EP0244061A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for the removal of particulate material from a gas
Assignee: POROUS ELEMENT TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
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Filing: 1987-02-26
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2007-02-26
Abstract
Abstract Filtering apparatus for removing combustible particles from a gas, e.g. carbon and hydrocarbon particles from the exhaust gases of a diesel engine, comprises at least one filter element 23 which is made of fibrous material and is electrically conductive. To remove trapped particles from the filter element 23 and thereby regenerate the filter element, electrical power is supplied to the filter element to heat it to the point at which the carbon and hydrocarbon particles combust. One or a plurality of such filter elements 23 may be provided in a housing 20 in the exhaust gas system of a diesel engine with the filter elements exposed in parallel to exhaust gases. For regeneration, all filter elements may be simultaneously regenerated while exhaust gases are either exhausted direct to the air or through a similar filtering apparatus. Alternatively the filter elements may be regenerated sequentially so that at least some of the filter elements are always effective as filters. During regeneration exhaust gases are substantially excluded from a filter element undergoing regeneration and this may be effected by preventing flow of the exhaust gases to the filter element while it is being regenerated or by increasing the pressure downstream of the filter element to prevent exhaust gases flowing through the filter element. Each filter element 23 is preferably annular and arranged so that exhaust gases flow through the wall in a radially inward direction.
Inventors
- 👤 John Christopher Hudson
- 👤 Shok Thantrey
- 👤 Ian Martin Jackson
- 👤 Berwyn Cedric Thomas
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 07:44
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D46/00; B01D46/24; B01D46/2403; B01D46/2407; B01D46/56; B01D46/58; B01D46/66; B01D46/80; B01D46/84; B82; B82Y; B82Y30/00; C; C04; C04B; C04B35/00; C04B35/622; C04B35/62227; C04B35/62272; C04B35/62277; C04B35/62281; C04B35/626; C04B35/628; C04B35/62802; C04B35/62828; C04B35/62831; C04B35/62834; C04B35/62844; C04B35/62847; C04B35/62849; C04B35/62852; F; F01; F01N; F01N3/00; F01N3/02; F01N3/021; F01N3/0217; F01N3/023; F01N3/025; F01N3/027; F01N3/033; F01N3/035; B01D2265/00; B01D2265/02; B01D2265/024; B01D2265/025; B01D2279/00; B01D2279/30; C04B2235/00; C04B2235/02; C04B2235/50; C04B2235/52; C04B2235/5208; C04B2235/5216; C04B2235/524; C04B2235/5248; C04B2235/5284; C04B2235/60; C04B2235/602; C04B2235/6028; F01N2410/00; F01N2410/04; F02; F02B; F02B3/00; F02B3/06; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S55/00; Y10S55/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
101 words
Apparatus for removing combustible particles from a first gas comprising a housing (20) through which the first gas is caused to flow and having an inlet (21) for gas and an outlet (22) and, mounted within said housing, a filter element (23) through which in use the first gas will flow characterised in that the filter element (23) is made of electrically conductive material, and means (33, 41) are provided for connecting said element (23) to an electrical power supply (40) for heating said element to a temperature at which the particles trapped thereby will combust for regeneration of said element.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
101 words
Apparatus for removing combustible particles from a first gas comprising a housing (20) through which the first gas is caused to flow and having an inlet (21) for gas and an outlet (22) and, mounted within said housing, a filter element (23) through which in use the first gas will flow characterised in that the filter element (23) is made of electrically conductive material, and means (33, 41) are provided for connecting said element (23) to an electrical power supply (40) for heating said element to a temperature at which the particles trapped thereby will combust for regeneration of said element.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterised by means (5; 50) for at least substantially reducing the flow of the first gas through said element (23) when connected to the power supply.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that said means for substantially reducing flow of the first gas through said element comprises a valve (5) connected to said inlet (22) of said housing (20) for controlling flow of gas to said inlet.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that said valve (5) is arranged so that in the closed condition thereof a reduced flow of gas enters said housing for providing sufficient oxygen to support combustion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised by means (9, 10) for supplying an auxiliary combustion supporting gas to said housing (20) when said element is connected to the electrical power supply.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, characterised by control means (8) for controlling said means for substantially reducing the flow of first gas through said element and for supplying said auxiliary gas to said housing and for connecting said element to an electrical power supply.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
60 words
Apparatus as claimed in either claim 5 or claim 6, characterised in that said auxiliary gas supply means (9, 10, 50) is arranged so that said supply of said auxiliary gas thereby will substantially prevent the first gas flowing through said element to thereby provide said means for at least substantially reducing the flow of first gas through said element.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said element (23) is generally cylindrical and comprises an annular wall and is arranged in said housing so that the first gas will flow substantially radially through said wall thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, characterised in that said element is arranged in said housing so that the first gas will flow substantially radially through said wall thereof from the exterior to the interior thereof.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
43 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, characterised by means (31) closing one end (25) of said element (23), the other end (24) being open to permit the first gas to flow from the interior thereof to the outlet (22) of said housing (20).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
46 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, characterised in that said auxiliary gas supply means (9, 10) comprises an outlet portion (50) which is arranged in the region of said open end (24) of said element (23) for directing auxiliary gas into the interior of said element.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
63 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 11, characterised in that in the region of said open end (24) of said element (23), the flow path for gas therefrom is shaped relative to said outlet portion (50) of said auxiliary gas supply means so that supply of auxiliary gas to the interior of said element substantially prevents flow of said first gas through said element.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
71 words
Apparatus as claimed in either of claim 11 or claim 12, characterised in that in the region of said open end (24) of said element (23), said flow path for gas therefrom is reduced relative to the flow path in said interior of said element, said reduction being progressive in the direction of flow of said first gas from said element and said flow path progressively widening downstream of said reduction.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
54 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, characterised in that said outlet portion (50) of said auxiliary gas supply means is arranged substantially centrally in said region of said open end (24) of said element (23) to direct the auxiliary gas axially into the interior of said element and has a generally bullet-shaped exterior profile.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a plurality of said elements (23) are mounted in said housing for simultaneous flow of gas therethrough.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
66 words
Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 14, characterised in that said housing is provided with a wall (26) separating the interior thereof into an inlet chamber (27) and an outlet chamber (28), and a plurality of said filter elements are mounted on said wall (26) with their open ends (24) aligned with openings in said wall and extending within said inlet chamber.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus as claimed in either claim 15 or claim 16, characterised in that said means for connecting said elements (23) to an electrical power supply comprise switch means (41) for connecting said elements sequentially to an electrical power supply.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
52 words
Apparatus as claimed in either claim 15 or claim 16, characterised in that said means for connecting said elements (23) to an electrical power supply comprise means for connecting said elements in parallel in groups thereof and switch means (41) for connecting each group of elements sequentially to an electrical power supply.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
45 words
Apparatus as claimed in either claim 15 or claim 16, characterised in that said means for connecting said elements (23) to an electrical power supply comprise means connecting said elements in parallel and switch means (41) for connecting said elements simultaneously to a power supply.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the element (23) is made of randomly arranged fibres of electrically conductive material.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
14 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 20, characterised in that said fibres comprise silicon carbide.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 21, characterised in that said fibres are hollow.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 22, characterised in that the fibres are coated with alumina, silica or a mixture of alumina or silica.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 23, characterised in that the or each element includes a catalyst for reducing the combustion temperature of the combustible particles.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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