초록 ▼

An automobile catalytic converter that utilizes the energy of the exothermic reactions that take place in the catalysis substrate to produce electrical energy with a thermoelectric generator. On vehicle cold start, the thermoelectric generator is used as a heat pump to heat the catalyst substrate to

An automobile catalytic converter that utilizes the energy of the exothermic reactions that take place in the catalysis substrate to produce electrical energy with a thermoelectric generator. On vehicle cold start, the thermoelectric generator is used as a heat pump to heat the catalyst substrate to reduce the time to catalyst light-off. In this way, the catalytic converter comes up to operating temperature more rapidly, reducing the amount of pollutant emissions at vehicle start-up.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed:] [1.] A preheat system for reducing emissions in a vehicle having an internal combustion engine, a fluid cooling system containing a coolant, an electrical power source, an electrical load, and an exhaust passage having exhaust gases flowing in a flow direction therein, comprising

[ What is claimed:] [1.] A preheat system for reducing emissions in a vehicle having an internal combustion engine, a fluid cooling system containing a coolant, an electrical power source, an electrical load, and an exhaust passage having exhaust gases flowing in a flow direction therein, comprising:a catalytic converter disposed in the exhaust passage, said converter enclosing a catalytic monolith in fluid communication with the exhaust gases, said converter having a light-off temperature;a coolant jacket disposed in an outer portion of the catalytic converter, said jacket having a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet in fluid communication with the fluid cooling system to maintain the outer portion of the catalytic converter at a predetermined temperature;a plurality of thermoelectric generators disposed in heat exchange relationship with the catalytic monolith;a temperature sensor disposed in the catalytic converter capable of determining a perceived temperature of the catalytic converter and further capable of sending a signal corresponding to the perceived temperature;a preheat controller capable of receiving the signal and comparing the perceived temperature with the light-off temperature;the preheat controller in electric communication with the electrical power source and the thermoelectric generators and operable to control the thermoelectric generators such that heat is transferred from the thermoelectric generators to the catalytic monolith when the perceived temperature is less than the light-off temperature; andthe preheat controller further capable of extracting electrical energy from the thermoelectric generators when the perceived temperature is greater than the light-off temperature and heat is transferred from the catalytic monolith to the thermoelectric generators.