Exhaust treatment system having membrane module for water removal

• US 10,054,022 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2016
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2016
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Incorporated (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Incorporated (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bradford, Michael C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Laurenzi, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Delgado, Anthony Ayala
• Application Number:
  US15/050,521
• Publication Number:
  US 20170241317A1
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/087 having valves upstream of silencing apparatus for by-passing at least part of exhaust directly to atmosphere valves for changing gas flow path through the silencer F01N1/166
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2250/02 filtering and catalytic conversion
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2350/06 with means preventing gas flow by-pass or leakage
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2410/00 By-passing, at least partially, exhaust from inlet to outlet of apparatus, to atmosphere or to other device
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2550/06 By-pass systems
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2570/14 Nitrogen oxides
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2610/02 the substance being ammonia or urea
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2610/03 the substance being hydrocarbons, e.g. engine fuel
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/005 for draining or otherwise eliminating condensates or moisture accumulating in the apparatus F01N3/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/02 for cooling, or for removing solid constituents of, exhaust by means of electric or electrostatic separators F01N3/01 ; mixing air with exhaust in tailpipes F01N13/082, F01N13/20
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/031 having means for by-passing filters, e.g. when clogged or during cold engine start
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/035 with catalytic reactors , e.g. catalysed diesel particulate filters
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/2006 Periodically heating or cooling catalytic reactors, e.g. at cold starting or overheating by electrically controlling the supply of combustible mixture or its constituents only F02D41/0235
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/2053 By-passing catalytic reactors, e.g. to prevent overheating
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/2073 with means for generating a reducing substance from the exhaust gases
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/22 Control of additional air supply only, e.g. using by-passes or variable air pump drives
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/30 Arrangements for supply of additional air control, e.g. using by-passes or variable air pump drives, F01N3/22
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2003/2292 with thermostatically controlled by-pass
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0065 Specific aspects of external EGR control constructional details of EGR system F02M26/00
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/0222 Water recovery or storage
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/025 : Adding water
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/032 : Producing and adding steam
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/08 : with means for removing dust, particles or liquids from cleaners; with means for indicating clogging; with by-pass means; Regeneration of cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/082 : By-pass means
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 69/18 : the means being metering valves throttling fuel passages to injectors or by-pass valves throttling overflow passages, the metering valves being actuated by a device responsive to the engine working parameters, e.g. engine load, speed, temperature or quantity of air the means varying fuel pressure in a fuel by-pass passage, the pressure acting on a throttle valve against the action of metered or throttled fuel pressure for variably throttling fuel flow to injection nozzles F02M69/26
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 69/26 : the means varying fuel pressure in a fuel by-pass passage, the pressure acting on a throttle valve against the action of metered or throttled fuel pressure for variably throttling fuel flow to injection nozzles, e.g. to keep constant the pressure differential at the metering valve
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 69/32 : with an air by-pass around the air throttle valve or with an auxiliary air passage, e.g. with a variably controlled valve therein
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 69/386 : variably controlling the pressure of the fuel by-passing the metering valves, e.g. by valves responsive to signals of temperature or oxygen sensors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 : Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

An exhaust after-treatment system for treating an exhaust produced by an engine. The exhaust after-treatment system includes an exhaust passage, at least one catalytic exhaust after-treatment component in communication with the exhaust passage for treating the exhaust, and a water-removal device in communication with the exhaust passage that receives a portion of the exhaust therein at a location positioned upstream from the catalytic exhaust after-treatment component. The water-removal device is defined by a housing that includes a water-removal membrane that separates water from the portion of the exhaust to provide a permeate that is enriched with water, and to produce a retentate that is water depleted that facilitates the treating of the exhaust by the catalytic exhaust after-treatment component.

Claims

1. An exhaust after-treatment system for treating an exhaust produced by an engine, the exhaust after-treatment system comprising:

an exhaust passage;

at least one catalytic exhaust after-treatment component in communication with the exhaust passage for treating the exhaust;

a membrane vessel that receives a portion of the exhaust therein at a location positioned upstream from the catalytic exhaust after-treatment component; and

a bypass passage in communication with the exhaust passage that receives the portion of the exhaust,

wherein the membrane vessel is positioned within the bypass passage, and

the membrane vessel includes a molecular membrane that separates at least one constituent from the portion of the exhaust to provide a permeate gas that is enriched with the constituent removed from the portion of the exhaust, and produces a retentate gas that is depleted of the constituent, which facilitates the treating of the exhaust by the catalytic exhaust after-treatment component wherein the constituent includes water.

2. The exhaust after-treatment system according to claim 1, wherein the catalytic exhaust after-treatment component includes a diesel particulate filter (DPF), a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) component, a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) component, a lean NO_x trap (LNT), an ammonia slip catalyst (ASC), a three-way catalyst (TWC), a methane oxidation catalyst (MOC), a hydrocarbon-deNOx catalyst (HC-deNOx), or a combination thereof.

3. The exhaust after-treatment system according to claim 2, wherein the catalytic exhaust after-treatment component includes a lean NOx trap.

