Heated Carbon Structure for Evaporative Emission Control Canister

• US 20070079705A1
• Filed: 12/21/2006
• Published: 04/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Meadwestvaco (WestRock Company)
• Original Assignee: Meadwestvaco (WestRock Company)
• Inventors: Tolles, Edward
• Application Number:
  US11/614,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20070079705A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 96/141
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/102 Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/30 Physical properties of adsorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/708 Volatile organic compounds V.O.C.'s
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/40096 by using electrical resistance heating
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/4516 for fuel vapour recovery systems
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/4566 for use in transportation means
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/02 by adsorption, e.g. preparative gas chromatography solid sorbent compositions B01J20/00, preparation of inorganic compounds or elements C01
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 2025/0881 with means to heat or cool the canister
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/0854 Details of the absorption canister
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 33/02 for collecting and returning condensed fuel apparatus for re-atomising condensed fuel F02M29/00

Abstract

Activated carbon for automobile emission control canisters is disclosed to be heated by modular adsorbent structures within the canister in which activated carbon is bonded to very thin, electrically conductive heating elements, such that all of the carbon in the canister is in close proximity to a heated surface.

Claims

1. A modular adsorbent structure wherein adsorbent particles or sheets are attached to a thin backing material creating an adsorbent particle layer, which can be formed into various shapes to fit a housing for the purpose of fluid filtration.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the thickness of the adsorbent layer is at least five times the thickness of the backing material and the volume of the adsorbent is at least 15 times the volume of the backing material.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein the backing material is conductive with an electrical resistivity between about 0.00005 and about 0.00015 ohm-cm.

4. The structure of claim 2 which is connected to an electrical power source for the purpose of electrical heating.

5. The structure of claim 1 wherein the adsorbent is activated carbon.

6. The structure of claim 1 wherein the housing is an automotive emission canister.