Secondary air supply system and secondary air supply method for internal combustion engine

In an internal combustion engine that includes a first secondary air supply unit having a first air pump and a first air switching valve and a second secondary air supply unit having a second air pump and a second air switching valve, a time difference is provided between the operation start timing of the first air pump and the operation start timing of the second air pump, and the open timing of the first air switching valve and the open timing of the second air switching valve are set so as to be simultaneous with each other.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-119013 filed on May 27, 2011, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety including the specification, drawings and abstract.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a secondary air supply system and secondary air supply method for an internal combustion engine, which supply air into exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine.

2. Description of Related Art

A catalyst is arranged in an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine, and toxic substances of exhaust gas are purified by the catalyst through oxidation-reduction reaction. In order to activate the catalyst so as to purify exhaust gas, the temperature of the catalyst needs to be higher than or equal to its activating temperature. Therefore, in order to quickly ensure exhaust gas purification performance after a start-up of an engine, the temperature of the catalyst needs to be early increased.

Then, in an art, there is suggested an internal combustion engine that includes a secondary air supply system as described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-024034 (JP 2007-024034 A) to thereby early increase the temperature of the catalyst. The secondary air supply system is formed such that a secondary air supply passage in which an air pump that pressurizes air and discharges the pressurized air and an air switching valve that opens to permit or closes to prohibit introduction of air, discharged from the air pump, into exhaust gas are arranged is connected to the upstream side of a catalyst in an exhaust passage. In an internal combustion engine that includes such a secondary air supply system, secondary air is supplied into exhaust gas and the air-fuel ratio of burned air-fuel mixture is enriched to cause unburned fuel to be burned on the catalyst to thereby make it possible to early increase the temperature of the catalyst.

Note that the secondary air supply system described in JP 2007-024034 A is formed such that a secondary air supply passage in which an air pump and an air switching valve are provided is connected one by one to each of two exhaust pipes in which catalysts are respectively arranged. In such a secondary air supply system that includes two secondary air supply units, as the two air pumps simultaneously start operation, a voltage drop of a battery may become excessively large because of large inrush currents of the air pumps. Therefore, in this secondary air supply system, a time difference is provided between the timings at which the two air pumps start operation to thereby suppress a voltage drop of the battery.

Incidentally, in the thus configured secondary air supply system, at the time at which the pressure of supplying secondary air sufficiently increases after a lapse of a predetermined period of time from the start of operation of the air pumps, the air switching valves are opened. Therefore, when a time difference is provided between the operation start timings of the two air pumps, a time difference also occurs between the timings at which the two air switching valves are opened. When the air switching valve is opened, operation sound occurs because of a variation in pressure in the valve. Therefore, as a deviation occurs between the timings at which the two air switching valves open, the above described sound successively occurs twice, so the operation sound of each air switching valve becomes a tone that causes a passenger to experience a feeling of strangeness.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a secondary air supply system and secondary air supply method for an internal combustion engine, which are able to appropriately suppress a feeling of strangeness due to the operation sound of each air switching valve while suppressing a voltage drop of the battery due to inrush currents of the air pumps.

A first aspect of the invention provides a secondary air supply system for an internal combustion engine including a plurality of secondary air supply units. Each of the secondary air supply units includes an electric air pump and an air switching valve. The electric air pump pressurizes air and discharges the pressurized air. The air switching valve opens to permit or closes to prohibit introduction of the air, discharged from the air pump, into exhaust gas. The secondary air supply system includes a control unit configured to provide a time difference between operation start timings of the air pumps of the respective secondary air supply units and a time difference between open timings of the air switching valves of the respective secondary air supply units, and configured to set the time difference between the open timings of the air switching valves so as to be shorter than the time difference between the operation start timings of the air pumps.

