Pollution Control

Abstract

A quartz or pyrex tube has a plurality of windings disposed side by side in insulated spaced relationship on the outside of the tube. Oxides, sulphides and carbides of gases are passed through the tube. Each winding is coupled to a generator of different frequency. Each frequency is chosen to cause a corresponding gas to decompose or break down. Harmless gases are vented to the atmosphere and other elements are collected as disposable solids.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Polluting gases, in accordance with my invention, as for example various oxides of nitrogen, carbides, hydrocarbons, sulphides and the like, are broken down to form oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, carbon sulfur and the like. Harmless gases are released to the atmosphere and other elements are collected as disposable solids.

SUMMARY

To this end, a mixture of polluting gases as contained for example in exhuast gases of vehicles and heating units are passed through pyrex or quartz tubes. Windings insulatedly spaced from each other are disposed side by side and are wound about the outside of the tube. Each winding is excited by a different high frequency signal. The frequencies are selected to each cause a different selected gas to decompose or break down into its constituent parts which can then be dealt with as indicated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of generating equipment used in my invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of my invention as used in an automobile; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of my invention as used with a smokestack.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring first to FIG. 1, a quartz tube 10 has a thermocouple 12 disposed in one end which activates meter 14 to register temperature. An oxide gas or carbide gas released from tank 16 passes through the tube. A winding 18 disposed around the outside of the tube is coupled to signal generator 20. This high frequency generator can be manually adjusted to any frequency within a selected range. At some selected frequency, which varies with the specific gaseous compounds, the spectrum of the gaseous compound will be interfered with and its characteristics changed, causing it to break down into original elements. When the gaseous compound breaks down, heat will be absorbed from the hot exhaust of the motor equal to that given off when the compound was formed.

In FIG. 2, the tube 10 (which can be pyrex or quartz) is disposed in the exhaust pipe or a vehicle. Typically, this tube is essentially the same diameter as the pipe in which it is sealed, and is about twelve to sixteen inches long. About the tube is disposed side by side a plurality of windings 18, these windings being separated from each other by a ridge 24 in the glass. Each coil is connected to a separate generating unit 20 powered by the battery 26 of the vehicle and tuned to a different frequency.

The five units shown are tuned to break down a corresponding one of five different gases, carbon monoxide, various oxides of nitrogen (the oxide, dioxide and trioxide) and hydrocarbons. These gases are pollutants. After the gases have been broken down, the oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen are released as harmless gases to the atmosphere and carbon is precipitated as a powder which can be removed and disposed of.

In FIG. 3, the exhaust gases in a commercial smoke stack are passed through tube sections carrying windings 18. Interposed between adjacent windings and sections in the path of the gas stream are collection chambers 22. First monoxides of carbon are broken down and the gases are passed through a dust collection chamber to collect free carbon and ash. Sulfur dioxide gas is then decomposed to oxygen and sulfur, and the sulfur is collected as powder in a second chamber. The various oxides of nitrogen are broken down and the harmless gases can then be released to the atmopshere. In this manner, industrial pollution is reduced.

While I have described my invention with particular reference to the drawings, such is not to be considered as limiting its actual scope.

Claims

Having thus described the invention, what is asserted as new is:

1. Apparatus for selectively decomposing polluting exhaust gases of a vehicle engine into harmless gases which may be safely vented to the atmopshere or into disposable solids comprising:

a hollow tube which is adapted to be joined to an exhaust pipe of an engine,

a plurality of windings of electric coils, each mounted outside the tube, with said coil windings mounted side by side along the length of the tube,

means individually coupled to each coil winding to supply a selected high frequency electric signal to each coil, with each coil supplied by a different frequency of signal of a magnitude to cause decomposition of a particular component of the exhaust gas so that selected components of the exhaust gases may be individually decomposed as desired,

said hollow tube being vented at its outlet to the atmosphere, and said outlet tube being formed of an electrical insulating material.

2. The combination as recited in claim 1 in which said tube is formed of quartz.

3. The combination as recited in claim 1 in which said tube is formed of high-temperature resistant glass.