Systems and methods to minimize exhaust system condensation

Abstract

A method includes: determining that a condensation state is present in an exhaust aftertreatment system based on received information; and, responsive to determining that the condensation state is present in an exhaust aftertreatment system, implementing a thermal management strategy including activating a heater to increase a temperature associated with the exhaust aftertreatment system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 determining that a condensation state is present in an exhaust aftertreatment system based on received information; and   responsive to determining that the condensation state is present in an exhaust aftertreatment system, implementing a thermal management strategy including activating a heater to increase a temperature associated with the exhaust aftertreatment system.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving information comprising at least one of environmental information or operating information regarding an engine system having the exhaust aftertreatment system; and   determining that the condensation state is present in the exhaust aftertreatment system based on the information.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving temperature information associated the exhaust aftertreatment system subsequent to implementing the thermal management strategy; and   deactivating the heater based on the temperature information associated with the exhaust aftertreatment system subsequent to implementing the thermal management strategy based on the temperature information indicating that a subsequent temperature associated with the exhaust aftertreatment system exceeds a condensation temperature threshold.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 responsive to determining that the condensation state is present in the exhaust aftertreatment system, commanding an engine coupled to the exhaust aftertreatment system to operate in a cylinder deactivation mode whereby at least one cylinder of a plurality of cylinders of the engine is deactivated.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the cylinder deactivation mode is a skip-fire cylinder deactivation mode. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the heater is activated while the cylinder deactivation mode is active. 
     
     
         7 . A system comprising:
 one or more processing circuits comprising one or more processors and one or more memory devices coupled to the one or more processors, the one or more memory devices storing instructions therein that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processing circuits to perform operations comprising:
 determining that a condensation state is present in an exhaust aftertreatment system based on received information; and 
 responsive to determining that the condensation state is present in the exhaust aftertreatment system, implementing a thermal management strategy including activating a heater to increase a temperature associated with the exhaust aftertreatment system. 
   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processing circuits to perform further operations comprising:
 receiving information comprising at least one of environmental information or operating information regarding an engine system having the exhaust aftertreatment system; and   determining that the condensation state is present in the exhaust aftertreatment system based on the information.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processing circuits to perform further operations comprising:
 receiving temperature information associated with the exhaust aftertreatment system subsequent to implementing the thermal management strategy; and   deactivating the heater based on the temperature information associated with the exhaust aftertreatment system subsequent to implementing the thermal management strategy indicating that a subsequent temperature associated with the exhaust aftertreatment system exceeds a condensation temperature threshold.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processing circuits to perform further operations comprising:
 receiving environmental information regarding the system;   receiving information regarding the temperature associated with the exhaust aftertreatment system;   determining a condensation temperature regarding the exhaust aftertreatment system based on at least one of the environmental information or the temperature associated with the exhaust aftertreatment system;   determining a firing density for a cylinder deactivation mode for an engine coupled to the exhaust aftertreatment system based on comparing the temperature regarding the exhaust aftertreatment system to the condensation temperature; and   implementing the firing density with the engine during the cylinder deactivation mode.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processing circuits to perform further operations comprising:
 ceasing operation of the cylinder deactivation mode based on the temperature associated with the exhaust aftertreatment system subsequent to implementing the firing density with the engine during the cylinder deactivation mode exceeding the condensation temperature;   determining that the temperature associated with the exhaust aftertreatment system subsequent to implementing the firing density with the engine during the cylinder deactivation mode is less than the condensation temperature by more than a predefined amount after a predefined duration subsequent to implementing the firing density with the engine during the cylinder deactivation mode; and   reducing the firing density based on the determination that the temperature associated with the exhaust aftertreatment system subsequent to implementing the firing density with the engine during the cylinder deactivation mode is less than the condensation temperature by more than the predefined amount after the predefined duration subsequent to implementing the firing density with the engine during the cylinder deactivation mode.   
     
     
         12 . A system comprising:
 an exhaust aftertreatment system; and   a controller coupled to an engine and the exhaust aftertreatment system, the controller configured to responsive to determining that a condensation state is present in the exhaust aftertreatment system, command the engine to operate in a cylinder deactivation mode whereby at least one cylinder of a plurality of cylinders of the engine is deactivated.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 receive location information regarding the system;   determine that the system is in a location associated with engine idle operation; and   based on determining that the system is in the location associated with the engine idle operation, continue to control the engine to operate in the cylinder deactivation mode.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 receive time information regarding a time of operation of the system; and   determine that the time of operation is at or above a predefined operation time threshold, and continue to control the engine to operate in the cylinder deactivation mode.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the controller is further configured to continue to control the engine to operate in the cylinder deactivation mode based on a location of the system being associated with engine idle operation and the time of operation being at or above the predefined operation time threshold. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 receive information comprising at least one of environmental information or operating information regarding the system;   determine condensation threshold data based on the information, the condensation threshold data including at least one of a condensation temperature or a condensation pressure; and   determine a likelihood of condensation forming within the exhaust aftertreatment system based on the condensation threshold data.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 receive information comprising at least one of environmental information or operating information regarding the system;   determine a condensation temperature based on the information;   determine a reference temperature based on the information; and   determine that the condensation state is present responsive to determining that the reference temperature is below the condensation temperature.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein determining that the condensation state is present includes:
 determining a reference temperature; and   determining whether the reference temperature is below a reference threshold.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 receive information comprising at least one of environmental information or operating information regarding the system;   determine a temperature regarding the exhaust aftertreatment system based on the information; and   determine a firing density for the cylinder deactivation mode for the engine based on comparing the temperature regarding the exhaust aftertreatment system to a condensation temperature.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine that the firing density is a first firing density when the temperature associated with the exhaust aftertreatment system is within a predefined amount of the condensation temperature; and   determine that the first firing density is a second firing density when the temperature regarding the exhaust aftertreatment system is outside the predefined amount of the condensation temperature;   wherein the second firing density corresponds with less amount of cylinders being active during the cylinder deactivation mode relative to the first firing density.