Core element and core for electrically heatable catalytic converter

Claim 2

A thin stainless steel strip having an area on at least one surface thereof coated with a nickeliferous alloy coating, and a contiguous area coated with a refractory metal oxide.

Claim 3

A thin stainless steel strip in accordance with claim 1 wherein the nickeliferous coating is a brazing coating.

Claim 4

A thin stainless steel strip in accordance with claim 1 wherein the refractory metal oxide comprises alumina.

Claim 5

A thin stainless steel strip in accordance with claim 1 wherein the stainless steel is a ferritic stainless steel.

Claim 6

A thin stainless steel strip in accordance with claim 1 wherein the area of the strip coated with a refractory metal oxide is corrugated.

Claim 7

A thin stainless steel strip in accordance with claim 1 wherein the area coated with a brazing alloy is flat.

Claim 8

A thin stainless steel strip in accordance with claim 1 wherein the strip has a predetermined length and the ends thereof each have an area coated with a brazing alloy.

Claim 9

A thin stainless stell strip in accordance with claim 7 wherein the areas coated with brazing alloy are parallel transversely extending strips lying along the end marginal edges of the strip.

Claim 10

A thin stainless steel strip in accordance with claim 8 which is further characterized by a centrally located area coated with brazing alloy.

Claim 11

A thin stainless steel strip in accordance with claim 7 wherein the areas coated with a brazing alloy are flat and the areas coated with a refractory metal oxide are corrugated.

Claim 12

A thin stainless steel strip in accordance with claim 10 wherein the reverse side of the thin metal strip is coated with brazing alloy and refractory metal oxide in the same pattern as the obverse side.

Claim 13

An electrically heatable catalytic converter core comprising a plurality of thin stainless steel strips of predetermined length and in laminar relation, each of said strips having on each side thereof at least two spaced transversely extending bands of brazing alloy, said strips also including between the bands of brazing alloy, at least one contiguous corrugated area, the bands of brazing alloy being flat, said strips being layered so that the areas containing brazing alloy are in electrical contact with the corresponding areas of the next layer, and means for applying a potential between the spaced strips of brazing alloy, said corrugated section having a thin coating of a refractory metal oxide with a catalyst deposited thereon, and each of the brazing alloy strips being free of refractory metal oxide coating.

Claim 14

An electrically heatable catalytic converter core comprising a plurality of thin stainless steel strips of predetermined length and in laminar relation, each of said strips having on each side thereof at least two spaced transversely extending bands of brazing alloy, said strips also including between the bands of brazing alloy, at least one contiguous corrugated area, the bands of brazing alloy being flat, said strips being layered so that the areas containing brazing alloy are in electrical contact with the corresponding areas of the next layer, and means for applying a potential between the spaced strips of brazing alloy, said corrugated section having a thin coating of a refractory metal oxide with a catalyst deposited thereon, and each of the brazing alloy strips being free of refractory metal oxide coating.

Claim 15

A catalytic converter core in accordance with claim 12 each side having three spaced transversely extending bands of brazing alloy, two at the ends of the strip and one centrally located, and electrical potential is applied between the central strip of brazing alloy and each respective end strip of brazing alloy.

Claim 16

A catalytic converter core in accordance with claim 12 wherein the catalyst is a noble metal.

Claim 17

A catalytic converter core in accordance with claim 14 wherein the noble metal catalyst is selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 18

A catalytic converter core in accordance with claim 12 wherein the corrugations have a generally triangular cross-sectional configuration.

Claim 19

A catalytic converter core in accordance with claim 12 wherein the corrugations are in a nonnesting pattern.

Claim 20

A catalytic converter core in accordance with claim 17 wherein the nonnesting pattern is a herringbone pattern.

Claim 21

An electrically heatable catalytic core in accordance with claim 12 further characterized by a housing surrounding the core and inlet and outlet means for conducting a gas into and through the core.