EP0585047A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
The purification of internal combustion engine exhaust emissions
Assignee: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
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Filing: 1993-08-18
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2013-08-18
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for enhancing the catalytic reduction of exhaust gas pollutants during the warm-up phase of a cycle of use of an internal combustion engine, in which a plasma discharge is initiated in the exhaust gas upstream of a catalytic converter which forms part of an exhaust system.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael John Davies
- 👤 John Sydney Carlow
- 👤 Norman Jorgensen
- 👤 David Raybone
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 04:10
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D53/00; B01D53/34; B01D53/92; B01D53/94; B01D53/9445; B01D53/9454; B01D53/32; B01D53/9495; B01J; B01J19/00; B01J19/08; B01J19/087; B01J19/088; B01J19/12; B01J19/122; B01J19/126; F; F01; F01N; F01N3/00; F01N3/08; F01N3/10; F01N3/18; F01N3/20; F01N3/2006; F01N3/2013; F01N2240/00; F01N2240/28; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/10; Y02T10/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
86 words
A method of purifying the exhaust emissions from internal combustion engines, including the operation of passing the exhaust emissions through a convertor including a medium adapted to catalyse the conversion of pollutants included in the exhaust emissions into less noxious substances, wherein there is included the operation of subjecting the exhaust emissions to a low-temperature electrical discharge prior to passing the exhaust emissions through the convertor at least during an initial phase of the operation of an internal combustion engine with which the converter is associated.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
86 words
A method of purifying the exhaust emissions from internal combustion engines, including the operation of passing the exhaust emissions through a convertor including a medium adapted to catalyse the conversion of pollutants included in the exhaust emissions into less noxious substances, wherein there is included the operation of subjecting the exhaust emissions to a low-temperature electrical discharge prior to passing the exhaust emissions through the convertor at least during an initial phase of the operation of an internal combustion engine with which the converter is associated.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
87 words
A method according to Claim 1 wherein there is included the operations of monitoring the pressure and flow rate of the exhaust emissions from the internal combustion engine and the temperature of the medium adapted to catalyse the conversion of pollutants included in the exhaust emissions into less noxious substances, varying the operation of a power supply so as to maintain the electrical discharge in response to signals indicative of the pressure and flow rate of the exhaust emissions until the catalytic medium reaches a predetermined value.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the electrical discharge is a low temperature plasma.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
65 words
A catalyst activity enhancer for use with an exhaust system for use with an internal combustion engine incorporating a converter including a medium adapted to catalyse the conversion of pollutants included in the exhaust emissions from the internal combustion engine into less noxious substances, comprising means whereby an electrical discharge can be established in the said exhaust emissions prior to their entry into the converter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
65 words
A catalyst activity enhancer for use with an exhaust system for use with an internal combustion engine incorporating a converter including a medium adapted to catalyse the conversion of pollutants included in the exhaust emissions from the internal combustion engine into less noxious substances, comprising means whereby an electrical discharge can be established in the said exhaust emissions prior to their entry into the converter.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
106 words
A catalytic activity enhancer according to Claim 4 wherein there is included means for measuring the flow rate of the said exhaust emissions and generating signals related thereto, means for measuring the pressure of the said exhaustemis- sions and generating signals related thereto, means for measuring the temperature of the catalytic medium and generating signals relating thereto and a controller responsive to the said signal to vary the action of a power supply adapted to provide the power to maintain the electrical discharge in the said exhaust emissions in such a manner as to maintain the electrical discharge until the catalytic medium reaches a predetermined temperature.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
A catalytic activity enhancer according to Claim 4 or Claim 5 wherein the means for establishing an electrical discharge in the exhaust emissions a system of electrodes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
Acatalytic activity enhancer according to Claim 4 or Claim 5 wherein the means for establishing an electrical discharge in the exhaust emissions comprises means for establishing a microwave electromagnetic field in the exhaust emissions thereby to create a plasma in the exhaust emissions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
A catalytic activity enhancer according to Claim 7 wherein the means for establishing a microwave electromagnetic field in the exhaust emissions comprises an antenna.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
23 words
A method of purifying the exhaust emissions from an internal combustion engine substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
23 words
A method of purifying the exhaust emissions from an internal combustion engine substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
A catalytic activity enhancer for use in purifying the exhaust emissions from internal combustion engines substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
A catalytic activity enhancer for use in purifying the exhaust emissions from internal combustion engines substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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