US5685145A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for performance enhancement of the manifold catalyst in the automotive exhaust system
Assignee: BASF Catalysts LLC
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Filing: 1995-02-07
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Granted: 1997-11-11
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Expires: 2015-02-07
Abstract
Abstract In an exhaust gas system comprising a hydrocarbon trap (28) and a downstream catalyst zone (30), a heat exchange catalyst member (10) is incorporated into the system to provide heat exchange between the exhaust gas and air that is pumped through the heat exchange catalyst member (10). The heated air is injected into the exhaust gas stream to facilitate the oxidation of hydrocarbons in the downstream catalyst zone. The heat exchange catalyst member (10) defines two separate flow paths therethrough, one of the flow paths containing a catalyst zone for the exhaust gas. In an alternative embodiment, the injected air is heated by a heat exchange trap (28') or by a separate heating element (62).
Inventors
- 👤 Shiang Sung
- 👤 Dennis R. Anderson
- 👤 Harold N. Rabinowitz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 11:48
CPC Classifications
F; F01; F01N; F01N3/00; F01N3/08; F01N3/0807; F01N3/0828; F01N3/0835; F01N13/00; F01N13/009; F01N3/0814; F01N3/10; F01N3/18; F01N3/22; F01N3/222; F01N3/24; F01N3/28; F01N3/2882; F01N3/2889; F01N3/30; F01N3/306; F01N3/32; F01N2240/00; F01N2240/02; F01N2250/00; F01N2250/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
151 words
An exhaust gas treatment apparatus for converting at least hydrocarbons in an exhaust gas stream of an engine to innocuous substances, the apparatus defining a flow path for the exhaust gas stream and comprising: trap means in the flow path for adsorbing hydrocarbons in the exhaust gas stream at least during a cold-start period of engine operation and for desorbing the hydrocarbons in a subsequent period of engine operation; a downstream catalyst zone disposed in the flow path downstream from the trap means, and comprising a catalytic material effective at least for conversion of hydrocarbons to innocuous substances; air injection means for injecting air into the exhaust gas stream at a location downstream of the trap and upstream of the downstream catalyst to facilitate the conversion of hydrocarbons in the downstream catalyst zone; and air heating means for heating the air before the air is injected into the exhaust gas stream.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
151 words
An exhaust gas treatment apparatus for converting at least hydrocarbons in an exhaust gas stream of an engine to innocuous substances, the apparatus defining a flow path for the exhaust gas stream and comprising: trap means in the flow path for adsorbing hydrocarbons in the exhaust gas stream at least during a cold-start period of engine operation and for desorbing the hydrocarbons in a subsequent period of engine operation; a downstream catalyst zone disposed in the flow path downstream from the trap means, and comprising a catalytic material effective at least for conversion of hydrocarbons to innocuous substances; air injection means for injecting air into the exhaust gas stream at a location downstream of the trap and upstream of the downstream catalyst to facilitate the conversion of hydrocarbons in the downstream catalyst zone; and air heating means for heating the air before the air is injected into the exhaust gas stream.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
208 words
An exhaust gas treatment apparatus for converting at least hydrocarbons in an exhaust gas stream of an engine to innocuous substances, the apparatus defining a flow path for the exhaust gas stream and comprising: a trap means in a first gas flow zone of the flow path for adsorbing hydrocarbons in the exhaust gas stream at least during a cold-start period of engine operation and for desorbing the hydrocarbons in a subsequent period of engine operation; a downstream catalyst zone disposed in the flow path downstream from the trap means, and comprising a catalytic material effective at least for conversion of hydrocarbons to innocuous substances; air injection means for injecting air into the exhaust gas stream to facilitate the conversion of hydrocarbons in the downstream catalyst zone; and air heating means for heating the air before the air is injected into the exhaust gas stream, the air heating means comprising a heat exchanger comprising the first gas flow zone and a second gas flow zone disposed in mutual heat exchange relation with each other, and wherein the first gas flow zone comprises a part of the flow path, for transferring heat from the exhaust gas to the air before the air is injected into the exhaust gas stream.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
208 words
An exhaust gas treatment apparatus for converting at least hydrocarbons in an exhaust gas stream of an engine to innocuous substances, the apparatus defining a flow path for the exhaust gas stream and comprising: a trap means in a first gas flow zone of the flow path for adsorbing hydrocarbons in the exhaust gas stream at least during a cold-start period of engine operation and for desorbing the hydrocarbons in a subsequent period of engine operation; a downstream catalyst zone disposed in the flow path downstream from the trap means, and comprising a catalytic material effective at least for conversion of hydrocarbons to innocuous substances; air injection means for injecting air into the exhaust gas stream to facilitate the conversion of hydrocarbons in the downstream catalyst zone; and air heating means for heating the air before the air is injected into the exhaust gas stream, the air heating means comprising a heat exchanger comprising the first gas flow zone and a second gas flow zone disposed in mutual heat exchange relation with each other, and wherein the first gas flow zone comprises a part of the flow path, for transferring heat from the exhaust gas to the air before the air is injected into the exhaust gas stream.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
204 words
An exhaust gas treatment apparatus for converting at least hydrocarbons in an exhaust gas stream of an engine to innocuous substances, the apparatus defining a flow path for the exhaust gas stream and comprising: trap means in the flow path for adsorbing hydrocarbons in the exhaust gas stream at least during a cold-start period of engine operation and for desorbing the hydrocarbons in a subsequent period of engine operation; a downstream catalyst zone disposed in the flow path downstream from the trap means, and comprising a catalytic material effective at least for conversion of hydrocarbons to innocuous substances; an upstream catalyst zone disposed in the flow path upstream of the trap means, the upstream catalyst zone comprising a catalytic material effective for the conversion of at least one of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides to innocuous substances; air injection means for injecting air into the exhaust gas stream to facilitate the conversion of hydrocarbons in the downstream catalyst zone, wherein the air injection means is dimensioned and configured to inject air into the exhaust gas stream at a point upstream of the upstream catalyst zone; and air heating means for heating the air before the air is injected into the exhaust gas stream.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
