation temperature of said PM.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein said control module sequentially initiates regeneration in each of said N longitudinal portions.
3. The system of claim 1 further comprising said engine, wherein said engine includes a diesel engine.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein said first temperature is greater than about 340 degrees Celsius and less than about 540 degrees Celsius.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein said first temperature is greater than about 390 degrees Celsius and less than about 490 degrees Celsius.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein said first temperature is greater than about 430 degrees Celsius and less than about 470 degrees Celsius.
7. The system of claim 1 wherein said first temperature is greater than about 440 degrees Celsius and less than about 460 degrees Celsius.
8. A method comprising:
providing an electrical heater comprising N zones, wherein N is an integer greater than one;
arranging a particulate matter (PM) filter one of adjacent to and in contact with said electrical heater, wherein said PM filter comprises N longitudinal portions that each extend along a length of said PM filter, and wherein said N longitudinal portions of said PM filter are associated with said N zones of said electrical heater, respectively;
selectively increasing an exhaust gas temperature of an engine to a first temperature using one of (i) a fuel burner and (ii) a catalytic oxidizer with post-combustion fuel injection; and
initiating regeneration in one of said N longitudinal portions of said PM filter using said electrical heater while said exhaust gas temperature is above said first temperature,
wherein said first temperature is greater than a maximum exhaust gas temperature at said PM filter during normal operation of said engine and is less than an oxidation temperature of said PM.
9. The method of claim 8 further comprising sequentially initiating regeneration in each of said N longitudinal portions.
10. The method of claim 8 wherein said engine includes a diesel engine.
11. The method of claim 8 wherein said first temperature is greater than about 340 degrees Celsius and less than about 540 degrees Celsius.
12. The method of claim 8 wherein said first temperature is greater than about 390 degrees Celsius and less than about 490 degrees Celsius.
13. The method of claim 8 wherein said first temperature is greater than about 430 degrees Celsius and less than about 470 degrees Celsius.
14. The method of claim 8 wherein said first temperature is greater than about 440 degrees Celsius and less than about 460 degrees Celsius.
15. The system of claim 1 , wherein said control module initiates regeneration in said one of said N longitudinal portions of said PM filter by activating a corresponding one of said N zones of said electrical heater to a second temperature, wherein said second temperature is greater than said first temperature.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein when regeneration of said PM filter has not completed after a predetermined period, said control module initiates regeneration in another one of said N longitudinal portions of said PM filter by activating a corresponding one of said N zones of said electrical heater to the second temperature.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein said second temperature is greater than 800 degrees Celsius.
18. The method of claim 8 , wherein initiating regeneration in said one of said N longitudinal portions of said PM filter includes activating a corresponding one of said N zones of said electrical heater to a second temperature, wherein said second temperature is greater than said first temperature.
19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising when regeneration of said PM filter has not completed after a predetermined period, initiating regeneration in another one of said N longitudinal portions of said PM filter by activating a corresponding one of said N zones of said electrical heater to the second temperature.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein said second temperature is greater than 800 degrees Celsius.