EXHAUST GAS AFTERTREATMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EXHAUST AFTERTREATMENT OF AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE

Abstract

The invention relates to an exhaust gas aftertreatment system for an internal combustion engine, in particular for a gasoline engine that is spark-ignited by means of spark plugs. A four -way catalytic converter and at least one three-way catalytic converter are situated in an exhaust gas system that is connected to an outlet of the internal combustion engine. An exhaust gas burner with which hot exhaust gas is introducible into the exhaust gas system directly downstream from the four-way catalytic converter is provided at an exhaust duct of the exhaust gas system. The exhaust gas burner is supplied with fresh air by a secondary air pump. The invention further relates to a method for exhaust aftertreatment of an internal combustion engine having such an exhaust gas aftertreatment system.

Claims

1. An exhaust gas aftertreatment system for an internal combustion engine, comprising: an exhaust gas system that is connectable to an outlet of the internal combustion engine, wherein the exhaust gas system includes an exhaust duct in which at least one three-way catalytic converter and a four-way catalytic converter are situated, an introduction point, directly upstream from the four-way catalytic converter, at which the hot exhaust gases of an exhaust gas burner of the exhaust gas aftertreatment system are introducible into the exhaust gas system for heating the four-way catalytic converter.

2. The exhaust gas aftertreatment system according to claim 1, wherein a first three -way catalytic converter close to the engine, and downstream from the three-way catalytic converter close to the engine, a four-way catalytic converter, are provided, wherein the introduction point is provided downstream from the three-way catalytic converter close to the engine and upstream from the four-way catalytic converter.

3. The exhaust gas aftertreatment system according to claim 2, wherein a further three -way catalytic converter is situated in the exhaust gas system downstream from the four-way catalytic converter.

4. The exhaust gas aftertreatment system according to claim 2, wherein a first lambda probe is situated upstream from the three-way catalytic converter close to the engine, and a second lambda probe is situated directly upstream from the four-way catalytic converter.

5. The exhaust gas aftertreatment system according to claim 2, wherein a first lambda probe is situated upstream from the three-way catalytic converter close to the engine, and a second lambda probe is situated downstream from the four-way catalytic converter.

6. The exhaust gas aftertreatment system according to claim 2, wherein a first lambda probe is situated upstream from the three-way catalytic converter close to the engine, a second lambda probe is situated directly upstream from the four-way catalytic converter, and a third lambda probe is situated downstream from the four-way catalytic converter\.

7. The exhaust gas aftertreatment system according to claim 1, wherein a mixing path having a length of at least 30 cm is formed between the introduction point and the four-way catalytic converter.

8. A method for exhaust aftertreatment of an internal combustion engine having an exhaust gas aftertreatment system according to claim 1, comprising the following steps: heating the four-way catalytic converter to a regeneration temperature (T.sub.R) by introducing hot burner gases of the exhaust gas burner, wherein a stoichiometric exhaust gas is adjusted downstream from the four-way catalytic converter or downstream from the second three-way catalytic converter, switching off the exhaust gas burner and blowing in secondary air upstream from the four-way catalytic converter, wherein the soot that is retained in the four-way catalytic converter is oxidized by overstoichiometric exhaust gas (>1), and operating the internal combustion engine with an understochiometric combustion air ratio (<1), wherein the oxygen stored in the oxygen store (OSC) of the four-way catalytic converter during the phase of blowing in secondary air is essentially evacuated.

9. The method for exhaust aftertreatment according to claim 8, wherein the mixture lambda .sub.vT of the exhaust gas-to-air ratio and the secondary air in the regeneration phase is 1.05<.sub.vT<1.2.