With the above configuration, the time difference is provided between the operation start timings of the air pumps of the respective secondary air supply units to thereby make it possible to suppress a voltage drop of the battery due to inrush current at the time of starting the operation of each air pump. Here, where a period of time from when the operation of the air pump of each secondary air supply unit to when the corresponding air switching valve is opened is constant, when the operation start timings of the respective air pumps are shifted to an extent such that a voltage drop of the battery may be suppressed, a deviation between the open timings of the respective air switching valves increases, and the tone of the operation sound causes a feeling of strangeness.

In that respect, in the above described configuration, the time difference between the open timings of the air switching valves of the respective secondary air supply units is set so as to be shorter than the time difference between the operation start timings of the air pumps of the respective secondary air supply units. Therefore, while the time difference between the operation start timings of the air pumps is set to an extent such that a voltage drop of the battery may be suppressed, it is possible to reduce the time difference between the open timings of the air switching valves to an extent such that the tone of the operation sounds of the air switching valves does not cause a feeling of strangeness. Thus, with the above described configuration, while a voltage drop of the battery due to inrush currents of the air pumps is suppressed, it is possible to appropriately suppress a feeling of strangeness caused by the operation sounds of the air switching valves.

A second aspect of the invention provides a secondary air supply system for an internal combustion engine including a plurality of secondary air supply units. Each of the secondary air supply units includes an electric air pump and an air switching valve. The electric air pump pressurizes air and discharges the pressurized air. The air switching valve opens to permit or closes to prohibit introduction of the air, discharged from the air pump, into exhaust gas. The secondary air supply system includes a control unit configured to provide a time difference between operation start timings of the air pumps of the respective secondary air supply units, and configured to set open timings of the air switching valves of the respective secondary air supply units so as to be simultaneous with each other.

With the above configuration, the time difference is provided between the operation start timings of the air pumps of the respective secondary air supply units, but the open timings of the air switching valves of the respective secondary air supply units are set so as to be simultaneous with each other. Therefore, a voltage drop of the battery is suppressed, while the operation sounds of the air switching valves of the respective secondary air supply units are superimposed on each other to hear as a single sound. Thus, with the above described configuration, while a voltage drop of the battery due to inrush currents of the air pumps is suppressed, it is possible to appropriately suppress a feeling of strangeness caused by the operation sounds of the air switching valves.

A third aspect of the invention provides a secondary air supply system for an internal combustion engine including a first secondary air supply unit and a second secondary air supply unit. Each of the first secondary air supply unit and the second secondary air supply unit includes an electric air pump and an air switching valve. The electric air pump pressurizes air and discharges the pressurized air. The air switching valve opens to permit or closes to prohibit introduction of the air, discharged from the air pump, into exhaust gas. The secondary air supply system includes a control unit configured to start operation of the air pump of the second secondary air supply unit at the time when a prescribed period of time has elapsed from when operation of the air pump of the first secondary air supply unit is started, and configured to set a period of time from when the operation of the air pump of the second secondary air supply unit is started to when the air switching valve of the second secondary air supply unit is opened so as to be shorter than a period of time from when the operation of the air pump of the first secondary air supply unit is started to when the air switching valve of the first secondary air supply unit is opened.

With the above configuration, the time difference is provided between the operation start timings of the respective secondary air supply units to thereby suppress a voltage drop of the battery due to inrush current at the time of starting the operation of each air pump. On the other hand, the time difference between the open timings of the air switching valves of the respective secondary air supply units is set so as to be shorter than the time difference between the operation start timings of the air pumps. Therefore, while the time difference between the operation start timings of the air pumps is set to an extent such that a voltage drop of the battery may be suppressed, it is possible to reduce the time difference between the open timings of the air switching valves to an extent such that the tone of the operation sounds of the air switching valves does not cause a feeling of strangeness. Thus, with the above described configuration, while a voltage drop of the battery due to inrush currents of the air pumps is suppressed, it is possible to appropriately suppress a feeling of strangeness caused by the operation sounds of the air switching valves.

