Intake Air Preheating for Aged Catalytic Converters

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Solution Overview

Problem

Catalytic converters used in internal combustion engines for exhaust gas treatment face aging issues, leading to increased pollutant emissions over time, which existing methods attempt to address by adding excess noble metals, increasing costs without fully solving the problem.

Innovation Solution

A ducting system with a heating device in the feed duct that preheats air to the engine, with the duration and heat output controlled based on the age of the exhaust gas treatment units, reducing the warm-up phase and maintaining emissions within limits without the need for excess noble metals.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If excess noble metal is provided in catalytic converters, then emissions can be maintained within limits for longer periods, but manufacturing costs increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveemissions compliance durationVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the thermal parameter (intake air temperature) as a function of exhaust gas treatment unit age. By increasing the temperature of the intake air through the heating device, the system compensates for the reduced catalytic activity of aged converters, allowing standard converters to maintain emissions compliance without excess noble metal

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary heating of the intake air before it enters the combustion engine. This preheating action, controlled based on the age of the exhaust gas treatment unit, ensures that the engine operates at temperatures that optimize catalytic converter performance, extending the effective service life of standard converters

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Object-generated harmful factors

If catalytic converters operate with aged noble metal coating, then emissions increase beyond legal limits, but adding excess noble metal increases manufacturing cost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepollutant emissionsVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-generated harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent dynamically changes the intake air temperature parameter based on the age of the catalytic converter. The heating device increases intake air temperature as the converter ages, compensating for noble metal degradation and maintaining emissions within legal limits without requiring excess noble metal in the converter design

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The control device receives information about the age of the exhaust gas treatment unit and uses this feedback to adjust the heating device operation. This closed-loop control ensures emissions compliance is maintained throughout the converter's service life, eliminating the need for over-engineering with excess noble metal

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If the heating device operates continuously, then catalytic converter efficiency is maintained, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecatalytic converter efficiencyVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The heating device operates dynamically rather than continuously. The control device adjusts the heating duration and intensity based on the age of the exhaust gas treatment unit and operating conditions, maintaining catalytic converter efficiency only when and where needed, thereby reducing overall energy consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The heating device is activated periodically based on the age of the catalytic converter and engine operating conditions. The control device determines appropriate heating cycles, providing catalyst efficiency maintenance during critical periods while allowing energy savings during periods when the converter is still effective

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

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 approach shortens the engine's warm-up phase, increases catalytic converter efficiency, and maintains low pollutant emissions over a high number of operating hours, meeting environmental standards without the added cost of excess noble metals.

Implementation Method 1

a heating device arranged in the feed duct. The heating device is configured to perform a heating process for preheating the air that is fed to the internal combustion engine

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Data Source

PatentUS9151196B2Ducting system for feeding air and exhaust gases to an internal combustion engine and for discharging the exhaust gases produced by the internal combustion engine from the internal combustion engine

Publication Date: 2015.10.06 FORD GLOBAL TECH LLC

AI summary

In one embodiment, a ducting system comprises a feed duct for feeding air and exhaust gases to an internal combustion engine, a discharge duct for discharging the exhaust gases produced by the internal combustion engine from the internal combustion engine, in which one or more exhaust gas aftertreatment units are arranged for aftertreatment of the exhaust gases, and a heating device arranged in the feed duct. The heating device is configured to perform a heating process for preheating the air that is fed to the internal combustion engine. A duration of the heating process and/or heat output given off by the heating device is controlled as a function of a variable approximately representing a state of ageing of at least one of the one or more exhaust gas treatment units.