Johnson Matthey Public Limited Company

John Frederick Pignon

Paul James Millington

Neil Edwards

Kirsty Ellen Cockle

Ann-Marie Jones

Jonathon C Frost

Edward James Richard Moss

Edward James Moss

An exhaust system for treating exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The system comprises a three-way catalyst (TWC), a fuel reformer catalyst located downstream of the TWC, and a fuel supply means located upstream of the fuel reformer catalyst. The exhaust gas is split into two portions. The first portion of the exhaust gas bypasses the TWC and contacts the fuel reformer catalyst in the presence of fuel added from the fuel supply means, and is then recycled back to the engine intake. The second portion of the exhaust gas is contacted with the TWC and is then utilized to heat the fuel reformer catalyst before being expelled to atmosphere. The exhaust system allows for maximum heat exchange from the exhaust gas.

Exhaust system with a reformer catalyst

An exhaust gas treating system for a gasoline engine, comprising an exhaust gas manifold comprising an annular reforming catalyst mounted within an annular housing and fuel supply means in direct fluid connection with the catalyst, an outlet for reformed fuel products in direct fluid connection with the catalyst, and means to permit a proportion of the engine-out exhaust gases to enter the annular catalyst to mix with fuel from the fuel supply means and to pass through the catalyst, the annular housing being located such that hot engine-out exhaust gases can flow around and through the center of the housing, such that heat is transferred from the exhaust gases to the catalyst within the housing. The reformate may be passed to the inlet side of the engine, to improve overall efficiency of the engine, and/or may be mixed with exhaust gas before catalytic aftertreatment, to improve the control of emissions.

Reformer

A diesel engine having an inlet side and an outlet side provided with at least one inlet valve and one outlet valve per cylinder, comprises a reformer catalyst unit comprising a catalyst located downstream of the outlet valve(s) and located such that a proportion of the hot exhaust passes through the catalyst while the remainder of the hot exhaust passes to a turbocharger and/or to exhaust gas aftertreatment, wherein the catalyst unit is provided with diesel fuel supply means, preferably in the form of a diesel fuel injector, such that diesel fuel may be injected to provide heat to the reformer catalyst to raise it to an effective reforming temperature. The output from the reformer unit may be fed to the inlet side of the engine, and/or may be admixed with the remainder of the exhaust gases prior to catalytic aftertreatment. Improvements in emission control are possible.

Reformer unit

Self-sustaining hydrogene generator

Growing community of inventors

Benson, United Kingdom

John Frederick Pignon