1. A catalytic converter degradation determining system comprising:
a temperature detecting section configured to detect a temperature of a catalytic converter that traps NOx in exhaust gas when a lean air-fuel mixture is used for combustion and that cleans and releases trapped NOx when a stoichiometric air-fuel mixture or a rich air-fuel mixture is used for combustion;
a pre-degradation NOx adsorption efficiency establishing section configured to establish a pre-degradation NOx adsorption efficiency of the catalytic converter corresponding to conditions under which the catalytic converter is new based on the temperature of the catalytic converter;
a pre-degradation trapped NOx estimating section configured to estimate a pre-degradation NOx trapping amount using the pre-degradation NOx adsorption efficiency;
a post-degradation NOx adsorption efficiency establishing section configured to establish a post-degradation NOx adsorption efficiency of the catalytic converter corresponding to conditions under which the catalytic converter is degraded based on the temperature of the catalytic converter;
a post-degradation trapped NOx estimating section configured to estimate a post-degradation NOx trapping amount using the post-degradation NOx adsorption efficiency; and
a degradation determining section configured to determine that the catalytic converter is degraded when a difference between the pre-degradation NOx trapping amount and the post-degradation NOx trapping amount is below a prescribed value,
the pre-degradation trapped NOx estimating section being further configured to calculate a pre-degradation trapped NOx rate by multiplying the pre-degradation NOx adsorption efficiency by an exhaust gas NOx quantity in the exhaust gas, and to estimate the pre-degradation NOx trapping amount by summing individual values of the pre-degradation trapped NOx rate over a prescribed amount of time, and
the post-degradation trapped NOx estimating section being further configured to calculate a post-degradation trapped NOx rate by multiplying the post-degradation NOx adsorption efficiency by the exhaust gas NOx quantity in the exhaust gas, and to estimate the post-degradation NOx trapping amount by summing individual values of the post-degradation trapped NOx rate over a prescribed amount of time.
2. The catalytic converter degradation determining system as recited in claim 1, wherein
the exhaust gas NOx quantity of NOx in the exhaust gas is based on an intake air quantity.
3. The catalytic converter degradation determining system as recited in claim 1, wherein
the degradation determining section is configured to be executed under conditions in which an amount of oxygen contained in exhaust gas flowing into the catalytic converter is above a prescribed amount.
4. The catalytic converter degradation determining system as recited in claim 1, wherein
the degradation determining section is configured to be executed under conditions in which the catalytic converter is free of sulfur contamination.
5. The catalytic converter degradation determining system as recited in claim 1, wherein
the degradation determining section is configured to be executed under conditions in which the temperature of the catalytic converter is equal to or higher than a prescribed temperature.
6. The catalytic converter degradation determining system as recited in claim 5, wherein
the degradation determining section is configured to set the prescribed temperature to an activation temperature at which a cleaning efficiency of the catalytic converter is at or above a prescribed value due to an engine warming up condition.
7. A catalytic converter degradation determining system comprising:
temperature detecting means for detecting a temperature of a catalytic converter that traps NOx in exhaust gas when a lean air-fuel mixture is used for combustion and that cleans and releases trapped NOx when a stoichiometric air-fuel mixture or a rich air-fuel mixture is used for combustion;
pre-degradation NOx adsorption efficiency establishing means for establishing a pre-degradation NOx adsorption efficiency of the catalytic converter corresponding to conditions under which the catalytic converter is new based on the temperature of the catalytic converter;
pre-degradation trapped NOx estimating means for estimating a pre-degradation NOx trapping amount using the pre-degradation NOx adsorption efficiency;
post-degradation NOx adsorption efficiency establishing means for establishing a post-degradation NOx adsorption efficiency of the catalytic converter corresponding to conditions under which the catalytic converter is degraded based on the temperature of the catalytic converter;
a post-degradation trapped NOx estimating means for estimating a post-degradation NOx trapping amount using the post-degradation NOx adsorption efficiency; and
degradation determining means for determining that the catalytic converter is degraded when a difference between the pre-degradation NOx trapping amount and the post-degradation NOx trapping amount is below a prescribed value,
the pre-degradation trapped NOx estimating means further calculating a pre-degradation trapped NOx rate by multiplying the pre-degradation NOx adsorption efficiency by an exhaust gas NOx quantity in the exhaust gas, and estimating the pre-degradation NOx trapping amount by summing individual values of the pre-degradation trapped NOx rate over a prescribed amount of time, and
the post-degradation trapped NOx estimating means further calculating a post-degradation trapped NOx rate by multiplying the post-degradation NOx adsorption efficiency by the exhaust gas NOx quantity in the exhaust gas, and estimating the post-degradation NOx trapping amount by summing individual values of the post-degradation trapped NOx rate over a prescribed amount of time.
