Patent Application
20120216511
The present invention generally relates to a device that is capable of automatically removing carbon build-up formed in an exhaust gas filtration system that is mounted at a rear end of an automobile exhaust pipe to maintain smooth emission of exhaust gas of the automobile engine and to neutralize acidic exhaust gas and then fast reduce temperature for further cooperation with an exhaust gas purification unit to realize optimum purification of the exhaust gas.
Both gasoline engine and diesel engine emit exhaust gas when it is put in operation. Severe emission of exhaust gas causes pollution of the atmosphere. Thus, it is a major issue of today to adopt whatever measures, in both technology and policy, to reduce the pollution caused by exhaust emission of diesel automobiles, in order to improve air quality. Although a gasoline engine does not generate such an obvious pollution as a diesel engine, the gasoline engine still discharges toxicant substances, including hydrocarbons, which are also harmful to human body and the surroundings.
A primary objective of the present invention is to overcome the problem that in a conventional automobile engine that comprises an exhaust pipe to which a filtration system is mounted, operation temperature of the engine that is selectively raised to cause combustion and thus removal of carbon built on a filter core surface of the filtration system may not be properly increased due to travel environment and conditions of the automobile and the difference of individual driving practices, leading to incapability of combusting and removing the carbon build-up and leaving the carbon build-up in the filtration system to affect the smooth emission of exhaust gas and engine performance.
Another objective of the present invention is to overcome the problem that a conventional exhaust gas filtration system coupled to an exhaust system of automobile is not effective in realizing optimum initial purification of the exhaust gas in a low temperature environment.
The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.
Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.
The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
Referring to
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the filtration system 17 comprises a noble metal catalyst converter, which is arranged at a position upstream inside the outlet end 112 of the exhaust pipe 11 and comprises, in sequence, a direct-pass type noble metal catalyst ceramic filtration core 171 and a honeycomb type noble metal catalyst ceramic filtration core 172. The filtration system 17 has a side wall to which a temperature sensor 16 is mounted at a predetermined location and a second pressure sensor 15B coupled to the outlet end 112 at a predetermined location. The temperature sensor 16 and the second pressure sensor 15B are both electrically connected to the microcomputer control system 14.
Referring to
In a regular operation condition of the present invention, the combustion system 113 of the first purification treatment device 1 is normally inoperative, so that the exhaust gas discharged from an automobile is allowed to directly pass through the combustion system 113 to enter the filtration system 17, whereby pollutant substances contained in the exhaust gas are removed by the direct-pass type noble metal catalyst ceramic filtration core 171 and the honeycomb type noble metal catalyst ceramic filtration core 172 of the filtration system 17 before the exhaust gas moves into the connection pipe 3, where alkaline solution atomizing device 4 timely sprays a proper amount of atomized alkaline solution (such as plant alkaloid solution, chemically-synthesized alkaline solution, and so on) into the connection pipe 3 to neutralize the acidic substances contained in the exhaust gas and then the exhaust gas is discharged into the second purification treatment device 2. Under the condition that the exhaust gas is smoothly discharged from the first purification treatment device 1 in a substantially unimpeded manner, the first pressure sensor 15A detects a back pressure of the exhaust gas within the combustion system 113 that is below a predetermined threshold, so that the control system does not activate the flaming device 12. However, when the device is set in operation for quite a while, the filtration system 17 becomes gradually blocked due to carbon build-up. Under this condition, the back pressure inside the combustion system gradually increases and is detected by the second pressure sensor 15B, which then issues a signal to the microcomputer control system 14, so that the control system instructs the pressure pump of the fuel tank 123 to deliver fuel through the fuel pipe 122 into the nozzle 121 for atomization and ejection, and the ignition device 13 ignite the atomized fuel to set a flame for heating. The high temperature is then transmitted to the filtration system 17 to cause combustion of the carbon build-up on direct-pass type noble metal catalyst ceramic filtration core 171 and the honeycomb type noble metal catalyst ceramic filtration core 172 thereby clearing off the carbon. When the carbon build-up has been cleared to quite an extent, the filtration system 17 resumes an unimpeded condition so that the first pressure sensor 15A detects the back pressure inside the combustion system 113 dropping to a level below the threshold and issues a signal to the microcomputer control system 14, whereby the control system instructs the flaming device 12 to stop operation and the exhaust gas discharged from the diesel engine is allowed to directly pass into the filtration system 17 to be filtered thereby and then discharged. The process is repeatedly performed to ensure the carbon build-up can be effectively removed at a timely manner.
When the exhaust gas passes through the connection pipe 3 and is neutralized by the atomized alkaline solution to then enter the second purification treatment device 2, the exhaust gas is conducted through each of the transmission tubes 211 of the exhaust gas transmission unit 21. Since the transmission tubes 211 are of a great number and set in the form of loop or coil or spiral that increases the overall length thereof, the overall surface area is expanded to allow the surrounding atmosphere to absorb quite a fraction of the heat carried by the exhaust gas. Air streams caused by the movement of the automobile then remove the heat so that the exhaust gas that enters the chamber 2310 of the head portion 231 can be of a temperature reduced to a proper or predetermined level. Under this condition, the gaseous purifying gas (such as ozone or urea) sprayed by the purifying gas generator 24 can be mixed with the exhaust gas inside the chamber 2310 at a low temperature condition to decompose toxicant substances contained in the exhaust gas and thus purify the exhaust gas. The purified exhaust gas is then discharged into the passage 232 to have tiny suspension particles entraining therewith removed by the porous ceramic catalyst filtration core 25 and eventually discharged to the atmosphere.
It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above.
While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.
