초록 ▼

A highly reactive reducing gas mixture is produced from vehicle fuel and introduced into the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine operated at lean burn conditions and passed over a reducing catalyst to convert NO.sub.X emissions to benign emissions. Preferably, fuel with oxygen present in a

A highly reactive reducing gas mixture is produced from vehicle fuel and introduced into the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine operated at lean burn conditions and passed over a reducing catalyst to convert NO.sub.X emissions to benign emissions. Preferably, fuel with oxygen present in a carrier gas is metered into a plasma reactor having a bed of dielectric particles which prevent formation of coke as the fuel is reacted. The plasma induces a number of simultaneous reactions with the fuel to produce a substantial amount of oxygenated and non-oxygenated, unbranched organic molecules at relatively low temperatures that are highly reactive and ideally suited for use as a reducing agent in an SCR catalyst.

대표청구항 ▼

[ Having thus defined the invention, it is claimed:] [1.] A system for converting noxious emissions in the exhaust stream produced by an internal combustion engine operating at lean air/fuel ratios into non polluting emissions comprising:a) a non-thermal plasma reaction chamber generating a non-ther

[ Having thus defined the invention, it is claimed:] [1.] A system for converting noxious emissions in the exhaust stream produced by an internal combustion engine operating at lean air/fuel ratios into non polluting emissions comprising:a) a non-thermal plasma reaction chamber generating a non-thermal plasma through which a portion of liquid engine fuel passes for conversion of the fuel portion into a reactive gaseous reductant;b) a valve for metering the fuel into said non-thermal plasma reaction chamber so that said gaseous reductant is produced at a rate correlated to the NOx emissions produced by said engine;c) a reducing catalyst downstream of said non-thermal plasma reaction chamber through which the exhaust stream passes for converting said NOx to N.sub.2 ; and,d) an exhaust duct portion from said non-thermal plasma reaction chamber to said exhaust stream for providing fluid communication of said exhaust gases and said gaseous reductant to said reducing catalyst in an externally unaltered state.