Method and apparatus for rapid exhaust catalyst light-off

A system for rapid heating of a catalytic converter for an internal combustion engine during start-up and warm-up phases of engine operation, comprising:

• a hydrocarbon reformer operationally connected to said engine for providing reformate fuel to said engine;
• and
• an air flow control sub-system for controllably and variably supplying air into said reformer and into said converter via an exhaust stream, said sub-system including an air pump selectively connectable to said reformer and said exhaust stream, wherein said air flow control sub-system comprises:
• a) at least one valve for selectively providing air to said reformer through said air pump;
• and
• b) at least one valve for selectively providing air to said reformer by bypassing said air pump.

A vehicle comprising:

• a) an internal combustion engine having a catalytic converter for an exhaust stream from said engine;
• and
• b) a system for rapid heating of said catalytic converter during start-up and warm-up phases of engine operation, said system including
• a hydrocarbon reformer operationally connected to said engine for providing reformate to said engine, and
• an air flow control sub-system for controllably and variably supplying air to said reformer and to said exhaust stream, said sub-system including an air pump selectively connectable to said reformer and said exhaust stream, wherein said air flow control sub-system comprises at least one valve for selecting between a first air flow path from said air pump to said reformer and a second air flow path from said air pump to said exhaust stream.

A method for rapid heating of a catalytic converter connected to an internal combustion engine for receiving and treating an exhaust stream therefrom, comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a hydrocarbon reformer operationally connected to said engine for providing reformate fuel thereto;
• b) providing an air pump selectively connectable to said reformer to provide primary air thereto and to said exhaust stream to provide secondary air thereto;
• c) providing primary air from said air pump to said reformer at engine start-up;
• d) discontinuing said air flow from said air pump to said reformer after said engine start-up, and thereafter providing said primary air to said reformer in response to a vacuum in an intake manifold of said internal combustion engine;
• e) providing excess reformate fuel to said exhaust stream via said engine after said engine start-up;
• f) providing air from said air pump to said exhaust stream after said engine start-up to form a combustible fuel mixture in said catalytic converter;
• and
• g) igniting said combustible fuel mixture in said catalytic converter to rapidly heat said converter to a thermal state wherein catalysis of unburned hydrocarbons from said engine can occur spontaneously.