Method and apparatus for operating an emission abatement system

Abstract

A method for operating an emission abatement assembly ( 10 ) includes determining if a particulate filter ( 18 ) needs to be regenerated and adjusting the operation of an internal combustion engine ( 12 ) to increase oxygen content in exhaust gases generated by the engine ( 12 ) to generate heat in a fuel-fired burner ( 16 ) for combusting soot trapped in the particulate filter ( 18 ). An emission abatement assembly ( 10 ) is also disclosed.

1 . A method of operating an emission abatement assembly, comprising the steps of:
 determining if a particulate filter needs to be regenerated and generating a signal in response thereto,   adjusting the operation of an internal combustion engine to increase the oxygen content in exhaust gases generated by the engine in response to the generation of the signal,   advancing the exhaust gases to a fuel-fired burner, and   generating heat with the fuel-fired burner to combust soot trapped in a particulate filter.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining step comprises measuring the pressure drop across the particulate filter to determine that the particulate filter needs regenerated. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining step comprises generating the signal with a sensor indicating that the particulate filter needs to be regenerated, and transmitting the signal to a controller. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adjusting step comprises reducing an amount of recirculated exhaust gases entering a combustion chamber of the engine in response to the generation of the signal to increase the oxygen content in the exhaust gases generated by the engine. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the adjusting step further comprises operating an EGR valve in response to the generation of the signal to reduce the amount of recirculated exhaust gases entering the combustion chamber of the engine. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the adjusting step further comprises operating the EGR valve with a controller in response to the generation of the signal to reduce the amount of recirculated exhaust gases entering the combustion chamber of the engine. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adjusting step comprises operating a turbocharger to supply air to a combustion chamber of the engine in response to the generation of the signal to increase oxygen content in the exhaust gases generated by the engine. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the operating step further comprises operating the turbocharger with a controller to supply air to a combustion chamber in response to the generation of the signal to increase the oxygen content in the exhaust gases generated by the engine. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the operating step further comprises operating a turbine of the turbocharger, operating a compressor of the turbocharger with the turbine, and supplying compressed air from the compressor to the combustion chamber of the engine to increase the oxygen content of the exhaust gases generated by the engine. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the adjusting step further comprises operating a plurality of turbochargers to supply air to a combustion chamber of the engine in response to the generation of the signal to increase oxygen content in the exhaust gases generated by the engine. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the operating step further comprises operating the plurality of turbochargers with a controller to supply air to a combustion chamber in response to the generation of the signal to increase the oxygen content in the exhaust gases generated by the engine. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adjusting step comprises operating a supercharger to supply air to a combustion chamber of the engine in response to the generation of the signal to increase oxygen content in the exhaust gases generated by the engine. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the operating step further comprises operating the supercharger with a controller in response to the generation of the signal to increase the oxygen content in the exhaust gases generated by the engine. 
     
     
         14 . An emission abatement assembly, comprising:
 an internal combustion engine,   a particulate filter,   a fuel-fired burner positioned upstream of the particulate filter, the fuel-fired burner having an input that receives exhaust gases generated by the internal combustion engine, and   a controller electrically coupled to the internal combustion engine and the fuel-fired burner, the controller comprising (i) a processor, and (ii) a memory device electrically coupled to the processor, the memory device having stored therein a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:   determine if the particulate filter needs to be regenerated and generate a control signal in response thereto,   adjust the operation of the internal combustion engine to increase the oxygen content in exhaust gases generated by the engine in response to the generation of the control signal, and   operate the fuel-fired burner to generate heat to combust soot trapped in the particulate filter in response to the generation of the control signal.   
     
     
         15 . The emission abatement assembly of  claim 14  further comprising a sensor, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to determine if the particulate filter needs to be regenerated by measuring the pressure drop across the particulate filter with the sensor. 
     
     
         16 . The emission abatement assembly of  claim 14  further comprising an EGR valve, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to adjust the operation of the internal combustion engine by operating the EGR valve in response to the generation of the control signal to reduce the amount of recirculated exhaust gases entering the combustion chamber of the engine. 
     
     
         17 . The emission abatement assembly of  claim 14  further comprising a turbocharger, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to adjust the operation of the engine by operating the turbocharger to supply air to a combustion chamber of the engine in response to the generation of the control signal to increase oxygen content in the exhaust gases generated by the engine. 
     
     
         18 . The emission abatement assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the turbocharger comprises a turbine and a compressor, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to adjust the operation of the engine by, operating the compressor with the turbine, and wherein, the compressor supplies compressed air from the compressor to the combustion chamber of the engine to increase the oxygen content of the exhaust gases generated by the engine. 
     
     
         19 . The emission abatement assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the turbocharger comprises a plurality of turbochargers, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to adjust the operation of the engine by operating the plurality of turbochargers to supply air to a combustion chamber of the engine in response to the generation of the control signal to increase oxygen content in the exhaust gases generated by the engine. 
     
     
         20 . The emission abatement assembly of  claim 14  further comprising a supercharger, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to adjust the operation of the engine by operating the supercharger to supply air to a combustion chamber of the engine in response to the generation of the control signal to increase oxygen content in the exhaust gases generated by the engine. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The emission abatement assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the fuel-fired burner is operated without a supplemental air supply. 
     
     
         22 . A method of operating an emission abatement assembly, comprising the steps of:
 determining if a predetermined condition of an emission abatement component exists and generating a signal in response thereto,   adjusting the operation of an internal combustion engine to increase the oxygen content in exhaust gases generated by the engine in response to the generation of the signal,   advancing the exhaust gases to a fuel-fired burner,   generating heat with the fuel-fired burner to heat the exhaust gases, and   advancing the heated exhaust gases to the emission abatement component.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the determining step comprises determining if a predetermined condition of a NOx abatement device exists and generating a signal in response thereto. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the determining step comprises determining if a predetermined conditions of a particulate filter exists and generating a signal in response thereto. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the advancing step comprises providing an exhaust line between the engine and the fuel-fired burner that defines an exhaust gas path, and feeding the engine exhaust gases into the fuel-fired burner through the exhaust line. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel-fired burner only receives oxygen from exhaust gases generated by the engine. 
     
     
         27 . The emission abatement assembly of  claim 14 , including an exhaust line fluidly connecting the internal combustion engine to the inlet of the fuel-fired burner, and wherein the exhaust gases are fed into the fuel-fired burner through the exhaust line. 
     
     
         28 . The emission abatement assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the fuel-fired burner only receives oxygen from exhaust gases generated by the internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the advancing step comprises providing an exhaust line between the engine and the fuel-fired burner that defines an exhaust gas path, and feeding the engine exhaust gases into the fuel-fired burner through the exhaust line. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the fuel-fired burner only receives oxygen from exhaust gases generated by the engine. 
     
     
         31 . The emission abatement assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the exhaust gases are advanced from the engine to the fuel-fired burner to generate heat to combust soot trapped in the particulate filter.