204 words
An exhaust gas treatment apparatus for converting at least hydrocarbons in an exhaust gas stream of an engine to innocuous substances, the apparatus defining a flow path for the exhaust gas stream and comprising: trap means in the flow path for adsorbing hydrocarbons in the exhaust gas stream at least during a cold-start period of engine operation and for desorbing the hydrocarbons in a subsequent period of engine operation; a downstream catalyst zone disposed in the flow path downstream from the trap means, and comprising a catalytic material effective at least for conversion of hydrocarbons to innocuous substances; an upstream catalyst zone disposed in the flow path upstream of the trap means, the upstream catalyst zone comprising a catalytic material effective for the conversion of at least one of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides to innocuous substances; air injection means for injecting air into the exhaust gas stream to facilitate the conversion of hydrocarbons in the downstream catalyst zone, wherein the air injection means is dimensioned and configured to inject air into the exhaust gas stream at a point upstream of the upstream catalyst zone; and air heating means for heating the air before the air is injected into the exhaust gas stream.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 1, 2 or 3 further comprising catalyst heating means for heating the catalytic material of the downstream catalyst zone to its light-off temperature.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
63 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the air heating means comprises a heat exchanger comprising first and second gas flow zones disposed in mutual heat exchange relation with each other, and wherein the first gas flow zone comprises a part of the path, for transferring heat from the exhaust gas to the air before the air is injected into the exhaust gas stream.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the first gas flow zone comprised the trap means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus of claim 1 or 2 further comprising an upstream catalyst zone disposed in the flow path upstream of the trap means, the upstream catalyst zone comprising a catalytic material effective for the conversion of at least one of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides to innocuous substances.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the air injection means is dimensioned and configured to inject air into the exhaust gas stream at a point upstream of the upstream catalyst zone.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the heat exchange means comprises a heat exchanger comprising first and second gas flow zones disposed in mutual heat exchange relation with each other, and wherein the first gas flow zone of the heat exchanger comprises the upstream catalyst zone.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus of claim 1, claim 5, claim 9, claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the air injection means comprises a gas separation means for separating environmental air into an oxygen-rich portion, and wherein the air injection means injects the oxygen-rich portion into the exhaust gas stream.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus of claim 1, claim 5, claim 2 or claim 3 further comprising sensor means for sensing one of (a) the duration of cold-start engine operation, and (b) fuel-rich engine operation; wherein the air injection means functions to inject the air into the exhaust gas stream during at least one of a cold-start period and fuel-rich engine operation.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
72 words
The apparatus of claim 1, claim 5, claim 9, claim 2 or claim 3 further comprising sensor means for sensing the temperature of the exhaust gas entering the trap means, wherein the air injection means is responsive to the sensor means for flowing the air through the second gas flow zone and injecting the air into the exhaust gas stream when the exhaust gas entering the trap means attains a predetermined temperature.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 1, claim 5, claim 9, claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the air injection means is dimensioned and configured to inject air into the exhaust gas stream at a point downstream of the trap means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of claim 1, claim 5, claim 9, claim 2 or claim 3 further comprising catalyst heating means for heating the secondary catalytic material of the downstream catalyst zone to its light-off temperature.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
189 words
An exhaust gas treatment apparatus for converting at least hydrocarbons in an exhaust gas stream of an engine to innocuous substances, the apparatus defining a flow path for the exhaust gas stream and comprising: air heating means comprising a heat exchange catalyst member comprising a first flow gas zone and a second gas flow zone, the first gas flow zone comprising a catalytic material effective for the conversion of at least some pollutants in the exhaust gas stream to innocuous substances, the first gas flow zone comprising part of the flow path, and a second gas flow zone for disposing a gas in heat exchange relation with exhaust gas in the first gas flow zone; a downstream catalyst zone disposed in the flow path downstream from the first gas flow zone and comprising a catalyst effective at least for the conversion of hydrocarbons in the exhaust gas stream to innocuous substances; and air injection means, for flowing air through the second gas flow zone of the heat exchange catalyst member and for injecting the air into the flow path at a point upstream of the first gas flow zone.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
189 words
An exhaust gas treatment apparatus for converting at least hydrocarbons in an exhaust gas stream of an engine to innocuous substances, the apparatus defining a flow path for the exhaust gas stream and comprising: air heating means comprising a heat exchange catalyst member comprising a first flow gas zone and a second gas flow zone, the first gas flow zone comprising a catalytic material effective for the conversion of at least some pollutants in the exhaust gas stream to innocuous substances, the first gas flow zone comprising part of the flow path, and a second gas flow zone for disposing a gas in heat exchange relation with exhaust gas in the first gas flow zone; a downstream catalyst zone disposed in the flow path downstream from the first gas flow zone and comprising a catalyst effective at least for the conversion of hydrocarbons in the exhaust gas stream to innocuous substances; and air injection means, for flowing air through the second gas flow zone of the heat exchange catalyst member and for injecting the air into the flow path at a point upstream of the first gas flow zone.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the heat exchange catalyst member comprises a manifold catalyst member.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-11-10 | 2001-05-12 | 2001-11-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-11-10 | 2005-05-12 | 2005-11-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-11-10 | 2009-05-12 | 2009-11-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |