Patent ID: 6948310

Claim:
A method for controlling the exhaust gas temperature of a diesel engine having at least one combustion chamber and at least one exhaust gas aftertreatment device disposed in an exhaust system of the engine, at least one intake valve interposed between an air intake system of the engine and said combustion chamber, at least one exhaust valve interposed between said combustion chamber and said exhaust gas aftertreatment system, said method comprising: determining a desirable temperature operating range of said exhaust gas aftertreatment device; determining a desirable mass airflow rate for the treatment of exhaust gases passing through said exhaust gas aftertreatment device; sensing the value of at least one engine operating parameter correlative of engine speed, engine load including mass airflow passing through said diesel engine, and exhaust gas temperature; controlling the operation of at least one of said intake valve and said exhaust valve in response to the sensed value of said engine operating parameter; maintaining said desirable mass airflow rate by controlling deactivating at least one of said intake valve, said exhaust valve, and said fuel injector, in response to the sensed value of said engine operating parameter; and maintaining the temperature of engine exhaust gas introduced into said exhaust gas aftertreatment device at a value within said desirable temperature operating range of said exhaust gas aftertreatment device during operation over substantially all of the operating range of said diesel engine.