IP Library Granted Patent US 8,945,495
Granted Patent B2
US 8,945,495 · App. 12/255,069 · Granted Feb 3, 2015

Method and architecture for reducing NOX and particulate matter emissions in exhaust gas from hydrocarbon fuel source with a fuel lean combustion mixture

Inventors: Jong H. Lee (Rochester Hills, MI); David B. Brown (Brighton, MI); Michael J. Paratore, Jr. (Howell, MI); Yongsheng He (Sterling Heights, MI)
Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
B01D53/90B01D53/9477B01D53/9418B01D53/9445B01D2251/2062B01D2251/2067B01D2255/1021B01D2255/1023B01D2255/20738B01D2255/20761B01D2255/504B01D2255/9205B01D2258/012B01D2258/014Y02T10/22
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,945,495
App. No.
12/255,069
Granted
Feb 3, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

An exemplary method and associated architecture for reducing NO x and particulate matter emissions in an exhaust stream may include passing the exhaust stream through a catalytic oxidation reactor; passing the exhaust stream through a two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter located downstream of the catalytic oxidation reactor, wherein the two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter may include a wall flow filter substrate having internal walls coated with a first selective catalytic reduction catalyst; and passing the exhaust stream through a catalytic reduction reactor located downstream of the two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter, wherein the catalytic reduction reactor may include a second selective catalytic reduction catalyst.

Claims (77)

1. A system for reducing NO x and particulate matter emissions in an exhaust stream comprising:

a catalytic oxidation reactor that oxidizes carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and NO wherein said catalytic oxidation reactor comprises a dual zone type catalytic oxidation reactor in which said exhaust stream first passes through a platinum- and palladium-containing front side, which oxidizes hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide, and subsequently passes through a platinum-rich containing rear side, which oxidizes nitrous oxide (NO) to nitrous dioxide (NO 2 );

a hydrocarbon injector located upstream of said catalytic oxidation reactor that introduces a hydrocarbon stream into said exhaust stream to raise the temperature of said exhaust stream;

a two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter located downstream of said catalytic oxidation reactor, said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter comprising a wall flow filter substrate having internal walls coated with a first selective catalytic reduction catalyst that reduces NO x to N 2 ;

a catalytic reduction reactor having a second selective catalytic reduction catalyst that reduces NO x to N 2 located downstream of said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter without an intervening catalytic reactor;

a cooling pipe located between said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter and said catalytic reduction reactor that allows the exhaust stream to cool before the exhaust stream enters the catalytic reduction reactor; and

an injector device that injects ammonia or urea into said exhaust stream between said catalytic oxidation reactor and said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a second injector device that injects ammonia or urea into said exhaust stream between said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter and said catalytic reduction reactor.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising:

a NO x sensor contained within said exhaust stream and coupled to said injector device and said second injector device, said NO x sensor located upstream of said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter.

4. The system of claim 2 further comprising:

a NO x sensor contained within said exhaust stream and coupled to said injector device and said second injector device, said NO x sensor located upstream of said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter;

a temperature sensor coupled to said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter and said injector device, said temperature sensor measuring a temperature of said first selective catalytic reduction catalyst contained in said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter; and

a second temperature sensor coupled to said catalytic reduction reactor and said injector device, said second temperature sensor measuring a temperature of said second selective catalytic reduction catalyst contained in said catalytic reduction reactor.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a NO x sensor contained within said exhaust stream and coupled to said injector device, said NO x sensor located upstream of said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a temperature sensor coupled to said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter and said injector device, said temperature sensor measuring a temperature of said first selective catalytic reduction catalyst contained in said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a temperature sensor coupled to said catalytic reduction reactor and said injector device, said temperature sensor measuring a temperature of said second selective catalytic reduction catalyst contained in said catalytic reduction reactor.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a temperature sensor coupled to said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter and said injector device, said temperature sensor measuring a temperature of said first selective catalytic reduction catalyst contained in said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter; and

a second temperature sensor coupled to said catalytic reduction reactor and said injector device, said second temperature sensor measuring a temperature of said second selective catalytic reduction catalyst contained in said catalytic reduction reactor.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a NO x sensor contained within said exhaust stream and coupled to said injector device, said NO x sensor located upstream of said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter;

