Caterpillar Inc.

Frederic Fugere

Anthony C Rodman

Andrew Alfred Knitt

Michael Andrew Snopko

Rajesh Narayanan Nair

Malshantha M Kankanamge

Operating an exhaust particulate filter system for an internal combustion engine includes transmitting electromagnetic energy, for example having a frequency above about 2 GHz, through an exhaust particulate filter containing trapped soot. The transmitted electromagnetic energy may be attenuated in response to the trapped soot, and a filter soot loading value calculated based at least in part upon a correlation among an attenuation of the electromagnetic energy, a temperature of the filter, and a mass of the trapped soot. An algorithm based upon a partial derivative of an equation representing the correlation may be used in calculating the filter soot loading value, and a resulting soot mass. The calculated soot mass is used to determine a relative soot loading state of the filter in conjunction with information as to ash loading. Responsive to determining the relative soot loading state satisfies regeneration suitability conditions, a regeneration initiation command may be outputted.

Exhaust particulate filter system and operating method therefor

A machine includes an internal combustion engine, and an exhaust particulate filter system coupled therewith having an exhaust particulate filter for trapping particulates in exhaust from the internal combustion engine. A control system for the exhaust particulate filter includes a sensing mechanism such as an RF soot sensor and a data processor coupled with the sensing mechanism and configured to output a moisture compensation signal responsive to a pattern of inputs from the sensing mechanism indicative of moisture within the exhaust particulate filter, for controlling regeneration thereof.

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Chillicothe, IL, United States of America

Frederic Fugere