Microwave enhancement of exhaust aftertreatment systems
AssigneeSouthwest Research Institute
InventorsYilun Luo, Terry Alger, Scott Hotz, Christopher Suhocki
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Abstract
A system for providing microwave energy to aftertreatment devices that treat the exhaust of an internal combustion engine. The system has a microwave generator and a transmission network for delivering the microwaves to one or more of the aftertreatment devices. The transmission network comprises a combination of solid and hollow waveguides. Antenna(s) transmit microwave energy into the working chamber the aftertreatment device(s), with at least one of the devices having antenna(s) capable of distributing microwave energy throughout its chamber.
Claims14
A system for providing microwave energy to one or more aftertreatment devices that treat the exhaust of an internal combustion engine, the one or more aftertreatment device having a treatment chamber, comprising:
- a microwave generator operable to generate microwaves at frequencies up to 12 gigahertz;
- a microwave transmission network for delivering the microwaves to one or more of the aftertreatment devices;
- wherein the microwave transmission network comprises a combination of solid and hollow waveguides;
- at least one solid antenna for transmitting microwave energy into a chamber of each of the one or more of the aftertreatment devices;
- a transition for transitioning the microwaves from a hollow waveguide of the microwave transmission network to the solid antenna, the transition having at least a rod having an upper portion extending in one direction from the hollow waveguide and a lower portion extending in the opposite direction into the hollow waveguide, the rod being made from a solid piece of high-dielectric material;
- wherein outer surfaces of the upper portion (other than its end face) are metal plated, such that the upper portion provides a solid waveguide extending to the chamber and to the solid antenna;
- and wherein the lower portion of the rod has no such plating;
- and a housing that surrounds the rod between the hollow waveguide and the aftertreatment device.
A method of providing microwave energy to aftertreatment devices that treat the exhaust of an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- using a microwave generator to generate microwaves at frequencies up to 12 gigahertz;
- using a microwave transmission network to deliver the microwaves to one or more of the aftertreatment devices;
- wherein the microwave transmission network comprises a combination of solid and hollow waveguides;
- using at least one antenna to transmit microwave energy into a chamber of each of the one or more of the aftertreatment devices;
- transitioning the microwaves from a hollow waveguide of the microwave transmission network to the solid antenna using a transition having at least a rod having an upper portion extending in one direction from the hollow waveguide and a lower portion extending in the opposite direction into the hollow waveguide, the rod being made from a solid piece of high-dielectric material;
- wherein outer surfaces of the upper portion (other than its end face) are metal plated, such that the upper portion provides a solid waveguide extending to the chamber and to the solid antenna;
- and wherein the lower portion of the rod has no such plating;
- and a housing that surrounds the rod between the hollow waveguide and the aftertreatment device;
- wherein at least one of the aftertreatment devices has one or more antennas that distribute the microwaves throughout the chamber;
- and
- activating the microwaves during operation of the one or more aftertreatment devices.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.