10. The method for exhaust aftertreatment according to claim 8, wherein a regeneration phase of the four-way catalytic converter is initiated after each active heating phase of the exhaust gas burner.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] The invention is explained below in exemplary embodiments, with reference to the associated drawings. Identical components or components having an identical function are denoted by the same reference symbols in the various figures, which show the following:

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a first exemplary embodiment of an internal combustion engine having an exhaust gas aftertreatment system according to the invention;

[0031] FIG. 2 shows a second exemplary embodiment of an internal combustion engine having an exhaust gas aftertreatment system according to the invention, wherein the exhaust gas aftertreatment system additionally has a further three-way catalytic converter, downstream from the four-way catalytic converter, in the underbody position;

[0032] FIG. 3 shows a third exemplary embodiment of an internal combustion engine having an exhaust gas aftertreatment system according to the invention, having a four-way catalytic converter close to the engine and a three-way catalytic converter downstream from the four-way catalytic converter; and

[0033] FIG. 4 shows a diagram illustrating the variation of temperature over time and the exhaust gas-to-air ratio in the exhaust gas system while carrying out a method according to the invention for exhaust aftertreatment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of an internal combustion engine 10 whose outlet 12 is connected to an exhaust gas system 20. The internal combustion engine 10 is designed as a gasoline engine that is spark-ignited by means of spark plugs 16, and that has multiple combustion chambers 14. The internal combustion engine 10 is preferably designed as an internal combustion engine 10 that is charged by means of an exhaust gas turbocharger 24, with a turbine 26 of the exhaust gas turbocharger 24 situated downstream from the outlet 12 and upstream from the first emission-reducing exhaust aftertreatment component, in particular upstream from a three-way catalytic converter 28 close to the engine. The exhaust gas system 20 includes an exhaust duct 22 in which a three-way catalytic converter 28 close to the engine is situated in the flow direction of an exhaust gas through the exhaust duct 22, and a four-way catalytic converter 30 is situated downstream from the three-way catalytic converter 28 close to the engine. The three-way catalytic converter 28 close to the engine is situated at a distance of less than 80 cm exhaust gas path length, in particular less than 50 cm exhaust gas path length, beginning at the outlet 12 of the internal combustion engine 10. The four-way catalytic converter 30 is preferably situated in the underbody position of a motor vehicle, and thus in a position remote from the engine, i.e., at a distance of greater [than] 100 cm exhaust gas path length, beginning at the outlet 12 of the internal combustion engine 10. Downstream from the first three -way catalytic converter 28 close to the engine and upstream from the four-way catalytic converter 30, an introduction point 38 for hot exhaust gases of an exhaust gas burner 36 is provided, via which the four-way catalytic converter 30 situated downstream from the introduction point 38 may be heated independently of the operating situation of the internal combustion engine 10. The introduction point 38 is spaced apart from the four-way catalytic converter 30, so that a mixing path 48, in which the hot burner gas mixes with the exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine 10, results between the introduction point 38 and the inlet of the four-way catalytic converter 30.

[0035] Further catalytic converters, in particular a further three-way catalytic converter 34, a NOx storage catalytic converter, or a catalytic converter for selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides may additionally be situated in the exhaust gas system 20. Situated in the exhaust duct 22, upstream from the first three-way catalytic converter 28, is a first lambda probe 42 with which the oxygen content Ai of the exhaust gas downstream from the outlet 12 and upstream from the first exhaust aftertreatment component, i.e., the first three-way catalytic converter 28 close to the engine, may be determined. Situated in the exhaust duct 22, downstream from the introduction point 38 and upstream from the four-way catalytic converter 30, is a second lambda probe 44 with which the oxygen content .sub.2 in the exhaust duct 28 directly upstream from the four-way catalytic converter 30 may be determined. The first lambda probe 42 is preferably designed as a broadband lambda probe, and is connected to a control unit 60 of the internal combustion engine 10 via a first signal line 56. The second lambda probe 44 is preferably designed as a jump probe, and is connected to the control unit 60 via a second signal line 56. The first lambda probe 42 and the second lambda probe 44 form a sensor system with which the combustion air ratio of the internal combustion engine 10 and of the exhaust gas burner 36 may be regulated. In addition, on-board diagnosis of the first three-way catalytic converter 28 may take place via the sensor system.

[0036] A secondary air pump 40 is connected to the exhaust gas burner 36 via a secondary air line 58.

