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Method and apparatus for an exhaust emissions control systemRelated Patent Categories: Power Plants, Internal Combustion Engine With Treatment Or Handling Of Exhaust Gas, Methods, Anti-pollutionMethod and apparatus for an exhaust emissions control system description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060168940, Method and apparatus for an exhaust emissions control system. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to a method for mutual adaptation of a delivery module and a metering module of an exhaust emissions control system that has an exhaust gas conduit and a control module, the delivery module having a reservoir that has a venting valve and contains a uric acid solution that is conveyed via a delivery pump to a pressure regulating valve; and in the metering module, an air stream being compressed with the aid a pump, conveyed to a pressure accumulator, and conveyed via a regulating valve, together with the uric acid solution, out of the pressure regulating valve to a metering valve, and being conveyed from there to an atomizer unit disposed in the exhaust gas conduit. [0002] The present invention further relates to an apparatus for mutual adaptation of a delivery module and metering module for an exhaust emissions control system having an exhaust gas conduit and a control module. BACKGROUND INFORMATION [0003] Appropriate exhaust gas treatment is necessary in connection with future regulatory stipulations regarding emissions of nitrogen oxides from motor vehicles. The so-called selective catalytic reduction (SCR) method, among others, is to be used to decrease the NO.sub.x emissions of combustion engines, in particular diesel engines. In this method, a defined quantity of the reducing agent urea or urea-water solution (UWS) is added to the exhaust gas. [0004] German Patent Application No. DE 101 39 142, for example, describes an exhaust emissions control system of an internal combustion engine in which an SCR converter, which reduces nitrogen oxides contained in the exhaust gas to nitrogen using ammonia as reagent, is used to decrease NO.sub.x emissions. The ammonia is obtained, in a hydrolytic converter located upstream from the SCR converter, from a urea-water solution (UWS). The hydrolytic converter converts the urea contained in the UWS into ammonia and carbon dioxide. In a second step, the ammonia reduces the nitrogen oxides to nitrogen, water being produced as a byproduct. The exact mechanism has been `amply` described in the technical literature (cf. Weissweller in CIT (72), pp. 441-449, 2000). The UWS is provided in a reagent tank. [0005] An exhaust emissions control system of this kind is usually constructed in modular fashion, being made up of a delivery module and a metering module for the UWS. For reasons of production logistics, it may happen in some circumstances that the delivery module and metering module are installed at different sites. For example, the delivery module may be installed by the vehicle manufacturer, but the metering module by the engine manufacturer. This complicates the process of compensating for production tolerances, which was previously still possible by applying a corresponding characteristic curve in the control unit. For logistical reasons, this can be accomplished only with greater effort. At the present state of development, therefore, paired modules are still supplied, the delivery module and metering module having previously been matched to one another. [0006] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus with which mutual adaptation of any arbitrary metering and delivery modules can be achieved in simple and economical fashion. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] An object relevant to the method is achieved in that for mutual adaptation of a delivery module and a metering module of an exhaust emissions control system that has an exhaust gas conduit and a control module, the value of a reference pressure based on the pressure forming in the exhaust gas conduit is stored in a control module. The delivery module has, in that context, a reservoir that has a venting valve and contains a uric acid solution that is conveyed via a delivery pump to a pressure regulating valve. In the metering module, an air stream is compressed with the aid of a pump, conveyed to a pressure accumulator, and conveyed via a regulating valve, together with the uric acid solution, out of the pressure regulating valve to a metering valve and from there to an atomizer unit disposed in the exhaust gas conduit. The pressure value stored in the control module is dependent on the air flow, the spray tube embodiment, and the various vehicle applications, and is a tolerance metric for the properties of the various modules, including the regulating valves, metering valves, and pressure regulating valves contained therein. [0008] Deviations from the target value result in pressure values deviating from the target pressure value, from which values a working point for an optimum reduction in nitrogen oxides can be calculated. [0009] Upon startup of the exhaust emissions control system, firstly the metering module is activated, the delivery module not being activated. As a result, the pressure conditions and mass flows depend exclusively on the properties of the metering module, the atomizer unit, and the exhaust gas conduit, and are