US 4,404,795 A · Method of and apparatus for reducing emitted amount of particulates contained in exhaust gas of diesel engine

Abstract

This invention provides improvements in method of and apparatus for reducing an emitted amount of particulates by collecting the particulates contained in the exhaust gas from a diesel engine by a trapper. According to the invention, firstly, an excess amount of the particulates which have adhered to the trapper is detected, and thereafter, temperature of the trapper being within a range of self-burning temperature of the particulates is detected. When necessity for regenerating the trapper is ascertained based on the both detections described above, the inlet side of the trapper is heated to a range of igniting temperature of the particulates, whereby a large igniting energy required for propagating combustion is accumulated. Thereafter, secondary air is supplied to the trapper to ignite the particulates, and combustion is propagated to the particulates being within the range of self-burning temperature thereof by the secondary air continuously supplied, to thereby regenerate the trapper.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A method of reducing an emitted amount of particulates by introducing the exhaust gas from a diesel engine into a trapper and causing the particulates to adhere to a trapping member in said trapper, comprising the following steps in the sequence set forth:

detecting that the amount of the particulates which have adhered to said trapping member exceeds a predetermined value;
detecting that a temperature of said trapping member is within a range of self-burning temperature of the particulates relative to said adhering amount of the particulates;
heating an inlet part of said trapping member in said trapper to a range of igniting temperature of the particulates;
supplying secondary air to said trapper to ignite the particulates which have adhered to the inlet part of said trapping member;
and
stopping said heating of the inlet part of said trapping member;
whereby combustion of the particulates at the inlet part of said trapping member is propagated to the particulates which have adhered to an outlet part of said trapping member, to thereby regenerate said trapper.

4 more elements

Apparatus for reducing an emitted amount of particulates by introducing the exhaust gas from a diesel engine into a trapper and causing the particulates to adhere to a trapping member in said trapper, comprising:

adhering amount detecting means for detecting that the amount of the particulates which have adhered to said trapping member exceeds a predetermined value;
temperature detecting means for detecting that a temperature of said trapping member is within a range of self-burning temperature of the particulates relative to said adhering amount of the particulates;
heating means for heating an inlet part of said trapping member in said trapper to a range of igniting temperature of the particulates;
secondary air feeding means for supplying secondary air into said trapper to ignite the particulates which have adhered to the inlet part of said trapping member;
and
control means including means for receiving signals from said adhering amount detecting means and said temperature detecting means, and operating said heating means when the adhering amount of the particulates is in excess of said predetermined value and the temperature of the trapping member is within said range of self-burning temperature;
whereby combustion of the particulates at the inlet part of said trapping member is propagated to the particulates which have adhered to an outlet part of said trapping member, to thereby regenerate said trapper.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method of and apparatus for reducing emitted amount of particulates contained in exhaust gas of diesel engine

Life of this patent

Method of and apparatus for reducing emitted amount of particulates contained in exhaust gas of diesel engine

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13