Caterpillar Inc.

Battelle Memorial Institute

Kent A Koshkarian

Chuong Q Dam

Martin Leo Willi

Brian G McGee

Eric Charles Fluga

Paul Park

M Brad Beardsley

Robert Lowell Miller

Christopher Lyle Aardahl

Craig F Habeger

Kenneth J Suda

Michael J Readey

Ashok A Chanda

Seung K Lee

Mari Lou Balmer-Miller

The present disclosure pertains to a system and method for treatment of oxygen rich exhaust and more specifically to a method and system that combines non-thermal plasma with a metal doped &#x3b3;-alumina catalyst. Current catalyst systems for the treatment of oxygen rich exhaust are capable of achieving only approximately 7 to 12% NOreduction as a passive system and only 25&#x2013;40% reduction when a supplemental hydrocarbon reductant is injected into the exhaust stream. It has been found that treatment of an oxygen rich exhaust initially with a non-thermal plasma and followed by subsequent treatment with a metal doped &#x3b3;-alumina prepared by the sol gel method is capable of increasing the NOreduction to a level of approximately 90% in the absence of SOand 80% in the presence of 20 ppm of SO. Especially useful metals have been found to be indium, gallium, and tin.

Method and system for the combination of non-thermal plasma and metal/metal oxide doped &#x3b3;-alumina catalysts for diesel engine exhaust aftertreatment system

A low cost process for self-forming a uniformly adherent protective rare earth silicate coating on a silicon-based ceramic component for protecting the component against corrosive/erosive environments. The coating is self-formed by an oxidation process of a silicon-based ceramic associated with a reaction between a silica (SiO ) film layer on the surface of silicon-based ceramic and the rare earth oxide existing inside of silicon-based ceramic component.

Method for forming a rare earth silicate coating on a silicon based ceramic component by controlled oxidation for improved corrosion resistance

An exhaust gas heating system and method of a direct injection compression ignition internal combustion engine which has a plurality of combustion chambers, an exhaust passage, and one or more direct fuel injection devices, each operable to inject fuel directly into a corresponding one of the combustion chambers. The system also includes a fuel injection controller which is operable to provide to at least one of the direct fuel injection devices, a post fuel injection signal during a corresponding cylinder cycle of the corresponding one of the plurality of combustion chambers. The post fuel injection signal is timed so as to provide exhaust gas heating from a resultant post fuel injection, and the fuel injection controller dynamically determines the particular one or more of the plurality of direct fuel injection devices to which the post fuel injection signal will be applied based on a temperature related engine operating parameter such as a desired amount of exhaust gas heating. The post fuel injection may also be timed and/or shaped such that it does not produce a substantial amount of mechanical energy but instead produces heated exhaust gasses.

Post injections during cold operation

A glow plug shield centrally receives a glow plug which, typically, has a silicon nitride surface. The shield and plug are spaced radially from a fuel injector disposed centrally of a cylinder head. The shield and glow plug extend into a combustion chamber where the shield has an oblique end exposing the circumferential portion of the plug which faces the injector. This shield configuration protects the glow plug from cooling by inlet air, increases the residence time of air/fuel mixture around the plug, and improves flame propagation so that plug temperature and electrical power can be reduced to extend glow plug life. The shield has a coating exteriorly and interiorly covering the portion of the shield extended into the combustion chamber. The coating is of thermally insulating, high temperature resistant ceramic material and acts as a thermal barrier to further reduce glow plug cooling. A combustion catalyst such as platinum or palladium may be incorporated into the coating to further reduce the required glow plug temperature and electrical power.

Glow plug shield with thermal barrier coating and ignition catalyst

A glow plug has a heating element and a ceramic silicon nitride tip which has an outer surface. A low porosity refractory metal oxide coating covers at least a portion of the tip outer surface. A catalyst wire, with a diameter of 0.008 inches, is wrapped about and connected to the coated glow plug tip. The wire is formed of one of the platinum group metals and the wire is free of charge carrying connection to a power source.

Combustion catalyst wire wrapped on corrosion resistive glow plugs

A glow plug has a heating element having a tip formed of a preselected material includes a catalyst wire wrapped about and in intimate contact with the preselected material of the glow plug. The catalyst is formed of one of the platinum group metals, transition metals and combinations thereof and is in the form a wire with a diameter of 0.008 inches. The catalyst is free of charge carrying connection to a power source.

Combination catalyst wire wrapped a glow plug

A process for applying a uniformly adherent protective tantalum oxide coating on a portion of a ceramic glow plug for protecting the glow plug against the corrosive/erosive environment generated by the burning of alternative fuels in a diesel engine. The coating is tantalum oxide deposited on a silicon nitride glow plug by plasma spray deposition techniques.

Growing community of inventors

Peoria, IL, United States of America

Kent A Koshkarian