Apparatus and method for emissions containment and reduction

• US 6,164,063 A
• Filed: 07/09/1999
• Issued: 12/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mendler, Edward Charles
• Original Assignee: Mendler, Edward Charles
• Inventors: Mendler, Edward Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Denion, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRIEU, THAI BA
• Application Number:
  US09/350,181
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• Field of Search: 60/278, 60/309, 60/281, 60/297, 60/274
• US Class Current: 60/274
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/2882 Catalytic reactors combined or associated with other devices, e.g. exhaust silencers or other exhaust purification devices combined with absorbents or adsorbents only F01N3/0814; combined with particulate filters F01N3/035
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 9/04 concerning exhaust conduits throttle valves, or arrangements thereof in conduits F02D9/08
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/15 in relation to engine exhaust purifying apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/35 with means for cleaning or treating the recirculated gases, e.g. catalysts, condensate traps, particle filters or heaters
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/36 with means for adding fluids other than exhaust gas to the recirculation passage; with reformers
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/39 with two or more EGR valves disposed in series
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/47 the characteristics being temperatures, pressures or flow rates

Abstract

Internal combustion engine exhaust gas, passing unreacted through an exhaust gas catalytic or thermal reaction device during the warm-up period of the device, are directed to a rigid conduit that retains the entire flow. The conduit retains the unreacted gas in sequential alignment with a second non-harmful gas occupying the conduit prior to inflow of the unreacted gas. The second gas blocks flow of the unreacted gas out of the downstream end of the conduit and into the atmosphere. The length and diameter of the conduit minimizes mixing of the unreacted gas and the second gas, and minimizes the volume of the conduit required to retain the unreacted gas. After warm-up of the reaction device, the retained unreacted gas is recirculated to the engine induction system or the reaction device. This approach supplements the emission control of the reaction device by preventing emission of undesirable exhaust gas constituents during starting of the engine and warm-up of the reaction device.

Claims

1. An apparatus for reducing the harmful exhaust gas emissions of an engine having an air intake, an exhaust gas flow stream from the engine, and an exhaust passage for carrying the exhaust gas flow stream from the engine to the atmosphere, wherein a first segment of the exhaust gas flow stream contains harmful constituents and a second segment of the exhaust gas flow stream contains non-harmful constituents, wherein said first segment is downstream of said second segment, comprising;

a conduit having a length, a diameter and a substantially fixed volume, and a third segment of gas having non-harmful constituents occupying said conduit before the inflow of the first segment of exhaust gas containing harmful constituents,

one or more valves for preventing said first segment from flowing to the atmosphere and for directing said first segment into said conduit wherein said first segment of the exhaust gas flow stream containing harmful constituents is retained,

said conduit having a length and diameter effective for retaining said first segments of said exhaust gas flow stream substantially upstream of said third segment of gas inside of said conduit during inflow of said first segment into said conduit,

and means for recycling said first segment of the exhaust gas flow stream containing harmful constituents from said conduit to the engine, wherein said harmful constituents in said first segment of the exhaust gas flow stream are reduced.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first segment of the exhaust gas flow stream containing harmful constituents is in fluid communication with said third segment and said third segment is in fluid communication with the atmosphere.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said third gas is exhaust gas from the engine.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said conduit has a length greater than two (2) meters.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said third segment blocks flow of said first segment, except condensed and settled out constituents, out of the downstream end of said conduit.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein, the conduit has a length, and a circumference for retaining said first segment and said third segment substantially in sequential alignment.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said conduit has a length, a maximum circumference, and a ratio of length to maximum circumference greater than one (1.0) for retaining said first and third segments in sequential alignment,

wherein said third segment substantially blocks flow of said first segment containing harmful constituents, except condensed and settled out constituents, out of the downstream end of said conduit before almost all of said third segment is expelled from said conduit.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said conduit has a length and an average circumference, said length is greater than said average circumference, and said third segment blocks flow of the first segment containing harmful constituents, except condensed and settled out constituents, out of the downstream end of said conduit.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said conduit has a volume greater than 30 liters.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said engine has a displacement and said conduit has a volume at least thirty (30) times larger than said engine displacement.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least 30 liters of said first segment is retained in said conduit.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said conduit has a first end in fluid communication with said exhaust passage for receiving said first segment, and a second end for inflow and outflow of said third segment of gas,

