Catalyst Converter Heater Integration for Exhaust Gas Purification

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional deodorization devices for exhaust gas from food trash processing have inefficiencies in heating catalyst supports, leading to ineffective deodorization, high energy consumption, and difficulty in achieving uniform catalytic reactions, particularly due to suboptimal heater placement and surface area utilization.

Innovation Solution

A catalyst converter design featuring a monolith structure with a heater wound in a cylindrical form, where the heater and catalyst support are integrated to maximize contact area and heat transfer efficiency, using a hybrid heating method that combines direct and indirect heating to ensure uniform heating of the catalyst support at the activation temperature.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If a heater is arranged at the entrance side of a cylindrical housing with a honeycomb support at the rear end (indirect heating), then the catalyst support can be heated to activation temperature, but the heat transfer efficiency is low and energy consumption is high

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecatalyst support temperatureVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The heater is merged with the honeycomb support structure by integrating heating wires directly into the support walls. This combines the heater and catalyst support into a single integrated component, maximizing heat transfer efficiency and minimizing energy loss through direct contact heating of the catalyst-coated surfaces.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The heating wires are nested within the walls of the honeycomb support cells. The heater is placed inside the structural walls of the support itself, allowing heat to be generated directly within the support material and transferred efficiently to the catalyst coating on the inner surfaces.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Device complexity

If the heater is separated from the catalyst support by a predetermined distance (indirect heating), then the support structure is simpler, but the heat transfer efficiency decreases and uniform heating is difficult to achieve

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesupport structure complexityVSAvoiduniform heating
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The heater and catalyst support are merged into an integrated structure where heating elements are embedded within the support walls. This eliminates the need for separate heater and support components, ensuring direct and uniform heat distribution across all catalyst surfaces while maintaining structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Volume of stationary object

If conventional indirect heating is used with heater at entrance side, then device size can be reduced, but deodorization efficiency is insufficient due to non-uniform heating

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice sizeVSAvoiddeodorization efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of stationary objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The heater and catalyst support are combined into an integrated structure with heating wires embedded in the support walls. This ensures all catalyst surfaces are heated uniformly to activation temperature, maximizing deodorization efficiency within a compact device volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Loss of energy

If the heater is integrally formed with the support (direct heating), then heat transfer efficiency is maximized, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat transfer efficiencyVSAvoidintegration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The heater and catalyst support are merged into a single integrated component where heating wires are embedded within the honeycomb support walls. This maximizes heat transfer efficiency by eliminating thermal interfaces while the modular honeycomb structure maintains manufacturing simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This design enhances deodorization efficiency, reduces energy consumption, and minimizes the device's size while ensuring thorough heating of the catalyst support, leading to effective oxidation and reduction reactions with exhaust gases.

Implementation Method 1

a heater is provided in a deodorization device so that the catalyst can react effectively with a material that induces an offensive odor, and thus heats a catalyst support at a catalyst activity temperature

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Implementation Method 2

a heater is integrally formed with a support (direct heating), and an electric heater which is arranged at a position separated from the support by a predetermined distance (indirect heating)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 3

a deodorization method that uses an oxidation catalyst removes an offensive odor by making exhaust gas passing through a honey comb support that has a number of hollow cells in which a catalyst has been coated

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCatalysis: Catalysis

Implementation Method 4

The deodorization method that uses an oxidation catalyst removes an offensive odor by making exhaust gas passing through a honey comb support that has a number of hollow cells in which a catalyst has been coated

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOxidation: Oxidation

Data Source

PatentEP2190569B1Monolith, catalyst convertor for purifying exhaust gas using the same and method for manufacturing the catalyst
Publication Date: 2015.07.22 AMO CO LTD
  • EP2190569B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2190569B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B
  • EP2190569B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

Provided is a catalyst converter for purifying exhaust gas and a method for manufacturing the catalyst converter, in which a heater is disposed between inner/outer monoliths, to thereby heighten a heat transfer efficiency and induce a uniform catalytic reaction, and to thereby enhance a processing performance, and minimize an electric power consumption and miniaturize a device. The catalyst converter includes: a heater having a winding portion which is wound so as to have a space therein and a pair of electric power terminals; inner and outer monoliths which are inserted in the inner and outer circumferential portions of the heater winding portion wherein each of the inner and outer monoliths includes a number of hollow cells on the surfaces of which catalysts have been coated and which are formed in the lengthy direction; and a housing in which a support assembly is assembled.