초록 ▼

A method for abating carbon monoxide in an exhaust stream may include injecting an amount of air into the exhaust stream to produce an air/exhaust mixture; measuring an air/fuel ratio of the air/exhaust mixture; reacting carbon monoxide in the air/exhaust mixture with oxygen in the presence of a cat

A method for abating carbon monoxide in an exhaust stream may include injecting an amount of air into the exhaust stream to produce an air/exhaust mixture; measuring an air/fuel ratio of the air/exhaust mixture; reacting carbon monoxide in the air/exhaust mixture with oxygen in the presence of a catalyst to produce carbon dioxide to abate carbon monoxide in the air/exhaust mixture; measuring a temperature of the catalyst; and adjusting the amount of air injected into the exhaust stream based on the air/fuel ratio or the temperature of the catalyst.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method for abating carbon monoxide in an exhaust stream, the method comprising: injecting an amount of air into the exhaust stream upstream of a catalyst to produce an air/exhaust mixture before catalyzing the exhaust stream, wherein the catalyst catalyzes a chemical reaction of 2CO+O2→2CO2;mea

1. A method for abating carbon monoxide in an exhaust stream, the method comprising: injecting an amount of air into the exhaust stream upstream of a catalyst to produce an air/exhaust mixture before catalyzing the exhaust stream, wherein the catalyst catalyzes a chemical reaction of 2CO+O2→2CO2;measuring an air/fuel ratio of the air/exhaust mixture upstream of the catalyst;reacting carbon monoxide in the air/exhaust mixture with oxygen in the presence of the catalyst to produce carbon dioxide to abate carbon monoxide in the air/exhaust mixture, wherein the catalyst has an operating temperature range;measuring a temperature of the catalyst, when the temperature of the catalyst is below the operating temperature range;measuring the temperature of the catalyst, when the temperature of the catalyst is within or above the operating temperature range;adjusting the amount of air injected into the exhaust based on the air/fuel ratio and not the temperature of the catalyst, when the temperature of the catalyst is below the operating temperature range of the catalyst; andadjusting the amount of air injected into the exhaust based on the temperature of the catalyst and not the air/fuel ratio, when the temperature of the catalyst is within or above the operating temperature range of the catalyst. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the catalyst is selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, rhodium, and combinations thereof. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the catalyst is disposed proximate to a source of the exhaust stream such that the exhaust stream heats the catalyst to an operating temperature range without use of a heater. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the operating temperature range of the catalyst is about 550° C. to about 575° C. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the amount of air injected into the exhaust stream is adjusted such that the air/fuel ratio of the air/exhaust mixture is between about 14 parts air per part fuel and about 15 parts air per part fuel. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the amount of air injected into the exhaust stream is adjusted such that the temperature of the catalyst is maintained within an operating temperature range of the catalyst. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the operating temperature range of the catalyst is about 550° C. to about 575° C. 8. A system for abating carbon monoxide in an exhaust stream flowing in an exhaust conduit, the system comprising a blower, a catalytic converter, an air/fuel sensor, a temperature sensor, and a controller, wherein: the blower is fluidly coupled to the exhaust conduit upstream of the catalytic converter and is electrically coupled to the controller, wherein the blower injects an amount of air into the exhaust stream flowing in the exhaust conduit to produce an air/exhaust mixture before catalyzing the exhaust stream;the catalytic converter is disposed in the exhaust conduit downstream of the blower such that the air/exhaust mixture flows through the catalytic converter, wherein the catalytic converter catalyzes a chemical reaction of 2CO+O2→2CO2 and abates carbon monoxide in the air/exhaust mixture based on an amount of oxygen in the air/exhaust mixture;the catalytic converter has an operating temperature range and operates such that a temperature of the catalytic converter reaches values below the operating temperature range of the catalytic converter and within or above the operating temperature range of the catalytic converter;the air/fuel sensor is disposed in the exhaust conduit upstream of the catalytic converter and is electrically coupled to the controller, wherein the air/fuel sensor outputs an air/fuel signal indicative of an air/fuel ratio of the air/exhaust mixture;the temperature sensor is thermally coupled to the catalytic converter and electrically coupled to the controller, wherein the temperature sensor outputs a temperature signal indicative of the temperature of the catalytic converter; andthe controller comprises a processor and a memory having computer-readable and computer-executable instructions, and the processor executes the computer-readable and computer-executable instructions to: receive the air/fuel signal from the air/fuel sensor,receive the temperature signal from the temperature sensor,determine a blower control signal based on the air/fuel signal and not the temperature signal, when the temperature of the catalytic converter is below the operating temperature range of the catalytic converter,determine a blower control signal based on the temperature signal and not the air/fuel signal, when the temperature of the catalytic converter is within or above the operating temperature range of the catalytic converter, andoutput the blower control signal to the blower to adjust the amount of air injected into the exhaust stream. 9. The system of claim 8, wherein the catalytic converter comprises a selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, rhodium, and combinations thereof. 10. The system of claim 8, wherein the catalytic converter is disposed in the exhaust conduit proximate to an inlet of the exhaust conduit such that the exhaust stream heats the catalytic converter to an operating temperature range of the catalytic converter without use of a heater. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the operating temperature range of the catalytic converter is about 550° C. to about 575° C. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the blower control signal is determined such that the air/fuel ratio of the air/exhaust mixture is between about 14 parts air per part fuel and about 15 parts air per part fuel. 13. The system of claim 10, wherein the blower control signal is determined to maintain the catalytic converter within the operating temperature range of the catalytic converter when the temperature of the catalytic converter is within or above the operating temperature range. 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the operating temperature range of the catalytic converter is about 550° C. to about 575° C. 15. The system of claim 10, wherein the temperature sensor comprises a first thermocouple and a second thermocouple, wherein the first thermocouple is disposed upstream of the catalytic converter, and the second thermocouple is disposed downstream of the catalytic converter. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the temperature of the catalytic converter is determined by taking the higher of a temperature of the first thermocouple and a temperature of the second thermocouple. 17. A system for testing an internal combustion engine having an engine exhaust outlet to carry away an exhaust stream produced by the internal combustion engine, the system comprising an exhaust conduit, a blower, a catalytic converter, an air/fuel sensor, a temperature sensor, and a controller, wherein: the exhaust conduit is fluidly coupled to the engine exhaust outlet of the internal combustion engine and receives the exhaust stream produced by the internal combustion engine;the blower is fluidly coupled to the exhaust conduit upstream of the catalytic converter and is electrically coupled to the controller, wherein the blower injects an amount of air into the exhaust stream flowing in the exhaust conduit to produce an air/exhaust mixture before catalyzing the exhaust stream;the catalytic converter is disposed in the exhaust conduit downstream of the blower such that the air/exhaust mixture flows through the catalytic converter, wherein the catalytic converter catalyzes a chemical reaction of 2CO+O2→2CO2 and abates carbon monoxide in the air/exhaust mixture based on an amount of oxygen in the air/exhaust mixture;the catalytic converter has an operating temperature range and operates such that a temperature of the catalytic converter reaches values below the operating temperature range of the catalytic converter and within or above the operating temperature range of the catalytic converter;the air/fuel sensor is disposed in the exhaust conduit upstream of the catalytic converter and is electrically coupled to the controller, wherein the air/fuel sensor outputs an air/fuel signal indicative of an air/fuel ratio of the air/exhaust mixture;the temperature sensor is thermally coupled to the catalytic converter and electrically coupled to the controller, wherein the temperature sensor outputs a temperature signal indicative of the temperature of the catalytic converter; andthe controller comprises a processor and a memory having computer-readable and computer-executable instructions, and the processor executes the computer-readable and computer-executable instructions to: receive the air/fuel signal from the air/fuel sensor,receive the temperature signal from the temperature sensor,determine a blower control signal based on the air/fuel signal and not the temperature signal, when the temperature of the catalytic converter is below the operating temperature range of the catalytic converter such that the air/fuel ratio of the air/exhaust mixture is maintained between about 14 parts air per part fuel and about 15 parts air per part fueldetermine a blower control signal based on the temperature signal and not the air/fuel signal, when the temperature of the catalytic converter is within or above the operating temperature range of the catalytic converter such that the temperature of the catalytic converter is maintained within the operating temperature range, andoutput the blower control signal to the blower to adjust the amount of air injected into the exhaust stream. 18. The system of claim 17, wherein the catalytic converter is disposed in the exhaust conduit proximate to the internal combustion engine such that the exhaust stream heats the catalytic converter to the operating temperature range without use of a heater.