In the secondary air supply system according to the above third aspect, the control unit may be configured to set the period of time from when the operation of the air pump of the second secondary air supply unit is started to when the air switching valve of the second secondary air supply unit is opened so as to be shorter by the prescribed period of time than the period of time from when the operation of the air pump of the first secondary air supply unit is started to when the air switching valve of the first secondary air supply unit is opened.

With the above configuration, the time difference is provided between the operation start timings of the air pumps of the respective secondary air supply units, but the open timings of the air switching valves are set so as to be simultaneous with each other. Therefore, a voltage drop of the battery is suppressed, while the operation sounds of the air switching valves are superimposed on each other to hear as a single sound. Thus, with the above described configuration, while a voltage drop of the battery due to inrush currents of the air pumps is suppressed, it is possible to appropriately suppress a feeling of strangeness caused by the operation sounds of the air switching valves.

Note that, in the secondary air supply system according to the above aspects, the internal combustion engine may be formed such that cylinders are separately arranged in two banks, and the first secondary air supply unit and the second secondary air supply unit may be configured to respectively supply secondary air to one and the other of two exhaust pipes connected respectively to the cylinders of the respective banks.

A fourth aspect of the invention provides a secondary air supply method for an internal combustion engine including a plurality of secondary air supply units. Each of the secondary air supply units includes an electric air pump and an air switching valve. The electric air pump pressurizes air and discharges the pressurized air. The air switching valve opens to permit or closes to prohibit introduction of the air, discharged from the air pump, into exhaust gas. The secondary air supply method includes: providing a time difference between operation start timings of the air pumps of the respective secondary air supply units and a time difference between open timings of the air switching valves of the respective secondary air supply units; and setting the time difference between the open timings of the air switching valves so as to be shorter than the time difference between the operation start timings of the air pumps.

A fifth aspect of the invention provides a secondary air supply method for an internal combustion engine including a plurality of secondary air supply units. Each of the secondary air supply units includes an electric air pump and an air switching valve. The electric air pump pressurizes air and discharges the pressurized air. The air switching valve opens to permit or closes to prohibit introduction of the air, discharged from the air pump, into exhaust gas. The secondary air supply method includes: providing a time difference between operation start timings of the air pumps of the respective secondary air supply units; and setting open timings of the air switching valves of the respective secondary air supply units so as to be simultaneous with each other.

A sixth aspect of the invention provides a secondary air supply method for an internal combustion engine including a first secondary air supply unit and a second secondary air supply unit. Each of the first secondary air supply unit and the second secondary air supply unit includes an electric air pump and an air switching valve. The electric air pump pressurizes air and discharges the pressurized air. The air switching valve opens to permit or closes to prohibit introduction of the air, discharged from the air pump, into exhaust gas. The secondary air supply method includes: starting operation of the air pump of the second secondary air supply unit at the time when a prescribed period of time has elapsed from when operation of the air pump of the first secondary air supply unit is started; and setting a period of time from when the operation of the air pump of the second secondary air supply unit is started to when the air switching valve of the second secondary air supply unit is opened so as to be shorter than a period of time from when the operation of the air pump of the first secondary air supply unit is started to when the air switching valve of the first secondary air supply unit is opened.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, a specific embodiment of a secondary air supply system for an internal combustion engine according to the aspect of the invention will be described in detail with reference toFIG. 1toFIG. 3. The secondary air supply system according to the present embodiment is applied to a V-cylinder arrangement internal combustion engine in which cylinders are arranged separately in right and left banks.

