Abstract:
The present invention provides a fuel tank comprising a generally planar fuel tank bottom (12) and upstanding wall (14) on the fuel tank bottom. A passage (18) within the wall has a throat area (22) for admitting fuel to the reservoir. A baffle (20) attached to the wall (14) and placed adjacent the throat area (22) deflects fuel away from the passage (18). The reservoir is designed to contain a first minimum quantity of fuel when the vehicle is approximately level and a second minimum quantity of fuel when the vehicle is inclined, the second quantity of fuel being roughly one-third the first minimum quantity of fuel. The reservoir acts to confine fuel within an area to be withdrawn by a fuel pump or pick-up nozzle and supplied to an engine.
Abstract:
A method of monitoring, while on board an automotive vehicle, one or more of catalyst performance, engine misfire, and combustion quality, the vehicle having an internal combustion engine (13) equipped with a catalyst (21) for converting noxious emissions of the engine, comprising: (i) exposing at least one pair of EGO sensors to (55, 56, 59, 60) substantially the same emissions either exiting from the engine or from the catalyst, one (55) of the EGO sensors having its electrode highly catalytic, and the other sensor (56) having its electrode low-to-noncatalytic; (ii) comparing the outputs of the sensor electrodes (amplitude, frequency, or phase shift) to determine if there is a sufficient differential to indicate a misfire or poor combustion in the case of the sensors being located downstream of the engine exhaust but upstream of the catalyst, or indicating poor catalyst efficiency in the case of the sensors being placed substantially immediately downstream of the catalyst. Two pairs of sensors (55, 56, 59, 60) may be used, a first pair being placed substantially immediately downstream of the catalyst, the pairs of EGO sensors being incorporated into a closed-loop feedback control of the engine fuel control system.
Abstract:
The invention relates to an improved emission control system. The system has particular applicability for use in an internal combustion engine (10) utilising alternative fuels such as natural gas. More particularly, the invention provides an apparatus and method wherein hydrogen is removed by a conditioning catalyst (16) from the exhaust gas stream (21) to produce a conditioned exhaust gas (22). An exhaust gas oxygen (EGO) sensor (18) is in communication with the conditioned exhaust gas (22) and generates a signal in response to the sensed oxygen concentration of the conditioned exhaust gas (22). The A/F mixture entering engine (10) is adjusted by closed loop control means (14) in response to the signal generated by EGO sensor (18). The removal of hydrogen from the exhaust gas stream (21) eliminates lean shifts and allows oxygen sensor (18) and closed loop control means (14) to more accurately control the A/F ratio. As a result of improved control over the A/F mixture entering engine (10), main three-way catalyst (20) optimally converts noxious components present in the conditioned exhaust gas (22) to produce a purified exhaust stream (23).
Abstract:
A dual-phase zeolite having a transition metal-containing zeolite phase and a transition metal-containing oxide phase. The catalytic material may be an intimate mixture of a phase-layered structure of a first phase constituted preferably of a copper-containing high silica zeolite and a second phase constituted of copper-containing zirconia. Methods are also disclosed for making a single-stage catalyst for removing NOx and HC at high efficiency in an oxygen-rich automotive exhaust gas, and for treating the exhaust gas with the dual-phase catalyst above.
Abstract:
A radio receiver is described which detects the presence of adjacent channel interference in either the lower adjacent channel or the upper adjacent channel and shifts the received signals to remove the adjacent channel interference from the intermediate frequency passband, but only if the other adjacent channel is clear. A maximum amount of the desired signal is retained so that modulation distortion is low. Frequency limits for shifting of the desired signals prevent undesirable amounts of phase distortion from being introduced into the audio signal.
Abstract:
A radio receiver is described which detects the presence of intermodulation distortion interference above an objectionable level and shifts a tunable RF passband in a manner to reduce or eliminate the intermodulation distortion interference without reducing the level of the desired signal to below a predetermined level. Intermodulation is detected based on a comparison of signal strength in upper and lower adjacent passbands which have substantially equal levels if intermodulation is present.
Abstract:
An exhaust gas oxygen sensor comprising: (a) a solid electrolyte oxygen diffusion conductor (91) divided to form separate electrically insulated portions, one side of both portions being exposed to ambient air and the other side of both portions being exposed to exhaust gases; (b) first and second electrodes (94, 95) on different portions of said electrolyte and each directed to an exposure of ambient air; (c) a highly catalytic third electrode (93) on one electrolyte portion directed to an exposure of exhaust gas; and (d) a low-to-noncatalytic fourth electrode (92) on the other of said electrolyte portions directed also to an exposure of exhaust gas.
Abstract:
This invention is directed to a system for monitoring the efficiency of a catalyst employed to convert exhaust gases containing carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides, e.g., those generated by an internal combustion engine such as in an automobile. The system ccomprises a thin-film resistive device (10) and an electrical circuit (22) connected to said thin-film resistive device (10) capable of determining a change in the electrical resistance of a electrically conductive material provided in the device, the electrical resistance being subject to change during conversion of said exhaust gases over the catalyst.
Abstract:
This invention is directed to a two-stage catalyst system and a method of using the system for purification of exhaust gases containing nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons. The exhaust gas may be automobile exhaust gas and invention is adapted to be useful in lean-burn situations, i.e, with oxygen rich environments. The system comprises as a first stage catalyst a combination of (i) refractory oxide impregnated with transition metal and (ii) transition metal-containing zeolite; and as a second stage catalyst an oxidative catalyst such as palladium on alumina.
Abstract:
This invention is directed to a hybrid catalyst for the purification of engine exhaust gas generated by an engine which is operated under both stoichiometric and leanburn (oxygen rich) air/fuel combustion ratios. The hybrid catalyst comprises a first catalyst consisting of a catalytic material capable of reducing nitrogen oxides under lean-burn engine operating conditions and a second catalyst consisting of a three-way catalyst. Preferably, the hybrid catalyst is a layered combination of the catalysts where the first catalyst is layered on the second catalyst which is carried on a substrate like cordierite.