said means for recycling said first segment includes a second conduit in fluid communication with said first conduit in close proximity to said first end for receiving said first segment,

said first segment has a first flow direction into said conduit and said first segment has a second flow direction out of said conduit opposite from said first flow direction.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said vehicle has a weight and said conduit has a volume at least 0.025 liters per kilogram of vehicle weight.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first segment is retained in said conduit at an elevated pressure, said pressure being greater than 10 pounds per square inch above atmospheric pressure.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said first segment is retained in said conduit at an elevated pressure less than 150 pounds per square inch.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said first segment contains harmful constituents and non-harmful constituents mixed together,

said harmful constituents of said first segment are retained in said conduit in a gaseous state except for settled and condensed out constituents, and

said gaseous harmful constituents of said first segment are mixed with said non-harmful constituents of said first segment within said conduit.

17. The method of purifying segments of an exhaust gas stream from an engine containing harmful and non-harmful constituents comprising the steps of:

blocking the exhaust passage downstream of the engine when a segment of the exhaust gas stream contains harmful constituents to thereby prevent emission of harmful constituents into the atmosphere,

directing the segment of the exhaust gas stream containing harmful constituents to a conduit effective to retain the exhaust gas containing harmful constituents within the conduit upstream of a second gas occupying the conduit before the inflow of the exhaust gas containing harmful constituents, wherein the conduit has a substantially fixed volume,

opening the exhaust passage and blocking flow of the exhaust gas into the conduit to thereby retain within the conduit the segment of the exhaust gas stream containing harmful constituents,

and recycling the segment of the exhaust gas stream containing harmful constituents from the conduit, except condensed and settled out constituents, through the engine,

whereby the segment of the exhaust gas stream containing harmful constituents are reduced.

18. The method of claim 17, further including the step of opening the exhaust passage and blocking flow of exhaust into the conduit before the exhaust gas entering the upstream end of the conduit forces the exhaust gas containing harmful constituents out of the downstream end of the conduit.

19. The method of claim 17, further including the steps of retaining exhaust gas in said conduit for a cool-down period of time, and recycling said exhaust gas, now cooled down, from said conduit to said engine when nitrous oxide emission levels from said engine are above a threshold value.

20. The method of reducing exhaust of harmful gases from an engine comprising the steps of:

passing the gases through an exhaust gas reaction device effective to cause reaction of harmful exhaust gas constituents when the temperature of said reaction device is above a minimum temperature,

blocking said exhaust passage downstream of said reaction device when the temperature of said reaction device is below said minimum temperature to thereby prevent emission of unreacted exhaust gas constituents to the atmosphere,

directing exhaust gases flowing unreacted from said reaction device when the temperature of said reaction device is below said minimum temperature to a conduit effective to retain said exhaust gas constituents within said conduit, except condensed and settled out constituents, substantially upstream of a second gas occupying said conduit before the inflow of said exhaust gas, wherein the conduit has a substantially fixed volume greater than 30 liters,

opening the exhaust passage and blocking flow of the exhaust gas into said conduit to thereby contain within said conduit the segment of the exhaust gas stream containing harmful constituents,

and recycling the exhaust gas from said conduit, except condensed and settled out constituents, through said reaction device when the temperature of said reaction device is above said minimum temperature,

whereby exhaust gas constituents passed unreacted through said reaction device when the temperature of said reaction device is below said minimum temperature are recycled through and reacted in said reaction device when the temperature of said reaction device is above said minimum temperature.

21. The method of claim 20, further including the step of recycling almost all of said unreacted exhaust gasses to said reaction device within less than 20 minutes of engine starting.

22. The method of claim 20, further including the step of recycling almost all of said unreacted exhaust gasses to said reaction device within less than five miles of vehicle travel following engine starting.