Procedia En-

Available online at www.sciencedirect.com

Available online at www.sciencedirect.com

  vironmental
Procedia Environmental
Procedia Sciences
Environmental 00 (2011)
Sciences 000–000
11 (2011) 996 – 1000
Sciences 
www.elsevier.com/locate/procedia
 

Applying Matlab/Simulink to Study Calculation of NOx Effi-

ciency of the SCR
Yuhang Su, Jun Li, Ying Gao and Dawei Qu
State key laboratory of automobile dynamic simulation Jilin University Changchun, China
suyh09@mails.jlu.edu.cn, junli610@263.net

Abstract

An SCR system offers the opportunity for a car to get its nitrogen oxides inside the exhaust gas decreased. This can
be achieved by dosing a reducing agent into the system which selectively reacts with the oxygen of the nitrogen
oxides and therefore causes these emissions to be diminished. Depending on the operating point of an engine more or
less NOx emissions can be reduced. Adaptation logic has the ability to find the optimum operating point at the NH3
slip limit. The adaptation logic requires the NOx emissions downstream from the SCR which will be measured by a
NOx-Sensor. The goal of the module SCRChk_NOxEffCalc is the monitoring of NOx conversion efficiency of an
SCR system. The monitoring function is based on a NOx sensor downstream from the SCR and the known NOx emis-
sions upstream from the SCR.
© 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of the Intelligent Information Technology Application
Research Association.

Keywords: SCR; OBD; NOx; efficiency

1. Introduction

The exhaust gas legislations of several countries regulate the maximum NOx emissions on the road
and the requirements for monitoring by On Board Diagnosis (OBD). The OBD legislation regulates the
monitoring for catalysts, misfire, fuel system, exhaust gas recirculation, etc.
The different legislations of the countries have diverse requirements for OBD. The CARB OBDII is a
very strict legislation and has the most extensive requirements.
The European OBD (EOBD) is partially similar and the legislation also defines NOx emissions limits.
A main requirement of all relevant exhaust gas legislations is the NOx emissions monitoring with a
defined NOx emissions limit. The NOx emissions limits are always related to defined test cycles (e.g.
FTP, etc.). A challenge is that the monitoring shall be active under in use conditions and not only under
test cycle conditions.
The goal of the module SCRChk_NOxEffCalc is the monitoring of NOx conversion efficiency of an
SCR system. The monitoring function is based on a NOx sensor downstream from the SCR and the

1878-0296 © 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of the Intelligent Information Technology Application Research Association.
doi:10.1016/j.proenv.2011.12.152
 Yuhang Su / Procedia Environmental Sciences 00 (2011) 000–000 
Author name  et al. / Procedia Environmental Sciences 11 (2011) 996 – 1000 997
 
known NOx emissions upstream from the SCR. The main coordination (enabling/reset) and input signal
filtering of the module SCRChk_NOxEffCalc will be done in the module SCRChk_NOxEffCo.

[DStgy _swtDStgyOff ]

[SCRChk _dmExhFlt ]

[SCRChk _dmNOxSensDsFlt ]

[SCRChk _dmNOxUsFltDdT ]

[SCRChk _etaEstFlt ]

[SCRChk _rNOxUsFltDdT ]
[SCRChk _stEtaCalcFld ]
[SCRChk _stEtaCalcFld ]

[SCRChk _stEtaEna ]

[SCRChk _stEtaEnaPreCtl ]

[SCRChk _stEtaRst ]

[SCRChk _stEtaRstPreCtl ]

[SCRT _tFld ]

SCRChk _NOxEffCalc

Figure 1 Overview

2. Function

The module "SCRChk_NOxEffCalc" requires the following input signals:

• Main enabling range SCRChk_stEtaEna;
• Reset signal range SCRChk_stEtaRst;
• SCR catalyst temperatures SCRT_tFld and other available temperatures in the class SCRT_TempSel;
• Filtered NOx concentration upstream from the SCR SCRChk_rNOxUsFltDdT;
[SCRChk_swtSetMskRng2_C] In1

[SCRChk_stEtaEna] In2 Out1

[SCRChk_stEtaRst] In3

[SCRChk_stEtaEnaPreCtl] In4
Out2

[SCRChk_stEtaRstPreCtl] In5

Enable Range Settings In1

[SCRChk_numFldTempSCR_C] In1 In2

Out1 Out1 In1
SCRChk_numPosTempSCR_C] In2 In3

SCRT_TempSel
[SCRChk_dmExhFlt] In4
Out1 [SCRChk_stEtaCalcFld]
[SCRChk_rNOxUsFltDdT] In5

