Plasma actuated electronic catalytic converter

Abstract

An apparatus and method for the breakdown of exhaust gas pollutant molecules into their constituent atoms and then re-assembling those atoms into low energy state non-toxic molecules that are found in the atmosphere naturally is disclosed. A plasma actuated electronic catalytic converter includes an exhaust gas inlet, a first oxidization reaction chamber, a second reduction reaction chamber, an exhaust gas outlet, and an electronics power source. A first reaction chamber includes a plasma discharge electrode and semi-spherical screen that are negatively biased by a direct current source followed by a mixing screen and an anode screen. A second reaction chamber includes a plasma discharge electrode and semi-spherical screen that are positively biased by a direct current source followed by a mixing screen, if needed, a fresh air inlet, and a screen or screens that are negatively biased so as to gradually return electrons to the exhaust gasses.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application is a nonprovisional application of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 901,306 filed on Feb. 15, 2007, currently pending. The disclosure of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 901,306 is hereby incorporated by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for improving exhaust after-treatment devices for use by diesel and gasoline powered vehicles, generators, heavy equipment, industrial power sources, fuel burners and other sources of airborne pollutants from a wide variety of air pollution sources. Specifically, the invention includes a plasma electronic catalyst assisted molecular reformation of the elements within the exhaust gases into their least toxic and lowest energy molecular states, specifically, N2, CO2, and H2O, all of which occur naturally within the atmosphere.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]The ple...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0028]The plasma oxidization reaction chamber uses a plasma discharge anode device to introduce free electrons into the gas stream. These free electrons act as an electronic catalyst to promote the breakdown and oxidization of the hydrocarbon based pollutants. This action is similar to and an improvement upon metallic catalysts, which work by making electrons available to the chemical reaction that they are assisting. In addition to the electronic catalytic action circumventing the surface area problem of metallic catalysts, there is not an opportunity for soot (hydrocarbon particulates) to build up and clog the apparatus before it is oxidized.

[0071]With the enormous personal heartbreak, societal costs, diverted economic resources, and specifically governmental expenditures in the form of Medi-Care and Medic-Aid costs that threaten to bankrupt our healthcare system, there is enormous pressure to get all of the diesel powered vehicles in the USA to pollute much less. With the present invention, it is not necessary to “grandfather” in older vehicles already on the road. The present invention offers this capability with a minimum of change to the existing design and structure of vehicles already in use at a minimum of expense to the vehicle owner and / or operator.

Problems solved by technology

The plethora of exhaust after-treatment systems devoted to reduction of pollution of the air are simply too numerous to specifically reference individually.

The reason for this is that to date no practical solution has been found for the following issues:1. High soot (hydrocarbon particulate) output during engine warm-up that leads to clogging of conventional metallic catalyst type catalytic converters;2. Very high NOx output due to the nature of compression ignition used by diesel engines; and3. The sensitivity of the diesel engine to any exhaust restriction leading to increased exhaust back-pressure which seriously degrades performance.

These systems have shown enough promise to continue to attract research funding, but they have yet to reach commercial viability.

The reasons for this system's difficulty in development are:1. limitations in handling high amounts of hydrocarbon particulates;2. susceptibility to vibration of the material used to provide a surface area for the corona discharge; and3. the bulk of the apparatus necessary to create enough surface area to treat typical exhaust flow rates.

Although this technology has shown some promise in the laboratory, the above mentioned problems have yet to be given cost effective and market acceptable solutions.

These systems have been under development for a number of years without reaching the market for the following reasons:1. they require either extra fuel or a totally separate tank of its own special fuel to operate;2. the accompanying plumbing and apparatus is complex and expensive; and3. in many cases there is a filter trap that accumulates solid waste that must be disposed of on a regular basis, which is probably subject to EPA regulations.

New development activity for technologies of this type has been declining lately probably due to the above stated issues.

Despite this, these catalytic converters have several serious limitations.

Conventional catalytic converters cannot be used to treat the exhaust of diesel engines for oxides of nitrogen (NOx) because of the presence of oxygen in the exhaust.

This results inevitably in the presence of free oxygen in the exhaust.

An additional limitation of the conventional catalytic converter is the presence of the “Hydrocarbon Bubble”.

Unfortunately, this also happens to be at the same time that a gasoline fueled spark ignited engine is getting an enriched fuel-air mixture during its warm-up period.

Another problem associated with the conventional catalytic converter is its susceptibility to a reduction in efficacy due to fuel contamination.

Substances such as lead or sulfur in the fuel “poison” the rare earth metals used in the catalyst material rendering them useless.

The effectiveness of the metallic catalyst in a conventional catalytic converter is limited by its surface area.

This problem is obviated by the use of a plasma actuated electronic catalyst instead of depending on a metallic catalyst.

The prior art for catalytic converters does not disclose any apparatuses that electronically disassemble the pollutant molecules within the exhaust gases into their constituent atoms.

Nor does it disclose any apparatuses that then electronically re-assemble these same atoms from the exhaust gas pollutants into innocuous non-toxic molecules normally found in the atmosphere.

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