Patent · US Expired

Vacuum-insulated catalytic converter

US6203764A · kind A · utility

30Cited by
1References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJan 15, 1999
Grant dateMar 20, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 15, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF28D20/02
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A catalytic converter has an inner canister that contains catalyst-coated substrates and an outer canister that encloses an annular, variable vacuum insulation chamber surrounding the inner canister. An annular tank containing phase-change material for heat storage and release is positioned in the variable vacuum insulation chamber a distance spaced part from the inner canister. A reversible hydrogen getter in the variable vacuum insulation chamber, preferably on a surface of the heat storage tank, releases hydrogen into the variable vacuum insulation chamber to conduct heat when the phase-change material is hot and absorbs the hydrogen to limit heat transfer to radiation when the phase-change material is cool. A porous zeolite trap in the inner canister absorbs and retains hydrocarbons from the exhaust gases when the catalyst-coated substrates and zeolite trap are cold and releases the hydrocarbons for reaction on the catalyst-coated substrate when the zeolite trap and catalyst-coated substrate get hot.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.