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 NOX emissions to benign emissions. Preferably, fuel with oxygen present in a carri

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 NOX 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 ▼

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) reducing means for converting a portion of liquid engine fuel substantially into a gaseous reductant, said reducin

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) reducing means for converting a portion of liquid engine fuel substantially into a gaseous reductant, said reducing means including a non-thermal plasma reaction chamber generating a non-thermal plasma through which said fuel passes; b) means to introduce said gaseous reductant into said exhaust stream at a rate correlated to the NOX emissions produced by said engine; c) a reducing catalyst downstream of said introduction means for converting said NOX to N2; and, d) an oxidation catalyst downstream of said plasma reaction chamber and upstream of said introducing means and said reducing catalyst and means to introduce oxygen into the gaseous mixture leaving said plasma reaction chamber whereby an oxygenated reactive gas mixture is produced.