US 4,362,016 A · Pollution control device for automobile exhaust

Abstract

A pollution control device for reducing pollution of the atmosphere by automobile exhaust gases comprises a chamber in the exhaust line and at least one pair of electrode units installed in the chamber wall. Each pair of electrode units comprises two casings installed a short distance apart in the chamber wall, an insulator extending through each casing and an electrode wire extending through each insulator into the chamber. Inner ends of the electrode wires are bent and one of the insulators together with the respective wire is rotatable so that by such rotation the distance between the inner ends of the wire can be varied. High voltage current is supplied to the electrode wires and the rotatable insulator is controlled to bring the inner ends of the electrode wires close together to initiate a discharge when the engine is started and then increasing the gap to about one inch to provide a continuous flame which burns off carbon CO and any other combustible ingredients in the exhaust gases.

Drawings

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Drawings

Claims18

Dependent claims

An emission control device for reducing pollution of the atmosphere by automobile engine exhaust gases, comprising in combination,

a housing having walls defining a chamber, an inlet for exhaust gases into said chamber, and an outlet for exhaust gases spaced from said inlet to cause exhaust gases to flow through said chamber from said inlet to said outlet, said housing having an opening and a wall portion comprising a cover for said opening movable between open and closed positions,
a plurality of pairs of electrode units mounted in said housing and spaced from one another, each of said pairs comprising a first casing mounted in a wall of said housing, a first tubular insulator extending through said casing, a first electrode wire extending through said first insulator and having an inner end portion exposed in said chamber and an outer end portion outside said housing, means providing a pressure-tight seal between said first electrode wire, said first insulator and said first casing, a second casing mounted in the same wall of said housing beside and near said first casing, a second tubular insulator extending through said second casing, a second electrode wire extending through said second insulator and having an inner end portion inside said chamber near the inner end portion of said first electrode wire and an outer end portion outside said housing, means providing a pressure-tight seal between said second electrode wire, said second insulator and said second casing, said first and second tubular insulators and electrode wires being parallel with one another and spaced laterally apart, said inner end portion of at least said second electrode wire being bent at an angle to the axis of said second insulator and said second insulator being rotatable about its axis together with said second electrode wire to move the inner end portion of said second electrode wire toward and away from the inner end portion of said first electrode wire and thereby vary the distance between inner tip portions of said electrode wires,
means connected to the outer end portions of said electrode wires for supplying high voltage electric current continuously to said electrode wires of each pair of electrode units to produce a continuous electric discharge between said inner tip portions of the electrode wires of each pair while the engine of said automobile is running,
an arm fixed on an outer end portion of said second tubular insulator of each pair of electrode units and extending radially of said second insulator, linkage interconnecting said arms of all of said pairs of electrode units and control means connected with said linkage and operable to rotate all of said second insulators and said second electrode wires to a first position to bring inner tips of said first and second electrode wires of each pair close together to provide a gap of about one eighth inch to initiate discharge between them when the engine is started and thereafter move said tip portions further apart to increase the length of the electric discharge path between them to provide a gap of about one inch and maintain them continuously in said further spaced condition to provide a continuous flame for consuming combustibles in the exhaust gases.

1 more element

An emission control device for reducing pollution of the atmosphere by automobile engine exhaust gases, comprising in combination,

an elongate cylindrical housing having an exhaust inlet at one end and an exhaust outlet at an opposite end, said housing having in a side wall a longitudinally extending elongate opening, an elongate cover for closing said opening, said cover being movable between a closed position and an open position,
a plurality of pairs of electrode units mounted in said cover, said electrode units being aligned in a direction longitudinal of said housing and spaced from one another longitudinally of said housing, each of said pairs comprising a first tubular insulator extending through said cover in a direction radial of said housing, a first electrode wire extending through said first insulator and having an inner end portion inside said housing and an outer end portion outside said housing, means providing a pressure-tight seal between said first electrode wire, said first insulator and said housing, a second tubular insulator extending through said cover in a direction radial of said housing, a second electrode wire extending through said second insulator and having an inner end portion inside said housing and an outer end portion outside said housing, means providing a pressure-tight seal between said second electrode wire, said second insulator and said housing, said second insulator and second electrode wire being parallel to said first insulator and first electrode wire and spaced therefrom in a direction longitudinal of said housing, the inner end portion of at least said second electrode wire being bent at an angle to the axis of said second insulator and said second insulator being rotatable about its axis together with said second electrode wire to vary the distance between inner tips of said first and second electrode,
means connected to the outer end portions of said electrode wires for supplying high voltage electric current continuously to said electrode wires of each pair of electrode units to produce a continuous electric discharge between inner end portions thereof while the engine of said automobile is running,
an arm fixed on an outer end portion of said second insulator of each pair of electrode units and extending transversely of the longitudinal axis of said housing, linkage interconnecting said arms of all of said pairs of electrode units, and means connected with said linkage and operable to rotate all of said second insulators and second electrode wires to bring inner tips of said first and second electrode wires close together to provide a gap of about one eighth inch to initiate discharge when said engine is started and thereafter to move said tip portions further apart to increase the length of the electric discharge path between them to provide a gap of about one inch and to maintain them continuously in said further spaced apart condition while the engine is running to provide a continuous flame for consuming combustibles in the exhaust gases.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description4,842 words

