Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
  • F01N—GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES
  • F01N3/00—Exhaust or silencing apparatus having means for purifying, rendering innocuous, or otherwise treating exhaust
  • F01N3/08—Exhaust or silencing apparatus having means for purifying, rendering innocuous, or otherwise treating exhaust for rendering innocuous
  • F01N3/10—Exhaust or silencing apparatus having means for purifying, rendering innocuous, or otherwise treating exhaust for rendering innocuous by thermal or catalytic conversion of noxious components of exhaust
  • F01N3/18—Exhaust or silencing apparatus having means for purifying, rendering innocuous, or otherwise treating exhaust for rendering innocuous by thermal or catalytic conversion of noxious components of exhaust characterised by methods of operation; Control
  • F01N3/20—Exhaust or silencing apparatus having means for purifying, rendering innocuous, or otherwise treating exhaust for rendering innocuous by thermal or catalytic conversion of noxious components of exhaust characterised by methods of operation; Control specially adapted for catalytic conversion
  • F01N3/2006—Periodically heating or cooling catalytic reactors, e.g. at cold starting or overheating
  • F01N3/2013—Periodically heating or cooling catalytic reactors, e.g. at cold starting or overheating using electric or magnetic heating means
  • F01N3/2026—Periodically heating or cooling catalytic reactors, e.g. at cold starting or overheating using electric or magnetic heating means directly electrifying the catalyst substrate, i.e. heating the electrically conductive catalyst substrate by joule effect
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
  • F01N—GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES
  • F01N13/00—Exhaust or silencing apparatus characterised by constructional features
  • F01N13/009—Exhaust or silencing apparatus characterised by constructional features having two or more separate purifying devices arranged in series
  • F01N13/0093—Exhaust or silencing apparatus characterised by constructional features having two or more separate purifying devices arranged in series the purifying devices are of the same type
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
  • F01N—GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES
  • F01N13/00—Exhaust or silencing apparatus characterised by constructional features
  • F01N13/009—Exhaust or silencing apparatus characterised by constructional features having two or more separate purifying devices arranged in series
  • F01N13/0097—Exhaust or silencing apparatus characterised by constructional features having two or more separate purifying devices arranged in series the purifying devices are arranged in a single housing
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
  • F01N—GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES
  • F01N3/00—Exhaust or silencing apparatus having means for purifying, rendering innocuous, or otherwise treating exhaust
  • F01N3/02—Exhaust or silencing apparatus having means for purifying, rendering innocuous, or otherwise treating exhaust for cooling, or for removing solid constituents of, exhaust
  • F01N3/021—Exhaust or silencing apparatus having means for purifying, rendering innocuous, or otherwise treating exhaust for cooling, or for removing solid constituents of, exhaust by means of filters
  • F01N3/023—Exhaust or silencing apparatus having means for purifying, rendering innocuous, or otherwise treating exhaust for cooling, or for removing solid constituents of, exhaust by means of filters using means for regenerating the filters, e.g. by burning trapped particles
  • F01N3/027—Exhaust or silencing apparatus having means for purifying, rendering innocuous, or otherwise treating exhaust for cooling, or for removing solid constituents of, exhaust by means of filters using means for regenerating the filters, e.g. by burning trapped particles using electric or magnetic heating means
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
  • F01N—GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES
  • F01N3/00—Exhaust or silencing apparatus having means for purifying, rendering innocuous, or otherwise treating exhaust
  • F01N3/02—Exhaust or silencing apparatus having means for purifying, rendering innocuous, or otherwise treating exhaust for cooling, or for removing solid constituents of, exhaust
  • F01N3/021—Exhaust or silencing apparatus having means for purifying, rendering innocuous, or otherwise treating exhaust for cooling, or for removing solid constituents of, exhaust by means of filters
  • F01N3/033—Exhaust or silencing apparatus having means for purifying, rendering innocuous, or otherwise treating exhaust for cooling, or for removing solid constituents of, exhaust by means of filters in combination with other devices
  • F01N3/035—Exhaust or silencing apparatus having means for purifying, rendering innocuous, or otherwise treating exhaust for cooling, or for removing solid constituents of, exhaust by means of filters in combination with other devices with catalytic reactors
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
  • F01N—GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES
  • F01N9/00—Electrical control of exhaust gas treating apparatus
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
  • F01N—GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES
  • F01N2330/00—Structure of catalyst support or particle filter
  • F01N2330/22—Metal foam
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
  • Y02T10/00—Road transport of goods or passengers
  • Y02T10/10—Internal combustion engine [ICE] based vehicles
  • Y02T10/12—Improving ICE efficiencies
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
  • Y02T10/00—Road transport of goods or passengers
  • Y02T10/10—Internal combustion engine [ICE] based vehicles
  • Y02T10/40—Engine management systems

Definitions

• this disclosure relates to the use of powder-coated nickel foam as a resistor to increase the temperature of a catalytic converter device and thereby increase the efficiency of the device.
