Regeneration method for a particulate filter

Abstract

A method for regenerating a particulate filter of an internal combustion engine. The method includes passing an exhaust gas stream through the particulate filter, determining what kind of fuel is being combusted in the internal combustion engine, and determining a burn-off temperature that is capable of burning off a kind of soot formed in the particulate filter as a result of the combustion of the kind of fuel. The burn-off temperature is based on the kind of fuel.

1 .- 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A method for regenerating a particulate filter of an internal combustion engine, the method comprising:
 passing an exhaust gas stream through the particulate filter;   determining what kind of fuel is being combusted in the internal combustion engine; and   determining a burn-off temperature that is capable of burning off a kind of soot formed in the particulate filter as a result of the combustion of the kind of fuel, the burn-off temperature being based on the kind of fuel.   
     
     
         10 . The method of claim  1 , wherein the burn-off temperature is a base burn-off temperature, the base burn-off temperature being a lowest temperature capable of burning off the kind of soot formed in the particulate filter as a result of the combustion of the kind of fuel. 
     
     
         11 . The method of claim  1 , wherein the kind of fuel is a blend of a diesel fuel and a biofuel. 
     
     
         12 . The method of claim  1 , comprising the step of regenerating the particulate filter at the burn-off temperature. 
     
     
         13 . The method of claim  1 , comprising the step of determining an instantaneous charging state of the particulate filter based on the step of determining the kind of fuel, the instantaneous charging state being an amount of soot in the particulate filter at a given time as a result of the combustion of the kind of fuel. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , comprising the step of regenerating the particulate filter at the burn-off temperature when the instantaneous charging state of the particulate filter exceeds a predetermined limit value, the predetermined limit value being a limit of an amount of soot that can be contained in the particulate filter. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the burn-off temperature is a base burn-off temperature, the base burn-off temperature being a lowest temperature adequate to burn-off the kind of soot formed in the particulate filter as a result of the combustion of the kind of fuel. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of regenerating the particulate filter at the burn-off temperature comprises injecting one or more secondary injections of the kind of fuel, an overall flow of the one or more secondary injections is based on the kind of fuel, and the overall flow is high enough to reach the burn-off temperature. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the overall flow of the one or more secondary injections is not high enough to substantially exceed the burn-off temperature. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the burn-off temperature is a base burn-off temperature, the base burn-off temperature being a lowest temperature capable of burning off the kind of soot formed in the particulate filter as a result of combustion of the kind of fuel. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of regenerating the particulate filter at the burn-off temperature comprises injecting one or more secondary injections of the kind of fuel, an overall length of time of the step of regenerating the particulate filter is based on the kind of fuel, and an overall length of time of each of the one or more secondary injections is long enough to reach the burn-off temperature. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the overall length of time of the each of the one or more secondary injections is not long enough to substantially exceed the burn-off temperature. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the step of determining the kind of fuel comprises determining a viscosity of the kind of fuel. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the step of determining the viscosity of the kind of fuel comprises determining a temperature of the kind of fuel. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the step of determining the viscosity of the kind of fuel comprises evaluating a sound propagation behavior of the kind of fuel. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the step of determining the kind of fuel comprises determining a dielectric conductivity of the kind of fuel. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the step of determining the dielectric conductivity of the kind of fuel comprises determining a temperature of the kind of fuel. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the step of determining the dielectric conductivity of the kind of fuel comprises evaluating a sound propagation behavior of the kind of fuel. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the step of determining the kind of fuel comprises determining a density of the kind of fuel. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the step of determining the density of the kind of fuel comprises determining a temperature of the kind of fuel.