Thermoelectric catalytic converter temperature control
AssigneeGeneral Motors Corporation
InventorsJihui Yang, Mei Cai, Francis R. Stabler
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Abstract
A method for controlling temperature of a catalytic converter in an automobile exhaust system is disclosed. The method includes establishing a reference temperature for the catalytic converter, distributing a stream of exhaust gases through the catalytic converter, obtaining a measured temperature of the catalytic converter and converting thermal energy from the stream of exhaust gases into electrical energy when the measured temperature exceeds the reference temperature. An apparatus for controlling temperature of a catalytic converter in an automobile exhaust system is also disclosed.
Claims14
A method for controlling temperature of a catalytic converter in an automobile exhaust system, comprising:
- establishing a reference temperature for said catalytic converter;
- distributing a stream of exhaust gases through said catalytic converter;
- obtaining a measured temperature of said catalytic converter;
- converting thermal energy from said stream of exhaust gases into electrical energy when said measured temperature exceeds said reference temperature;
- retaining said thermal energy in said stream of exhaust gases when said measured temperature falls below said reference temperature;
- and
- providing first and second exhaust flow pathways for said stream of exhaust gases and wherein said converting thermal energy from said stream of exhaust gases into electrical energy comprises distributing said stream of exhaust gases through said first exhaust flow pathway and said retaining said thermal energy in said stream of exhaust gases comprises distributing said stream of exhaust gases through said second exhaust flow pathway.
An apparatus for controlling temperature of a catalytic converter in an automobile exhaust system, comprising:
- a thermoelectric energy recovery system for receiving a stream of exhaust gases;
- a catalytic converter provided in fluid communication with said thermoelectric energy recovery system;
- a controller operably connected to said thermoelectric energy recovery system for selectively operating said thermoelectric energy recovery system to convert thermal energy from the stream of exhaust gases into electrical energy;
- and
- an energy recovery system conduit and a bypass conduit bypassing said energy recovery system conduit, and wherein said thermoelectric energy recovery system is provided in said energy recovery system conduit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.