Summary536 words

#The present invention relates to a pollution control device for reducing pollution of the atmosphere by automobile exhaust gases.

#By reason of the large number of automobiles operated in congested areas such as large cities, pollution of the atmosphere by the automobile exhaust gases has become an increasingly serious problem. Many efforts have been made to decrease such pollution. Among such efforts is the installation of a catalytic converter in the exhaust line of the vehicle. However, a catalytic converter is an expensive piece of equipment which materially increases the cost of a car on which it is installed. Moreover, it is not wholly effective or reliable. A further disadvantage is that it requires the use of unleaded gasoline and thereby reduces the performance of the car.

#Another means that has been tried for reducing pollution is to recycle a portion of the exhaust gases by introducing it into the intake manifold of the engine. While this results in subjecting the recycled portion of the exhaust gases to a second combustion, it has the disadvantage of reducing the amount of oxygen available in the charge for combustion so that the combustion is less complete than it would be if an excess of oxygen were available.

Brief description of the drawings13 figures

#The nature, objects and advantages of the invention will be more fully understood from the following description of preferred embodiments shown by way of example in the drawings in which:

#FIG. 1 is a cut away perspective view showing a first embodiment of a pollution control device in accordance with the invention installed on a muffler;

#FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a pair of electrodes of the control device shown in conjunction with a simplified circuit diagram of a circuit for supplying high tension electric current to the electrodes;

Detailed description4,042 words

#In FIG. 1 of the drawings a pollution control device for reducing pollution of the atmosphere by automobile exhaust gases is shown installed on the muffler 1 in an automobile exhaust line. The muffler is shown by way of example as comprising a casing 2 having a flattened cylindrical peripheral wall 2a and opposite end walls 2b and 2c. Inside the casing 2 there are two transverse bulkheads 3a and 3b which are parallel to and spaced from the end walls 2b and 2c respectively. Extending between the bulkheads 3a and 3b there are three perforated pipes 4a, 4b and 4c. An intake pipe 5 is connected with the perforated pipe 4a while exhaust pipe 6 is connected with the opposite end of the central perforated pipe 4b. The intake 5 is connected with the exhaust line coming from the engine. The exhaust pipe 6 is connected to a tailpipe or in some instances to a second muffler. It will be understood that the muffler illustrated in FIG. 1 is shown only by way of example and that the pollution control device in accordance with the present invention is equally applicable to mufflers of other construction.

#In accordance with the invention, means is provided for producing a continuous electric arc or flame inside the muffler casing to burn off noxious components of the exhaust gas, for example carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide, hydrocarbons and free carbon. The continuous arc or flame is produced by means of a pair of electrode units 7a and 7b installed on the muffler for example in an end wall of the muffler casing. For economy of production the two electrode units are shown as being alike except for such difference as is herein pointed out. Each of the electrode units is shown as comprising an electrode 8 having a cylindrical shank portion 8a and an inner end portion 8b which is of reduced diameter and is bent to provide a laterally projecting tip portion 8c. The inner end portion or at least the tip portion 8c is formed of a durable electrically conducting material such as tungsten which is resistant to erosion by electric arcing. At its outer end the electrode 8 is provided with a threaded portion 8d and a terminal portion 8e provided with a snap clamp 8f for connection to a conductor 9 for supplying high voltage electric current to the electrode.

#The electrode 8 extends though a tubular porcelain insulator 10 and is secured in the insulator by a flange 8g on the electrode which engages the inner end of the insulator and a nut 11 which is screwed onto the threaded portion 8d of the electrode and engages the opposite end of the insulator. The electrode and tubular porcelain insulator are thereby secured together in fixed relation to one another and so as to provide a gas-tight seal between them.

Pollution control device for automobile exhaust

Life of this patent

Pollution control device for automobile exhaust

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims18

Description4,842 words

Drawings

Classification11 codes

Life of this patent

Description4,842 words