4. The exhaust after-treatment system according to claim 1, wherein the membrane vessel is mounted at least partially within the exhaust passage.

5. The exhaust after-treatment system according to claim 1, wherein the membrane vessel includes an inlet valve configured to allow entry of the portion of the exhaust into the membrane vessel.

6. The exhaust after-treatment system according to claim 5, further comprising a controller in communication with the valve that is configured to open and close the valve.

7. The exhaust after-treatment system according to claim 1, further comprising a mixing device configured to intermix the exhaust with an exhaust treatment fluid, the mixing device being positioned in the exhaust passage downstream from the membrane vessel and upstream of the catalyst exhaust treatment component.

8. The exhaust after-treatment system according to claim 1, further comprising an injector for dosing an exhaust treatment fluid into the exhaust passage.

9. The exhaust after-treatment system according to claim 8, wherein the exhaust treatment fluid is a hydrocarbon exhaust treatment fluid or an exhaust treatment fluid comprising urea.

10. The exhaust after-treatment system according to claim 9, wherein the hydrocarbon exhaust treatment fluid includes at least one of ethanol, an ethanol-gasoline mixture, and an ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel.

11. The exhaust after-treatment system according to claim 1, wherein the molecular membrane includes a ceramic material.

12. The exhaust after-treatment system according to claim 11, wherein the ceramic material is porous, with each pore having a diameter of 0.3 nm or less.

13. The exhaust after-treatment system according to claim 12, wherein the ceramic material comprises a zeolite.

14. The exhaust after-treatment system according to claim 13, wherein the zeolite includes a sodalite structure.

15. The exhaust after-treatment system according to claim 1, wherein the permeate gas enriched with the constituent is recycled to the engine or to the exhaust at a location downstream from the catalytic exhaust after-treatment component.

16. An exhaust after-treatment system for treating an exhaust produced by an engine, the exhaust after-treatment system comprising:

an exhaust passage;

at least one catalytic exhaust after-treatment component in communication with the exhaust passage for treating the exhaust;

a water-removal device in communication with the exhaust passage that receives a portion of the exhaust therein at a location positioned upstream from the catalytic exhaust after-treatment component, the water-removal device defined by a housing that includes a heating device and a water-removal membrane that separates water from the portion of the exhaust to provide a permeate gas that is enriched with water, and to produce a retentate gas that is water depleted, which facilitates the treating of the exhaust by the catalytic exhaust after-treatment component; and

at least one recirculation line that interconnects the water-removal device and the engine that recirculates at least a portion of the permeate gas back to the engine.

17. The exhaust after-treatment system according to claim 16, wherein the catalytic exhaust after-treatment component includes a diesel particulate filter (DPF), a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) component, a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) component, a lean NO_x trap (LNT), an ammonia slip catalyst (ASC), a three-way catalyst (TWC), a methane oxidation catalyst (MOC), a hydrocarbon-deNOx catalyst (HC-deNOx), or a combination thereof.

18. The exhaust after-treatment system according to claim 17, wherein the catalytic exhaust after-treatment component includes a lean NOx trap.

19. The exhaust after-treatment system according to claim 16, wherein the water-removal device is mounted at least partially within the exhaust passage.

20. The exhaust after-treatment system according to claim 16, further comprising a bypass passage in communication with the exhaust passage that receives the portion of the exhaust, the water-removal device being positioned within the bypass passage.

21. The exhaust after-treatment system according to claim 16, wherein the water-removal device includes an inlet valve configured to allow entry of the portion of the exhaust into the water-removal device.

22. The exhaust after-treatment system according to claim 21, further comprising a controller in communication with the valve that is configured to open and close the valve.

23. The exhaust after-treatment system according to claim 16, further comprising a mixing device configured to intermix the exhaust with an exhaust treatment fluid, the mixing device being positioned in the exhaust passage downstream from the water-removal device and upstream of the catalyst exhaust treatment component.

24. The exhaust after-treatment system according to claim 16, further comprising an injector for dosing an exhaust treatment fluid into the exhaust passage.

25. The exhaust after-treatment system according to claim 24, wherein the exhaust treatment fluid is a hydrocarbon exhaust treatment fluid or an exhaust treatment fluid comprising urea.

26. The exhaust after-treatment system according to claim 25, wherein the hydrocarbon exhaust treatment fluid includes at least one of ethanol, an ethanol-gasoline mixture, and an ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel.

27. The exhaust after-treatment system according to claim 16, wherein the water-removal membrane includes a ceramic material.

28. The exhaust after-treatment system according to claim 27, wherein the ceramic material is porous, with each pore having a diameter of 0.3 nm or less.

29. The exhaust after-treatment system according to claim 28, wherein the ceramic material comprises a zeolite.

30. The exhaust after-treatment system according to claim 29, wherein the zeolite includes a sodalite structure.

31. The exhaust after-treatment system according to claim 16, wherein the permeate gas enriched with the constituent is recycled to the engine or to the exhaust at a location downstream from the catalytic exhaust after-treatment component.