| US 7,514,264 B2 | ||
| Method for estimating the sulfur content in the fuel of an internal combustion engine | ||
| Daniele Ceccarini, Rimini (Italy); Matteo De Cesare, Torremaggiore (Italy); and Luca Poggio, Spinetta Marengo (Italy) | ||
| Assigned to Magneti Marelli Powertrain S.p.A., Turin (Italy) | ||
| Filed on Jul. 21, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/490,546. | ||
| Application 11/490546 is a division of application No. 10/316736, filed on Dec. 11, 2002, granted, now 7,267,991. | ||
| Claims priority of application No. BO2001A0762 (IT), filed on Dec. 14, 2001. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2006/0258013 A1, Nov. 16, 2006 | ||
| Int. Cl. G01N 33/00 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 436—119 [436/120; 436/123; 436/106; 436/111; 436/114] | 3 Claims |
| 1. Method for estimating sulfur content in fuel of an internal combustion engine (1) equipped with at least one cylinder (2) and at least one catalyser (11), said catalyser (11) being capable of storing a quantity of sulfur and NOx groups and being subjected to a regeneration process to remove sulfur, the method providing use of a current sulfur concentration
value (Sold) and a correction of said current sulfur concentration value (Sold) in order to obtain a new sulfur concentration value (Snew), comprising the steps of:
measuring a first time interval (t1-t0) which is actually necessary in order to complete a regeneration process to remove sulfur;
determining a quantity (SOxstored) of sulfur stored in the catalyser (11) before said regeneration process to remove sulfur, using said current sulfur concentration value (Sold);
estimating a second time interval (t2-t0) which is theoretically necessary to complete the regeneration process, on the basis of the estimated quantity (SOxstored) of sulfur stored in the catalyser (11);
determining a multiplicative correction coefficient as a ratio between said first time interval (t1-t0) and said second time interval (t2-t0); and
determining an end of said first time interval (t1-t0) which is necessary to complete the regeneration process to remove sulfur according to a time (t1) at which lambda probe (14) arranged downstream from catalyser (11) detects a change from lean to rich in gases emitted by the catalyser (11).
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