Thermal converter devices, systems and control methods

Abstract

A system is provided for reducing exhaust emissions. The system can comprise a series of chambers, an injector head, and a controller. The controller can maintain desired temperature zones and chemical environments inside the series of chambers, and the chambers and structures inside the system 10 can provide a desired travel path for the air, fuel, and untreated exhaust mixture inside.

1 . A system for reducing engine exhaust gas pollutants comprising:
 a tube assembly comprising:
 an injector head; 
 a plurality of chambers, at least one of the chambers coupled to the injector head, the plurality of chambers further comprising at least one component for directing a flow of mixture inside the tube assembly; 
 a discharge exhaust pipe coupled to one of the chambers; 
 a heat exchanger coupled to the plurality of chambers; 
 an untreated exhaust inlet coupled to the heat exchanger; 
   a fuel flow device operatively coupled to the injector head;   an air device operatively coupled to the injector head; and   a controller configured to communicate with the fuel flow device, the air device, and the injector head.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the injector head comprises a fuel injector nozzle and an igniter, a secondary fuel inlet, a secondary fuel outlet, and a secondary air inlet. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the fuel nozzle is configured to adjust fuel delivery from a full spray to an intermittent spray. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel flow device is configured to direct secondary fuel into the injector head, and the air device is configured to direct secondary air into the injector head. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the secondary fuel is from the same source as the engine's fuel. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one component comprises a helical stator comprising a rim dam and at least one radially spaced angled vane configured to direct the flow of mixture in a helical pattern through the tube assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the flow of mixture comprises a burning mixture of secondary fuel injected by the injector head, secondary air injected by the injector head, and untreated exhaust delivered from the engine through the untreated exhaust inlet. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises a plurality of tubes configured to direct a portion of untreated exhaust from the untreated exhaust inlet to one of the plurality of chambers and to raise the temperature of the portion of untreated exhaust. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the temperatures is raised by approximately 350 degrees F. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the tubes is covered with a catalyst. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the catalyst comprises a poison-resistant lean NOx catalyst. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of chambers comprise a mixing chamber, a combustion chamber, and a reaction chamber. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the mixing chamber comprises a plurality of openings on an inner shell, and an outer shell which forms a passageway to the openings. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the mixing chamber is connected to the injector head, and the length-to-diameter ratio of an inner tube of the mixing chamber is less than three. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the mixing chamber diameter and internal overall flow resistance is sized to maintain a back pressure that matches an engine's operating characteristics. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the untreated exhaust inlet is sized based on the exhaust pipe diameter, a maximum exhaust volumetric flow rate in the tube assembly, and an allowable backpressure in the tube assembly. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is in communication with a plurality of sensors. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of sensors comprise at least one ambient sensor located outside of the tube assembly, at least one exhaust temperature sensor located adjacent the untreated exhaust gas inlet, and at least one discharge temperature sensor located adjacent the discharge pipe. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control an amount of secondary air and secondary fuel entering the tube assembly from the fuel flow device and air device in order to maintain a desired discharge temperature at the discharge pipe. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises a microprocessor. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to be retrofitted onto existing diesel-powered equipment. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the existing diesel-powered equipment comprises a motor vehicle. 
     
     
         23 . A device for reducing exhaust emission pollutants comprising:
 a plurality of chambers in communication with an engine exhaust source and a discharge pipe, the plurality of chambers comprising components configured to manipulate an exhaust flow inside the chambers and form timed heated chemical environments for the combustion and chemical reaction of chemical pollutants.   
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 23 , wherein the device is configured to reduce the amount of nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, unburned hydrocarbons, and partially-burned combustion products in the engine's untreated exhaust through a combination of heating and cooling in the plurality of chambers. 
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 23 , wherein the chemical environments are configured to induce oxidation and reduction reactions even when the exhaust flow is lean. 
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 23 , wherein the components comprise helical stators configured to control exhaust flow residence time within the plurality of chambers, and to direct the exhaust flow in a helical pattern through the plurality of chambers. 
     
     
         27 . The device of  claim 26 , wherein the helical stators each comprise a rim dam, a plurality of angular vanes, and a plurality of openings between the angular vanes. 
     
     
         28 . The device of  claim 23 , wherein the heated chemical environments comprise temperature zones in the plurality of chambers ranging from 800° F. (700 K) to 2300° F. (1533 K). 
     
     
         29 . The device of  claim 23 , wherein the heated chemical environments comprise a thermal mixing environment, a high temperature combustion environment, a heat exchanger cooling environment, and a discharge cooling environment. 
     
     
         30 . The device of  claim 23 , wherein the device comprises a right-circular long metal tube and an injector head, and wherein an igniter in the injector head is actuated until a flame detector detects heat. 
     
     
         31 . The device of  claim 23 , wherein the length and diameter of the injector head are determined by a maximum exhaust mass flow rate in the device. 
     
     
         32 . The device of  claim 23 , wherein one of the plurality of chambers comprises a heat exchanger, and another of the plurality of chambers comprises a mixing chamber. 
     
     
         33 . The device of  claim 32 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises a plurality of tubes connecting an engine exhaust inlet to the mixing chamber. 
     
     
         34 . The device of  claim 32 , wherein the heat exchanger is configured to both cool the exhaust flow in the plurality chambers, and heat untreated exhaust moving through the tubes. 
     
