Exhaust gas purification apparatus

Abstract

An exhaust gas purification apparatus includes a honeycomb structure which has an introduction end face and an exhaust end face opposite to the introduction end face in the longitudinal direction of the honeycomb structure. A casing houses the honeycomb structure and has an introduction casing end face connected to an introduction pipe and an exhaust casing end face connected to an exhaust pipe. The introduction end face of the honeycomb structure faces the introduction casing end face. The exhaust end face of the honeycomb structure faces the exhaust casing end face. A holding sealing material is disposed between the honeycomb structure and the casing. A stopping member has a plurality of openings and covers the exhaust end face.

1 . An exhaust gas purification apparatus comprising:
 at least one honeycomb structure comprising:
 a plurality of honeycomb fired bodies which are bound together via an adhesive layer and each of which includes cell walls extending along a longitudinal direction of the at least one honeycomb structure to define cells; 
 an introduction end face; and 
 an exhaust end face opposite to the introduction end face in the longitudinal direction; 
   a casing housing said at least one honeycomb structure and comprising:
 an introduction casing end face connected to an introduction pipe to introduce an exhaust gas; and 
 an exhaust casing end face connected to an exhaust pipe to discharge the exhaust gas, the introduction end face of the at least one honeycomb structure facing the introduction casing end face, the exhaust end face of the at least one honeycomb structure facing the exhaust casing end face; 
   a holding sealing material disposed between said at least one honeycomb structure and said casing to hold said at least one honeycomb structure; and   a stopping member having a plurality of openings and disposed in said casing, said stopping member covering the exhaust end face of the at least one honeycomb structure.   
     
     
         2 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a fixing member disposed in said casing to fix said stopping member.   
     
     
         3 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said fixing member has a ring shape. 
     
     
         4 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said fixing member comprises a plurality of fittings. 
     
     
         5 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said plurality of fittings are welded in said casing along an inner periphery thereof such that distances between respective fittings are substantially equal. 
     
     
         6 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said fixing member has an L shape. 
     
     
         7 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 2 , Wherein said stopping member is joined to said fixing member. 
     
     
         8 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said stopping member is not joined to said fixing member. 
     
     
         9 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said stopping member comprises a wire mesh. 
     
     
         10 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said stopping member comprises a punching metal. 
     
     
         11 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said stopping member has an aperture ratio of at least about 65% and at most about 95%. 
     
     
         12 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein said stopping member has an aperture ratio of at least about 70% and at most about 90%. 
     
     
         13 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said stopping member comprises at least one of stainless steel, carbon steel, titanium, iron and aluminum. 
     
     
         14 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said stopping member is joined to said casing. 
     
     
         15 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a buffer member disposed between said at least one honeycomb structure and said stopping member.   
     
     
         16 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein said buffer member comprises a sheet-form fiber body comprising inorganic fibers. 
     
     
         17 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a distance between the exhaust end face of said at least one honeycomb structure and an end face of said stopping member is less than about 1 mm. 
     
     
         18 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a catalyst is supported on said at least one honeycomb structure. 
     
     
         19 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein said catalyst comprises at least one of a noble metal, an alkali metal, an alkaline-earth metal and a metal oxide. 
     
     
         20 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one honeycomb structure is a honeycomb filter in which one of end portions of each of said cells is sealed. 
     
     
         21 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein a catalyst is supported on said honeycomb filter. 
     
     
         22 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein said catalyst comprises at least one of a noble metal, an alkali metal, an alkaline-earth metal and a metal oxide. 
     
     
         23 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein said honeycomb filter comprises at least one of a nitride ceramic, a carbide ceramic, a complex of a metal and a nitride ceramic, and a complex of a metal and a carbide ceramic. 
     
     
         24 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein said honeycomb filter comprises a silicon containing ceramic in which at least one of a nitride ceramic, a carbide ceramic, a complex of a metal and a nitride ceramic, and a complex of a metal and a carbide ceramic is blended with a metal silicon. 
     
     
         25 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein said honeycomb filter comprises a ceramic in which at least one of a nitride ceramic, a carbide ceramic, a complex of a metal and a nitride ceramic, and a complex of a metal and a carbide ceramic is combined by one of a silicon and a silicate compound. 
     
     
         26 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one honeycomb structure is a catalyst supporting carrier in which said one of end portions of each of said cells is not sealed. 
     
     
         27 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein a catalyst is supported on said catalyst supporting carrier. 
     
     
         28 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein said catalyst comprises at least one of a noble metal, an alkali metal, an alkaline-earth metal and a metal oxide. 
     
     
         29 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein said catalyst supporting carrier comprises inorganic particles, inorganic fibers and an inorganic binder. 
     
     
         30 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 29 , wherein said inorganic particles comprise at least one of alumina, silica, zirconia, titania, ceria, mullite and zeolite. 
     
     
         31 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 29 , wherein said inorganic fibers comprise at least one of alumina, silica, silicon carbide, silica-alumina, glass, potassium titanate and aluminum borate. 
     
     
         32 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein said catalyst supporting carrier has a catalytic function. 
     
     
         33 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 32 , wherein a catalyst is supported on said catalyst supporting carrier. 
     
     
         34 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one honeycomb structure comprises a plurality of honeycomb structures. 
     
     
         35 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 34 , wherein a distance between the exhaust end face of each of said honeycomb structures and an end face of said stopping member is less than about 1 mm. 
     
     
         36 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 34 , wherein said plurality of honeycomb structures include at least one honeycomb filter and at least one catalyst supporting carrier, and said catalyst supporting carrier is disposed between the introduction casing end face and said honeycomb filter. 
     
     
         37 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 36 , wherein a catalyst is supported on said honeycomb filter. 
     
     
         38 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein said catalyst comprises at least one of a noble metal, an alkali metal, an alkaline-earth metal and a metal oxide. 
     
     
         39 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 36 , wherein said honeycomb filter comprises at least one of a nitride ceramic, a carbide ceramic, a complex of a metal and a nitride ceramic, and a complex of a metal and a carbide ceramic. 
     
     
         40 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 36 , wherein said honeycomb filter comprises a silicon containing ceramic in which at least one of a nitride ceramic, a carbide ceramic, a complex of a metal and a nitride ceramic, and a complex of a metal and a carbide ceramic is blended with a metal silicon. 
     
     
         41 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 36 , wherein said honeycomb filter comprises a ceramic in which at least one of a nitride ceramic, a carbide ceramic, a complex of a metal and a nitride ceramic, and a complex of a metal and a carbide ceramic is combined by one of a silicon and a silicate compound. 
     
     
         42 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 36 , wherein a catalyst is supported on said catalyst supporting carrier. 
     
     
         43 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 42 , wherein said catalyst is at least one of a noble metal, an alkali metal, an alkaline-earth metal and a metal oxide. 
     
     
         44 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 36 , wherein said catalyst supporting carrier comprises inorganic particles, inorganic fibers and an inorganic binder. 
     
     
         45 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 44 , wherein said inorganic particles comprise at least one of alumina, silica, zirconia, titania, ceria, mullite and zeolite. 
     
     
         46 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 44 , wherein said inorganic fibers comprise at least one of alumina, silica, silicon carbide, silica-alumina, glass, potassium titanate and aluminum borate. 
     
     
         47 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 36 , wherein said catalyst supporting carrier has a catalytic function. 
     
     
         48 . The exhaust gas purification apparatus according to  claim 47 , wherein a catalyst is supported on said catalyst supporting carrier.