Kia has been granted a patent for a method of maintaining the temperature of a vehicle’s aftertreatment system. The method involves using a controller to operate a retarder, jake brake device, or exhaust brake device to reduce driving force and decrease engine RPM, thereby controlling the amount of exhaust gas introduced into the aftertreatment system. This helps maintain the temperature of the system. GlobalData’s report on Kia gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
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Method for maintaining aftertreatment system temperature in a vehicle
A recently granted patent (Publication Number: US11773796B2) describes a method and device for maintaining the temperature of an aftertreatment system in a vehicle. The system involves various components and control mechanisms to ensure optimal temperature regulation.
The method involves several steps. Firstly, when the vehicle is traveling downhill, a controller operates a retarder to reduce the driving force of the propeller shaft in response to a retarder operation request signal. If the output error value of the retarder is equal to or smaller than a reference error value, the controller then operates a jake brake device or an exhaust brake device to remove the output error value. These devices decrease the revolutions per minute (RPM) of the engine and remove the error value by discharging a fuel-air mixture or blocking the discharge of exhaust gas.
To maintain the temperature of the aftertreatment system, the controller controls the engine in such a way that the amount of exhaust gas, which has a lowered temperature due to the operation of the jake brake device or the exhaust brake device, introduced into the aftertreatment system is decreased. This can be achieved by controlling the throttle valve to decrease the amount of air introduced to the engine or by changing the discharge path of the exhaust gas to prevent the turbocharger from operating. The controller can also introduce the exhaust gas into the engine's combustion chamber by opening the Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) valve or discharge the exhaust gas to the outside of the vehicle through a bypass passage.
The device described in the patent includes a retarder and a controller. The controller operates the retarder in response to a retarder operation request signal when the vehicle is traveling downhill. It also operates the jake brake device or the exhaust brake device to remove the output error value of the retarder. Additionally, the controller controls the engine to decrease the amount of exhaust gas with a lowered temperature introduced into the aftertreatment system.
Overall, this patent presents a method and device for maintaining the temperature of an aftertreatment system in a vehicle, particularly when traveling downhill. The system utilizes various control mechanisms to regulate the temperature and optimize the performance of the aftertreatment system.
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GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
