Exhaust Aftertreatment Device with Downstream Heating Disk

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing exhaust-gas aftertreatment devices fail to achieve optimal chemical reactions due to suboptimal arrangement and orientation of catalytic converters, leading to incomplete pollutant reactions.

Innovation Solution

A device with a heating catalytic converter arranged 180 degrees in the flow path, incorporating an electrically heatable heating disk and secondary air injection at the heating catalytic converter region, ensuring pollutants are not desorbed before the light-off temperature, and a catalytic converter configuration that includes a metallic or ceramic honeycomb body with adsorbent coatings for enhanced pollutant treatment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If a heating disk is arranged upstream of the catalytic converter in the flow direction, then the exhaust gas can be heated rapidly to achieve light-off temperature, but the pollutants stored in the catalytic converter may be desorbed before the light-off temperature is attained, resulting in incomplete chemical reactions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveexhaust gas temperatureVSAvoidchemical reaction completeness

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional arrangement by placing the heating disk downstream of the catalytic converter in the flow direction, rather than upstream. This reversal prevents the heating disk from causing premature desorption of pollutants before light-off temperature is achieved, while still enabling rapid heating to the required temperature for effective chemical reactions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a secondary air supply as an intermediary element between the heating disk and the catalytic converter. This secondary air supply manages the thermal and chemical environment, preventing harmful effects while facilitating the desired heating and reaction processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of time

If the catalytic converter arrangement is optimized for rapid heating, then the light-off temperature can be reached quickly, but the orientation and configuration may not be optimal for achieving complete chemical reactions of pollutants

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetime to reach light-off temperatureVSAvoidpollutant reaction efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional arrangement by placing the heating disk downstream of the catalytic converter in the flow direction, rather than upstream. This reversal prevents the heating disk from causing premature desorption of pollutants before light-off temperature is achieved, while still enabling rapid heating to the required temperature for effective chemical reactions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Ease of manufacture

If a conventional heating disk configuration is used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but it cannot achieve optimal aftertreatment of exhaust gas under all operating conditions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice construction simplicityVSAvoidaftertreatment performance across operating conditions

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional arrangement by placing the heating disk downstream of the catalytic converter in the flow direction, rather than upstream. This reversal prevents the heating disk from causing premature desorption of pollutants before light-off temperature is achieved, while still enabling rapid heating to the required temperature for effective chemical reactions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a secondary air supply as an intermediary element between the heating disk and the catalytic converter. This secondary air supply manages the thermal and chemical environment, preventing harmful effects while facilitating the desired heating and reaction processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 configuration ensures complete and efficient exhaust-gas aftertreatment by maintaining pollutant adsorption until the light-off temperature, allowing for uniform heating and homogeneous flow, thereby optimizing chemical reactions across all operating conditions.

Implementation Method 1

an electrically heatable heating disk

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Implementation Method 2

a catalytic converter which is configured as a metallic honeycomb body and which is coated with an adsorbent coating

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Data Source

PatentUS11986811B2Exhaust gas aftertreatment device

Publication Date: 2024.05.21 VITESCO TECHNOLOGIES GMBH

AI summary

A device for the aftertreatment of exhaust gases from an exhaust-gas source, having a spatially delimited flow path through which flow may pass proceeding from the exhaust-gas source, having a heating catalytic converter which is arranged in the flow path and which, as viewed in a flow direction, firstly has a catalytically active catalytic converter through which flow may pass and, following this in the flow direction, has an electrically heatable heating disk, wherein at least one outlet of a secondary air supply is arranged in the region of the heating catalytic converter such that a gas flow referred to as secondary air is fed into the flow path in the region of the heating catalytic converter.