Non-thermal plasma exhaust NOx reactor
US6464945B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 16, 1999 |
| Grant date | Oct 15, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 16, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF01N13/009
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
An NOx reducing exhaust treatment system includes a non-thermal plasma reactor assembly which initiates NOx reduction reactions that are completed by a catalytic converter downstream of the reactor in the system. The reactor assembly includes a monolithic reactor element formed of insulating plates and spacers made of high dielectric material, such as alumina. Some of the plates carry electrodes and connecting conductors which may be painted on with conductive ink and baked on as a surface coating. The electrodes are patterned to provide a distance between the electrodes and the connectors of alternate electrodes that is sufficient to prevent arc over. The plates and spacers form a plurality of thin gas passages each lying between a pair of electrodes, one to be charged with an AC voltage and the other grounded to impress the alternating voltage across each passage. The electrodes are insulated from the passages by the thin insulating plates forming the passages so that no current flows between the electrodes. Instead, the voltage creates a non-thermal plasma in the passages that increases the activity of electrons in the exhaust gases and initiates breakdown of the NOx and other r…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.