Electrically heated catalytic converter
AssigneeW. R. Grace & Co.-Conn.
InventorsRichard C. Cornelison, William A. Whittenberger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
There is provided an improved electrically heated accordion folded corrugated thin metal catalytic converter for hydrocarbon or alcohol fueled engine exhaust, particularly internal combustion engine exhaust, having a simplified construction and characterized in that the entire corrugated thin metal monolith, or monoliths, serves as a resistance heater to bring the catalyst up to optimum operating temperature quickly and thereby reduce the escape of pollutants into the atmosphere upon start-up, and which does not depend upon conduction as a mdoe of heat transfer to achieve such temperature.
Claims17
In a converter for treating an exhaust gas stream to remove one or more pollutants therefrom and comprising in combination a metallic housing having an exhaust gas inlet and a treated exhaust gas outlet, and an accordion folded non-nesting corrugated thin metal foil honeycomb positioned and arranged in juxtaposition with said metallic housing to radially fill said housing, said corrugated thin metal foil honeycomb having on each surface thereof a refractory metal oxide and/or rare earth metal oxide coating optionally including a heavy metal catalyst deposited thereon, the improvement in quick light-off capability comprising
- (a) insulating means positioned between the metallic housing and the accordion folded non-nesting corrugated thin metal foil honeycomb for insolating the housing electrically,
- (b) electrical conductors joined to said accordion folded honeycomb to form more than 2 parallel electrical circuits, and
- (c) a source of electrical potential connected across said electrical conductors, whereby the entire honeycomb of the electrically heated converter may be selectively electrically heated to a temperature of at least 300 degrees F.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.