Emissions control system for an automotive vehicle or the like

Claim 2

A reaction device for eliminating or substantially reducing the level of hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen and the like in the exhaust gas flow from an internal combustion engine or the like, comprising an elongated housing having a peripheral side wall and opposite end walls, said housing also having an inlet in one of said end walls adapted to be connected to said exhaust gas flow, an outlet through which said exhaust gas flow may discharge, and an auxiliary inlet in said peripheral side wall adjacent to said one end wall and adapted to be connected to a source of air under pressure for supplying air to the interior of said housing, at least one reacting element mounted in said housing between said inlet and said outlet, said reacting element extending transverse to and across the longitudinal axis of said housing so as to be in intimate flow relationship with said exhaust gas flow through said housing, said exhaust gas outlet communicating with the interior of said housing downstream from said reacting element, and a venturi tube mounted in said housing and having a nozzle end and a diffuser end, the axis of said venturi tube extending lengthwise of said housing, the nozzle end of said venturi tube engaging said one end wall and surrounding said exhaust gas inlet, and the diffuser end of said venturi tube engaging said reacting element, said venturi tube and said housing defining a chamber therebetween surrounding said tube, said auxiliary air inlet being directly connected to said chamber, said venturi tube also serving to direct said exhaust gas flow to said reacting element and having at least one aperture in the side wall thereof to permit air from said auxiliary inlet to mix with said exhaust gas flow passing through said venturi tube, and said reacting element being of a porous ceramic material such as will cause the hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen and other noxious constituents of said exhaust gas flow to either disassociate or react with the oxygen supplied thereto through said auxiliary inlet so that said constituents are either eliminated or reduced to permissible levels before said exhaust gas flow is discharged through said housing outlet.

Claim 3

The reaction device of claim 1, in which a plurality of said reacting elements are mounted in said housing, and spacer means carried by said reacting elements is provided in said housing for maintaining said reacting elements in axially spaced relation.

Claim 4

The reaction device of claim 2, in which said reacting elements are of plate-like form, said spacer means comprises a tubular member disposed between adjacent reacting elements and arranged with its axis extending lengthwise of said housing, the ends of each tubular member engage the opposite side faces of an adjacent pair of said reacting elements, and said tubular member and an adjacent pair of reacting elements define an inner reaction chamber therebetween.

Claim 5

The reaction device of claim 3, in which said reacting elements have central openings therein, the diameter of said tubular member is less than the diameter of said reacting elements and greater than the diameter of said central openings so as to define an outer reaction chamber in said housing surrounding said tubular member, and said tubular member is perforated to permit fluid flow between said inner and outer reaction chambers.

Claim 6

A reaction device for eliminating or substantially reducing the level of hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen and the like in the exhaust gas flow from an internal combustion engine or the like, comprising an elongated housing having a peripheral side wall and opposite end walls, said housing also having an inlet in one of said end walls adapted to be connected to said exhaust gas flow, an outlet through which said exhaust gas flow may discharge, and an auxiliary inlet in said peripheral side wall adapted to be connected to a source of air under pressure for supplying air to the interior of said housing, a venturi tube mounted in said housing and having a nozzle end and a diffuser end, the axis of said venturi tube extending lengthwise of said housing and the nozzle end of said venturi tube engaging said one end wall and surrounding said exhaust gas inlet, a plurality of plate-like reacting elements mounted in said housing between said inlet and said outlet and extending transverse to and across the longitudinal axis of said housing so as to be in intimate flow relationship with said exhaust gas flow through said housing, said venturi tube serving to direct said exhaust gas flow to said reacting elements and to mix air from said auxiliary inlet with said exhaust gas flow, said reacting elements having central openings therein, a plurality of coaxially arranged, tubular spacer members disposed between adjacent reacting elements and having their axes extending lengthwise of said housing, the ends of each tubular member engaging the opposite side faces of an adjacent pair of said reacting elements so that said tubular members maintain said reacting elements in axially spaced relation, the diameter of said tubular members being less than the diameter of said reacting elements and greater than the diameter of said central openings so as to define a plurality of inner and outer reaction chambers in said housing, said tubular members being perforated to permit fluid flow between said inner and outer chambers said auxiliary inlet communicating with the interior of said housing upstream from said reacting elements and said exhaust gas outlet communicating with the interior of said housing downstream from said reacting elements, each of said reacting elements having at least one other opening therein spaced radially outwardly of said tubular members and providing communication between said outer reaction chambers, and said reacting elements being of a porous ceramic material such as will cause the hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen and other noxious constituents of said exhaust gas flow to either disassociate or react with the oxygen supplied thereto through said auxiliary inlet so that said constituents are either eliminated or reduced to permissible levels before said exhaust gas flow is discharged through said housing outlet.

Claim 7

A reaction device for eliminating or substantially reducing the level of hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen and the like in the exhaust gas flow from an internal combustion engine or the like, comprising an elongated housing having a peripheral side wall and opposite end walls, said housing also having an inlet in one of said end walls adapted to be connected to said exhaust gas flow, an outlet through which said exhaust gas flow may discharge, and an auxiliary inlet in said peripheral side wall adapted to be connected to a source of air under pressure for supplying air to the interior of said housing, a venturi tube mounted in said housing and having a nozzle end and a diffuser end, the axis of said venturi tube extending lengthwise of said housing and the nozzle end of said venturi tube engaging said one end wall and surrounding said exhaust gas inlet, a plurality of plate-like reacting elements mounted in said housing between said inlet and said outlet and extending transverse to and across the longitudinal axis of said housing so as to be in intimate flow relationship with said exhaust gas flow through said housing, said venturi tube serving to direct said exhaust gas flow to said reacting elements and to mix air from said auxiliary inlet with said exhaust gas flow, said reacting elements having central openings therein, a plurality of coaxially arranged, tubular spacer members disposed between adjacent reacting elements and having their axes extending lengthwise of said housing, the ends of each tubular member engaging the opposite side faces of an adjacent pair of said reacting elements so that said tubular members maintain said reacting elements in axially spaced relation, the diameter of said tubular members being less than the diameter of said reacting elements and greater than the diameter of said central openings so as to define a plurality of inner and outer reaction chambers in said housing, said tubular members being perforated to permit fluid flow between said inner and outer chambers said auxiliary inlet communicating with the interior of said housing upstream from said reacting elements and said exhaust gas outlet communicating with the interior of said housing downstream from said reacting elements, each of said reacting elements having at least one other opening therein spaced radially outwardly of said tubular members and providing communication between said outer reaction chambers, and said reacting elements being of a porous ceramic material such as will cause the hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen and other noxious constituents of said exhaust gas flow to either disassociate or react with the oxygen supplied thereto through said auxiliary inlet so that said constituents are either eliminated or reduced to permissible levels before said exhaust gas flow is discharged through said housing outlet.

Claim 8

The reaction device of claim 5, in which said outlet is located in the peripheral wall of said housing adjacent to the other of said end walls, and said outlet communicates with the outer reaction chamber of the pair of reacting elements adjacent to said other end wall.

Claim 9

The reaction device of claim 6, in which an imperforate reacting element is mounted in said housing adjacent to said other end wall so that the flow of exhaust gas impinges upon the surface of said imperforate reacting element before discharging through said outlet.