The controller adjusts a voltage applied to the electrically heated catalyst in such a way as to make the electrical power as the product of the applied voltage and the catalyst current equal to a target electrical power and to apply a voltage substantially equal to a specific upper limit voltage to the electrically heated catalyst when the electrical power that can be supplied to the electrically heated catalyst by applying a voltage equal to or lower than the specific upper limit voltage is lower than the target electrical power. The controller calculates an actually supplied electrical energy defined as the integrated value of the electrical power actually supplied to the electrically heated catalyst over a specific period. The controller determines that the electrically heated catalyst is abnormal if the actually supplied electrical energy is smaller than a specific electrical energy.

An abnormality detection apparatus calculates an accomplishment ratio parameter based on an actually supplied electrical energy defined as the integrated value of electrical power actually supplied to the electrically heated catalyst over a specific period from the start of supply of electrical power to the electrically heated catalyst to a specific time and a target electrical energy defined as the integrated value of target electrical power over the specific period. The accomplishment ratio parameter is a parameter relating to the ratio of the actually supplied electrical energy to the target electrical energy. The abnormality detection apparatus detects an abnormality of the electrically heated catalyst on the basis of the accomplishment ratio. The specific time is a time after the start of supply of electrical power to the electrically heated catalyst and before or simultaneous with the time when the actually supplied electrical power substantially reaches the target electrical power.

An abnormality detection apparatus calculates an actually supplied electrical energy defined as the integrated value of electrical power actually supplied to the electrically heated catalyst over a specific period from the time when the supply of electrical power to the electrically heated catalyst is started and a target electrical energy in the specific period, and further calculates, from these integrated values, an accomplishment parameter relating to the ratio of the actually supplied electrical energy to the target electrical energy. The abnormality detection apparatus detects an abnormality of the electrically heated catalyst by comparing the accomplishment parameter with a specific threshold. The abnormality detection apparatus is configured to set the specific threshold according to the temperature of the electrically heated catalyst at the time when the supply of electrical power is started.

The electrically heated catalyst to which the present disclosure is applied is provided in a hybrid vehicle capable of switching its running mode between EV mode and HC mode and supplied with electrical energy before the internal combustion engine is started. An abnormality detection apparatus calculates an electrical energy parameter relating to the integrated value of electrical power actually supplied to the electrically heated catalyst (actually supplied electrical power) over a specific period of time from the time when supply of electrical power to the electrically heated catalyst is started and detects an abnormality of the electrically heated catalyst by comparing the electrical energy parameter with a threshold. The threshold is set according to the rate of decrease of the charge level of a battery (charge level decrease rate) during a period in which electrical power is supplied to the electrically heated catalyst.

Methods and systems are provided for a battery supplying power to an exhaust oxygen sensor heater. In one example, a method may include estimating a power delivered to the heater during heating of the sensor and in response to a power delivered from a battery being lower than a threshold, adjusting a battery charging strategy prior to an immediately subsequent engine start.

An exhaust gas purification apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes the adsorbent, the catalyst and the heat generating element, wherein in cases where the residual capacity of the battery is smaller than a first predetermined value required for raising the temperature of the catalyst to an activation temperature thereof, and in cases where the residual capacity of the battery is larger than a second predetermined value which is smaller than the first predetermined value and which is required for raising the temperature of the adsorbent to a predetermined temperature at which the adsorbent exhibits adsorption performance required at the time of starting of the internal combustion engine, an amount of electric power to be supplied to the heat generating element from the battery is adjusted such that the temperature of the adsorbent becomes the predetermined temperature.

A heating system includes a plurality of heater elements, a plurality of switches connected to the plurality of heater elements, a set of predetermined performance information including heater information specific for each heater element, at least one temperature sensor measuring temperature of at least one heater element from among the plurality of heater elements, and a heater control unit in communication with the temperature sensor(s). The heater control unit controls the heater elements differently, via the switches, based on the heater information and the measured temperature from the temperature sensor(s).

A heater system for an exhaust system is provided. The heater system includes a heater disposed in an exhaust conduit. The heater includes a plurality of heating elements disposed in the exhaust conduit. A heating control module controls the plurality of heating elements differently according to operating conditions specific to each heating element. In other forms, the heater system for an exhaust system has a plurality of heating zones, instead of a plurality of heating elements. The heating control module controls the plurality of heating zones differently according to operating conditions specific to each heating zone.

A method of predicting temperature of at least one location in a fluid flow system that has a heating system for heating fluid. The method includes obtaining a mass flow rate of fluid flow of the fluid flow system, obtaining at least one of a fluid outlet temperature and a fluid inlet temperature of a heater of the heating system, obtaining power provided to the heater, and calculating temperature at the at least one location based on a model of the fluid flow system and the obtained mass flow rate, fluid outlet temperature, and fluid inlet temperature.

An exhaust system for the aftertreatment of exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine, having, in series as viewed in a flow direction of the exhaust gas, a catalyst for the oxidation of the exhaust gas and/or a catalyst for storing nitrogen oxides, having an introduction point for the feed of a reducing agent, having an SCR catalyst for the selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides, and having a particle filter, wherein the particle filter is arranged downstream of the SCR catalyst in the flow direction, and a second SCR catalyst and/or an ammonia slippage catalyst is arranged downstream of the particle filter in the flow direction.