IP Library Granted Patent US 7,824,099
Granted Patent B2
US 7,824,099 · App. 11/946,995 · Granted Nov 2, 2010

Accurate gas temperature estimation at transient conditions based on temperature sensor readings

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,824,099
App. No.
11/946,995
Granted
Nov 2, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for accurate estimation of a gas temperature at transient conditions includes measuring temperature sensor readings in a gas flow and estimating the gas temperature by equating the specific heat properties of the temperature sensor to the sum of conductive heat, convective heat, and radiative heat acting upon the temperature sensor and solving for the gas temperature.

Claims (38)

1. A method for accurate estimation of a gas temperature in a gas flow at transient conditions based on temperature sensor readings comprising:

measuring said temperature sensor readings from a temperature sensor in said gas flow; and

estimating in real-time said gas temperature on the basis of said temperature sensor readings, wherein said estimating comprises:

equating the specific heat properties of said temperature sensor to a sum of heat flow equations describing heat flow into said temperature sensor, the equations comprising:

a convection heat flow equation based upon Newton's Law of Cooling describing heat flow into said temperature sensor based upon said measured temperature sensor readings and said gas temperature; and

a radiation heat flow equation based upon a Stefan-Boltzmann Law describing heat flow into said temperature sensor based upon said measured temperature sensor readings; and

solving said equated specific heat properties and sum of heat flow equations for said gas temperature.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said temperature sensor is a thermocouple.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said thermocouple is an exposed junction thermocouple.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said temperature sensor is a resistive temperature detection device.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said resistive temperature detection device is a wire resistive detection device.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein said resistive temperature detection device is a semiconductor thermistor.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein gas flow is an exhaust gas flow in an engine and said gas temperature is an exhaust gas temperature.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising utilizing said exhaust gas temperature to modulate operation of said engine.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising utilizing said exhaust gas temperature to modulate operation of a hybrid drive powertrain.

10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising utilizing said exhaust gas temperature to modulate aftertreatment of said exhaust gas flow.

11. A method for accurate estimation of an exhaust gas temperature in an exhaust gas flow at transient conditions based on exposed junction thermocouple readings comprising:

measuring said exposed junction thermocouple readings from an exposed junction thermocouple in said exhaust gas flow; and

estimating in real-time said exhaust gas temperature on the basis of said exposed junction thermocouple readings, wherein said estimating comprises:

equating the specific heat properties of said exposed junction thermocouple to a sum of heat flow equations describing heat flow into said exposed junction thermocouple, the equations comprising:

a convection heat flow equation based upon Newton's Law of Cooling describing heat flow into said exposed junction thermocouple based upon said measured exposed junction thermocouple readings and said gas temperature; and

a radiation heat flow equation based upon a Stefan-Boltzmann Law describing heat flow into said exposed junction thermocouple based upon said measured exposed junction thermocouple readings; and

solving said equated specific heat properties and sum of heat flow equations for said gas temperature.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising utilizing said exhaust gas temperature to modulate operation of an engine.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising utilizing said exhaust gas temperature to modulate operation of a hybrid drive powertrain.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising utilizing said exhaust gas temperature to modulate aftertreatment of said exhaust gas flow.

15. An apparatus for accurate estimation of a gas temperature in a gas flow at transient conditions, comprising:

a temperature sensor located in said gas flow; and

a processor operative to estimate in real-time said gas temperature on the basis of readings from said temperature sensor, wherein said processor:

equates the specific heat properties of said temperature sensor to a sum of heat flow equations describing heat flow into said exposed junction thermocouple, the equations comprising:

a convection heat flow equation based upon Newton's Law of Cooling describing heat flow into said exposed junction thermocouple based upon said measured exposed junction thermocouple readings and said gas temperature; and

a radiation heat flow equation based upon a Stefan-Boltzmann Law describing heat flow into said exposed junction thermocouple based upon said measured exposed junction thermocouple readings; and

solves said equated specific heat properties and sum of heat flow equations for said gas temperature.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising a control module operative to issue control commands to an engine on the basis of said gas temperature.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising a control module operative to issue control commands to a hybrid drive powertrain on the basis of said gas temperature.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising a control module operative to issue control commands to an aftertreatment device on the basis of said gas temperature.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein said temperature sensor is an exposed junction thermocouple.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein said temperature sensor is a resistive temperature detection device.

Assignments (12)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 7, 2014
From: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 034185/0587 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 10, 2011
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 025781/0035 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 8, 2010
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
Reel/Frame 025324/0057 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 5, 2010
From: UAW RETIREE MEDICAL BENEFITS TRUST
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 025315/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2010
From: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 025245/0780 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 28, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UAW RETIREE MEDICAL BENEFITS TRUST
Reel/Frame 023162/0187 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 27, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Reel/Frame 023156/0215 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2009
From: CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR BANK PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES; CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR HEDGE PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 023155/0880 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 20, 2009
From: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 023124/0670 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 16, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR BANK PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES; CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR HEDGE PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES
Reel/Frame 022554/0479 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 4, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Reel/Frame 022201/0448 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 14, 2008
From: HE, YONGSHENG; BATTISTON, PAUL ANTHONY; ALKIDAS, ALEXANDROS C.
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 020358/0014 →