Cummins Inc.
Fuel and reagent degradation reduction in hybrid electrical vehicle systems

Abstract:

A hybrid electric vehicle system comprises an internal combustion (IC) engine and an electric engine providing power to a drive shaft of the vehicle. The IC engine receives a fuel from a fuel tank. Exhaust gases from the IC engine are treated at an exhaust treatment apparatus including a reagent tank containing a reagent. A controller monitors a quality of the fuel in the fuel tank and the reagent in the reagent tank and if needed, initiates fuel degradation reduction event or a reagent degradation reduction event. These events can include running the IC engine even if a battery supplying power to the motor is not discharged. The fuel degradation reduction event includes dosing the fuel tank with an antioxidant to reduce the rate of degradation of the fuel.