The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 25, 2002
Filed:
Jan. 07, 2000
Kevin Verne Tallio, Saline, MI (US);
Timothy Chanko, Canton, MI (US);
Yitzhak Isaac Henig, Essex, GB;
Ford Global Technologies, Inc., Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
A method of monitoring exhaust gas flow through an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine comprising the steps of generating a flow efficiency value (K ), comparing the flow efficiency value to a reference efficiency value, and if the reference efficiency value is exceed by a predetermined amount, then setting a flow fault indicator flag. In one aspect of the invention, the flow efficiency value is generated as a ratio of the magnitude of the exhaust gas flow restriction, and the mass flux through the engine. The magnitude of the exhaust gas flow restriction is represented by the pressure drop across the exhaust system, and the mass flux through the engine is determined as a function of the mass airflow rate and exhaust gas density. The resulting flow efficiency value (K ) is a non-dimensional parameter that characterizes the level of restriction in the exhaust system independent of the engine operating conditions.