PLASMATRON IC ENGINE

CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION PLASMA COMPACT PLASMA BOOSTED REFORMERS DIESEL EXHAUST AFTER TREATMENT PLASMATRON REFORMER CONVERTER CATALYST EXHAUST SYSTEM ADVANTAGES OF COMPACT PLASMATRON FUEL CONVERTERS RESULTS SUMMARY FUTURE EFFORTS CONCLUSION

INTRODUCTION

Decreasing emissions from automobiles Increasing engine efficiency are necessary steps toward improving air quality and decreasing greenhouse gases This system includes a source of hydrocarbon fuel which is supplied to a plasmatron which reforms the fuel into a hydrogen rich gas An internal combustion engine is connected to receive the hydrogen rich gas from plasmatron The addition of hydrogen. increases flame speed and extends the lean limit of SI engine The combination of plasmatron and internal combustion engine results in lower exhaust engines for about 80% to 90%.

PLASMA
"Fourth State of Matter

In an ordinary gas each atom contains an equal number of positive and negative charges
Addition of heat or other energy causes a significant number of atoms to release some or all of their electrons The remaining parts of those atoms are left with a positive charge

The detached negative electrons are free to move.

Those atoms and the resulting electrically charged gas are said to be "ionized."

PLASMA BOOSTED REFORMERS

Plasmatron fuel converter technology consists in the use of a plasma discharge for the initiation of reformation process. Proper placement of the CW discharge is used in a flowing air/fuel mixture that is very rich C8H18 + 4 (O2 + 3.8 N2) --> 8 CO + 9 H2 + 15.2 N2 Reaction is mildly exothermic. ~ 15% of energy is released in the reformation process. It uses a special low current, high voltage distributed plasma.

The plasmatron fuel reformer technology is attractive because of capability for fast response, elimination, fuel flexibility. A discharge is established a cross an electrode gap. Air and fuel are injected in the plasma region.

The device operates at atmospheric pressure, with air as the plasma forming gas.
The anode can be a steel or copper cylinder.

Results after reformation of diesel

DIESEL EXHAUST AFTER TREATMENT

Applications using plasmatron generation of hydrogen rich gas include:

NOx absorber catalyst regeneration

Ox regeneration
Sulfur regeneration Onboard ammonia manufacturing

Schematic diagram of a compact plasmatron fuel converter/absorber catalyst system for the treatment of engine exhaust emissions

COMPARISON BETWEEN EXHAUST TREATMENT BY PLASMATRON REFORMER AND CONVERTER CATALYST EXHAUST SYSTEM
PLASMATRON REFORMER

CONVERTER CATALYST EXHAUST SYSTEM

ADVANTAGES OF COMPACT PLASMATRON FUEL CONVERTERS

Reduced emissions of hydrocarbons Higher regeneration effectiveness Reduced loss in overall fuel efficiency Shorter regeneration time

Reduced poisoning of catalyst (since diesel fuel is not used for regeneration)

Hydrogen-rich gas generation due to

High efficiency, Low cost, No soot production,

Small size and weight,

Very rapid reformer response (< 1 second) Robustness when operating with diesel fuel. plasmatron fuel converter is hot; catalyst warm.

FUTURE EFFORTS

Increase hydrogen rich flow rate, Tests of DPF regeneration using hydrogen rich gas

Improved plasmatron fuel converter design with Improved ease of manufacturing

CONCLUSION

NOx and particulate absorber technologies for controlling emissions from diesel engines systems which combine these technologies with compact plasmatron fuel converters.

For developing on-board plasmatron system, the basic characteristics of plasmatron were studied, In reformed gas, there are H2, CO2, C2H6, CH4, O2, N2, CO, etc.
Reduce pollution from diesel vehicles.