Internal combustion engine exhaust treating apparatus and method

Claim 3

An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said exhaust is cooled by said heat exchanger to a temperature of from about 5° to about 10° C. (approx. 40°-50° F.); said neutralizing agent in said first chemical reactor is sodium carbonate; said substance in said second chemical reactor is an alkali metal hydroxide in solution with water.

Claim 4

An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said heat exchanger fluidly communicates with and transfers heat from said exhaust into at least one of a radiator, an engine cooling system and refrigerant in an air conditioning system associated with an automobile to which said apparatus is connected.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein each said at least one second chemical reactor includes: an inlet pipe for receiving said non-condensed gasses from said fluid separator and directing said gasses to a bottom part of a first stage through a diffuser outlet at a lower end of said inlet pipe; said first stage fluidly communicating at a top to a top of second stage through a transfer pipe which receives treated gas from said first stage and directs it into a bottom part of said second stage through a diffuser outlet at a lower end of said transfer pipe; a plurality of perforated baffles extending across said first and second stages about respective of said inlet and transfer pipes a lowermost of said perforated baffles in each said first and second stage being generally horizontally disposed with remaining of said perforated baffles being arranged one above another in a zig-zag configuration; each of said baffles having a perforated area equal to at least 13/4 times an inside cross sectional area of respective of said inlet and transfer pipes; lower of said baffles having smaller perforations than higher of said baffles; said second stage fluidly communicating at a top thereof with a final stage through a final stage inlet, said final stage having a downwardly extending partition to define adjacent first and second passages fluidly communicating at a bottom of said third stage; said second passage having an exit aperture adjacent a top thereof; and, said final stage inlet fluidly communicating with said exit aperture; said second reactor further having a coolant jacket extending around a base thereof; and, said substance is a liquid having a level in each said first and second stage above said diffuser and below said lowermost perforated baffles.

Claim 6

An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein a deflector baffle is attached below said transfer pipe and said third stage inlet to deflect gas away from said transfer pipe and said third stage inlet.

Claim 7

An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said substance in said second chemical reactor is a solution of about 50 wt. % potassium hydroxide in water.

Claim 8

An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said substance in said second chemical reactor is a solution of about 50 wt. % potassium hydroxide in water.

Claim 9

An apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said substance in said second chemical reactor is a solution of about 50 wt. % potassium hydroxide in water.

Claim 10

An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 further comprising a chemical replenisher having a chemical outlet communicating with an interior of said chemical reactor below said lowermost of said perforated baffles for introducing, at predetermined intervals, a predetermined amount of a concentrated version of said substance into said substance in said second chemical reactor to replace a reacted portion of said substance.

Claim 11

An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 further comprising a chemical replenisher having a chemical outlet communicating with an interior of said chemical reactor below said lowermost of said perforated baffles for introducing, at predetermined intervals, a predetermined amount of a concentrated version of said substance into said substance in said second chemical reactor to replace a reacted portion of said substance.

Claim 12

A process for removing gasses and particulate matter from an automobile exhaust, said process comprising the steps of: i) cooling said exhaust to a temperature of about from 5° to about 10° C. to condense a portion of said exhaust to form a condensate and a non-condensed gas; ii) reacting said condensate and said non-condensed gas with a neutralizing agent to neutralize any acids in said condensate; iii) separating said condensate and said particulate matter from said non-condensed gas; iv) storing said condensate in a holding tank; v) exposing said non-condensed gas to a substance which removes said particulate matter therefrom and which absorbs carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide to remove said particulate matter, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide from said non-condensed gas to form a treated exhaust gas; vi) venting said treated exhaust gas to atmosphere.

Claim 13

A process for removing gasses and particulate matter from an automobile exhaust, said process comprising the steps of: i) cooling said exhaust to a temperature of about from 5° to about 10° C. to condense a portion of said exhaust to form a condensate and a non-condensed gas; ii) reacting said condensate and said non-condensed gas with a neutralizing agent to neutralize any acids in said condensate; iii) separating said condensate and said particulate matter from said non-condensed gas; iv) storing said condensate in a holding tank; v) exposing said non-condensed gas to a substance which removes said particulate matter therefrom and which absorbs carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide to remove said particulate matter, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide from said non-condensed gas to form a treated exhaust gas; vi) venting said treated exhaust gas to atmosphere.

Claim 14

A process as claimed in claim 11 wherein said substance in step v) is an alkali metal hydroxide in solution with water.

Claim 15

A process as claimed in claim 12 wherein step i) is carried out in a heat exchanger which transfers heat from said exhaust into at least one of coolant circulating through a radiator, and refrigerant in an air-conditioning system associated with an automobile from which said internal combustion engine exhaust emanates; said neutralizing agent in step ii) is sodium carbonate; steps ii) and part of step iii) are carried out in a first chemical reactor; and, a part of step iii) and step v) are carried out in a second chemical reactor.

Claim 16

A process as claimed in claim 13 wherein said substance in step v) is a solution of about 50 wt. % potassium hydroxide in water.

Claim 17

A process as claimed in claim 12 wherein said substance is periodically replenished by adding a predetermined amount of a concentrated version of said substance to said substance to replace a reacted portion of said substance.