Exhaust treatment system

Abstract

An exhaust treatment system of a power source includes a filter having a housing with an inlet and an outlet, and a regeneration device disposed outside of the housing of the filter. The regeneration device is fluidly connected to the inlet of the housing. The exhaust treatment system also includes an exhaust line configured to assist in directing a portion of a filtered flow of exhaust from the filter outlet to the power source.

1 - 29 . (canceled)  
   
   
       30 . An exhaust system of a power source, comprising: 
 a filter;    a regeneration device fluidly connected to the filter and disposed upstream of the filter; and    a ventilation line configured to assist in directing a flow of built-up exhaust from a crankcase of the power source to a port disposed upstream of the regeneration device.    
   
   
       31 . The system of  claim 30 , further including a valve fluidly connected to the ventilation line and configured to assist in controllably regulating the flow of built-up exhaust.  
   
   
       32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the valve is configured to substantially restrict a flow of fluid from entering the crankcase.  
   
   
       33 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the flow of built-up exhaust is separate from a main exhaust flow of the power source.  
   
   
       34 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the regeneration device is configured to assist in increasing the temperature of a combined flow of exhaust, the combined flow of exhaust including the flow of built-up exhaust and the main exhaust flow.  
   
   
       35 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the ventilation line is configured to assist in combining the flow of built-up exhaust with the main exhaust flow of the power source upstream of the regeneration device.  
   
   
       36 . The system of  claim 33 , further including an energy extraction assembly disposed upstream of the regeneration device and configured to reduce a pressure of the main exhaust flow of the power source.  
   
   
       37 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the ventilation line is configured to assist in combining the flow of built-up exhaust with the reduced pressure main exhaust flow of the power source.  
   
   
       38 . The system of  claim 30 , further including a recirculation line configured to assist in directing a portion of a filtered flow of exhaust from an outlet of the filter to an inlet of the power source.  
   
   
       39 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the portion of the filtered flow of exhaust includes a portion of a main exhaust flow of the power source and a portion of the flow of built-up exhaust.  
   
   
       40 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the regeneration device is configured to ignite a combustible substance to assist in increasing a temperature of a main exhaust flow of the power source and the flow of built-up exhaust.  
   
   
       41 . The system of  claim 30 , further including a supply line configured to assist in directing a flow comprising recirculated exhaust and ambient air to the regeneration device.  
   
   
       42 . The system of  claim 30 , further including a catalyst disposed downstream of the filter.  
   
   
       43 . The system of  claim 42 , further including a recirculation line fluidly connected between the filter and the catalyst, the recirculation line being configured to assist in directing a portion of a filtered flow of exhaust from an outlet of the filter to an inlet of the power source.  
   
   
       44 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the filter contains a catalyst material.  
   
   
       45 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the catalyst material is a precious metal.  
   
   
       46 . An exhaust system of a power source, comprising: 
 a filter configured to receive a first exhaust flow of the power source;    a substrate disposed within the filter, a catalyst material being disposed on a portion of the substrate; and    a ventilation line configured to assist in directing a second exhaust flow of the power source from a crankcase of the power source to a port disposed upstream of the filter.    
   
   
       47 . The system of  claim 46 , further including a valve fluidly connected to the ventilation line and configured to assist in controllably regulating the second exhaust flow.  
   
   
       48 . The system of  claim 47 , wherein the valve is configured to substantially restrict a flow of fluid from entering the crankcase.  
   
   
       49 . The system of  claim 46 , wherein the ventilation line is configured to assist in combining the first exhaust flow with the second exhaust flow upstream of the filter.  
   
   
       50 . The system of  claim 46 , further including an energy extraction assembly disposed upstream of the filter and configured to reduce a pressure of the first exhaust flow.  
   
   
       51 . The system of  claim 50 , wherein the ventilation line is configured to assist in combining the second exhaust flow with the first exhaust flow downstream of the energy extraction assembly.  
   
   
       52 . The system of  claim 46 , further including an exhaust line configured to assist in directing a portion of a filtered flow of exhaust from the filter to the power source.  
   
   
       53 . The system of  claim 52 , wherein the portion of the filtered flow of exhaust includes a portion of the first exhaust flow and a portion of the second exhaust flow.  
   
