US7178332B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Exhaust heat recovery system
Assignee: Toyota Motor Corp
•
Filing: 2005-03-10
•
Granted: 2007-02-20
•
Expires: 2025-03-10
Abstract
Abstract In an exhaust heat recovery system, electric power generation efficiency of a thermoelectric conversion element can be improved, and warming-up of a catalyst can be completed early, without using a complicated device. The exhaust heat recovery system according to the invention includes an exhaust pipe in which exhaust gas discharged from an internal combustion engine flows; a catalyst which purifies the exhaust gas; a heat recovery portion which is fitted to the exhaust pipe, and which recovers heat contained in the exhaust gas; a thermoelectric conversion element which generates electric power using thermoelectric conversion; and a heat pipe which connects the heat recovery portion to the thermoelectric conversion element, and which transfers the heat recovered in the heat recovery portion to the thermoelectric conversion element. An operation starting temperature of the heat pipe is set so as to be higher than an activation temperature of the catalyst.
Inventors
- 👤 Toshitake Sasaki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 03:06
CPC Classifications
F; F01; F01N; F01N3/00; F01N3/08; F01N3/10; F01N3/18; F01N3/20; F01N3/2006; F01N3/2013; F01N5/00; F01N5/02; F01N5/025; F28; F28D; F28D15/00; F28D15/02; F28D15/0266; F28D15/0275; F28F; F28F1/00; F28F1/10; F28F1/12; H; H10; H10N; H10N10/00; H10N10/10; H10N10/13; F28D21/00; F28D21/0001; F28D21/0003; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/10; Y02T10/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
130 words
An exhaust heat recovery system comprising: an exhaust pipe in which exhaust gas discharged from an internal combustion engine flows; a catalyst which purifies the exhaust gas; a heat recovery portion which is fitted to the exhaust pipe, and which recovers heat contained in the exhaust gas; an electric power generation portion which generates electric power using thermoelectric conversion; and a heat pipe which connects the heat recovery portion to the electric power generation portion, and which transfers the heat from the exhaust gas recovered in the heat recovery portion to the electric power generation portion via the heat pipe, wherein an operation starting temperature of the heat pipe for heat transfer via the heat pipe is set so as to be higher than an activation temperature of the catalyst.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
130 words
An exhaust heat recovery system comprising: an exhaust pipe in which exhaust gas discharged from an internal combustion engine flows; a catalyst which purifies the exhaust gas; a heat recovery portion which is fitted to the exhaust pipe, and which recovers heat contained in the exhaust gas; an electric power generation portion which generates electric power using thermoelectric conversion; and a heat pipe which connects the heat recovery portion to the electric power generation portion, and which transfers the heat from the exhaust gas recovered in the heat recovery portion to the electric power generation portion via the heat pipe, wherein an operation starting temperature of the heat pipe for heat transfer via the heat pipe is set so as to be higher than an activation temperature of the catalyst.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
66 words
The exhaust heat recovery system according to claim 1 , further comprising: a second heat pipe which connects the heat recovery portion to the catalyst, and which transfers the heat recovered in the heat recovery portion to the catalyst, wherein an operation starting temperature of the second heat pipe is set so as to be equal to or lower than an activation temperature of the catalyst.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
93 words
An exhaust heat recovery system comprising: an electric power generation portion which generates electric power using thermoelectric conversion; a catalyst which purifies exhaust gas discharged from an internal combustion engine; and a heat pipe which connects the catalyst to the electric power generation portion, and which transfers heat from the exhaust gas recovered in the catalyst to the electric power generation portion, wherein an operation starting temperature of the heat pipe for heat transfer via the heat pipe is set so as to be substantially equal to an activation temperature of the catalyst.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
93 words
An exhaust heat recovery system comprising: an electric power generation portion which generates electric power using thermoelectric conversion; a catalyst which purifies exhaust gas discharged from an internal combustion engine; and a heat pipe which connects the catalyst to the electric power generation portion, and which transfers heat from the exhaust gas recovered in the catalyst to the electric power generation portion, wherein an operation starting temperature of the heat pipe for heat transfer via the heat pipe is set so as to be substantially equal to an activation temperature of the catalyst.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
123 words
