Electrostatic filter and non-thermal plasma system for air pollution control of hydrocarbon combustion engines

摘要

The invention is an air pollution control apparatus for cleaning exhaust gases from motor vehicles using both electrostatic precipitation and a non-thermal plasma. The precipitator is especially useful in cleaning exhaust gases from diesel engines. The precipitator provides for easier cleaning in between uses, as well as a more efficient cleaning of exhaust gases. The air pollution control apparatus of the present invention is configured as two pass system whereas each pass is designed as multistage horizontal plate type electrostatic precipitator. The first pass applies a direct current, consistent voltage for particle collection through electrostatic precipitation. The second pass uses spiked voltage, non-thermal plasma generation for the production of free radicals to oxidize toxic gases, and with the addition of a diesel oxidation catalyst to transform harmful molecular compounds in the exhaust gas into safe gases.

主权项

1. An air pollution control apparatus for hydrocarbon combustion engines comprising:
a precipitation chamber with an electrical ground connection; an inlet port connected to the precipitation chamber; an outlet port connected to the precipitation chamber; a first and a second plate assembly, each plate assembly comprised of
at least two planar collecting plate electrodes within and electrically connected to the precipitation chamber, where the collecting plate electrodes have at least one opening within the plane of the collecting plate electrode;a rod passing through the openings of the collecting plate electrodes;an ionizing plate mounted on the rod, where the ionizing plate has sharp discharge points along a periphery of the ionizing plate, and where the ionizing plate is mounted at a predetermined distance K away from a nearest collecting plate electrode;a first end plate attached to a first end of the rod, a second end plate attached to a second end of the rod; andan insulator securely mounting each end plate to the precipitation chamber; a first transformer electrically connected to the first or second end plate of the first plate assembly, the first transformer capable of inducing a first voltage differential between the ionizing plate attached to said rod and the collecting plate electrodes; and a second transformer electrically connected to the first or second end plate of the second plate assembly, the second transformer capable of inducing a second voltage differential between the ionizing plate attached to said rod and the collecting plate electrodes.