• the temperature of a catalytic converter is one of the most significant factors which affects its efficiency. The efficiency drops off rapidly at both high and low temperatures, leaving a relatively narrow band of operating temperatures within which efficiency is highest. Most importantly, when automobile and truck engines begin operation, the catalytic converter is at a temperature too low to produce the reactions necessary to reduce the pollutants in the exhaust. When an engine first starts, the catalytic converter does almost nothing to reduce the pollution in the exhaust.
• Preheating the catalytic converter is another way to increase efficiency and reduce emissions.
• One of the most prevalent ways to preheat the converter is to use electric resistance heaters.
• the 12-volt electrical systems on most cars and trucks cannot provide enough energy or power to heat the catalytic converter fast enough.
• Hybrid cars with high-voltage battery packs can sometimes provide enough power to heat up the catalytic converter very quickly.
• Catalytic converters in diesel engines are even less efficient than standard engines because diesel engines run cooler than standard engines.
• One solution to this problem is a system that injects a urea solution (an organic compound made of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen) in the exhaust pipe before it reaches the converter.
• the urea evaporates and mixes with the exhaust, creating a chemical reaction that reduces nitrogen oxides ( ⁇ ).
• the urea reacts with NO x to produce nitrogen and water vapor, reducing the nitrogen oxides in exhaust gases.
• Another method is heating a diesel particulate trap sufficiently to incinerate the soot formed in the trap as a result of the condensation of soluble organic fractions in the exhaust stream. This heating is accomplished thermally with exhaust gas.
• This invention uses metallic foam as both a support for the catalyst(s) and as the resistor itself when attached to a closed-loop thermostatically-adjusted controller.
• This invention uses the residual electrical energy generated by the engine, much as in the manner of other electronic devices, such as the vehicle radio, to heat the catalytic converter directly to a more efficient temperature at which to conduct the catalytic reaction.
• the disclosed invention consists of a method of optimizing the temperature of diesel engine exhaust comprising: providing a substrate consisting of a metal foam; coating the substrate with a catalytic material; heating the substrate with electric current to a temperature range designed to optimize the catalytic reaction; and causing the diesel engine exhaust to flow over the substrate so that the catalytic material interacts with said exhaust.
• the substrate may be in the form of nickel foam or metal foam.
• the catalytic material may also comprise a washcoat.
• the catalytic material may be comprised of various catalysts, including: an iron manganese catalyst; a titanium dioxide catalyst; a selective catalytic reduction ("SCR") catalyst; or a platinum catalyst.
• the disclosed invention also may consist of a diesel engine exhaust system comprising: a housing having an inlet for receiving diesel exhaust; a metallic foam substrate within the housing, the substrate having a catalytic coating; an electrical system for heating said substrate; and an outlet for emitting diesel exhaust.
• the substrate may be in the form of nickel foam or other metal foam.
• the catalytic coating may also comprise a washcoat.
• the catalytic coating may be comprised of various catalysts, including: an iron manganese catalyst; a titanium dioxide catalyst; an SCR catalyst; or a platinum catalyst.
• FIG. 1 A schematic for the claimed metallic foam substrate and resistor is shown in FIG.
• FIG. 1 shows the source of the current 1
• a DC controller 2 the metal foam sheet 3, the buss bars 4 and thermocouple or other pyrometric device 5.
• FIG. 2 shows the flow of the exhaust 1, the electified catalyst 2, including the foam substrate 3, the control unit 4, the diesel particulate filter 5, the second catalyst 6 and the housing 7.
• a catalytic converter consists of several components: (1) the substrate, which is most often a ceramic honeycomb or stainless steel foil honeycomb; (2) the washcoat, which is often a mixture of silicon, aluminum and other elements and which forms a rough, irregular surface which has a far greater surface area than the substrate surface; and (3) the catalyst itself, which is often a precious metal such as platinum or palladium.
• the catalyst is added to the washcoat (in suspension) before application to the substrate.