An exhaust heat recovery system comprising: an exhaust pipe in which exhaust gas discharged from an internal combustion engine flows; a catalyst which purifies the exhaust gas; a heat recovery portion which is fitted to the exhaust pipe, and which recovers heat contained in the exhaust gas; an electric power generation portion which generates electric power using thermoelectric conversion; and a heat pipe which connects the heat recovery portion to the catalyst, and which transfers the heat from the exhaust gas recovered in the heat recovery portion to the catalyst, wherein an operation starting temperature of the heat pipe for heat transfer via the heat pine is set so as to be equal to or lower than an activation temperature of the catalyst.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
123 words
An exhaust heat recovery system comprising: an exhaust pipe in which exhaust gas discharged from an internal combustion engine flows; a catalyst which purifies the exhaust gas; a heat recovery portion which is fitted to the exhaust pipe, and which recovers heat contained in the exhaust gas; an electric power generation portion which generates electric power using thermoelectric conversion; and a heat pipe which connects the heat recovery portion to the catalyst, and which transfers the heat from the exhaust gas recovered in the heat recovery portion to the catalyst, wherein an operation starting temperature of the heat pipe for heat transfer via the heat pine is set so as to be equal to or lower than an activation temperature of the catalyst.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
153 words
An exhaust heat recovery system comprising: an exhaust pipe in which exhaust gas discharged from an internal combustion engine flows; a catalyst which purifies the exhaust gas; a heat recovery portion which is fitted to the exhaust pipe; an electric power generation portion which generates electric power using thermoelectric conversion; and a heat pipe which connects the heat recovery portion to the electric power generation portion, and extends through the catalyst, and which transfers heat from the exhaust gas recovered in the heat recovery portion to the catalyst and the electric power generation portion, wherein an operation starting temperature of the heat pipe for heat transfer via the heat pipe is set so as to be equal to or lower than an activation temperature of the catalyst, and the heat recovered in the heat recovery portion is transported to the catalyst, and then to the electric power generation portion through the heat pipe.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
153 words
An exhaust heat recovery system comprising: an exhaust pipe in which exhaust gas discharged from an internal combustion engine flows; a catalyst which purifies the exhaust gas; a heat recovery portion which is fitted to the exhaust pipe; an electric power generation portion which generates electric power using thermoelectric conversion; and a heat pipe which connects the heat recovery portion to the electric power generation portion, and extends through the catalyst, and which transfers heat from the exhaust gas recovered in the heat recovery portion to the catalyst and the electric power generation portion, wherein an operation starting temperature of the heat pipe for heat transfer via the heat pipe is set so as to be equal to or lower than an activation temperature of the catalyst, and the heat recovered in the heat recovery portion is transported to the catalyst, and then to the electric power generation portion through the heat pipe.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
The exhaust heat recovery system according to claim 1 , further comprising: a thermoelectric conversion module in contact with the heat pipe for generating electric power when heat is transferred through the heat pipe to the electric power generation portion.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
The exhaust heat recovery system according to claim 3 , further comprising: a thermoelectric conversion module in contact with the heat pipe for generating electric power when heat is transferred through the heat pipe to the electric power generation portion.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
The exhaust heat recovery system according to claim 4 , further comprising: a thermoelectric conversion module in contact with the heat pipe for generating electric power when heat is transferred through the heat pipe to the electric power generation portion.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
The exhaust heat recovery system according to claim 5 , further comprising: a thermoelectric conversion module in contact with the heat pipe for generating electric power when heat is transferred through the heat pipe to the electric power generation portion.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4753682A
Cited
JPH0712005A
Cited
US6172427B1
Cited
US5968456A
Cited
US6986247B1
Cited
JP2003065045A
Cited
WO2004059138A1
Cited
WO2004059139A1
Cited
JP2005223132A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2010-02-19 | 2010-08-21 | 2011-02-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2014-02-19 | 2014-08-21 | 2015-02-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2018-02-19 | 2018-08-21 | 2019-02-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |