US4403473A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Ammonia/fuel ratio control system for reducing nitrogen oxide emissions
Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
•
Filing: 1981-06-22
•
Granted: 1983-09-13
•
Expires: 2001-06-22
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus is disclosed for efficiently reducing the amounts of nitrogen oxides contained in a combusted gas stream from an engine combustion chamber (14). Ammonia is reliably and instantaneously metered to the combusted gas stream conduit (24) in a preselected proportion to the fuel mass flow rate and only in response to the sensed temperature of the combusted gas stream in the reactor (26) being within a preselected range.
Inventors
- 👤 John R. Gladden
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 10:34
CPC Classifications
F; F01; F01N; F01N3/00; F01N3/08; F01N3/10; F01N3/24; F01N3/36; B; B01; B01D; B01D53/00; B01D53/34; B01D53/92; B01D53/94; B01D53/9404; B01D53/9409; B01D53/9431; B01D53/9495; F01N3/18; F01N3/20; F01N3/206; F01N3/2066; F01N9/00; F01N2610/00; F01N2610/02; F01N2610/06; F01N2610/14; F01N2610/1453; F01N2610/146; F01N2900/00; F01N2900/06; F01N2900/08; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/10; Y02T10/12; Y02T10/40
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
93 words
A method of reducing the amounts of oxides of nitrogen contained in a combusted gas stream from an engine combustion chamber, comprising the steps of: conducting the combusted gas stream to a reactor; and metering ammonia to the combusted gas stream at a location between said combustion chamber and said reactor in a preselected proportion to the fuel mass flow rate supplied to said engine combustion chamber wherein the step of metering ammonia includes the step of metering the amount of ammonia in response to a fuel pump rack position and engine speed.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
93 words
A method of reducing the amounts of oxides of nitrogen contained in a combusted gas stream from an engine combustion chamber, comprising the steps of: conducting the combusted gas stream to a reactor; and metering ammonia to the combusted gas stream at a location between said combustion chamber and said reactor in a preselected proportion to the fuel mass flow rate supplied to said engine combustion chamber wherein the step of metering ammonia includes the step of metering the amount of ammonia in response to a fuel pump rack position and engine speed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method as in claim 1 wherein the step of metering the ammonia includes pumping the ammonia to the combusted gas stream at said location.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method as in claim 2 wherein the step of metering ammonia includes maintaining the ammonia in the liquid phase.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
73 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of metering ammonia includes: sensing the position of the fuel pump rack and providing a representative signal; sensing the engine speed and providing a representative signal; computing the fuel mass flow supplied to the engine combustion chamber from said fuel rack position signal and said engine speed signal; and metering the ammonia to said location in a preselected proportion to said computed fuel mass flow.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method as in claim 4 wherein the step of metering ammonia includes maintaining the ammonia in a gaseous phase.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said preselected proportion is about 0.2 to 10 percent.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
109 words
An emission control system for reducing the oxides of nitrogen contained in a combusted gas stream from a combustion chamber (14) of an engine (10) comprising: a reactor (26); a conduit (24) connected between said combustion chamber (14) and said reactor (26); and means (32) for metering the ammonia to the conduit (24) in a preselected proportion to the fuel mass flow rate supplied to the engine combustion chamber (14) wherein said engine (10) includes a fuel pump rack (16) and wherein said means (32) for metering ammonia meters ammonia to the conduit (24) in response to the position of the fuel pump rack (16) and the engine speed.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
109 words
An emission control system for reducing the oxides of nitrogen contained in a combusted gas stream from a combustion chamber (14) of an engine (10) comprising: a reactor (26); a conduit (24) connected between said combustion chamber (14) and said reactor (26); and means (32) for metering the ammonia to the conduit (24) in a preselected proportion to the fuel mass flow rate supplied to the engine combustion chamber (14) wherein said engine (10) includes a fuel pump rack (16) and wherein said means (32) for metering ammonia meters ammonia to the conduit (24) in response to the position of the fuel pump rack (16) and the engine speed.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
53 words
The emission control system as in claim 7 wherein said ammonia metering means (32) includes: a reservoir of ammonia (34); and an ammonia pump (36) connected between said ammonia reservoir (34) and said conduit (24) and controlled by the position of said fuel pump rack (16) and the speed of said engine (10).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
The emission control system as in claim 8 wherein said ammonia metering means (32) includes: an injection nozzle 48 connected between the ammonia pump (36) and said conduit (24).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The emission control system as in claim 9 wherein said ammonia supplied to the conduit (24) in a liquid phase.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
105 words
The emission control system as in claim 7 wherein said ammonia metering means (32') includes: a reservoir (34) of ammonia; a throttling valve (72) connected between the reservoir (34) and the conduit (24); means (62) for sensing the position of the fuel pump rack (16) and providing a representative signal (S 3 ); means (66) for simultaneously sensing the speed of the engine (10) and providing a representative signal (S 4 ); and means (70) for directing a modulating signal (S 5 ) to said throttling valve (72) in response to said rack position signal (S 3 ) and engine speed signal (S 4 ).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
The emission control system as in claim 11 wherein said ammonia is supplied to the conduit (24) in a gaseous phase.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
The emission control system as in claim 7 wherein said preselected proportion is about 0.2 to 10 percent.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
FR1128505A
Cited
US3599427A
Cited
US3846981A
Cited
US3696618A
Cited
US3900554A
Cited
JPS5248722A
Cited
US4155986A
Cited
US4188364A
Cited
US4196170A
Cited
JPS5593917A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-09-12 | 1987-03-14 | 1987-09-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-09-12 | 1991-03-14 | 1991-09-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-09-12 | 1995-03-14 | 1995-09-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |