U.S. patent application number 10/918315 was filed with the patent office on 2005-03-17 for process for reducing diesel enigne emissions.
Invention is credited to Bar-Ilan, Amiram, Huang, Yinyan, Mackenzie, Scott.
Application Number | 20050056006 10/918315 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34278515 |
Filed Date | 2005-03-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050056006 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Huang, Yinyan ; et
al. |
March 17, 2005 |
Process for reducing diesel enigne emissions
Abstract
The present invention discloses a system and a process for
removing diesel engine emissions. The system comprises two
honeycomb-type oxidation catalysts and a catalyzed flow-through
filter configured such that the filter sandwiched between the
honeycombs. The system is effective for the continuous removal of
carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon particulate matter, and has high
efficiency and low pressure drop.
Inventors: |
Huang, Yinyan; (Framingham,
MA) ; Mackenzie, Scott; (Lexington, MA) ;
Bar-Ilan, Amiram; (Brookline, MA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SUD-CHEMIE INC.
1600 WEST HILL STREET
LOUISVILLE
KY
40210
US
|
Family ID: |
34278515 |
Appl. No.: |
10/918315 |
Filed: |
August 14, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60495419 |
Aug 15, 2003 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
60/297 ; 60/299;
60/311 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F01N 13/0093 20140601;
B01D 2258/012 20130101; B01D 2255/20769 20130101; Y02A 50/20
20180101; B01D 53/944 20130101; Y02A 50/2341 20180101; F01N 13/009
20140601; F01N 3/035 20130101; B01D 46/2418 20130101; B01D
2255/20723 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
060/297 ;
060/299; 060/311 |
International
Class: |
F01N 003/00; F01N
003/10; F01N 003/02 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An exhaust cleaning system for treating diesel exhaust, said
system comprising; (a) at least a first and a second catalyst, each
comprising a honeycomb substrate washcoated with a support material
and treated with a metal known in the art to facilitate total
particulate matter oxidation; and (b) a catalyzed flow-through
filter; wherein said exhaust cleaning system is mounted between an
engine cylinder exhaust manifold and an exhaust pipe, and said
diesel exhaust can pass through the exhaust manifold, and then into
said cleaning system where the exhaust first contacts said first
honeycomb catalyst, and then contacts said filter, and then
contacts said second honeycomb catalyst, and then exits said
cleaning system and enters said exhaust pipe.
2. The exhaust cleaning system of claim 1 wherein said honeycomb
substrate is ceramic or metallic.
3. The exhaust cleaning system of claim 1 wherein said honeycomb
substrate is selected from the group consisting of ceramic,
cordierite, mullite, silicon carbide, alumina, titania, zirconia,
silica, alumina-silica, alumina-zirconia, stainless steel,
Fe--Cr--Al alloy, other materials typically used for diesel
oxidation catalysts, and combinations thereof.
4. The exhaust cleaning system of claim 1 wherein said honeycomb
substrate is washcoated with a high surface area support.
5. The exhaust cleaning system of claim 4 wherein said high surface
area support is selected from the group consisting of alumina,
silica, titania, zirconia, alumina-silica, zeolites, and
combinations thereof.
6. The exhaust cleaning system of claim 1 wherein said metal
catalyst is selected from the group consisting of an alkaline
metal, an alkaline earth metal, vanadium, a precious metal,
platinum, palladium, rhodium and combinations thereof.
7. The exhaust cleaning system of claim 1 wherein said first and
said second honeycomb-type oxidation catalysts have essentially the
same compositions.
8. The exhaust cleaning system of claim 1 wherein said first and
said second honeycomb-type oxidation catalysts have different
compositions.
9. The exhaust cleaning system of claim 1 wherein said filter is a
particulate filter with a foam, wire-mesh, or other non-wall-flow
type structure.
10. The exhaust cleaning system of claim 1 wherein said filter is
made of a material selected from the group consisting of ceramic,
alumina, tiatania, zirconia, cordierite, mullite, silicon carbide,
stainless steel, iron chromium alloy, and combinations thereof.
11. The exhaust cleaning system of claim 1 wherein said filter
comprises a high surface area support and a catalyst.
12. The filter of claim 11 wherein said high surface area support
is selected from the group consisting of alumina, titania,
zirconia, zeolite, and combinations thereof.
13. The filter of claim 11 wherein said catalyst is selected from
the group consisting of precious metals, base metals,
vanadium-comprising complexes, alkaline metals, alkaline earth
metals, alkaline vanadates, MoO.sub.3--V.sub.2O.sub.5, platinum,
palladium, rhodium and combinations thereof.
14. The exhaust cleaning system of claim 1 further comprising a
catalyst housing having an exhaust manifold end and an exhaust pipe
end, said honeycomb catalysts and said filters being contained
within said housing such that said first honeycomb catalyst is
positioned near said exhaust manifold end, and said second
honeycomb catalyst is positioned near said exhaust pipe end, and
said filter is positioned between the first and second honeycomb
catalysts.
15. The exhaust cleaning system of claim 1 wherein said first
honeycomb catalyst, said filter, and said second honeycomb catalyst
are each contained within a housing and are arranged such that the
housing containing said first honeycomb catalyst is connected via
piping to an exhaust manifold, and the housing containing said
second honeycomb catalyst is connected via piping to an exhaust
pipe, and the housing containing said filter is positioned between
the first and second honeycomb catalysts so as to receive exhaust
from said first catalyst and send exhaust to said second
catalyst.
16. An exhaust cleaning system for treating diesel exhaust, said
system comprising; (a) at least a first and a second catalyst, each
comprising a honeycomb substrate washcoated with a support material
and treated with a metal known in the art to facilitate total
particulate matter oxidation; and (b) a catalyzed flow-through
filter; wherein said exhaust cleaning system is mounted between an
engine cylinder exhaust manifold and an exhaust pipe, and said
diesel exhaust can pass through the exhaust manifold, and then into
said cleaning system where the exhaust first contacts said first
honeycomb catalyst, and then contacts said filter, and then
contacts said second honeycomb catalyst, and then exits said
cleaning system and enters said exhaust pipe.
17. The exhaust cleaning system of claim 16 wherein said honeycomb
substrate is selected from the group consisting of ceramic,
cordierite, mullite, silicon carbide, alumina, titania, zirconia,
silica, alumina-silica, alumina-zirconia, stainless steel,
Fe--Cr--Al alloy, other materials typically used for diesel
oxidation catalysts, and combinations thereof; and wherein said
honeycomb substrate is washcoated with a high surface area support
selected from the group consisting of alumina, silica, titania,
zirconia, alumina-silica, zeolites, and combinations thereof; and
wherein said metal catalyst is selected from the group consisting
of an alkaline metal, an alkaline earth metal, vanadium, a precious
metal, platinum, palladium, rhodium and combinations thereof.
18. The exhaust cleaning system of claim 16 wherein said filter is
a particulate filter with a foam, wire-mesh, or other non-wall-flow
type structure made of a material selected from the group
consisting of ceramic, alumina, tiatania, zirconia, cordierite,
mullite, silicon carbide, stainless steel, iron chromium alloy, and
combinations thereof; said filter further comprising a high surface
area support selected from the group consisting of alumina,
titania, zirconia, zeolite, and combinations thereof, and a
catalyst selected from the group consisting of precious metals,
base metals, vanadium-comprising complexes, alkaline metals,
alkaline earth metals, alkaline vanadates,
MoO.sub.3--V.sub.2O.sub.5, platinum, palladium, rhodium and
combinations thereof.
19. A process of treating diesel exhaust comprising passing said
exhaust through an exhaust manifold, and then into an exhaust
cleaning system where said exhaust first contacts a first honeycomb
catalyst and then contacts a filter and then contacts a second
honeycomb catalyst, and then said exhaust exits through an exhaust
pipe.
20. The process of claim 19 wherein said first honeycomb catalyst
comprises a honeycomb substrate washcoated with a support material
and treated with a metal known in the art to facilitate total
particulate matter oxidation, and said filter comprises a
particulate filter having a high surface area support and a
catalyst, and said second honeycomb catalyst comprises a honeycomb
substrate washcoated with a support material and treated with a
metal known in the art to facilitate total particulate matter
oxidation.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is related to U.S. Provisional
Application Ser. No. 60/495,419 filed on Aug. 15, 2003 and
incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The present invention discloses a system and a process for
removing diesel engine emissions. The system comprises two
honeycomb-type oxidation catalysts and a catalyzed flow-through
filter. The system is configured with the filter sandwiched between
the honeycombs. The system is effective for the continuous removal
of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon particulate matter, and has high
efficiency and low pressure drop. The process for removing the
diesel engine emissions involves passing the emissions through the
system.
[0003] Internal combustion engines function by burning fuels
(hydrocarbons) at high temperatures. In theory, the products of the
combustion process are CO.sub.2 and water. But, it is not uncommon
that the combustion process is incomplete resulting in the
formation of undesirable byproducts are formed such as carbon
monoxide, hydrocarbons and soot. Other reactions occurring in
internal combustion engines include the oxidation of nitrogen
molecules to produce nitrogen oxides and the oxidation of sulfur to
form SO.sub.2 and small percentage of SO.sub.3. Further, when the
temperature decreases, the SO.sub.3 can react with H.sub.2O to form
sulfuric acid. Other inorganic materials are formed as ash. The
products of these reactions result in undesirable gaseous, liquid
and solid emissions from internal combustion engine: gaseous
emissions--carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, sulfur
dioxide; liquid phase emissions--unburned fuel, lubricants,
sulfuric acid; and, solid phase emissions--carbon (soot). The
combination of liquid phase hydrocarbons, solid phase soot and
sulfuric acid results in the formation of small size droplets often
called total particulate matter. These emissions create pollution
and are potential health risks.
[0004] Efforts have been made to develop exhaust gas cleaning
catalysts for a number of years. Flow-through honeycomb oxidation
catalysts have been proposed for the removal of gas phase carbon
monoxide, light hydrocarbons and particulate matter. These
catalysts commonly include a precious metal, such as platinum,
palladium, rhodium or a combination thereof, washcoated onto an
alumina, titania, zirconia, silica, zeolite or combination support.
However, these honeycomb catalysts have not been especially
effective for the oxidation of the soluble organic fraction (SOF)
of the total particulate matter.
[0005] Because soot has a graphitic structure and normally a
relatively large particle size, the soot cannot penetrate into the
honeycomb catalysts pore system, but rather passes straight through
unaffected. To remove the soot, and for high efficiency particulate
removal in general, filtration methods must be used.
[0006] The purpose of a filter is to remove particulate matter
while allowing exhaust to freely pass through the filter. However,
as particulate collects on the filter, the flow of the exhaust is
impeded, resulting in an increased back pressure with the filter,
which results in reduced engine efficiency. When the efficiency is
below acceptable performance standards, the filter must either be
replaced or regenerated by burning off the particulate matter.
However, burning off the particulate requires temperatures in
excess of 600.degree. C., that is energy intensive and that can
lead to uncontrolled light-off of the soot and temperature
overshoots that can damage the filter medium. Thus, an efficient,
low cost, essentially continuous regeneration of the diesel
particulate filter at a lower temperature would be an improvement
to the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention discloses an exhaust cleaning system
and a process for removing diesel engine emissions. The system
comprises first and second honeycomb-type oxidation catalysts and a
catalyzed flow-through filter. The honeycomb-type oxidation
catalysts comprise a high surface area support impregnated with one
or more precious metals. The filter is a non-wall flow type
particulate filter washcoated with either a precious metal catalyst
or a base metal catalyst or a combination thereof. The system is
configured with the filter sandwiched between the honeycombs. The
system is effective for the continuous removal of carbon monoxide
and hydrocarbon particulate matter, and has high efficiency and low
pressure drop.
[0008] The process for removing the diesel engine emissions
involves passing the emissions through the system thereby allowing
the carbon monoxide to react on the honeycomb catalyst and allowing
the particulate matter to react on the filter. In an exemplary
embodiment, a honeycomb--filter--honeycomb "sandwich" is mounted in
a catalyst housing, the housing is mounted between an engine
cylinder exhaust manifold and exhaust pipe open to the atmosphere,
and diesel exhaust is passed through the housing from the exhaust
manifold exiting to the exhaust pipe.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0009] The present invention discloses an exhaust cleaning system
and a process for removing diesel engine emissions. Diesel exhaust
is cleaned by passing through a multiple phase catalyst and filter,
reducing the amount of noxious emissions normally associated with
diesel engines.
[0010] The exhaust cleaning system comprises first and second
honeycomb-type oxidation catalysts and a catalyzed flow-through
filter. The first and second catalysts comprise a honeycomb
substrate washcoated with a support material and treated with
either a precious metal catalyst or a base metal catalyst or a
combination thereof. Preferably, the metals are selected for their
efficacy in oxidizing carbon monoxide, emission hydrocarbons,
and/or total particulate matter.
[0011] The honeycomb substrate can be either ceramic or metallic,
as is known in the art. Honeycomb supports are commonly used in
applications for treatment of exhaust because the honeycombs create
low back pressure to the exhaust flow. In the present application,
suitable honeycomb substrates include those made of ceramic,
cordierite, mullite, silicon carbide, alumina, titania, zirconia,
silica, alumina-silica, alumina-zirconia, stainless steel,
Fe--Cr--Al alloy and the combinations and other materials typically
used for diesel oxidation catalysts. The honeycomb substrate is
washcoated with a high surface area support, such as, without
limitation, alumina, silica, titania, zirconia, alumina-silica,
zeolites, and combinations thereof.
[0012] The metal catalyst can then be deposited on the washcoated
honeycomb substrate. The metal catalyst can be any metal known in
the art to facilitate total particulate matter oxidation, such as,
without limitation an alkaline metal, an alkaline earth metal,
vanadium, a precious metal, platinum, palladium, rhodium and
combinations thereof. The metal can be impregnated on the support
or deposited in any other manner known in the art, including
depositing the metal in the form of a salt solution, incipient
wetness impregnation or dipping.
[0013] For the purposes of this development, when used in the
exhaust cleaning system the first and second honeycomb-type
oxidation catalysts may have essentially the same compositions or
may vary such that the honeycomb catalysts have different
compositions, that is, each honeycomb catalyst has its own support
and its own metal combination. Further, the honeycomb substrates
may be the same for the first and second honeycomb catalysts or may
differ as appropriate for the application and exhaust conditions.
The terms "first" and "second" as applied to the honeycomb
catalysts merely are for purposes of distinguishing where the
catalyst is positioned relative to the filter, and is not intended
to imply that the catalyst is limited to a single honeycomb
catalyst. If appropriate for the application, two or more
honeycombs, each having its own support and metal combination, may
be combined to form the "first" and/or "second" honeycomb
catalysts.
[0014] The catalyzed flow-through filter is used to enhance the
oxidation of soot by lowering the soot ignition temperature and by
accelerating the reaction rate. Foams, wire-mesh, and other
non-wall-flow type particulate filters generate sufficient
particulate matter trapping efficiency for the diesel engine
applications and the filtration efficiency can be designed to
operate in a range of from about 20% to about 80% soot removal. In
addition, foam and wire-mesh type filters work under a principle of
depth filtration, whereby the physical contact of particulate
matter with the catalyst is significantly improved as compared to
that of a straight channel honeycomb, and because these filters
have wide pore structures, ash passes through the filter without
being accumulated, thereby minimizing the pressure drop,
maintaining engine efficiency and reducing the catalyst
deactivation rate. As a result, less frequent cleanup is needed and
the durability of the emission control system is improved. Some
exemplary filter materials include, but are not limited to,
ceramic, alumina, tiatania, zirconia, cordierite, mullite, silicon
carbide, stainless steel, iron chromium alloy, and combinations
thereof.
[0015] To reduce the temperature needed for regeneration of the
filter, a catalyst is added to the filter. In the present
development, the catalyst is added via conventional means, such as
washcoating the filter is with high surface area support such as
alumina, titania, zirconia, zeolite, and then depositing catalytic
materials. Catalytic materials that are active for soot oxidation
are preferred, such as, without limitation, precious metals, base
metals, vanadium-comprising complexes, alkaline metals, alkaline
earth metals, alkaline vanadates, MoO.sub.3--V.sub.2O.sub.5,
platinum, palladium, rhodium and combinations thereof.
[0016] The exhaust cleaning system of the present development
comprises at least a first and a second honeycomb oxidation
catalyst and at least one non-wall flow type particulate filter.
The exhaust cleaning system is mounted between an engine cylinder
exhaust manifold and an exhaust pipe open to the atmosphere. In
practice, the diesel exhaust is passed through the exhaust
manifold, and then into the system where the exhaust first contacts
the first honeycomb catalyst and then contacts the filter and then
contacts the second honeycomb catalyst, and then the exhaust exits
through the exhaust pipe. In an exemplary embodiment, the exhaust
cleaning components are combined in a catalyst housing such that
the first honeycomb catalyst is positioned at the exhaust manifold
end of the housing, the second honeycomb catalyst is positioned at
the exhaust pipe end of the housing, and the filter is positioned
between the first and second honeycomb catalysts. In an alternative
embodiment, each component has its own housing unit and the housing
containing the first honeycomb catalyst is connected via piping to
the exhaust manifold, the housing containing the second honeycomb
catalyst is connected via piping to the exhaust pipe, and the
housing containing the filter is positioned between the first and
second honeycomb catalysts so as to receive exhaust from said first
catalyst and send exhaust to said second catalyst. Other variations
combining one honeycomb catalyst with the filter within a single
housing are also expected to function as intended, provided the
filter is between the honeycombs with respect to the order in which
the exhaust meets each component of the system.
[0017] The exhaust cleaning system of the present development is
effective for the control of emissions of any type of diesel
engines generating either "wet particulates" or "dry particulates".
Both soluble organic fraction and soot of total particulate matter
are removed using the combination of the multiple honeycomb
oxidation catalysts and the catalyzed filter. The system is
particularly effective for the continuous reduction of carbon
monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions and the continuous removal of
particulate matter with minimum back pressure penalty on the source
engine, and for diesel engines operating at high temperatures, or
operating with lower quality fuels that contain high level of
impurities. Because the system operates essentially continuously,
there is little or no need for frequent filter clean-up and
maintenance.
* * * * *