Provided is a diesel engine capable of regenerating a DPF even during no-load and/or light-load operation. In a DPF regeneration process, opening-degree reduction control S2 for an exhaust-air throttle valve is performed after a start condition S1 of the regeneration process of the DPF in which PM is deposited is satisfied. When exhaust air reaches a temperature equal to or higher than a predetermined after-injection permissible temperature TA, after-injection control is subsequently started S5. Post-injection control is started S7 after the exhaust air reaches a temperature equal to or higher than a predetermined post-injection permissible temperature TP by combustion of after-injection fuel. The PM deposited in the DPF is incinerated by the exhaust air increased in temperature by catalytic combustion of post-injection fuel in a valve downstream-side DOC.

A method (200) for determining an amount of hydrocarbons in an exhaust gas (10) downstream of a lean-operation internal-combustion engine (110), comprising the following steps: observing a first catalyst heating mode of the internal-combustion engine (110) at a high catalyst temperature, wherein a predefinable amount of fuel having a predominantly non-combusting portion is introduced into a combustion chamber of the internal-combustion engine (110); determining an actual temperature change downstream of an oxidation catalyst (120) downstream of the internal-combustion engine (110) during the first catalyst heating mode; and determining the amount of hydrocarbons (cHC) in the exhaust gas (10) upstream of the oxidation catalyst (120) based on the actual temperature change. Furthermore, a computing unit (140) and a computer program for carrying out such a method (200) are proposed.

Methods and systems for operating an engine that includes a controller and a NOx sensor are described. In one example, output of the NOx sensor is selectively made available to software modules within the controller when an offset in NOx sensor output is not expected. If the offset in NOx sensor output is expected, the NOx sensor output may not be made available to the software modules.

Methods of improving SCR performance in heavy duty vehicles may use multiple interdependent control techniques to increase engine exhaust temperatures in a fuel efficient manner. One method combines cylinder deactivation and mechanical loading of an engine by an electrical generator used to input energy into an exhaust stream to manipulate the exhaust temperature through the combined effect of modified air-to-fuel ratio and supplemental energy input. In particular, cylinder deactivation may be used to modify the engine air flowrate and the electric generator may be used to apply mechanical load on the engine to manipulate the engine fuel flow rate to control the engine air-to-fuel ratio and thereby increase exhaust temperatures. The exhaust temperatures may be further increased by using the electrical generator to add the energy generated as input energy to the exhaust stream.

A catalytic converter includes at least one heating element that is configured to disrupt the direction of flow of exhaust gases which contain harmful toxic gases and pollutants and aid in removing and/or reducing said toxic gases and pollutants.

Methods of improving SCR performance in heavy duty vehicles may use multiple interdependent control techniques to increase engine exhaust temperatures in a fuel efficient manner. One method combines cylinder deactivation and mechanical loading of an engine by an electrical generator used to input energy into an exhaust stream to manipulate the exhaust temperature through the combined effect of modified air-to-fuel ratio and supplemental energy input. In particular, cylinder deactivation may be used to modify the engine air flowrate and the electric generator may be used to apply mechanical load on the engine to manipulate the engine fuel flow rate to control the engine air-to-fuel ratio and thereby increase exhaust temperatures. The exhaust temperatures may be further increased by using the electrical generator to add the energy generated as input energy to the exhaust stream.

The disclosure relates to a method for checking and ensuring the functionality of an exhaust gas aftertreatment system of an internal combustion engine. The exhaust gas aftertreatment system has a catalytic converter and a voltage source. The catalytic converter has a catalytic converter area and an electrical heating device which is selectively supplied with electrical energy from the voltage source. The method includes determining an actual value which is characteristic of an ohmic resistance of the heating device. The actual value being determined by using an electrical current strength supplied to the heating device and an electrical voltage supplied to the heating device from the voltage source. The method also includes providing a setpoint value which is characteristic of an expected ohmic resistance of the heating device. The setpoint value takes into account a specific heating-up behavior of the heating device and an expected long-term behavior of the catalytic converter.

A heavy duty truck includes a diesel engine, an exhaust after-treatment system, and an engine control unit. The exhaust after-treatment system may include one or more selective catalytic reduction systems, each with a respective heater, and each heater with a respective pair of temperature sensors, one upstream and the other downstream of the heater. Such systems may be used to perform diagnostic methods including populating a lookup table having heat energy supplied to an exhaust gas stream by the diesel engine as a first independent variable, heat energy supplied to the exhaust gas stream by a heater as a second independent variable, and a resulting temperature as an output. Such a lookup table can be used to maintain a temperature of the exhaust gas flow at a constant target temperature.

Methods and systems for operating an engine that includes a controller and a NOx sensor are described. In one example, output of the NOx sensor is selectively made available to software modules within the controller when an offset in NOx sensor output is not expected. If the offset in NOx sensor output is expected, the NOx sensor output may not be made available to the software modules.

An electric circuit for driving a current through a load resistance in a first state and isolating the load resistance in a second state includes: a first switch configured to connect a first terminal of the load resistance and a first port of the electric circuit, the first switch having a first electric potential; a second switch configured to connect a second terminal of the load resistance and a second port of the electric circuit, the second switch having a second electric potential, different from the first electric potential; and at least one auxiliary resistance included within a bypass line configured to bypass the load resistance and the second switch. The first switch is configured to switch a current flowing through the first switch, and the second switch is configured to switch a current flowing through the second switch.