# US 11,905,870 B2 · Catalytic element with inductive heater > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,905,870 B2 - Document ID: US11905870B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/319,068 - Filed: 2023-05-17 - Published: 2023-11-09 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2022-04-22 - Assignees: Unifrax I LLC - Applicants: Unifrax I LLC - Inventors: James D. Grace; Mark E. Beauharnois; Adam M. Nohel; Michael Robert Carson, Jr.; Dakota Piehler; Donald John Daniels, IV; Maurice Y. Belisle - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11905870B2 ## CPC - F01N 3/2013: {using electric or magnetic heating means} - F01N 3/2026: {directly electrifying the catalyst substrate, i.e. heating the electrically conductive catalyst substrate by joule effect} - F01N 3/2839: {Arrangements for mounting catalyst support in housing, e.g. with means for compensating thermal expansion or vibration} - H05B 6/06: Control, e.g. of temperature, of power - H05B 6/36: Coil arrangements - F01N: GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES (arrangements in connection with gas exhaust of propulsion units in vehicles B60K13/00; combustion-air intake silencers specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines F02M35/00; protecting against, or damping, noise in general G10K11/16) - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL ## Abstract Catalytic elements are usable in waste gas control processes. The catalytic elements include an open inlet into a hollow body and a closed end thereby forcing fluid or gas through a porous catalytic layer of the element. The catalytic layer includes inorganic fibers and a catalyst disposed on or incorporated into the fibers. The catalytic element also includes an inductive heater disposed therein and a conductive layer about the inductive heater to transfer heat to the catalyst and fluid or gas. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device comprising: a housing; an inductive heater disposed within the housing; a conductive layer disposed within the housing radially outside of the inductive heater, wherein the conductive layer is gas permeable and thermally conductive; and a catalytic layer disposed within the housing around the conductive layer, wherein the catalytic layer comprises inorganic fibers and a catalyst; wherein the conductive layer is configured to transfer heat from the inductive heater to the catalytic layer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising an end cap sealing one end of the conductive layer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The device of claim 2, wherein the end cap is not gas permeable. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The device of claim 3, wherein the end cap is conical. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The device of claim 2, wherein the end cap comprises a permeable catalytic layer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the inorganic fibers comprise alumina fibers, alumino-silicate fibers, alumina-boria-silicate fibers, alumina-zirconia-silicate fibers, zirconia-silicate fibers, zirconia fibers, or combinations thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the catalyst comprises platinum, rubidium, antimony, copper, silver, palladium, ruthenium, bismuth, zinc, nickel, cobalt, chromium, cerium, titanium, iron, vanadium, gold, manganese, or combinations thereof. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising a support layer secured radially outside and about the catalytic layer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The device of claim 8, wherein the support layer or the conductive layer comprises a catalyst. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising a non-conductive isolator covering at least a portion of the inductive heater. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to treat gas comprising unburned hydrocarbons or volatile organic compounds. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The device of claim 11, wherein the device is a catalytic converter for a vehicle. ### Claim 13 A method comprising: introducing a gas into an inlet of an emissions control device, the emissions control device comprising: a housing comprising the inlet and an outlet; an inductive heater disposed within the housing; a conductive layer disposed within the housing radially outside of the inductive heater, wherein the conductive layer is gas permeable and thermally conductive; and a catalytic layer disposed within the housing around the conductive layer, wherein the catalytic layer comprises inorganic fibers and a catalyst; wherein the catalytic layer forms a permeable seal between the inlet and the outlet; using the inductive heater, heating the conductive layer; transferring heat from the conductive layer to the catalytic layer or the gas via conduction, convection, and/or radiation; catalytically oxidizing or reducing components of the gas at the catalytic layer; and exhausting the oxidized or reduced gas through the outlet of the emissions control device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the gas comprises unburned hydrocarbons or volatile organic compounds that are oxidized or reduced at the catalytic layer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the emissions control device further comprises a support layer secured radially outside and about the catalytic layer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the support layer or the conductive layer comprises a catalyst. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the emissions control device comprises a temperature sensor proximate the catalytic layer and a controller in communication with the temperature sensor and configured to control operation of the inductive heater; and wherein heating the conductive layer comprises intermittently operating the inductive heater via the controller to maintain a predetermined temperature range as measured by the temperature sensor. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the predetermined temperature range comprises a light-off temperature of a catalytic oxidation or reduction reaction occurring in the catalytically oxidizing or reducing step. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the emissions control device comprises a controller configured to control operation of the inductive heater; and wherein heating the conductive layer comprises intermittently operating the inductive heater via the controller at predetermined intervals. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the gas is exhaust gas from a vehicle and the emissions control device is a catalytic converter.