Device and method for filtering internal combustion engine exhaust gases and vehicle equipped with such a device

Claim 3

Device according to claim 1 , wherein the filter is an impingement-type filter.

Claim 4

Device according to claim 2 , wherein another filter ( 21 ) for coarse solid particles and droplets is mounted downstream of the electrostatic filtering means, in the filtering chamber ( 10 ).

Claim 5

Filtering device according to claim 3 , wherein said other filter is an impingement-type filter.

Claim 6

Filtering device according to claim 4 , wherein an active carbon filter ( 23 ) is mounted in the filtering chamber ( 10 ) downstream of the said other filter ( 21 ).

Claim 7

Device according to claim 1 , wherein another filter ( 21 ) for coarse solid particles and droplets is mounted downstream of the electrostatic filtering means, in the filtering chamber ( 10 ).

Claim 8

Filtering device according to claim 6 , wherein the said other filter is an impingement-type filter.

Claim 9

Filtering device according to claim 7 , wherein an active carbon filter ( 23 ) is mounted in the filtering chamber ( 10 ) downstream of the said other filter ( 21 ).

Claim 10

Filtering device according to claim 6 , characterised in that an active carbon filter ( 23 ) is mounted in the filtering chamber ( 10 ) downstream of the said other filter ( 21 ).

Claim 11

Filtering device according to claim 1 wherein the electrostatic filtering means comprise two or more filtering stages.

Claim 12

Device according to claim 1 , wherein the inlet comprises a conical nozzle whose widest part is intended to receive the outlet of the one of the exhaust silencer box and the exhaust manifold.

Claim 13

Filtering device according to claim 11 , wherein a wall of the conical nozzle is pierced with holes.

Claim 14

Filtering device according to claim 1 , wherein the exhaust gasses are cooled down to a temperature of less than 100° C. and preferably down to a temperature of less than or equal to 80° C.

Claim 15

Filtering device according to claim 1 , wherein it comprises means of fitting to a motor vehicle.

Claim 16

Motor vehicle ( 2 ) equipped with a filtering device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 .

Claim 17

Method of filtering the exhaust gasses of an internal combustion engine, the method comprising the acts of: providing an exhaust gas outlet from one of an exhaust silencer box and an exhaust manifold connectible to the internal combustion engine; receiving the exhaust gasses from the outlet of said one of the exhaust silencer box and the exhaust manifold, while simultaneously receiving an ambient air flow that does not come off the exhaust silencer box or exhaust manifold, said ambient air flow lowering a temperature of the received exhaust gasses; drawing the exhaust gasses and the ambient air flow through a filtering chamber equipped with an electrostatic filter; and filtering the mixture of the exhaust gasses and ambient air flow via a filter for coarse solid particles and droplets, placed upstream of the electrostatic filter.

Claim 18

Method of filtering the exhaust gasses of an internal combustion engine, the method comprising the acts of: providing an exhaust gas outlet from one of an exhaust silencer box and an exhaust manifold connectible to the internal combustion engine; receiving the exhaust gasses from the outlet of said one of the exhaust silencer box and the exhaust manifold, while simultaneously receiving an ambient air flow that does not come off the exhaust silencer box or exhaust manifold, said ambient air flow lowering a temperature of the received exhaust gasses; drawing the exhaust gasses and the ambient air flow through a filtering chamber equipped with an electrostatic filter; and filtering the mixture of the exhaust gasses and ambient air flow via a filter for coarse solid particles and droplets, placed upstream of the electrostatic filter.

Claim 19

Method according to claim 16 , wherein the mixture of exhaust gasses and ambient air coming from the electro static filter is also filtered by another filter for coarse solid particles and droplets.

Claim 20

Method according to claim 17 , wherein the mixture of exhaust gasses and ambient air coming from the other filter is also filtered by an active carbon filter.

Claim 21

A motor vehicle, comprising: an internal combustion engine which outputs exhaust gasses; and a device for filtering said exhaust gasses, said device comprising: an electrostatic filtering chamber ( 10 ) equipped with electrostatic filtering means ( 20 ), a line ( 13 ) for supplying exhaust gasses into the filtering chamber ( 10 ), in fluid communication with a inlet ( 11 ) of the filtering chamber ( 10 ), at one of the ends of the supply line ( 13 ), the other end of the supply line ( 13 ) having an inlet adapted to allow the penetration of the exhaust gasses from an outlet of one of an exhaust silencer box and an exhaust manifold connectable to the internal combustion engine, while allowing the penetration of a flow of ambient air that does not come off the exhaust silencer box or exhaust manifold and which is intended for lowering the temperature of the exhaust gasses, wherein an intake unit ( 16 ), intended for drawing in the exhaust gasses and the air flow is mounted downstream of an outlet ( 12 ) of the filtering chamber ( 10 ) and in fluid communication with this outlet ( 12 ), in order to allow the mixture of exhaust gasses and air to pass into the said filtering chamber ( 10 ) and to reject the filtered gasses into the environment, and further wherein a filter ( 19 ) for coarse solid particles and droplets derived from the mixture is mounted in the filtering chamber ( 10 ), upstream of the electrostatic filtering means ( 20 ).

Claim 22

A motor vehicle, comprising: an internal combustion engine which outputs exhaust gasses; and a device for filtering said exhaust gasses, said device comprising: an electrostatic filtering chamber ( 10 ) equipped with electrostatic filtering means ( 20 ), a line ( 13 ) for supplying exhaust gasses into the filtering chamber ( 10 ), in fluid communication with a inlet ( 11 ) of the filtering chamber ( 10 ), at one of the ends of the supply line ( 13 ), the other end of the supply line ( 13 ) having an inlet adapted to allow the penetration of the exhaust gasses from an outlet of one of an exhaust silencer box and an exhaust manifold connectable to the internal combustion engine, while allowing the penetration of a flow of ambient air that does not come off the exhaust silencer box or exhaust manifold and which is intended for lowering the temperature of the exhaust gasses, wherein an intake unit ( 16 ), intended for drawing in the exhaust gasses and the air flow is mounted downstream of an outlet ( 12 ) of the filtering chamber ( 10 ) and in fluid communication with this outlet ( 12 ), in order to allow the mixture of exhaust gasses and air to pass into the said filtering chamber ( 10 ) and to reject the filtered gasses into the environment, and further wherein a filter ( 19 ) for coarse solid particles and droplets derived from the mixture is mounted in the filtering chamber ( 10 ), upstream of the electrostatic filtering means ( 20 ).

Claim 23

A motor vehicle according to claim 19 , wherein the filter is an impingement-type filter.

Claim 24

A motor vehicle according to claim 19 , wherein another filter ( 21 ) for coarse solid particles and droplets is mounted downstream of the electrostatic filtering means, in the filtering chamber ( 10 ).

Claim 25

A motor vehicle according to claim 21 , wherein the said other filter is an impingement-type filter.

Claim 26

A motor vehicle according to claim 21 , wherein an active carbon filter ( 23 ) is mounted in the filtering chamber ( 10 ) downstream of the said other filter ( 21 ).

Claim 27

A motor vehicle according to claim 19 , wherein the electrostatic filtering means comprise two or more filtering stages.

Claim 28

A motor vehicle according to claim 19 , wherein the inlet comprises a conical nozzle whose widest part is intended to receive the outlet of the one of the exhaust silencer box and the exhaust manifold.

Claim 29

A motor vehicle according to claim 25 , wherein the a wall of the conical nozzle is pierced with holes.

Claim 30

Filtering device according to claim 19 , wherein the exhaust gasses are cooled down to a temperature of less than 100° C. and preferably down to a temperature of less than or equal to 80° C.