First, the configuration of the secondary air supply system according to the present embodiment will be described with reference toFIG. 1. As shown in the drawing, each cylinder of the right bank R of the internal combustion engine to which the present embodiment is applied is connected to an exhaust pipe3via an exhaust manifold1. The exhaust manifold1merges exhaust gas from each cylinder of the right bank R. A catalyst5for purifying exhaust gas is arranged in the exhaust pipe3. In addition, each cylinder of the left bank L is connected to an exhaust pipe4via an exhaust manifold2. The exhaust manifold2merges exhaust gas from each cylinder of the left bank L. A catalyst6for purifying exhaust gas is arranged in the exhaust pipe4. Then, the exhaust pipes3and4are combined into one pipe on the downstream side of the catalysts5and6.

A first secondary air supply passage7is connected to the exhaust manifold1of the right bank R. The first secondary air supply passage7is used to supply secondary air into exhaust gas. In the first secondary air supply passage7, an electric first air pump8and a first air switching valve (ASV)9are arranged. The first air pump8pressurizes air and discharges the pressurized air. The first ASV9opens to permit or closes to prohibit introduction of air, discharged from the first air pump8, into the exhaust manifold1. Note that, in the present embodiment, a first secondary air supply unit is formed of these first secondary air supply passage7, first air pump8and first ASV9.

Similarly, a second secondary air supply passage10is connected to the exhaust manifold2of the left bank L. The second secondary air supply passage10is used to supply secondary air into exhaust gas. In the second secondary air supply passage10, an electric second air pump11and a second ASV12are arranged. The second air pump11pressurizes air and discharges the pressurized air. The second ASV12opens to permit or closes to prohibit introduction of air, discharged from the second air pump11, into the exhaust manifold2. Note that, in the present embodiment, a second secondary air supply unit is formed of these second secondary air supply passage10, second air pump11and second ASV12.

The first air pump8, the first ASV9, the second air pump11and the second ASV12are controlled by an electronic control unit13. The electronic control unit13governs engine control. The electronic control unit13includes a central processing unit (CPU), a read only memory (ROM) and a random access memory (RAM). The CPU executes various processings associated with engine control. The ROM stores programs and data for engine control. The RAM temporarily stores processing results of the CPU, detected results of sensors, and the like. Then, signals detected by various sensors for detecting an engine operating condition are input to the electronic control unit13.

The electronic control unit13executes temperature increasing control over the catalysts5and6at the time of engine start as part of engine control. The temperature increasing control over the catalysts5and6is executed such that air (secondary air) is supplied into exhaust gas via the first secondary air supply passage7and the second secondary air supply passage10and the fuel injection amount is increased to enrich the air-fuel ratio of air-fuel mixture to be burned in each cylinder.

Supply of secondary air during such temperature increasing control over the catalysts5and6is started through the process of secondary air supply start routine shown inFIG. 2. Note that the process of the routine is executed by the electronic control unit13after temperature increasing control over the catalysts5and6is started.

As the process of the routine is started, the operation of the first air pump8is initially started in step S100. Then, in step S101, after waiting a lapse of a prescribed period of time A, the operation of the second air pump11is started in step S102. Note that the prescribed period of time A is set so as to be able to increase the time difference between the operation start timing of the first air pump Sand the operation start timing of the second air pump11to an extent such that a voltage drop of the battery due to inrush current resulting from the start of operation of each air pump may be sufficiently suppressed.

After that, in step S103, after waiting a lapse of a prescribed period of time B, the first ASV9and the second ASV12are opened simultaneously in step S104. By so doing, supply of secondary air to the exhaust manifold1through the first secondary air supply passage7and supply of secondary air to the exhaust manifold2through the second secondary air supply passage10are started, and then the process of the routine is ended. Note that the prescribed period of time B is set as a period of time that takes until the pressure of secondary air supplied through the second secondary air supply passage10sufficiently increases from the start of the operation of the second air pump11and secondary air may be supplied into exhaust gas without delay.