• the substrate is a powder-coated nickel foam, which is manufactured in accordance with the process disclosed in German Patent DE1025006009164A1, dated February 20, 2006, entitled “Diesel Particle Filter with open-pored metal foam” held by Inco Limited.
• the good ductility and high flexibility of the 100% open-pore material allows the substrate design to be determined freely. Different porosities make it possible to define the level of deep-bed filtration in the system.
• the foam acts as an effective substrate due to its high temperature and corrosion resistance, coupled with a very good soot storage capacity.
• the nickel metal foam is coated and thermally treated with a high-alloy metal powder tailored to the particular application and design.
• the temperature resistance of the thermal conductive alloy foam increases up to 1,000°C with peaks of up to 1,200 °C.
• the foam is flexible, ductile, and can be cut at any length.
• the material may be sintered and manufactured as sheets.
• Other types of metallic resistance products are known in the art and may also be used in the disclosed method and apparatus.
• a number of different wash coats and/or catalysts can be applied to the foam so that the foam can be used as a catalytic converter.
• the catalysts applied can increase the amount of nitrogen dioxide (N0 2 ), decrease the amount of nitrogen oxides ( ⁇ ), reduce the presence of carbon monoxide (CO), and reduce the presence of hydrocarbons.
• the foam can act as a DPF, which passively regenerates itself.
• the powder coating applied to the nickel foam is a combination of iron and chromium. After the powders are applied, the material is sintered to form a material with a much larger surface area.
• the powder-coated nickel foam has no catalytic properties itself but is an excellent support for catalytic material, including an appropriate wash coat and/or catalyst.
• At least four different catalytic coatings have been applied to the foam, including: (1) an iron manganese catalyst that converts CO to carbon dioxide (C0 2 ); (2) a catalytic washcoat and platinum catalyst which convert CO to C0 2 , and hydrocarbons to C0 2 and water vapor; (3) a catalyst made from titanium dioxide (T0 2 ), which converts N0 2 to nitric oxide (NO); and (4) a catalyst that converts NO x to nitrogen gas (N 2 ) and water.
• the catalyst that converts NO x to nitrogen gas (N 2 ) and water may be any type of SCR catalyst, including oxides of base metals (such as vanadium and tungsten) and zeolites.
• Other catalytic coatings may exist commercially or in the current art that can be applied to the nickel foam.
• each catalytic material has a temperature where the catalyst is most effective. In many diesel systems, the exhaust emissions never or only slowly reach the temperature where the catalyst is most effective.
• the metal foam which is being used as the catalytic support, is imbued with electric current to control the catalyst at the most efficient temperature with a small amount of current. The current is generated as a by-product of engine activity, so it is unnecessary to introduce additional energy into the engine system.
• the system is a closed-loop system that uses a thermocouple to measure the temperature of the exhaust stream and then regulates the amount of current to maintain a preselected temperature.
• the circuitry for the system can be designed without undue experimentation by those skilled in the electronic arts.
• the disclosed apparatus consists of an adjustable direct-current electricity source with the circuit attached either to a battery or generator source that can supply adequate current to increase the temperature of the metal foam.
• the current source is thermostatically-controlled by a proportionate controller that receives temperature input from a thermocouple or other type of temperature sensor, including but not limited to, resistance thermometers, filled-system thermometers, bimetal thermometers or radiation pyrometers.
• the system also includes a controller which can be constructed in accordance with devices described in Chapter XXII of the Chemical Engineer's Handbook.
• the current is conveyed by wires connected to buss bars connected to the opposite sides of a sheet or other form of the metallic foam.
• the foam is mounted in a container that receives the emissions from the engine, as is used typically to house the catalytic converter supports. In the disclosed invention, however, the catalytic converter support also acts as a heater to heat the catalyst and surrounding exhaust to optimal temperatures.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Toxicology (AREA)
• Exhaust Gas After Treatment (AREA)
• Catalysts (AREA)
• Exhaust Gas Treatment By Means Of Catalyst (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

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• 2009
  • 2009-11-16 US US12/619,295 patent/US20110113762A1/en not_active Abandoned
• 2010
  • 2010-11-11 JP JP2012538964A patent/JP2013510990A/ja not_active Withdrawn
  • 2010-11-11 AU AU2010319484A patent/AU2010319484A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2010-11-11 CA CA2779686A patent/CA2779686A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2010-11-11 WO PCT/US2010/056306 patent/WO2011060117A2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2010-11-11 EP EP10830693A patent/EP2501908A2/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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