a temperature sensor coupled to said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter and said injector device, said temperature sensor measuring a temperature of said first selective catalytic reduction catalyst contained in said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter; and

a second temperature sensor coupled to said catalytic reduction reactor and said injector device, said second temperature sensor measuring a temperature of said second selective catalytic reduction catalyst contained in said catalytic reduction reactor.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein said first selective catalytic reduction catalyst is substantially similar in composition to said second selective catalytic reduction catalyst.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein said first selective catalytic reduction catalyst is substantially dissimilar in composition to said second selective catalytic reduction catalyst.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein said second selective catalytic reduction catalyst has improved low temperature NO x reduction activity as compared with said first selective catalytic reduction catalyst.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein said catalytic oxidation reactor comprises a dual zone type catalytic oxidation reactor in which the exhaust stream first passes through a front side comprising platinum and palladium and a rear side comprising platinum.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter further comprises wall flow filter substrates comprising cordierite, α-alumina, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, zirconia, mullite, spodumene, alumina-silica-magnesia or zirconium silicate, ceramic fiber composite, or of porous, refractory metal.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein said wall flow filter substrate comprises cordierite or silicon carbide may have a porosity of between about 50 to 75%, while having a mean pore size of between about 5 to 30 microns.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein said first selective reduction catalyst comprises Cu/ZSM-5 catalyst particles containing about 2.5 weight percent of copper.

17. A method for reducing NO x and particulate matter emissions in an exhaust stream comprising:

passing said exhaust stream through a catalytic oxidation reactor to oxidize carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and NO wherein said catalytic oxidation reactor comprises a dual zone type catalytic oxidation reactor in which said exhaust stream first passes through a platinum- and palladium-containing front side, which oxidizes hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide, and subsequently passes through a platinum-rich containing rear side, which oxidizes nitrous oxide (NO) to nitrous dioxide (NO 2 );

introducing a hydrocarbon stream to said exhaust stream upstream of said catalytic oxidation reactor to raise the temperature of said exhaust stream in said catalytic oxidation reactor;

passing said exhaust stream through a two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter located downstream of said catalytic oxidation reactor, said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter comprising a wall flow filter substrate having internal walls coated with a first selective catalytic reduction catalyst;

passing said exhaust stream through a cooling pipe located downstream of said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter to cool said exhaust stream;

passing said exhaust stream through a catalytic reduction reactor located downstream of said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter and said cooling pipe without an intervening catalytic reactor, said catalytic reduction reactor having a second selective catalytic reduction catalyst; and

introducing a stream of ammonia or urea to said exhaust stream upstream of said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter and said catalytic reduction reactor.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

introducing a second stream of ammonia or urea to said exhaust stream downstream of said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter and upstream of catalytic reduction reactor.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

coupling a NO x sensor within said exhaust stream upstream of said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter;

coupling said NO x sensor to a first ammonia injector device;

measuring a NO x composition of said exhaust stream using said NO x sensor; and

determining a quantity of ammonia or urea to introduce to said exhaust stream from said first ammonia injector device as a function of said measured composition from said NO x sensor, wherein said quantity of ammonia or urea is sufficient to react with a quantity of NO in the exhaust stream to form NO 2 and thereby achieve about an equimolar amount of NO and NO 2 in said exhaust stream upstream of said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

coupling a NO x sensor within said exhaust stream upstream of said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter;

coupling said NO x sensor to an ammonia injector device;

measuring said composition of the exhaust stream using said NO x sensor;

determining a quantity of ammonia or urea to introduce to said exhaust stream as a function of said measured composition of said exhaust stream, wherein said determined quantity of ammonia or urea is sufficient to react with a quantity of NO in said exhaust stream to form NO 2 and thereby achieve about an equimolar amount of NO and NO 2 in said exhaust stream upstream of said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter; and

introducing said determined quantity of ammonia or urea from said ammonia injector device to said exhaust stream upstream from said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter as a first stream.

21. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

coupling a NO x sensor within said exhaust stream upstream of said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter;

coupling said NO x sensor to a first ammonia injector device and a second ammonia injector device;

measuring the composition of said exhaust stream using said NO x sensor;

determining a quantity of ammonia or urea to introduce to said exhaust stream as a function of said measured composition of said exhaust stream, wherein said determined quantity of ammonia or urea is sufficient to react with a quantity of NO in said exhaust stream to form NO 2 and thereby achieve about an equimolar amount of NO and NO 2 in said exhaust stream upstream of said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter;

introducing a first quantity of said determined quantity of ammonia or urea from said first ammonia injector device to said exhaust stream upstream from said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter as a first stream; and

introducing a second quantity of said determined quantity of ammonia or urea from said second ammonia injector device to said exhaust stream downstream from said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter and upstream from said catalytic reduction reactor as a second stream.

22. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

coupling a NO x sensor within said exhaust stream upstream of said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter;

coupling said NO x sensor to an ammonia injector device;

coupling a temperature sensor to said second selective catalytic reduction catalyst;

coupling said temperature sensor to said ammonia injector device;

measuring the composition of said exhaust stream using said NO x sensor;

measuring a temperature of said second selective catalytic reduction catalyst;

determining a quantity of ammonia or urea to introduce to said exhaust stream as a function of said measured composition of said exhaust stream, wherein said determined quantity of ammonia or urea is sufficient to react with a quantity of NO in said exhaust stream to form NO 2 and thereby achieve about an equimolar amount of NO and NO 2 in said exhaust stream upstream of said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter; and

introducing said determined quantity of ammonia or urea from said ammonia injector device to said exhaust stream upstream from said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter as a first stream to substantially achieve said equimolar amount of NO and NO 2 when said measured temperature is below a threshold temperature, wherein said threshold temperature is a temperature as sensed by said temperature sensor below which said second selective catalytic reduction catalyst substantially converts NO x gases in said exhaust stream to nitrogen and water at its maximum efficiency.

23. A system for reducing NO x and particulate matter emissions in an exhaust stream comprising:

a catalytic oxidation reactor that oxidizes carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and NO wherein said catalytic oxidation reactor comprises a dual zone type catalytic oxidation reactor in which said exhaust stream first passes through a platinum- and palladium-containing front side, which oxidizes hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide, and subsequently passes through a platinum-rich containing rear side, which oxidizes nitrous oxide (NO) to nitrous dioxide (NO 2 );

a hydrocarbon injector located upstream of said catalytic oxidation reactor that introduces a hydrocarbon stream into said exhaust stream to raise the temperature of said exhaust stream;

a two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter located downstream of said catalytic oxidation reactor, said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter comprising a wall flow filter substrate having internal walls coated with a first selective catalytic reduction catalyst that reduces NO x to N 2 in the presence of ammonia;

a catalytic reduction reactor having a second selective catalytic reduction catalyst that reduces NO x to N 2 in the presence of ammonia located downstream of said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter; and

one or more injector devices for injecting ammonia or urea to said exhaust stream located between said catalytic oxidation reactor and said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter and to said exhaust stream located between said two-way selective reduction catalyst particulate filter and said second selective catalytic reduction catalyst.

Assignments (13)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 7, 2014
From: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 034384/0758 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 10, 2011
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 025781/0245 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 8, 2010
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
Reel/Frame 025324/0515 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 5, 2010
From: UAW RETIREE MEDICAL BENEFITS TRUST
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 025315/0046 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2010
From: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 025245/0909 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 28, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UAW RETIREE MEDICAL BENEFITS TRUST
Reel/Frame 023162/0237 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 27, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Reel/Frame 023156/0313 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2009
From: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 023126/0914 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2009
From: CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR BANK PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES; CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR HEDGE PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 023155/0769 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 16, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR BANK PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES; CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR HEDGE PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES
Reel/Frame 022554/0538 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 4, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Reel/Frame 022201/0448 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 4, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Reel/Frame 022201/0405 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 21, 2008
From: LEE, JONG H.; BROWN, DAVID B.; PARATORE JR., MICHAEL J.; HE, YONGSHENG
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 021713/0329 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20100098612A1 · Apr 22, 2010