Next, the operation of the above described present embodiment will be described with reference toFIG. 3. In the present embodiment, at time to at which temperature increasing control over the catalysts5and6is started, first, the operation of the first air pump8is started. Then, at time t1at which the prescribed period of time A has elapsed from time t0, the operation of the second air pump11is started. In this way, in the present embodiment, the operation of the first air pump8and the operation of the second air pump11are started with the time difference corresponding to the prescribed period of time A, so the timings of occurrence of inrush currents resulting from the start of operations of both air pumps8and11deviate from each other, so a voltage drop of the battery is suppressed.

After that, at time t2at which the prescribed period of time B has elapsed from time t1at which the operation of the second air pump11is started, the first ASV9and the second ASV12are opened simultaneously. That is, in the present embodiment, a period of time from when the operation of the second air pump11is started to when the second ASV12opens is shorter by the prescribed period of time A than a period of time from when the operation of the first air pump8is started to when the first ASV9opens.

In the above present embodiment, the first ASV9and the second ASV12open simultaneously, so operation sounds of both ASVs9and12are superimposed on each other and hear as a single sound. Therefore, occurrence of operation sound having a tone that causes a feeling of strangeness because of occurrence of operation sounds of both ASVs at shifted timings is avoided.

With the secondary air supply system for an internal combustion engine according to the above described present embodiment, the following advantageous effects may be obtained.

(1) In the present embodiment, the first ASV9and the second ASV12are opened simultaneously while the time difference is provided between the operation start timings of the first air pump8and second air pump11to thereby cause the operation sounds of both ASVs9and12to be superimposed on each other and hear as a single sound. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately suppress a feeling of strangeness due to the operation sounds of the ASVs9and12while suppressing a voltage drop of the battery due to inrush currents of the air pumps8and11.

Note that the above described embodiment may be modified into the following alternative embodiments.

In the above described embodiment, the first ASV9and the second ASV12are opened simultaneously; instead, even when the open timings of those valves are not perfectly simultaneous with each other, but when the time difference between the open timings of both valves is reduced to an extent such that the operation sounds of both valves hear as a single continuous sound, it is possible to suppress a feeling of strangeness due to valve operation sound to a lesser degree. Thus, when the time difference between the open timings of both ASVs9and12rather than the time difference between the operation start timings of both air pumps8and11is sufficiently reduced, it is possible to appropriately suppress a feeling of strangeness due to the operation sounds of the ASVs9and12while suppressing a voltage drop of the battery due to inrush currents of the air pumps8and11. Then, in order for that, the period of time from when the operation of the second air pump11is started to when the second ASV12is opened just needs to be shorter than the period of time from when the operation of the first air pump8is started to when the first ASV9is opened.

In the above described embodiment, the secondary air supply system includes the two secondary air supply units each having the air pump and the ASV; instead, the aspect of the invention may also be applied to a secondary air supply system that includes three or more secondary air supply units. In that case as well, time differences are respectively provided between the operation start timings of the air pumps of the respective secondary air supply units and between the open timings of the respective ASVs, and the time difference between the open timings of the ASVs is shorter than the time difference between the operation start timings of the air pumps to thereby make it possible to suppress a feeling of strangeness due to the operation sounds of the ASVs while suppressing a voltage drop of the battery. In addition, when the open timings of the ASVs of the respective secondary air supply units are set so as to be simultaneous with each other, it is possible to further effectively suppress a feeling of strangeness due to the operation sounds of the ASVs.

In the above described embodiment, the secondary air supply system according to the aspect of the invention is applied to a V-cylinder arrangement internal combustion engine; instead, as long as a system that includes a plurality of secondary air supply units each having an air pump and an ASV, the aspect of the invention may be applied in a similar manner to that of the above described embodiment. For example, an in-line cylinder arrangement internal combustion engine may also be formed such that two exhaust pipes are provided and a catalyst is arranged in each of the exhaust pipes in order to suppress exhaust gas interference among the cylinders. In such an internal combustion engine, a secondary air supply system may be individually provided for each exhaust pipe, and the secondary air supply system according to the aspect of the invention may also be applied to such an internal combustion engine.