   
       54 . The system of  claim 46 , further including a regeneration device configured to assist in increasing a temperature of the first exhaust flow and the second exhaust flow.  
   
   
       55 . The system of  claim 54 , further including a supply line configured to assist in directing a flow comprising recirculated exhaust and ambient air to the regeneration device.  
   
   
       56 . The system of  claim 46 , wherein the catalyst material is a precious metal.  
   
   
       57 . The system of  claim 46 , wherein the catalyst material is configured to assist in at least one of collecting, absorbing, adsorbing, and storing at least one of hydrocarbons, oxides of sulfur, and oxides of nitrogen contained in the second exhaust flow.  
   
   
       58 . A method of reducing pressure within a crankcase of a power source, comprising: 
 providing a filter fluidly connected to the power source;    providing a regeneration device fluidly connected to the filter and disposed upstream of the filter; and    directing a flow of built-up exhaust from the crankcase of the power source to a port disposed upstream of the regeneration device.    
   
   
       59 . The method of  claim 58 , further including substantially restricting a flow of fluid from entering the crankcase.  
   
   
       60 . The method of  claim 58 , further including increasing a temperature of a combined flow of exhaust, the combined flow of exhaust including the flow of built-up exhaust and a main exhaust flow of the power source.  
   
   
       61 . The method of  claim 58 , further including combining the flow of built-up exhaust with a main exhaust flow of the power source upstream of the regeneration device.  
   
   
       62 . The method of  claim 58 , further including reducing a pressure of a main exhaust flow of the power source.  
   
   
       63 . The method of  claim 62 , further including combining the flow of built-up exhaust with the reduced pressure main exhaust flow of the power source.  
   
   
       64 . The method of  claim 58 , further including directing a portion of a filtered flow of exhaust from the filter to the power source.  
   
   
       65 . The method of  claim 64 , wherein the portion of the filtered flow of exhaust includes a portion of a main exhaust flow of the power source and a portion of the flow of built-up exhaust.  
   
   
       66 . The method of  claim 58 , further including directing a flow comprising recirculated exhaust and ambient air to the regeneration device.  
   
   
       67 . A method of reducing pressure within a crankcase of a power source, comprising: 
 capturing an exhaust gas of the power source within the crankcase;    releasing a portion of the captured exhaust gas; and    treating at least a portion of the released exhaust gas with a particulate filter and a regeneration device.    
   
   
       68 . The method of  claim 67 , wherein treating at least a portion of the released exhaust gas includes contacting the portion of the released exhaust gas with a catalyst material.  
   
   
       69 . The method of  claim 68 , wherein contacting the portion of the released exhaust gas with the catalyst material includes placing the portion of the released exhaust gas in contact with a substrate of the particulate filter.  
   
   
       70 . The method of  claim 68 , wherein contacting the portion of the released exhaust gas with the catalyst material includes placing the portion of the released exhaust gas in contact with a catalyst fluidly connected downstream of the particulate filter.  
   
   
       71 . The method of  claim 68 , wherein the catalyst material includes precious earth metals.  
   
   
       72 . The method of  claim 67 , further including combining the released exhaust gas with a separate exhaust flow of the power source to form a combined flow.  
   
   
       73 . The method of  claim 72 , further including directing the combined flow to a port disposed upstream of the particulate filter.  
   
   
       74 . The method of  claim 72 , further including directing a portion of the combined flow to an inlet of the power source.  
   
   
       75 . The method of  claim 72 , further including directing the combined flow to a port disposed upstream of the regeneration device.  
   
   
       76 . The method of  claim 67 , wherein treating at least a portion of the released exhaust gas includes removing particulates from the portion with the particulate filter.  
   
   
       77 . The method of  claim 67 , wherein treating at least a portion of the released exhaust gas includes at least one of collecting, absorbing, adsorbing, and storing at least one of hydrocarbons, oxides of sulfur, and oxides of nitrogen contained in the portion of the released exhaust gas.  
   
   
       78 . The method of  claim 67 , wherein treating at least a portion of the released exhaust gas includes increasing a temperature of the portion with the regeneration device.