     
         35 . The device of  claim 32 , wherein the heat exchanger has a rectangular cross-section, and comprises a plurality of tubes. 
     
     
         36 . The device of  claim 32 , wherein one of the plurality of chambers further comprises a reaction chamber configured to complete high-temperature combustion of the exhaust flow prior to the exhaust flow entering the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         37 . A method of reducing exhaust gas pollutants in an engine's exhaust, comprising:
 providing an assembly comprising:
 an injector head; 
 a plurality of chambers, at least one of the chambers connected to the injector head, the plurality of chambers comprising at least one component for directing a mixture of flows inside the tube assembly; 
 a discharge exhaust pipe connected to one of the chambers; 
 a heat exchanger connected to the plurality of chambers; 
 an untreated exhaust inlet connected to at least one of the heat exchanger and injector head; 
 a controller in communication with the injector head; 
   directing untreated exhaust from the engine to at least one of the injector head and heat exchanger;   directing secondary fuel and secondary air into the injector head;   igniting the secondary fuel;   directing the ignited secondary fuel and secondary air into the plurality of chambers;   directing the untreated exhaust from at least one of the injector head and heat exchanger into the plurality of chambers to form the flow of mixture inside the tube assembly;   treating the untreated exhaust by combusting pollutants in the flow of mixture in the plurality of chambers;   cooling the mixture of flow in the plurality of chambers to reduce nitric oxides mixture of flow; and   discharging the mixture of flow out the discharge exhaust pipe.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the controller estimates fuel and oxygen levels in the untreated exhaust, as well as fuel and oxygen levels in the discharged mixture of flow, and adjusts the amount of secondary fuel and secondary air being delivered to the injector head in order to maintain a desired discharge temperature at the discharge exhaust pipe. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the controller maintains a pre-determined overall air/fuel mass ratio in the plurality of chambers. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the controller is responsive to changes in untreated exhaust constituents. 
     
     
         41 . A basic control method for controlling secondary fuel and related air sources in a system which reduces engine exhaust gas pollutants, the basic control method comprising:
 providing an assembly comprising:
 an injector head, a plurality of chambers connected to the injector head and a discharge exhaust pipe, an untreated exhaust inlet connected to the plurality of chambers, a controller in communication with the injector head, at least one ignition device, at least one ambient sensor, and at least one temperature sensor adjacent the exhaust inlet and at least one temperature sensor adjacent the discharge exhaust pipe; 
   collecting temperature, humidity, and pressure data from the at least one ambient sensor and at least one temperature sensors;   comparing the obtained temperature data with predetermined values of temperature set points in the controller, and based on the set points, determining a temperature error;   calculating a desired composite lambda, the composite lambda representing a total air and fuel ratio inside the plurality of chambers;   separating the desired composite lambda and producing secondary fuel and secondary air commands which direct the amount and rate of delivery of the secondary fuel and secondary air into the plurality of chambers to be mixed with untreated exhaust; and   monitoring the discharge temperature of the mixture at the discharge pipe and modifying the secondary fuel and secondary air commands.   
     
     
         42 . A dynamic control method for controlling secondary fuel and related air sources in a system which reduces engine exhaust gas pollutants, the dynamic control method comprising:
 providing an assembly comprising:
 an injector head, a plurality of chambers connected to the injector head and a discharge exhaust pipe, an untreated exhaust inlet connected to the plurality of chambers, a controller in communication with the injector head, at least one ignition device, at least one ambient sensor, and at least one temperature sensor and oxygen sensor adjacent the exhaust inlet and at least one temperature sensor and oxygen sensor adjacent the discharge exhaust pipe; 
   collecting physical and chemical data of temperature, humidity, and pressure from the at least one ambient sensor and at least one temperature sensors;   comparing the obtained temperature data with predetermined values of temperature set points in the controller, and based on the set points, determining a temperature error;   calculating a desired composite lambda, the composite lambda representing a total fuel and air ratio inside the assembly;   adjusting the rate of rise and fall for the desired composite lambda in order to minimize potential overshoot or undershoot of a desired discharge temperature at the discharge exhaust pipe;   adjusting the desired composite lambda to compensate for steady-state errors;   separating the desired composite lambda and producing secondary fuel and secondary air commands which direct the amount and rate of delivery of the secondary fuel and secondary air into the plurality of chambers to be mixed with untreated exhaust; and   monitoring the discharge temperature and oxygen levels and modifying the secondary fuel and secondary air commands; and   monitoring the secondary air commands for chamber cooling.   
     
     
         43 . A device for reducing exhaust emission pollutants comprising:
 a plurality of chambers in communication with an engine exhaust source and a discharge pipe, the plurality of chambers configured to create timed chemical environments, and wherein at least two types of chemical reactions occur within the plurality of chambers.   
     
     
         44 . The device of  claim 43 , wherein the at least two types of chemical reactions comprise oxidation of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon particles, and reduction of nitric oxides. 
     
     
         45 . A method of timed chemical heating and cooling of exhaust pollutants comprising:
 introducing untreated exhaust flow into a plurality of chambers;   introducing a combination of burning fuel and air into the chambers to form a mixture with the untreated exhaust flow;   monitoring the cooling of chambers; and   holding the mixture for a predetermined period of time within the plurality of chambers.   
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the predetermined period of time comprises a range of 50 to 1000 milliseconds. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein particulate matter inside the mixture is held between 20 to 200 milliseconds within a single chamber of the plurality of chambers.