Joseph R Theis

US Patent:

6497092, Dec 24, 2002

Filed:

Mar 18, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/272004

Inventors:

Joseph Robert Theis - Grand Blanc MI

Assignee:

Delphi Technologies, Inc. - Troy MI

International Classification:

F01N 300

US Classification:

60274, 60276, 60285, 60301

Abstract:

An exhaust control system for an automotive internal combustion engine having an exhaust system that includes a NO adsorber to trap and reduce NO emissions from the engine. The engine is operated using an air/fuel ratio that alternates between lean and rich, with the adsorber storing NO during the lean periods of combustion and catalytically reducing the NO during the rich periods of combustion. The system determines the amount of NO stored in the adsorber using upstream and downstream O sensors. The release of stored NO and O at the beginning of the rich regeneration causes a delay between switching of the sensors. The system determines how much of this delay is due to the release of stored O and subtracts that amount from the total delay. There is also a switching delay at the beginning of each lean period due to the storage of O in the adsorber. This storage delay is used to approximate the delay due to the release of O at the beginning of regeneration and this delay is therefore subtracted from the total delay to determine the amount of delay due to the release of NO alone.

US Patent:

6574953, Jun 10, 2003

Filed:

Nov 29, 2001

Appl. No.:

10/012577

Inventors:

Grant Alan Ingram - West Lafayette IN
Gopichandra Surnilla - West Bloomfield MI
Jeffrey Scott Hepburn - Birmingham MI
John M. Roth - Grosse Ile MI
Joseph Robert Theis - Rockwood MI

Assignee:

Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Dearborn MI

International Classification:

F01N 300

US Classification:

60277, 60274, 60285, 60286, 60287, 60292, 60297

Abstract:

A method for improving a purge conversion efficiency of a Lean NOx Trap coupled downstream of a lean-burn internal combustion engine is presented. This method recognizes that during a purge of the LNT, its temperature increases due to the exothermic reactions in the LNT. Once the LNT temperature exceeds a certain threshold, further increases lead to a reduction in the NOx storage capacity, and therefore an increase in NOx emissions during the purge of the LNT. Therefore, it is proposed to cool the LNT temperature once the threshold is exceeded. This method improves emission control and fuel economy during purge.

US Patent:

6779337, Aug 24, 2004

Filed:

Sep 20, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/065143

Inventors:

Xiaoguo Tang - Canton MI
Joseph Robert Theis - Rockwood MI
Robert Jay Natkin - Canton MI
Siamak Hashemi - Farmington Hills MI
William F. Stockhausen - Northville MI

Assignee:

Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Dearborn MI

International Classification:

F01N 300

US Classification:

60278, 60285, 60297, 123 3, 123DIG 12, 12356819

Abstract:

A hydrogen fueled reciprocating spark ignition engine includes a fuel system for providing gaseous hydrogen to the cylinders of the engine and a lean NOx trap coupled to the engine for treating the engines exhaust. An EGR system provides recirculated exhaust gas to the engine, and a controller operates the fuel system and EGR system during periodic purging of the lean NOx trap such that the engine is operated fuel rich, with the mass of EGR approximating 40%-80% of the mass of air and fuel.

US Patent:

6823843, Nov 30, 2004

Filed:

Jan 13, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/757947

Inventors:

Joseph R. Theis - Rockwood MI
Gopichandra Surnilla - West Bloomfield MI
Justin A. Ura - Livonia MI
Hungwen Jen - Troy MI

Assignee:

Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Dearborn MI

International Classification:

F02M 700

US Classification:

123435, 12356811, 123704

Abstract:

A method is described for controlling lean and rich operation of an internal combustion engine coupled to a lean NOx trap. In one example, the termination of the lean air-fuel mixture is based on an oxygen storage capacity and temperature of the NOx trap. In another example, the level and duration of rich air-fuel ratio purging operation is also controlled based on the oxygen storage capacity of the NOx trap.

US Patent:

6846464, Jan 25, 2005

Filed:

Nov 20, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/065797

Inventors:

Clifford Norman Montreuil - Livonia MI, US
Joseph Robert Theis - Rockwood MI, US

Assignee:

Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Dearborn MI

International Classification:

B01D 5334

US Classification:

422177, 422171, 422180

Abstract:

The present invention discloses a method for reducing NOin exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine. The purpose of this invention is to convert engine out NO(approximately 90% NO in diesel exhaust) into roughly a 50:50 mixture of NO and NO, while simultaneously oxidizing engine-out hydrocarbons which interfere with the reduction of NOby urea or ammonia. The present invention demonstrates that a 50:50 blend of NO and NOis reduced more rapidly and with higher efficiency than a gas stream which is predominantly NO. In addition, catalyst in an engine exhaust that is a 50:50 mixture of NO and NOis far more resistant to hydrothermal deterioration than using NO alone. In another embodiment of the present invention, a vehicle exhaust system utilizing the method of the present invention is provided.

US Patent:

7059114, Jun 13, 2006

Filed:

Jul 21, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/710572

Inventors:

Xiaoguo Tang - Canton MI, US
Joseph Robert Theis - Rockwood MI, US
Robert Jay Natkin - Canton MI, US
Siamak Hashemi - Farmington Hills MI, US
William F. Stockhausen - Northville MI, US

Assignee:

Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Dearborn MI

International Classification:

F01N 3/00

US Classification:

60278, 60274, 60285, 60297, 123 3, 123DIG 12, 12356811, 12356819

Abstract:

A hydrogen fueled reciprocating spark ignition engine includes a fuel system for providing gaseous hydrogen to the cylinders of the engine and a lean NOx trap coupled to the engine for treating the engine's exhaust. A controller determines when to purge the lean NOx trap and provides gaseous hydrogen to the lean NOx trap during purging by operating the engine fuel rich or injecting hydrogen upstream of the lean NOx trap.

US Patent:

7104045, Sep 12, 2006

Filed:

Jan 28, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/767395

Inventors:

Shane Elwart - Ypsilanti MI, US
Gopichandra Sumilla - West Bloomfield MI, US
Joseph R. Theis - Rockwood MI, US

Assignee:

Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Dearborn MI

International Classification:

F01N 3/00

US Classification:

60285, 60274, 60276, 60277, 60295, 60301

Abstract:

In an apparatus having a combustion engine and an emissions system including a catalytic converter and a metal oxide catalyst disposed downstream of the catalytic converter, a method of controlling a chemical transformation of hydrogen sulfide in an emissions stream to a less-noxious sulfur-containing compound is disclosed. The method includes reacting the hydrogen sulfide with the metal oxide catalyst to form a metal sulfide, monitoring a saturation of the metal oxide catalyst with the metal sulfide, and when a predetermined saturation of metal sulfide on the metal oxide is reached, changing an air/fuel ratio supplied to the combustion engine.

US Patent:

7238640, Jul 3, 2007

Filed:

Dec 30, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/707659

Inventors:

Hungwen Jen - Troy MI, US
Gopichandra Surnilla - West Bloomfield MI, US
Christian Goralski, Jr. - Ypsilanti MI, US
Joseph Theis - Rockwood MI, US
Justin Ura - Livonia MI, US

Assignee:

Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Dearborn MI

International Classification:

B01J 23/00
B01J 21/00
B01J 20/00

US Classification:

502325, 502326, 502327, 502328, 502330, 502332, 502333, 502334, 502339, 502302, 502303, 502304, 50252712, 50252713

Abstract:

The present invention provides a catalyst for use in a NOtrap that has reduced NOrelease during rich purges, increased NO conversion efficiency under stoichiometric conditions, and improved sulfur tolerance. The catalyst of this embodiment includes a precious metal, an oxygen storage component in contact with the precious metal, and a NOstorage material. The oxygen storage component in contact with the precious metal is present in an amount that provides sufficient oxygen storage capacity to reduce the NOrelease from the NOtrap during rich purges to less than 20% of the NOthat is stored in the NOtrap across the operating temperature window of the NOtrap, increase the NOconversion efficiency under stoichiometric conditions to a value greater than 70%, and increase the sulfur tolerance of the NOtrap.