Emission control with switchability between emission standards

Abstract

An emission control system for an engine includes a user interface having an emission standards switchability button, which may initiate a plurality of control operations to effect a switch between two different emission standards applicable to operation of the engine. A controller communicatively coupled with the user interface includes a memory encoding one or more processor-executable routines and a processor configured to execute the one or more routines. The processor may turn off reductant dosing under a first set of engine operational parameters in a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system that receives exhaust from the engine, turn on reductant dosing in the SCR system under a second set of engine operational parameters, turn power off under the first set of engine operational parameters to SCR sensors configured to generate signals indicative of operational characteristics of the SCR system, and turn power on to the SCR sensors under the second set of engine operational parameters.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An emission control system for an engine, comprising:
 a user interface configured to include an emission standards switchability button, the switchability button being configured to initiate a plurality of control operations to effect a switch between two different emission standards applicable to operation of the engine; and   a controller communicatively coupled with the user interface and comprising a memory encoding one or more processor-executable routines and a processor configured to access and execute the one or more routines encoded in the memory, wherein the routines, when executed upon activation of the emission standards switchability button on the user interface cause the processor to:
 turn off reductant dosing under a first set of engine operational parameters in a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system fluidly coupled to receive exhaust from the engine; 
 turn on reductant dosing in the SCR system under a second set of engine operational parameters; 
 turn power off under the first set of engine operational parameters to one or more SCR sensors configured to generate signals indicative of operational characteristics of the SCR system; and 
 turn power on to the one or more SCR sensors under the second set of engine operational parameters. 
   
     
     
         2 . The emission control system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more routines encoded in the memory of the controller further enable the processor to initiate actions included in the purging of reductant from lines and components included in the SCR system subsequent to turning off reductant dosing in the SCR system and turning off power to the one or more SCR sensors. 
     
     
         3 . The emission control system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more SCR sensors include at least one NOx sensor, and wherein the processor is further configured to receive a first signal from the at least one NOx sensor, the first signal being indicative of the concentration of NOx in exhaust gas generated by the engine. 
     
     
         4 . The emission control system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more SCR sensors include sensors configured to generate signals indicative of one or more of total reductant used in the SCR system, SCR catalyst intake gas temperature, SCR catalyst intake gas pressure, SCR catalyst outlet gas temperature, SCR catalyst outlet gas pressure, reductant temperature, and reductant pressure. 
     
     
         5 . The emission control system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine the first and second sets of engine operational parameters based on a geographic location of the engine. 
     
     
         6 . The emission control system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether the first set of engine operational parameters is expected to last for a time period greater than a threshold period of time. 
     
     
         7 . The emission control system of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface and switchability button are communicatively coupled with an engine electronic control module (ECM), and the engine ECM is communicatively coupled with an exhaust aftertreatment ECM over a controller area network (CAN) bus. 
     
     
         8 . The emission control system of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface and switchability button are configured to toggle between an enable mode and a disable mode for each of the two different emission standards upon touch activation of the switchability button, and wherein:
 the enable mode includes at least one of turning on the reductant dosing in the SCR system and turning power on to the one or more SCR sensors; and   the disable mode includes at least one of turning off the reductant dosing in the SCR system and turning power off to the one or more SCR sensors.   
     
     
         9 . The emission control system of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface is a display on at least one of an engine controller connected over a controller area network (CAN) bus to the engine, and a remote panel configured to communicate with the engine controller over an ethernet connection, and wherein the engine controller is configured to receive input data from the engine over the CAN bus and provide engine control logic to the engine based on the input data. 
     
