Procedure for operating an internal combustion engine and device for the execution of the procedure

Abstract

Suggested is a procedure for operating a combustion engine ( 10 ), which comprises at least one pencil-type glow plug ( 12 ) that is assigned to at least one cylinder ( 11 ), and in whose exhaust gas area ( 13 ) at least one catalytic converter ( 14 ) is arranged, as well as a device for implementing the procedure. The pencil-type glow plug ( 12 ) is operated at least temporarily independent of the combustion engine operating status until reaching a preset measure for the conversion capability of the catalytic converter ( 14 ). The procedure according to the invention enables a low-emission operation of the combustion engine ( 10 ) simultaneously with minimal energy consumption and an extended lifetime of the pencil-type glow plug ( 12 ).

1 . A procedure for operating a combustion engine, which comprises at least one pencil-type glow plug that is assigned to at least one cylinder, and in whose exhaust gas area at least one catalytic converter is arranged, wherein the pencil-type glow plug is operated at least temporarily independent of the combustion engine operating status until reaching a preset measure for the conversion capability of the catalytic converter. 
   
   
       2 . The procedure according to  claim 1 , wherein the preset measure for the conversion capability of the catalytic converter, if the catalytic converter has reached its start up temperature. 
   
   
       3 . The procedure according to  claim 1 , wherein the preset measure for the conversion capability of the catalytic converter is reached, when a preset operating time of the pencil-type glow plug has elapsed. 
   
   
       4 . The procedure according to  claim 1 , wherein the preset measure for the conversion capability of the catalytic converter is reached when the catalytic converter has reached a certain conversion rate. 
   
   
       5 . The procedure according to  claim 1 , wherein the reaching of the preset conversion capability of the catalytic converter is determined with the aid of a comparison of the upstream exhaust gas temperature that has been measured or calculated upstream of the catalytic converter with an upstream exhaust gas temperature threshold value. 
   
   
       6 . The procedure according to  claim 1 , wherein the reaching of the preset measure for the conversion capability of the catalytic converter is determined with the aid of a comparison of the downstream exhaust gas temperature that has been measured or calculated downstream of the catalytic converter with an downstream exhaust gas temperature threshold value. 
   
   
       7 . The procedure according to  claim 1 , wherein the reaching of the preset measure for the conversion capability of the catalytic converter is determined with the aid of a comparison of the difference that occurs at the catalytic converter between the downstream exhaust gas temperature and the upstream exhaust gas temperature and a comparison of the temperature difference threshold value, wherein the downstream exhaust gas temperature is measured and the upstream exhaust gas temperature is measured or calculated. 
   
   
       8 . The procedure according to  claim 1 , wherein the reaching of the preset measure for the conversion capability of the catalytic converter is determined with the aid of a comparison of the downstream after the catalytic converter measured downstream exhaust gas lambda and a comparison with a downstream exhaust gas lambda threshold value. 
   
   
       9 . The procedure according to  claim 1 , wherein the reaching of the preset measure for the conversion capability of the catalytic converter is determined with the aid of an occurring difference between the downstream exhaust gas lambda and the upstream exhaust gas lambda and a comparison with an exhaust gas lambda threshold value, wherein the downstream exhaust gas lambda is measured and the upstream exhaust gas lambda is measured or calculated. 
   
   
       10 . The procedure according to  claim 1 , wherein the temperature of the pencil-type glow plug varies. 
   
   
       11 . A device for operating a combustion engine, which comprises at least one pencil-type glow plug that is assigned to at least one cylinder, and in whose exhaust gas area at least one catalytic converter is arranged, wherein at least one customized control unit is provided for implementing the procedure according to one of the previous claims, which contains measures for implementing the procedure. 
   
   
       12 . A control unit program, which carries out all steps of a procedure according to  claim 1  if the program runs in a control unit. 
   
   
       13 . A control unit program product with a program code that is stored on a machine-readable medium for implementing the procedure according to  claim 1  if the program is carried out in a control unit.