Systems and methods for managing emissions from an engine of a vehicle

• US 8,660,672 B1
• Filed: 12/28/2012
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Enterprise Science Fund, LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Hyde, Roderick A., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Kare, Jordin T., Weaver, Thomas A., Wood, Lowell L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): VANOY, TIMOTHY C
• Application Number:
  US13/729,317
• Time in Patent Office: 424 Days
• Field of Search: 423/212, 423/213.2, 423/220, 422/108, 602/72, 602/74, 602/76, 602/82, 700/90, 700/274, 701/1, 701/29.1, 705/1.1, 705/14.1
• US Class Current: 700/90
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2252/20478 Alkanolamines
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2258/01 Engine exhaust gases
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1412 Controlling the absorption process
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1475 Removing carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1493 Selection of liquid materials for use as absorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/18 Absorbing units; Liquid distributors therefor B01D3/16, B01D3/26, B01D3/30 take precedence; packing elements B01J19/30, B01J19/32
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/62 Carbon oxides
• 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: B01D 53/94 by catalytic processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/9495 Controlling the catalytic process
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 6/00 Restoring or reconditioning objects straightening or restoring form of sheet metal, metal rods, metal tubes, metal profiles, or specific articles made therefrom B21D1/00, B21D3/00; repairing defective or damaged objects by casting techniques B22D19/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60V 3/00 Land vehicles, waterborne vessels, or aircraft, adapted or modified to travel on air cushions
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2570/10 Carbon or carbon oxides
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/00 Exhaust or silencing apparatus having means for purifying, rendering innocuous, or otherwise treating exhaust electric control F01N9/00; monitoring or diagnostic devices for exhaust-gas treatment apparatus F01N11/00 ; collecting or removing exhaust gases of vehicle engines in workshops B08B15/00, on highways E01C1/005
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/0857 Carbon oxides
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/10 by thermal or catalytic conversion of noxious components of exhaust by using other chemical processes, chemical aspects of catalytic conversion, e.g. using specified catalysts, B01D53/34
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/18 characterised by methods of operation; Control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 21/00 Systems involving sampling of the variable controlled G05B13/00 - G05B19/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 : of CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4973 : Replacing of defective part

Abstract

Disclosed embodiments include methods of removing carbon dioxide from combustion gas from an engine of a vehicle, systems for removing carbon dioxide from combustion gas from an engine of a vehicle, vehicles, methods of managing carbon dioxide emissions from an engine of a vehicle, and computer software program products for managing carbon dioxide emissions from an engine of a vehicle.

Claims

1. A method of managing carbon dioxide emissions from an engine of a vehicle, the method comprising:

determining a value of at least one attribute regarding removal of carbon dioxide from combustion gas from an engine of a vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

communicating data indicative of the at least one attribute.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein

the at least one attribute includes at least one attribute chosen from position of a vehicle where the carbon dioxide is removed from the combustion gas, time when the carbon dioxide is removed from the combustion gas, governmental regulations regarding removing carbon dioxide from combustion gas from an engine of a vehicle, an amount of pollution in air drawn into an engine from which the carbon dioxide is removed from the combustion gas, monetary value of the removed carbon dioxide, an amount of storage capacity available on the vehicle to store material that contains carbon associated with carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas, a predetermined amount of material that contains carbon associated with carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas that can be stored in a predetermined time period, a predetermined amount of material that contains carbon associated with carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas that can be stored in a predetermined range of distance travelable by the vehicle, identity of a vehicle, an amount of carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas, an amount of stored material that contains carbon associated with carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas, form of stored material that contains carbon associated with carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas, capacity of a facility to receive from the vehicle material that contains carbon associated with carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas, identity of a user, at least one incentive factor selected to incentivize removal of carbon dioxide, an amount of carbon dioxide removed within a predetermined time period, an amount of carbon dioxide removed within a predetermined geographical region, an amount of carbon dioxide removed by a predetermined user, an amount of carbon dioxide removed from a predetermined vehicle, a vehicle mode defined by at least one modifiable parameter, at least one modifiable setting of an engine, a characteristic of the combustion gas, a ratio of rate of removal of carbon dioxide to rate of generation of carbon dioxide, and price payable for carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

removing carbon dioxide from the combustion gas when a value of at least one attribute regarding removal of carbon dioxide from the combustion gas meets a predetermined criterion.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein removing carbon dioxide from the combustion gas when a value of at least one attribute meets a predetermined criterion includes automatically removing carbon dioxide from the combustion gas when a value of at least one attribute meets a predetermined criterion.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein removing carbon dioxide from the combustion gas includes at least one process chosen from absorbing the carbon dioxide in a liquid solution and adsorbing the carbon dioxide with an adsorption material.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

storing material that contains carbon associated with the carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein

the material that contains carbon associated with the carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas includes at least one material chosen from carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas and at least one product of a chemical reaction.

9. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

removing from a vehicle material that contains carbon associated with the carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining an amount of carbon dioxide removed from a vehicle.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

allocating a value of price payable for removed carbon dioxide to an account.

12. A system comprising:

first electrical circuitry configured to determine a value of at least one attribute regarding removal of carbon dioxide from combustion gas from an engine of a vehicle.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a communications system configured to communicate data indicative of the at least one attribute.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one attribute includes at least one attribute chosen from position of a vehicle where the carbon dioxide is removed from the combustion gas, time when the carbon dioxide is removed from the combustion gas, governmental regulations regarding removing carbon dioxide from combustion gas from an engine of a vehicle, an amount of pollution in air drawn into an engine from which the carbon dioxide is removed from the combustion gas, monetary value of the removed carbon dioxide, an amount of storage capacity available on the vehicle to store material that contains carbon associated with carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas, a predetermined amount of material that contains carbon associated with carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas that can be stored in a predetermined time period, a predetermined amount of material that contains carbon associated with carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas that can be stored in a predetermined range of distance travelable by the vehicle, identity of a vehicle, an amount of carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas, an amount of stored material that contains carbon associated with carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas, form of stored material that contain carbon associated with carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas, capacity of a facility to receive material that contains carbon associated with carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas, identity of a user, at least one incentive factor selected to incentivize removal of carbon dioxide, an amount of carbon dioxide removed within a predetermined time period, an amount of carbon dioxide removed within a predetermined geographical region, an amount of carbon dioxide removed by a predetermined user, an amount of carbon dioxide removed from a predetermined vehicle, a vehicle mode defined by at least one modifiable parameter, a ratio of rate of removal of carbon dioxide to rate of generation of carbon dioxide, and price payable for carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas.

15. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a reaction vessel configured to remove carbon dioxide from the combustion gas when a value of at least one attribute regarding removal of carbon dioxide from the combustion gas meets a predetermined criterion.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the reaction vessel is further configured to automatically remove carbon dioxide from the combustion gas when the value of the at least one attribute meets a predetermined criterion.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the reaction vessel is further configured to perform at least one process chosen from absorbing the carbon dioxide in a liquid solution and adsorbing the carbon dioxide with an adsorption material.

18. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a storage vessel configured to store material that contains carbon associated with carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the material that contains carbon associated with carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas includes at least one material chosen from carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas and at least one product of a chemical reaction.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

a removal mechanism configured to remove the material that contains carbon associated with carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising:

an apparatus configured to determine an amount of carbon dioxide removed from a vehicle.

22. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

second electrical circuitry configured to allocate a value of price payable for removed carbon dioxide to an account.

23. A computer software program product for managing carbon dioxide emissions from an engine of a vehicle, the computer software program product comprising:

first computer software program code configured to determine a value of at least one attribute regarding removal of carbon dioxide from combustion gas from an engine of a vehicle.

24. The computer software program product of claim 23, further comprising:

second computer software program code configured to cause data indicative of the at least one attribute to be communicated.

25. The computer software program product of claim 23, wherein the at least one attribute includes at least one attribute chosen from position of a vehicle where the carbon dioxide is removed from the combustion gas, time when the carbon dioxide is removed from the combustion gas, governmental regulations regarding removing carbon dioxide from combustion gas from an engine of a vehicle, an amount of pollution in air drawn into an engine from which the carbon dioxide is removed from the combustion gas, monetary value of the removed carbon dioxide, an amount of storage capacity available on the vehicle to store material that contains carbon associated with carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas, a predetermined amount of material that contains carbon associated with carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas that can be stored in a predetermined time period, a predetermined amount of material that contains carbon associated with carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas that can be stored in a predetermined range of distance travelable by the vehicle, an amount of stored material that contains carbon associated with carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas, form of stored material that contains carbon associated with carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas, capacity of a facility to receive material that contains carbon associated with carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas, identity of a user, at least one incentive factor selected to incentivize removal of carbon dioxide, an amount of carbon dioxide removed within a predetermined time period, an amount of carbon dioxide removed within a predetermined geographic region, an amount of carbon dioxide removed by a predetermined user, an amount of carbon dioxide removed from a predetermined vehicle, a vehicle mode defined by at least one modifiable parameter, a characteristic of the combustion gas, a ratio of rate of removal of carbon dioxide to rate of generation of carbon dioxide, and price payable for carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas.

