# US 5,707,593 A · Energy self-sustainable reactor for gasifying engine particulates and unburned hydrocarbons > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,707,593 A - Document ID: US5707593A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/774,570 - Filed: 1996-12-31 - Granted: 1998-01-13 - Earliest claimed: 1996-12-31 - Inventors: Chi S. Wang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5707593A ## CPC - F01N 3/023: using means for regenerating the filters, e.g. by burning trapped particles - B01D 53/62: Carbon oxides - B01D 53/72: Organic compounds not provided for in groups B01D53/48 - B01D53/70, e.g. hydrocarbons - F01N 3/021: by means of filters - F01N 3/0211: {Arrangements for mounting filtering elements in housing, e.g. with means for compensating thermal expansion or vibration} - F01N 3/04: using liquids - F01N 3/08: for rendering innocuous (using electric or electrostatic separators F01N3/01; chemical aspects B01D53/92) - F01N 3/26: Construction of thermal reactors - F01N 3/28: Construction of catalytic reactors - F01N 3/2882: {Catalytic reactors combined or associated with other devices, e.g. exhaust silencers or other exhaust purification devices (combined with absorbents or adsorbents only F01N3/0814; combined with particulate filters F01N3/035)} - F01N 2250/02: filtering and catalytic conversion - F01N 2310/02: Mineral wool, e.g. glass wool, rock wool, asbestos or the like - Y02A 50/20: Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters - Y02C 20/40: of CO2 - 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) - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE - Y02C: CAPTURE, STORAGE, SEQUESTRATION OR DISPOSAL OF GREENHOUSE GASES [GHG] ## Abstract A reactor that can be attached to the exhaust manifold of an internal combustion engine to oxidize and burn carbon soot particles, carbon monoxide, and unburned hydrocarbons, and to dissociate nitrogen and sulfur oxides. The reactor has a reaction zone that contains porous heat-retaining foam cells and that is bounded by a porous heat-retaining zone, which in turn is surrounded by ceramic insulation materials to minimize energy losses. Engine exhaust at elevated temperatures and containing some oxygen (air) enters the reaction chamber. By means of impinging heat transfer, thermal radiation enhancement, energy trapping and combustion of engine emissions, temperatures sufficient to oxidize carbon soot particles, carbon monoxide, and unburned hydrocarbons are attained. Steam or atomized water droplets are introduced to improve the efficiency of the reactor through gasification, regasification, water shift reactions, methanation, and hydrocracking reactions. Harmless product of the oxidation reactions, H.sub.2 O and CO.sub.2, are released from the reactor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A reactor for the oxidation and combustion of carbon soot particles, unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and for the dissociation of nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides in engine exhaust containing oxygen from an engine with an engine block, said reactor comprising: a metal casing; said metal casing containing: a reaction zone where exothermal oxidation and combustion of engine exhaust and formation of decomposition products occurs, the oxidation and combustion being sustained by heat of the exhaust and heat released in exothermal oxidation and combustion of the exhaust; means that introduce water in the liquid or gaseous phase into the reaction zone in a form promoting mixing of the water with the engine exhaust, the water reacting with the engine exhaust in the reaction zone through gasification, regasification, and water shift reactions, and additionally through methanation or hydrocracking, or both. an inlet pipe that introduces engine exhaust into the reaction zone; a porous heat-retaining zone defining laterally the reaction zone, the porous heat-retaining zone allowing passage of engine exhaust and decomposition products; an impervious insulating plate bordering the reaction zone opposite to the inlet pipe; porous heat-retaining cells in the reaction zone adjacent to said impervious insulating plate for deposit and combustion of soot particles, the porous heat-retaining cell occupying only part of the reaction zone, impinging heat transfer occurring where the soot particles are deposited; insulating means adjacent to and external to the porous heat-retaining zone for minimizing energy losses from the porous heat-retaining zone; a metal net mesh adjacent to the impervious insulating plate, the porous heat-retaining zone, and the insulating means, that allows passage of engine exhaust and decomposition products; the metal casing being penetrated by the inlet pipe and a metal outlet pipe, and the metal casing being shaped to allow space between the metal net mesh and the metal outlet pipe. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A reactor as set forth in claim 1 wherein the means for introducing water in the reaction zone introduces water with a mass ratio of water to engine exhaust in the range of 0.01 to 3.0. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A reactor as set forth in claim 2 wherein the insulating means is a ceramic wall interior to an outer insulating region. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A reactor as set forth in claim 3 wherein the porous heat-retaining zone and the porous heat-retaining cells contain material selected from the group consisting of reticulated foam cells of ceramic materials of zirconia, mullite, silica, alumina, cordierite, or lava; ceramic oxides of these ceramic materials; combinations of the ceramic materials or of their oxides; and these combinations washcoated with high purity alumina, titania, or zeolites, said ceramic wall and said impervious insulating plate are a ceramic material; and outer insulating region contains ceramic fibers. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A reactor as set forth in claim 4 wherein the impervious insulating plate and the insulating ceramic wall contain material selected from the group consisting of ceramic materials of zirconia, mullite, silica, alumina, cordierite, or lava; ceramic oxides of these ceramic materials; combinations of the ceramic materials or of their oxides; combinations of metals and ceramics; and magnesia or calcia stabilized or partially-stabilized ceramics. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A reactor as set forth in claim 5 wherein said outer insulating region contain material selected from the group consisting of vacuum form ceramic fibers, ceramic fiber blankets, and refractory fibers, and wherein the metal casing, metal net mesh, inlet pipe, and outlet pipe are made of stainless steel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A reactor as set forth in claim 6 wherein the porous heat-retaining zone and the porous heat-retaining cells are in contact. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) A reactor as set forth in claim 6 wherein the porous heat-retaining zone and the porous heat-retaining cells are not in contact. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) A reactor as set forth in claim 6 wherein the means for introducing water in the reaction zone includes a pump, connecting pipe, and an atomizing nozzle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) A reactor as set forth in claim 6 further comprising a catalytic oxidizer layer and an additional metal net mesh, the catalytic oxidizer layer being contained between the metal net mesh and the additional metal mesh. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) A reactor as set forth in claim 6 further comprising a catalytic converter, the catalytic converter connected to the metal outlet pipe. ### Claim 12 (depends on 6) A reactor as set forth in claim 6 further comprising means for adding air to the reaction zone. ### Claim 13 (depends on 6) A reactor as set forth in claim 6 wherein the reaction zone contains an energy source. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A reactor as set forth in claim 13 wherein the energy source comprises a petroleum-fueled energy source. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) A reactor as set forth in claim 13 wherein the energy source comprises an electrical energy source.