8. A method of determining degradation of a catalytic converter comprising:
detecting a temperature of a catalytic converter that traps NOx in exhaust gas when a lean air-fuel mixture is used for combustion and that cleans and releases trapped NOx when a stoichiometric air-fuel mixture or a rich air-fuel mixture is used for combustion;
establishing a pre-degradation NOx adsorption efficiency of the catalytic converter corresponding to conditions under which the catalytic converter is new based on the temperature of the catalytic converter;
estimating a pre-degradation NOx trapping amount using the pre-degradation NOx adsorption efficiency;
establishing a post-degradation NOx adsorption efficiency of the catalytic converter corresponding to conditions under which the catalytic converter is degraded based on the temperature of the catalytic converter;
estimating a post-degradation NOx trapping amount using the post-degradation NOx adsorption efficiency; and
determining that the catalytic converter is degraded when a difference between the pre-degradation NOx trapping amount and the post-degradation NOx trapping amount is below a prescribed value,
the estimating the pre-degradation NOx trapping amount further including calculating a pre-degradation trapped NOx rate by multiplying the pre-degradation NOx adsorption efficiency by an exhaust gas NOx quantity in the exhaust gas, and estimating the pre-degradation NOx trapping amount by summing individual values of the pre-degradation trapped NOx rate over a prescribed amount of time, and
the estimating the post-degradation NOx trapping amount further including calculating a post-degradation trapped NOx rate by multiplying the post-degradation NOx adsorption efficiency by the exhaust gas NOx quantity in the exhaust gas, and estimating the post-degradation NOx trapping amount by summing individual values of the post-degradation trapped NOx rate over a prescribed amount of time.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A solid-state electrolyte for use in lithium-air batteries or lithium-water batteries, comprising an open-pore ceramic carrier substrate which has at least one layer which is conductive for lithium ions, which has an electrical conductivity of at least 10-5 Scm-1, which is gas-impervious and which is formed at least on the surface facing the cathode, and the carrier substrate has greater mechanical strength and a larger layer thickness than the at least one layer.
2. A solid-state electrolyte in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the carrier substrate has a porosity of at least 15% and a maximum of 60%; andor in that the pores have a pore size in the range of 1 \u03bcm-10 \u03bcm andor a thickness in the range from 20 \u03bcm-500 \u03bcm, with the at least one layer having a thickness between 10 \u03bcm and 50 \u03bcm.
3. A solid-state electrolyte in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the carrier substrate comprises a ceramic material which is selected from Al2O3, ZrO2, MgAl2O4, SiC and Si3N4.
4. A solid-state electrolyte in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the thickness of the carrier substrate is at least twice as large as the thickness of the at least one layer.
5. A solid-state electrolyte in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the carrier substrate has at least two layers each having a different porosity or, starting from the anode-side surface, has a graduated porosity, which reduces in size in the direction of the ion-conductive layer.
6. A solid-state electrolyte in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the pores of the carrier substrate are infiltrated with a liquid electrolyte conductive for lithium ions.
7. A solid-state electrolyte in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the at least one surface of the carrier substrate is coated over the full surface with the at least one gas-impervious layer.
8. A solid-state electrolyte in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the material of the at least one layer is partly infiltrated into the carrier substrate and is gas-impervious.