26. The computer software program product of claim 23, further comprising:

third computer software program code configured to cause removal of carbon dioxide from the combustion gas when the value of the at least one attribute meets a predetermined criterion.

27. The computer software program product of claim 26, wherein the third computer software program code is further configured to configured to automatically cause removal of carbon dioxide from the combustion gas when the value of the at least one attribute meets a predetermined criterion responsive to the first computer software program code.

28. The computer software program product of claim 26, further comprising:

fourth computer software program code configured to cause storage of material that contains carbon associated with carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas.

29. The computer software program product of claim 26, further comprising:

fifth computer software program code configured to allocate a value of price payable for removed carbon dioxide to an account.

30. The computer software program product of claim 26, further comprising:

sixth computer software program code configured to cause data indicative of value of the price payable for the removed carbon dioxide to be communicated from the vehicle.

31. A vehicle comprising:

a vehicle frame;

an engine disposed on the vehicle frame; and

a system for managing carbon dioxide emissions from the engine, the system including;

first electrical circuitry configured to determine a value of at least one attribute regarding removal of carbon dioxide from combustion gas from the engine; and

a reaction vessel configured to remove carbon dioxide from the combustion gas when the value of the at least one attribute meets a predetermined criterion.

32. The vehicle of claim 31, wherein the at least one attribute includes at least one attribute chosen from position of a vehicle where the carbon dioxide is removed from the combustion gas, time when the carbon dioxide is removed from the combustion gas, governmental regulations regarding removing carbon dioxide from combustion gas from an engine of a vehicle, an amount of pollution in air drawn into the engine, monetary value of the removed carbon dioxide, an amount of storage capacity available on the vehicle to store material that contains carbon associated with carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas, a predetermined amount of material that contains carbon associated with carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas that can be stored in a predetermined time period, a predetermined amount of material that contains carbon associated with carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas that can be stored in a predetermined range of distance travelable by the vehicle, identity of the vehicle, an amount of carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas, an amount of stored material that contains carbon associated with carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas, for of stored material that contains carbon associated with carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas, capacity of a facility to receive material that contains carbon associated with carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas, identity of a user, at least on incentive factor selected to incentivize removal of carbon dioxide, an amount of carbon dioxide removed within a predetermined time period, an amount of carbon dioxide removed within a predetermined geographic region, an amount of carbon dioxide removed by a predetermined user, an amount of carbon dioxide removed from the vehicle, a vehicle mode defined by at least one modifiable parameter, a characteristic of the combustion gas, a ratio of rate of removal of carbon dioxide to rate of generation of carbon dioxide, and price payable for carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas.

33. The vehicle of claim 31, wherein the reaction vessel is further configured to automatically remove carbon dioxide from the combustion gas responsive to the first electrical circuitry when the value of the at least one attribute meets a predetermined criterion.

34. The vehicle of claim 31, wherein the reaction vessel is further configured to remove carbon dioxide via at least one process chosen from absorbing the carbon dioxide in a liquid solution and adsorbing the carbon dioxide with an adsorption material.

35. The vehicle of claim 31, further comprising:

a storage vessel configured to store material that contains carbon associated with carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas.

36. The vehicle of claim 35, wherein the material that contains carbon associated with carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas includes at least one material chosen from carbon dioxide removed from the combustion and at least one product of a chemical reaction.

37. The vehicle of claim 35, wherein the storage vessel is removably replaceable.

38. The vehicle of claim 35, further comprising:

a removal mechanism configured for removing from the vehicle material that contains carbon associated with carbon dioxide removed from the combustion gas.

39. The vehicle of claim 38, further comprising:

an apparatus configured to determine an amount of carbon dioxide removed from the vehicle.

40. The vehicle of claim 31, further comprising:

second electrical circuitry configured to allocate a value of price payable for removed carbon dioxide to an account.

41. The vehicle of claim 31, further comprising:

third electrical circuitry configured to communicate from the vehicle data indicative of value of price payable for removed carbon dioxide.