Cold start catalyst light-off
AssigneeFca US LLC
InventorJohn D Phillips
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An internal combustion engine system includes an internal combustion engine, an exhaust aftertreatment system with a catalytic converter configured to receive exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine, and a light-off catalyst system including an electrolyzer configured to perform an electrolysis of water to produce a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen gases. A conduit is in fluid communication between the electrolyzer and an intake of the internal combustion engine. A controller is configured to supply the mixture of hydrogen and oxygen gases to the engine intake during a cold start to facilitate rapidly warming the catalytic converter to a light-off temperature.
Claims20
An internal combustion engine system comprising:
- an internal combustion engine;
- an exhaust aftertreatment system with a catalytic converter configured to receive exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine;
- a light-off catalyst system including a canister with an electrolyzer therein configured to perform an electrolysis of water to produce a mixture of pressurized hydrogen and oxygen gases, which is stored within the canister;
- a conduit in fluid communication between the canister and an intake of the internal combustion engine;
- and
- a controller configured to supply the mixture of hydrogen and oxygen gases to the engine intake during a cold start to facilitate rapidly warming the catalytic converter to a light-off temperature.
A method of performing a cold start catalyst light-off for a vehicle having an internal combustion engine and an exhaust aftertreatment system with a catalytic converter, the method comprising:
- performing, at an electrolyzer disposed within a canister, an electrolysis operation to generate a pressurized mixture of hydrogen and oxygen gases from a supply of water, and subsequently storing the pressurized mixture of hydrogen and oxygen gases within the canister;
- detecting, by a controller having one or more processors, a vehicle cold start condition;
- and
- supplying the mixture of hydrogen and oxygen gases to an intake of the engine for combustion therein to facilitate rapidly warming the catalytic converter to a light-off temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.