[0037] A secondary air valve with which the air supply to the exhaust gas burner 36 may be provided and interrupted may be situated in the secondary air line 44. In addition, pressure sensors 50, 52 may be provided upstream and downstream from the four-way catalytic converter 30, and may carry out a differential pressure measurement across the four-way catalytic converter 30 to determine the loading state of the four-way catalytic converter 30. Furthermore, on-board diagnosis of the four-way catalytic converter 30 may take place via the pressure sensors 50, 52. The secondary air pump 40 may be additionally connected to a further introduction point at the exhaust duct 22 via a further secondary air line, so that the secondary air may be introduced into the exhaust duct 22 independently of the exhaust gas burner 36. In addition, even further sensors, in particular a temperature sensor 54 or a NOx sensor, may be situated in the exhaust gas system 20 to control the combustion of the internal combustion engine 10 and/or of the exhaust gas burner 36.

[0038] In one variant of the exhaust gas aftertreatment system, the second lambda probe 44 is situated downstream from the four-way catalytic converter 30, thus allowing determination of the exhaust gas-to-air ratio downstream from the four-way catalytic converter 30. The advantage of this variant is that there is better intermixing of the burner gas and the exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine 10, and an evaluation of the tailpipe lambda value is possible. A disadvantage of this variant, however, is that the signal has increased inertia due to the oxygen storage capability of the four-way catalytic converter 30, wherein any control deviation of the lambda control directly results in increased tailpipe emissions.

[0039] In another variant of the exhaust gas aftertreatment system, a second lambda probe 44 in this variant is provided directly upstream from the four-way catalytic converter 30, and a third lambda probe 46 is provided downstream from the four-way catalytic converter 30. This variant has the advantage that the benefits of the two previously mentioned variants may be combined with one another. However, it is disadvantageous that the complexity of the control and the costs increase due to an additional lambda probe.

[0040] FIG. 2 illustrates another exemplary embodiment of an internal combustion engine 10 having an exhaust gas aftertreatment system according to the invention. With essentially the same design as in FIG. 1, a further three-way catalytic converter 34 is situated in the exhaust duct 22, downstream from the four-way catalytic converter 30. The goal of stoichiometric tailpipe exhaust gas during operation of the exhaust gas burner 36 may thus be more easily achieved, since a further component having an oxygen store is present. Lambda breakthroughs through the four-way catalytic converter 30 may thus be compensated for by the oxygen storage capability of the three-way catalytic converter 34 situated downstream from the four-way catalytic converter 30. This results in further improvement in the tailpipe emissions.

[0041] FIG. 3 illustrates another exemplary embodiment of an internal combustion engine 10 according to the invention. With essentially the same design as in FIGS. 1 and 2, instead of a three-way catalytic converter 28 close to the engine and a four-way catalytic converter 30 in the underbody position, a four-way catalytic converter 32 close to the engine and a three-way catalytic converter 34, downstream from this four-way catalytic converter 32 close to the engine, are situated in the underbody position of a motor vehicle. This exemplary embodiment has the advantage that rapid light-off of the four-way catalytic converter 32 is achieved. Operation in the lean phase, with overstoichiometric exhaust gas by blowing in secondary air, can then take place only until the oxygen store (OSC) on the three-way catalytic converter 34 is sufficient to receive the excess oxygen in order to avoid a lean breakthrough through the three-way catalytic converter 34. An increase in the exhaust gas components to be reduced, in particular nitrogen oxides, may be avoided in this way. However, one disadvantage of such an approach is that the duration of the lean phase is limited by the oxygen storage capability of the three-way catalytic converter 34. In addition, the durability of the four-way catalytic converter 32 close to the engine is limited.