not influenced by the properties of the delivery module. [0010] Because, in a further step, the metering valve is opened and the reference pressure is stored in the control module once steady-state pressure conditions have been established, that pressure also does not depend on the properties of the delivery module. [0011] In order to release any residual pressure in the reservoir that would interfere with the calibration operation, a variant method provides for the venting valve to be opened upon startup and to be closed again before the metering valve is opened. [0012] As operation of the exhaust emissions control system proceeds, provision is made in a preferred embodiment for the adaptation of the delivery module and metering module to be accomplished as necessary and/or cyclically at specific time intervals. A recalibration as necessary may be required, for example, if an elevated nitrogen oxide content is detected with a sensor in the exhaust section. This allows a long-term and reliable reduction in nitrogen oxides from the exhaust gas during continuous operation. Any drift of the optimum working point as a result of aging of the components can thereby be compensated for. [0013] An alternative method provides that for mutual adaptation of a delivery module and a metering module of an exhaust emissions control system having a control module, a respective parameter or characteristic curve is created for the delivery module and for the metering module, and is introduced into the respective module as a machine-readable code. The individual properties of the modules, for example as a consequence of production tolerances, can be measured, and the modules can be correspondingly characterized. Upon startup, the method provides for the machine-readable code to be read and to be stored in the control module, for example in a nonvolatile memory (EEPROM or the like). The optimum working points for the various valves can then be calculated on the basis of the stored codes. [0014] An object relevant to the apparatus is achieved in that the value of a reference pressure based on the pressure forming in the exhaust gas conduit in the context of a calibration cycle is stored in the control module, with the result that a calculation of the optimum working point, and thus an optimum adaptation of the delivery and metering modules, can be effected. [0015] For the apparatus, the preferred embodiment provides for the above-described method sequence according to the present invention to be represented in the control module as hardware and/or software. The method sequence, constituting a subprogram, can be integrated particularly easily into the control module, or alternatively into a higher-level engine control software program. Necessary modifications in the method sequence for further optimization of nitrogen oxide values in the exhaust gas can thereby be implemented particularly quickly. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING [0016] FIG. 1 schematically depicts an exhaust emissions control system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0017] FIG. 1 shows a delivery module 10 and a metering module 20 of an exhaust emissions control system according to the existing art, having an exhaust gas conduit 30 and a control module 40. [0018] Delivery module 10 is made up of a reservoir 11 that has a venting valve 11.1 and contains a uric acid solution (UWS) 12 which is conveyed via a delivery pump 13 to a metering valve 22. A pressure regulating valve 14 connected to the delivery side of pump 13 opens when the system pressure is too high, and then returns UWS to reservoir 11. In metering module 20, an air stream 26 is compressed with the aid of a pump 25, conveyed to a pressure accumulator 24, and conveyed via a regulating valve 23, together with the uric acid solution from delivery pump 13, to a metering valve 22. From there the air/UWS mixture is conveyed to an atomizer unit 21 disposed in exhaust gas conduit 30. In exhaust gas conduit 30, an exhaust gas stream 31 is conveyed in a first chamber to an oxidation catalytic converter 32. The air/UWS mixture is then injected into exhaust gas stream 31 by atomizer unit 21. The reaction that breaks down the nitrogen oxides then takes place in a second chamber that constitutes an SCR converter 33. A pressure sensor 34 on the SCR converter measures the pressure, and transmits the value to control module 40. [0019] The method for mutual adaptation of delivery module 10 and metering module 20 provides for the value of a reference pressure based on the pressure forming in exhaust gas conduit 30 to be stored in control module 40. For that purpose, upon startup of exhaust emissions control system 1, firstly metering module 20 is activated by switching on pump 25. Delivery pump 13 of delivery module 10 is not activated. The result is that the pressure in pressure accumulator 24 can build up. Predetermined volume and pressure conditions for the downstream metering valve 22 are established with regulating valve 23. Continue reading about Method and apparatus for an exhaust emissions control system... Full patent description for Method and apparatus for an exhaust emissions control system Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Method and apparatus for an exhaust emissions control system patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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