Vehicle system to separate and store carbon dioxide from engine exhaust

• US 8,480,798 B1
• Filed: 12/29/2010
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aptiv Technologies AG (Aptiv PLC)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Myers, Bruce A., Ihms, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Duane
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAO, PHILLIP Y
• Application Number:
  US12/980,528
• Time in Patent Office: 923 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 96/242
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/92 of engine exhaust gases exhaust or silencing apparatus for internal combustion engines, machines or engines in general, having means for purifying, rendering innocuous or otherwise treating exhaust gases F01N3/00
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2240/02 a heat exchanger
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2570/10 Carbon or carbon oxides
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/04 using liquids
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/0857 Carbon oxides
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/0871 Regulation of absorbents or adsorbents, e.g. purging by electrically controlling the supply of combustible mixture or its constituents only F02D41/0235
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

A system for separating and storing carbon dioxide (CO2) in exhaust produced by an internal combustion engine. The system uses a scrubber tank containing a carbon dioxide absorbent fluid to capture CO2 in the exhaust. The system also includes a carbon dioxide storage means configured to temporarily store the captured CO2, and a CO2 recovery facility to refine the captured CO2 for future use or prepare the CO2 for permanent storage. The system is intended for installation on vehicles such as automobiles to reduce the amount of CO2 emitted by automobiles into the environment, but could also be used for other applications such as stationary power generators.

Claims

1. A system for separating carbon dioxide gas from internal combustion engine exhaust, said system comprising:

an internal combustion engine configured to emit exhaust gas when operating, said exhaust gas characterized as having an elevated temperature and comprising carbon dioxide, said system is installed on a vehicle propelled by the internal combustion engine;

a heat exchanger configured to cool the exhaust gas emitted by the internal combustion engine;

a scrubber tank containing a carbon dioxide absorbent fluid and configured to bubble exhaust gas from the heat exchanger through the carbon dioxide absorbent fluid, whereby carbon dioxide gas is absorbed by the carbon dioxide absorbent fluid;

a pump configured to urge the carbon dioxide absorbent fluid through the heat exchanger, wherein the carbon dioxide absorbent fluid is heated by heat from the exhaust gas, whereby the carbon dioxide absorbent fluid releases stored carbon dioxide; and

a carbon dioxide storage means configured to store the carbon dioxide released in the heat exchanger.

2. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said system further comprises a radiator configured to receive carbon dioxide absorbent fluid from the heat exchanger and cool the carbon dioxide absorbent fluid as the carbon dioxide absorbent fluid flows into the scrubber tank.

3. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said carbon dioxide storage means comprises a compressor and a storage tank.

4. The system in accordance with claim 3, wherein said carbon dioxide storage means comprises a carbon dioxide recovery facility configured to empty the storage tank.

5. A system for separating carbon dioxide gas from exhaust from an internal combustion engine configured to propel a vehicle, said internal combustion engine configured to emit exhaust gas when operating, said exhaust gas characterized as having an elevated temperature and comprising carbon dioxide;

said system comprising;

a heat exchanger configured to cool the exhaust gas emitted by the internal combustion engine while the internal combustion engine operates;

a scrubber tank containing a carbon dioxide absorbent fluid and configured to bubble exhaust gas from the heat exchanger through the carbon dioxide absorbent fluid, whereby carbon dioxide gas is absorbed by the carbon dioxide absorbent fluid and thereby removed from the exhaust gas;

a pump configured to urge carbon dioxide absorbent fluid through the heat exchanger, wherein the carbon dioxide absorbent fluid is heated by heat from the exhaust gas, whereby the carbon dioxide absorbent fluid releases the carbon dioxide gas; and

a carbon dioxide storage means configured to store the carbon dioxide released in the heat exchanger.

6. The system in accordance with claim 5, wherein said carbon dioxide storage means is configured to transfer contents in the storage tank to a carbon dioxide recovery facility.