Internal combustion engine fuel system and method for co-ordinating exhaust gas after-treatment temperature control and vapour purge management

摘要

A fuel control system for an internal combustion engine in which a three-way catalytic converter and a lean NOx trap are located in series on the exhaust side of the engine, the engine including a fuel vapour storage canister located between the engine intake manifold and the engine fuel tank. A fuel injector distributes fuel directly to the combustion chamber, and a throttle-controlled air intake communicates with the engine intake manifold whereby stratified combustion of the air/fuel mixture in the intake manifold occurs. Air/fuel vapour delivered from the canister to the intake manifold results in the development of excess hydrocarbons in the exhaust gases when needed to raise the temperature in the lean NOx trap, which results in improved operating efficiency of the lean NOx trap.