[SCRChk_dmNOxUsFltDdT] In6
Out2 In2
[SCRChk_dmNOxSensDsFlt] In7

[SCRChk_etaEstFlt] In8

Calculation Eta Range Bit Setting

Figure 2 Overview of the module SCRChk_NoxEffCalc

• Filtered exhaust gas mass flow SCRChk_dmExhFlt;

• Filtered NOx mass flow upstream from the SCR SCRChk_dmNOxUsFltDdT;
• Filtered NOx mass flow downstream from the SCR SCRChk_dmNOxSensDsFlt;
• Filtered estimated SCR efficiency range SCRChk_etaEstFlt;
• Currently effectively dosed ammonium equivalent mass flow SCRMod_dmNH3CurrEffSlw;
• Required ammonium feed rate for complete NOx reduction SCRFFC_dmNH3FdRat;
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Author name  / Procedia Environmental Sciences 00 (2011) 000–000 
2.1Subfunction: "Calculation Eta Range"

stEtaStM [SCRChk _stEtaCalcFld ]

stEtaEna 1
[stEtaEna ] stEtaEna
3
[stEtaRst ] stEtaRst new efficiency calculation
stEtaEna ==
stEtaStM
[tSCR] tSCR stEtaRst 1

[rNOxUsFltDdT ] rNOxUsFltDdT stEtaRst

[dmExhFlt ] dmExhFlt dmNOxUsAvrg dmNOxUsAvrg

stCond stCond
dmNOxUsFltDdT
AND [stEtaCalcNew]
stEtaCalcVld
Operating Point Selection dmNOxUs
[dmNOxUsFltDdT ]
tiNOxItgAvrg tiNOxItgAvrg
[dmNOxSensDsFlt ] dmNOxDs

dmExhFlt Validity Check Eta Calculation

etaThres
tSCR etaActAvrg [etaActAvrg ]
etaThres
dmNOxUsFltDdT ctCondUp
[etaEstFlt ] etaEstFlt

Calculation Threshold ctCondDwn etaThresAvrg [etaThresAvrg ]

SCRChk _NOxEffCalc _Eta

Figure3 Subfunction "Calculation Eta Range"

The subfunction "Calculation Eta Range" calculates the actual average efficiency
SCRChk_etaActAvrg_mp and the average efficiency threshold SCRChk_etaThresAvrg_mp. The efficiency
is not calculated continuously but discretely. The NOx mass flows up/downstream from the SCR are in-
tegrated separately and after a defined NOx mass flowing through the SCR system the efficiency will be
calculated. The efficiency calculation is coordinated by a state machine with the measuring point
SCRChk_stEtaStM_mp.
The efficiency calculation is made discretely and the status variable SCRChk_stEtaCalcNew_mp
shows that a new result has been calculated.
The input signals are the enabling status SCRChk_stEtaEna, reset status SCRChk_stEtaRst, SCR cat-
alyst temperature SCRChk_tSCR_mp, exhaust gas mass flow SCRChk_dmExhFlt, NOx concentration
upstream from the SCR SCRChk_rNOxUsFltDdT, NOx mass flow upstream from the SCR
SCRChk_dmNOxUsFltDdT, NOx mass flow downstream from the SCR SCRChk_dmNOxSensDsFlt and
estimated efficiency SCRChk_etaEstFlt.
SCRChk_NOxEffCalc_Eta calculates the actual average efficiency SCRChk_etaActAvrg_mp from the
NOx mass flow upstream from the SCR SCRChk_dmNOxUsFltDdT and downstream from the SCR
SCRChk_dmNOxSensDsFlt. The actual average efficiency SCRChk_etaActAvrg_mp is defined as
SCRChk_eta ActAvrg_mp
 （1）
= 1 − SCRChk_fac EtaCor_C ×
∫ SCRChk_dmN OxSensDsFl t_mp
∫ SCRChk_dmN OxUsFltDdT _mp
The correction factor SCRChk_facEtaCor_C allows e.g. the zero adjustment of the actual efficiency
without dosing.
If the efficiency calculation is executed, the counter value SCRChk_ctEtaCalc_mp is raised by ONE.
The two mass flows SCRChk_dmNOxUsFltDdT and SCRChk_dmNOxSensDsFlt are only integrated
during special applicable conditions. The subfunction "Operating Point Selection" checks the conditions
for integration and if all conditions are fulfilled the status variable SCRChk_stCond_
mp is TRUE.
The status SCRChk_stCond_mp influences an up/down condition counter SCRChk_ctCond_mp. The
 Yuhang Su / Procedia Environmental Sciences 00 (2011) 000–000 
Author name  et al. / Procedia Environmental Sciences 11 (2011) 996 – 1000 999
 
