Ngk Insulators, Inc.

Keiji Noda

Fumio Abe

Tomoharu Kondo

Masato Ogawa

Yuji Ueda

Kisao Kadoi

An adsorbent structure including a honeycomb structure having a periphery and two ends, the honeycomb structure having a plurality of passages which are defined by partition walls and extend in an axial direction between the ends, and a composition including zeolite coated on the partition walls. The zeolite may be a high-silica zeolite having a Si/Al ratio of not less than 40. The composition may include a mixture of zeolite and heat-resistant oxide loaded with a noble metal, and the zeolite may also be loaded with a noble metal. Further, the composition may include two layers, a first layer comprising zeolite, and a second layer comprising a heat-resistant oxide loaded with a noble metal. The first layer comprising zeolite may be loaded with a noble metal.

Heater and catalytic converter

An apparatus for supplying raw materials at constant amounts has a raw material tank for storing and feeding raw materials, a belt for transferring raw materials, a level control guide for defining a thickness of raw materials on the belt, and a belt cover. The apparatus further includes a reversible belt drive motor for controlling a rotation direction of the belt forward and backward and a device for removing raw materials arranged at a backward side of the belt. In the case of supplying the raw materials at constant amounts, a normal operation of supplying the raw materials is performed by rotating the belt in a forward direction. In the case of removing the raw materials arranged on the belt and in the raw material tank, the raw materials are transferred to the device for removing raw materials arranged at a backward side of the belt by rotating the belt in a backward direction so as to remove the raw materials from the belt and the raw material tank.

Apparatus for supplying raw materials at constant amounts

A honeycomb heater includes a honeycomb structure having a periphery, a front end, and a back end, including a plurality of passages which are defined by partition walls and extend in an axial direction of the honeycomb structure, the honeycomb structure being electrically conductive, whereby fluid flows through the passages from the front end to the back end; and a device for applying electric current to the honeycomb structure so as to generate heat; wherein at least one gap for obstructing electric current extends through the partition walls from the back end toward the front end but does not reach the front end so that, upon applying electric current to the honeycomb structure, a front region of the honeycomb structure heats more quickly than a back region of the honeycomb structure thereby a catalyst composition loaded onto the front region is activated earlier. Slit may extend between the front end and the back end. The back end may be depressed so that a front region which is located between the depression and the front end heats more quickly than a back region of the honeycomb structure. A catalytic converter includes: (A) the honeycomb heater; and (B) a catalyst element, which is arranged downstream of the honeycomb heater, including: a monolithic structure including a plurality of passages which are defined by partition walls; and a catalyst composition loaded on at least a part of the partition walls of the monolithic structure, the catalyst composition including: an inorganic oxide resistant to heat; and a catalytically active component, loaded on the inorganic oxide, including an element selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, rhodium, and iridium.

Honeycomb heater

A honeycomb heater including a honeycomb structure which is made of a conductive material and which has a number of passages substantially parallel to a gas flow direction partitioned by partition walls and which has respective providing a gas inlet and a gas outlet, and at least two electrodes for electrification provided on the honeycomb structure. The honeycomb heater is characterized in that besides the passages, orifices which have a larger hydraulic diameter than the passages and which narrow a current flow path are formed at predetermined positions of the honeycomb structure to adjust resistance, whereby a specific region of the honeycomb heater is locally heated more quickly as compared with other regions at the time of the electrification.

Honeycomb heater having large hydraulic diameter orifices to narrow

A heater is composed of (a) a honeycomb structure having a large number of passages, (b) an adsorbent composed mainly of zeolite or an adsorbent-catalyst composition comprising adsorbent and a catalyst component supported on the adsorbent, the adsorbent or adsorbent-catalyst composition being coated on the honeycomb structure, and (c) at least two electrodes fixed to the honeycomb structure for electrification of the honeycomb structure, wherein a gas is flowed through the passages in the honeycomb structure and is heated. A catalytic converter has at least one main monolith catalyst and the above heater provided upstream or downstream of the main monolith catalyst or between two main monolith catalysts. A catalytic converter for purification of automobile exhaust gas, has (a) at least one main monolith catalyst, (b) a honeycomb heater comprising a honeycomb structure having a large number of passages and at least two electrodes for electrification fixed to the honeycomb structure, and (c) an adsorbent composed mainly of zeolite. Each of the at least one main monolith catalyst (a), the honeycomb heater (b) and the adsorbent (c) being provided in the exhaust gas system of an automobile.

A heating element for heating fluid flowing therethrough, including an electrically conductive honeycomb structure, electrodes electrically connected to the honeycomb structure for applying an electric current to the honeycomb structure, wherein the honeycomb structure has a front region which is adapted to heat more quickly than a back region of the honeycomb structure. To this end, the honeycomb structure may include at least one gap for obstructing electric current flow, the gap extending through the partition walls and terminating before reaching the front end of the honeycomb structure. Alternatively, the front region may be heated more quickly than the back region by providing at least one depression formed the back end of the honeycomb structure, such that the front region extends from a terminating end of the depression toward the front end of the honeycomb structure. A catalytic converter incorporating the heating element is also provided.

Honeycomb heater element having front region adapted to heat quickly

A heater is composed of (a) a honeycomb structure having a large number of passages, (b) an adsorbent composed mainly of zeolite or an adsorbent-catalyst composition comprising adsorbent and a catalyst component supported on the adsorbent, the adsorbent or adsorbent-catalyst composition being coated on the honeycomb structure and (c) at least two electrodes fixed to the honeycomb structure for electrification of the honeycomb structure, wherein a gas is flowed through the passages in the honeycomb structure and is heated. A catalytic converter has at least one main monolith catalyst and the above heater provided upstream or downstream of the main monolith catalyst or between two main monolith catalysts. A catalytic converter for purification of automobile exhaust gas, has (a) at least one main monolith catalyst, (b) a honeycomb heater comprising a honeycomb structure having a large number of passages and at least two electrodes for electrification fixed to the honeycomb structure, and (c) an adsorbent composed mainly of zeolite. Each of the at least one main monolith catalyst (a), the honeycomb heater (b) and the adsorbent (c) being provided in the exhaust gas system of an automobile.

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Nagoya, Japan

Keiji Noda