IP Library Granted Patent US 10,273,846
Granted Patent B2
US 10,273,846 · App. 15/652,405 · Granted Apr 30, 2019

Electric exhaust-gas catalytic converter, vehicle and method for operating an electric exhaust-gas catalytic converter

Inventors: Simon Baensch (Pfakofen, DE); Thomas Knorr (Tegernheim, DE)
Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
F01N3/2013F01N3/28F01N9/00H05B1/0236F01N2900/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,273,846
App. No.
15/652,405
Granted
Apr 30, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

The disclosure relates to an electric exhaust-gas catalytic converter that has a heating device. The heading device includes a first heating element and a second heating element that are arranged separately from one another upstream and downstream of an active catalysis region of the electric exhaust-gas catalytic converter. The disclosure also relates to a vehicle which includes the electric exhaust-gas catalytic converter and to a method for operating the electric exhaust-gas catalytic converter.

Claims (23)

1. An electric exhaust-gas catalytic converter for a vehicle having an internal combustion engine, the electric exhaust-gas catalytic converter comprising:

an active catalysis region configured to reduce and/or oxidize at least one exhaust gas which is generated in the internal combustion engine and which flows through the active catalysis region along a flow direction;

a heating device configured to heat the catalysis region, the heating device has a first heating element and a second heating element which is arranged separately from the first heating element, the first heating element is arranged upstream of the catalysis region in the flow direction of the exhaust gas and the second heating element is arranged downstream of the catalysis region in the flow direction of the exhaust gas; and

a control device configured to actuate the heating device wherein:

during operation of the internal combustion engine, the control device actuates only the first heating element for heating the catalysis region; and

when the internal combustion engine is at a standstill, the control device actuates only the second heating element for heating the catalysis region.

2. The electric exhaust-gas catalytic converter of claim 1 , wherein the flow direction of the exhaust gas flowing through the active catalysis region is arranged parallel to and in the direction of the force vector of Earth's gravity.

3. A vehicle comprising:

an internal combustion engine having a reciprocating piston, the reciprocating piston does not move when the internal combustion engine is at a standstill, and the reciprocating piston moves in translational fashion along a piston longitudinal axis when the internal combustion engine is in operation, wherein the internal combustion engine generates an exhaust gas during operation; and

an exhaust tract for discharging the exhaust gas which is generated in the internal combustion engine during operation into an environment, the exhaust tract comprising an electric exhaust-gas catalytic converter having:

an active catalysis region configured to reduce and/or oxidize at least one exhaust gas which is generated in the internal combustion engine and which flows through the active catalysis region along a flow direction;

a heating device configured to heat the catalysis region, the heating device has a first heating element and a second heating element which is arranged separately from the first heating element, the first heating element is arranged upstream of the catalysis region in the flow direction of the exhaust gas and the second heating element is arranged downstream of the catalysis region in the flow direction of the exhaust gas; and

a control device configured to actuate the heating device such that, during operation of the internal combustion engine, only the first heating element is actuated for heating the catalysis region, and that, when the internal combustion engine is at a standstill, only the second heating element is actuated for heating the catalysis region.

4. The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein that the electric exhaust-gas catalytic converter is arranged parallel to the piston longitudinal axis such that the exhaust gas flows firstly through the first heating element, then through the active catalysis region and then through the second heating element.

5. A method for operating an electric exhaust-gas catalytic converter for a vehicle having an internal combustion engine, the method comprising:

providing an electric exhaust-gas catalytic converter having a first heating element and a second heating element which are arranged separately from one another upstream and downstream of an active catalysis region;

detecting whether the internal combustion engine is in an operating state or is in a standstill state; and

actuating only the first heating element if the internal combustion engine is in the operating state, or

actuating only the second heating element if the internal combustion engine is in the standstill state,

wherein the electric exhaust-gas catalytic converter comprises:

an active catalysis region configured to reduce and/or oxidize at least one exhaust gas which is generated in the internal combustion engine and which flows through the active catalysis region along a flow direction;

a heating device configured to heat the catalysis region, the heating device has the first heating element and the second heating element which is arranged separately from the first heating element, the first heating element is arranged upstream of the catalysis region in the flow direction of the exhaust gas and the second heating element is arranged downstream of the catalysis region in the flow direction of the exhaust gas; and

a control device configured to actuate the heating device such that, during operation of the internal combustion engine, only the first heating element is actuated for heating the catalysis region, and that, when the internal combustion engine is at a standstill, only the second heating element is actuated for heating the catalysis region.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 21, 2020
From: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
To: VITESCO TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
Reel/Frame 053267/0065 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 23, 2019
From: BAENSCH, SIMON; KNORR, THOMAS
To: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
Reel/Frame 048096/0708 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2016 213 612 · Jul 25, 2016 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180023442A1 · Jan 25, 2018
Cited By (1)
US 12,650,088