condition counter is the debouncing for controlling the integration. If the status SCRChk_stCond_mp is
TRUE the up/down condition counter will be incremented by SCRChk_ctCondUp_mp otherwise decre-
mented by SCRChk_ctCondDwn_mp. The condition counter is limited between zero and SCRChk_ctC-
ondMax_C and starts at SCRChk_ctCondStrt_C. The increment value SCRChk_ctCondUp_mp depends on
the curve SCRChk_ctCondUp_CUR dependent on the NOx mass flow SCRChk_dmNOxUsFltDdT. The
decrement value SCRChk_ctCondDwn_mp depends on the curve SCRChk_ctCondDwn_CUR dependent
on the NOx concentration SCRChk_rNOxUsFltDdT. The condition counter will be set imme- diately to
zero in case of disabling (SCRChk_stEtaEna_mp =FALSE) or reset (SCRChk_stEtaRst_mp=TRUE).
The integration (1) of the NOx mass flows SCRChk_dmNOxSensDsFlt and
SCRChk_dmNOxUsFltDdT will be done with a preintegration and a main integration.

Figure 4 Condition Counter

At first the NOx mass flows SCRChk_dmNOxSensDsFlt and SCRChk_dmNOxUsFltDdT are inte-
grated with two preintegrators when the condition counter starts counting. These preintegrators will be set
to zero if the condition counter reaches zero. If the preintegration time reaches SCRChk_tiPreInteg_C the
integration values of the pre integrators will be added to the main integrators and the main integrators
continue the integration of both NOx mass flows SCRChk_dmNOxSensDsFlt and
SCRChk_dmNOxUsFltDdT. The main integrators stop when the condition counter reaches zero or when
the conditions of efficiency calculation are fulfilled. The main integrators will only be reset after an effi-
ciency calculation or a reset (SCRChk_stEtaRst_
mp=TRUE). The disabling (SCRChk_stEtaEna_mp=FALSE) only stops the main integrators but does not
reset the main integrators.
If the preintegration time does not reach the value SCRChk_tiPreInteg_C the integrated NOx mass
flows during the preintegrations will not be taken into account for the integration (1).
A reset request by SCRChk_stEtaRst_mp resets the condition counter, all pre and main integrators.
The average actual efficiency SCRChk_etaActAvrg_mp (1) will be calculated after the integrated NOx
mass upstream from the SCR SCRChk_mNOxUs_mp reaches the minimum NOx mass
SCRChk_mNOxUsMin_C and the condition counter is zero. The efficiency can only be calculated directly
after the end of a main integration. If the condition counter does not reach zero, the efficiency will be
calculated after the delay time SCRChk_tiDlyMaxCalcEta_
C of reaching the NOx mass SCRChk_mNOxUsMin_C. The delay timer will be reset if the main integra-
tion is not active.
The average efficiency threshold SCRChk_etaThresAvrg_mp is calculated simultaneous with the ac-
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Author name  / Procedia Environmental Sciences 00 (2011) 000–000 
tual efficiency calculation (1) and use the same condition counter.
SCRChk_eta ThresAvrg_ mp
(2)
(1 − SCRChk_eta Thres_mp ) × SCRChk_dmN OxUsFltDdT _mp
=1− ∫
∫ SCRChk_dmN OxUsFltDdT _mp
The subfunction "Calculation Threshold" calculates the efficiency threshold SCRChk_etaThres_mp.
The subfunction "Validity Check Eta Calculation" validates the operating points during the integration
and the duration of the integration after the calculation of a new efficiency.

2.2Subfunction: "Bit Setting"

Table 1 Table Type Styles

Bit Number Description

0 SCRChk_stCond_mp
1 SCRChk_stEtaCalcNew_mp
The subfunction "Bit Setting" collects bit information in the bit field SCRChk _stEtaCalcFld.
The status information of new test results SCRChk_stEtaCalcNew_mp (bit 1) are only pulses. The
pulses are converted in a toggled signal in SCRChk_stEtaCalcFld. Each pulse toggles the signal.

References

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