     
         10 . A vessel, comprising:
 an engine;   a clean emissions module (CEM) configured to receive exhaust generated by the engine, the CEM including:
 a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system, the SCR system including a SCR catalyst and an ammonia oxidation catalyst (AMOX); 
 a diesel particulate filter (DPF); and 
 a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC); 
   a pump electronics tank unit (PETU) configured to control, store, and supply reductant to the SCR system; and   an emission control system for the engine, the emission control system comprising:
 a user interface configured to include an emission standards switchability button, the switchability button being configured to initiate a plurality of control operations to effect a switch between two different emission standards applicable to operation of the engine; and 
 a controller communicatively coupled with the user interface and comprising a memory encoding one or more processor-executable routines and a processor configured to access and execute the one or more routines encoded in the memory, wherein the routines, when executed upon activation of the emission standards switchability button on the user interface cause the processor to:
 turn off reductant dosing under a first set of engine operational parameters in the SCR system fluidly coupled to receive exhaust from the engine; 
 turn on reductant dosing in the SCR system under a second set of engine operational parameters; 
 turn power off under the first set of engine operational parameters to one or more SCR sensors configured to generate signals indicative of operational characteristics of the SCR system; and 
 turn power on to the one or more SCR sensors under the second set of engine operational parameters. 
 
   
     
     
         11 . The vessel of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more routines encoded in the memory of the controller further enable the processor to initiate actions included in the purging of reductant from lines and components included in the SCR system subsequent to turning off reductant dosing in the SCR system and turning off power to the one or more SCR sensors. 
     
     
         12 . The vessel of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more SCR sensors include at least one NOx sensor, and wherein the processor is further configured to receive a first signal from the at least one NOx sensor, the first signal being indicative of the concentration of NOx in exhaust gas generated by the engine. 
     
     
         13 . The vessel of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more SCR sensors include sensors configured to generate signals indicative of one or more of total reductant used in the SCR system, SCR catalyst intake gas temperature, SCR catalyst intake gas pressure, SCR catalyst outlet gas temperature, SCR catalyst outlet gas pressure, reductant temperature, and reductant pressure. 
     
     
         14 . The vessel of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine the first and second sets of engine operational parameters based on a geographic location of the engine. 
     
     
         15 . The vessel of  claim 10  wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether the first set of engine operational parameters is expected to last for a time period greater than a threshold period of time. 
     
     
         16 . The vessel of  claim 10 , wherein the user interface and switchability button are communicatively coupled with an engine electronic control module (ECM), and the engine ECM is communicatively coupled with an exhaust aftertreatment ECM over a controller area network (CAN) bus. 
     
     
         17 . The vessel of  claim 10 , wherein the user interface and switchability button are configured to toggle between an enable mode and a disable mode for each of the two different emission standards upon touch activation of the switchability button, and wherein:
 the enable mode includes at least one of turning on the reductant dosing in the SCR system and turning power on to the one or more SCR sensors; and   the disable mode includes at least one of turning off the reductant dosing in the SCR system and turning power off to the one or more SCR sensors.   
     
     
         18 . A method of controlling emissions from an engine, comprising:
 initiating a plurality of control operations using an emission standards switchability button on a user interface to cause a controller to toggle between two different emission standards applicable to operation of the engine; the plurality of control operations including:
 implementing, under a first set of engine operational parameters and upon a first activation of the switchability button, using at least one processor of the controller, actions to turn off reductant dosing in a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system fluidly coupled to receive exhaust from the engine; 
 implementing, under a second set of engine operational parameters and upon a second activation of the switchability button, using the at least one processor, actions to turn on reductant dosing in the SCR system; 
 implementing, under the first set of engine operational parameters and upon the first activation of the switchability button, using the at least one processor, actions to turn power off to one or more SCR sensors configured to generate signals indicative of operational characteristics of the SCR system; and 
 implementing, under the second set of engine operational parameters and upon the second activation of the switchability button, using the at least one processor, actions to turn power on to the one or more SCR sensors. 
   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further including receiving at the at least one processor a first signal from at least one NOx sensor, the first signal being indicative of the concentration of NOx in exhaust gas generated by the engine. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further including:
 toggling between an enable mode and a disable mode for each of the two different emission standards upon touch activation of the emission standards switchability button on the user interface, wherein:
 the enable mode includes at least one of turning on the reductant dosing in the SCR system and turning power on to the one or more SCR sensors; and 
 the disable mode includes at least one of turning off the reductant dosing in the SCR system and turning power off to the one or more SCR sensors.