[0042] FIG. 4 illustrates the variation of temperature over time upstream from the four-way catalytic converter 30 while carrying out a method according to the invention for exhaust aftertreatment. In addition, FIG. 4 shows the exhaust gas-to-air ratio upstream from the three-way catalytic converter 28 close to the engine (.sub.vT) and downstream from the last catalytically active component 30, 34 of the exhaust gas aftertreatment system (.sub.E). In a first method step <100>, after the motor start S the internal combustion engine 10 is heated by the waste heat of the internal combustion engine 10, and concurrently by the exhaust gas burner 36. In this method step <100>, the internal combustion engine 10 is operated with a stoichiometric combustion air ratio (=1), and is adjusted to a stoichiometric exhaust gas-to-air ratio .sub.E downstream from the last catalytically active exhaust aftertreatment component 30, 34. The heating phase is maintained until the four-way catalytic converter 30 has reached a temperature above the regeneration temperature T.sub.R for oxidizing the soot retained in the four-way catalytic converter 30. In a method step <110> the exhaust gas burner 36 is switched off, and secondary air is blown into the exhaust duct 22 upstream from the four-way catalytic converter 30. The quantity of secondary air is to be set in such a way that the mixture lambda with stoichiometric operation of the engine and secondary air blowing is in the range of 1.05<.sub.vT<1.2. In this way, thermal damage to the four-way catalytic converter 30 due to uncontrolled soot burnoff and excessive cooling of the four-way catalytic converter 30 are avoided. Secondary air is blown in until the temperature of the four-way catalytic converter 30 drops below the regeneration temperature T.sub.R and partial regeneration of the four-way catalytic converter 30 has taken place. At the end El of method step <110>, the secondary air blowing is switched off. Since the oxygen store (OSC) of the four-way catalytic converter is completely full at this point in time, following the secondary air blowing, in a method step <120> the internal combustion engine 10 is operated with an understoichiometric, rich combustion air ratio <1 in order to at least partially evacuate the oxygen store (OSC). This method step <120> is terminated at a point in time E2, before a rich breakthrough through the four-way catalytic converter 30 occurs. The control preferably takes place based on a model, so that a small residual loading of at least 5% of the oxygen store (OSC) remains and a rich breakthrough is avoided. In a method step <130> the internal combustion engine 10 is subsequently operated with a stoichiometric combustion air ratio =1, resulting in conversion of the pollutants, present in the exhaust gas, by the catalytic converters 28, 30, 32, 34. The method according to the invention is preferably carried out without assessing the soot loading of the four-way catalytic converter 30 after each heating phase of the exhaust gas burner 36.

[0043] In summary, it may be concluded that by use of an exhaust gas aftertreatment system according to the invention and the described method according to the invention, partial regeneration of the four-way catalytic converter 30 may be carried out, regardless of the driving cycles and regardless of the loading of the four-way catalytic converter 30. The regeneration of the four-way catalytic converter 30 thus takes place in an emission-neutral manner, and does not result in an increase in secondary emissions.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0044] 10 internal combustion engine [0045] 12 outlet [0046] 14 combustion chamber [0047] 16 spark plug [0048] 18 cylinder head [0049] 20 exhaust gas system [0050] 22 exhaust duct [0051] 24 exhaust gas turbocharger [0052] 26 turbine [0053] 28 three-way catalytic converter close to the engine [0054] 30 four-way catalytic converter [0055] 32 four-way catalytic converter close to the engine [0056] 34 second three-way catalytic converter [0057] 36 exhaust gas burner [0058] 38 introduction point [0059] 40 secondary air pump [0060] 42 first lambda probe [0061] 44 second lambda probe [0062] 46 third lambda probe [0063] 48 mixing path [0064] 50 first pressure sensor [0065] 52 second pressure sensor [0066] 54 temperature sensor [0067] 56 signal line [0068] 58 air line [0069] 60 control unit [0070] <100> start phase of the internal combustion engine with active exhaust gas burner [0071] <110> regeneration phase of the four-way catalytic converter [0072] <120> evacuation of the oxygen store of the four-way catalytic converter [0073] <130> stoichiometric normal operation of the internal combustion engine [0074] E1 end of the secondary air blowing [0075] E2 end of the rich adjustment of the engine [0076] S starting of the internal combustion engine [0077] T.sub.vP temperature upstream from the four-way catalytic converter [0078] T.sub.R regeneration temperature of the four-way catalytic converter [0079] T.sub.LO light-off temperature of the four-way catalytic converter [0080] .sub.vT exhaust gas-to-air ratio upstream from the catalytic converter close to the engine [0081] .sub.E exhaust gas-to-air ratio downstream from the last catalytically active exhaust aftertreatment component