Method to Improve DPF Regeneration Performance for Challenging Driving Profiles

Major share of Small Commercial Vehicles (SCV) applications is operated in city conditions with frequent stops and short driving distance. Drivers will often operate these SCV with loads that exceed their rated specifications. Such driving profiles are particularly observed in food, e-commerce delivery, garbage collection vehicles which are driven inside the city. During Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) regeneration events in these conditions, it is a challenge to maintain light-off temperature of oxidation catalyst. This may lead to prolonged regeneration durations with multiple regeneration interrupts and poor regeneration efficiency. Frequent engine start operations and lower passive regeneration result in a low regeneration interval. The extended DPF regeneration duration in combination with a low regeneration interval will result in high oil dilution.

The study focuses on identifying such driving profiles and defining counter measures to improve the regeneration performance. This involves applying an ECO mode to optimize the soot rate only during challenging driving conditions and escalation-based algorithms that use auxiliary loads to increase exhaust temperatures and thus improve regeneration efficiency. These measures help to improve regeneration performance with lower fuel consumption and reduced oil dilution.