Catalytic smog reduction
AssigneeGreen Light Industries, Inc.
InventorsGerald Peter Jackson, Jason Ryan Babcock, Joseph Matthew Zlotnicki
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device, method of making, and method of using, illustratively wherein a container includes an inlet and an outlet; a catalytic converter intermediate in a path between the inlet and the outlet; at least one surface arranged to ensure at least a majority of gas received from the inlet traverses a first portion of the path from the inlet to the catalytic converter and communicates heat from the catalytic converter to the container; and an optical means arranged to transport visible light, emitted from the catalytic converter during reduction of the smog-generating chemical in the gas, to a location outside the container to indicate whether the catalytic converter is functioning properly.
Claims37
Apparatus comprising:
- a container comprising an outside surface, an inlet, and an outlet;
- a catalytic converter, inside said container;
- a surface located to ensure at least a majority of gas from the inlet is communicated into the catalytic converter, said surface shaped to prevent the outside surface from reaching a temperature that would cause said outside surface to visibly glow from heat generated during use of the catalytic converter to reduce concentration of a smog-generating chemical in the gas;
- and
- an optical means arranged to transport visible light, emitted from the catalytic converter during reduction of the smog-generating chemical in the gas, to a location outside the container so as to indicate whether the catalytic converter is functioning properly.
A process of using, the process comprising:
- receiving, from a device within which combustion has taken place, gaseous exhaust into a container having a catalytic converter therein;
- directing said received gaseous exhaust into the container and through the catalytic converter;
- catalytically reducing concentration of a smog-generating chemical in said gaseous exhaust;
- indicating said reducing is functioning properly via an optical means arranged to transport visible light emitted from the catalytic converter during reduction of the smog-generating chemical in the gaseous, to a location outside the container.
A process of making, the process comprising:
- forming a container comprising an outside surface, an inlet, and an outlet;
- locating a catalytic converter inside said container;
- positioning a surface to ensure at least a majority of gas from the inlet is communicated into the catalytic converter, including shaping the surface to prevent the outside surface from reaching a temperature that would cause said outside surface to visibly glow from heat transferred from operating the catalytic converter to reduce concentration of a smog-generating chemical in the gas;
- and
- orienting an optical means arranged to transport visible light, emitted from the catalytic converter during reduction of the smog-generating chemical in the gas to a location outside the container so as to indicate whether the catalytic converter is functioning properly.
Apparatus comprising:
- a container comprising an inlet and an outlet;
- a catalytic converter intermediate in a path between the inlet and the outlet;
- at least one surface arranged to ensure at least a majority of gas received from the inlet traverses a first portion of the path from the inlet to the catalytic converter and communicates heat from the catalytic converter to the container;
- and
- an optical means arranged to transport visible light, emitted from the catalytic converter during reduction of a smog-generating chemical in the gas to a location outside the container so as to indicate whether the catalytic converter is functioning properly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.