Abstract: The present invention provides a thermally stable catalyst for treating automobile exhaust by-products is provided. The catalyst of the invention comprises a first section that includes a precious metal present in a first concentration and a second section that includes a precious metal present in a second concentration. The catalyst of the invention is characterized by a unique precious metal concentration profile in which the first concentration of the precious metal is lower than the second concentration of the precious metal. When placed with an automobile exhaust system, the second section is positioned downstream of the first section. The present invention also provides a lean NOx trap utilizing the unique precious metal concentration profile. The NOx trap is found to possess improved NOx conversion performance relative to a NOx trap with the same total amount of precious metal deposited uniformly over the volume of the trap.

Abstract: A lean NOx trap composition. The lean NOx trap composition utilizes ruthenium in place of higher cost metals such as platinum. The lean NOx trap composition provides high NOx storage efficiency and high NOx conversion efficiency when incorporated in a lean NOx trap. A method of removing harmful gases using the lean NOx trap composition is also described.

Abstract: A lean NOx trap composition. The lean NOx trap composition utilizes ruthenium in place of higher cost metals such as platinum. The lean NOx trap composition provides high NOx storage efficiency and high NOx conversion efficiency when incorporated in a lean NOx trap. A method of removing harmful gases using the lean NOx trap composition is also described.

Abstract: Various systems and methods are disclosed for carrying out combustion in a fuel-cut operation in some or all of the engine cylinders of a vehicle. Further, various subsystems are considered, such as fuel vapor purging, air-fuel ratio control, engine torque control, catalyst design, and exhaust system design.

Abstract: A method of operating a vehicle system including an internal combustion engine is disclosed, the method comprises separating a second fuel from a first fuel, the second fuel having a greater concentration of at least one component than the first fuel; combusting at least the first fuel at least during a first engine load; and combusting at least the second fuel at least during a second engine load higher than the first engine load.

Abstract: In an apparatus comprising a fuel tank, an internal combustion engine, and a separator positioned fluidically between the fuel tank and the internal combustion engine, a method of operating the apparatus is disclosed, wherein the method comprises inputting a mixed fuel containing a hydrocarbon component and an oxygenated component into the separator, separating the fuel in the separator into a hydrocarbon-enriched fuel fraction and an oxygenated fuel component-enriched fuel fraction, and controlling an amount of the hydrocarbon-enriched fuel fraction and an amount of the oxygenated fuel component-enriched fuel fraction provided to the engine based upon an engine operating condition.

Abstract: In an apparatus having an internal combustion engine, a fuel tank, and an extractor disposed fluidically between the fuel tank and the engine, a method of operating the apparatus is disclosed, wherein the method comprises adding a volume of a mixed fuel into the extractor from the fuel tank, wherein the mixed fuel contains at least one substantially nonpolar fuel component and at least one polar fuel component, adding a volume of a polar solvent to the extractor, extracting at least a portion of the polar fuel from the mixed fuel into the polar solvent, thereby forming a first fuel mixture with an enriched concentration of the polar fuel and a second fuel mixture with an enriched concentration of the substantially nonpolar fuel, and providing the first fuel mixture and the second fuel mixture to the engine in a ratio selected based upon engine operating condition.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising an internal combustion engine, a fuel tank, a fuel separator disposed fluidically between the fuel tank and the engine, wherein the fuel separator comprises first and second passageways separated at least partially by a selective barrier that selectively transports a first fuel in a fuel mixture at a higher rate than a second fuel in the fuel mixture, and wherein the first passageway is configured to receive an input of fuel from the fuel tank, and an extraction fluid source in fluid communication with the second passageway of the fuel separator.

Abstract: In an apparatus having an internal combustion engine, a method of operating the engine is disclosed, comprising providing a mixed fuel from a fuel tank to a separator, separating at least a portion of the hydrocarbon fuel component from the mixed fuel by transporting a hydrocarbon fuel component through a material in the separator that selectively transports the hydrocarbon fuel component, thereby forming a first oxygenated fuel component-enriched fuel fraction and a second hydrocarbon-enriched fuel fraction, and providing fuel from the first fuel fraction and fuel from the second fuel fraction to the engine in a ratio based on an engine operating condition.

Abstract: The present invention provides a catalyst for use in a NOx trap that has reduced NOx release 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 NOx storage 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 NOx release from the NOx trap during rich purges to less than 20% of the NOx that is stored in the NOx trap across the operating temperature window of the NOx trap, increase the NOx conversion efficiency under stoichiometric conditions to a value greater than 70%, and increase the sulfur tolerance of the NOx trap.

Abstract: Various systems and methods are disclosed for carrying out combustion in a fuel-cut operation in some or all of the engine cylinders of a vehicle. Further, various subsystems are considered, such as fuel vapor purging, air-fuel ratio control, engine torque control, catalyst design, and exhaust system design.

Abstract: In an apparatus having an internal combustion engine, a catalytic device for treating emissions from the engine, an upstream oxygen sensor positioned upstream of the catalytic device, a downstream oxygen sensor positioned downstream of the catalytic device, and a controller configured to determine a NOx storage capacity of the catalytic device from a difference between a signal received from the upstream oxygen sensor and a signal received from the downstream oxygen sensor, a method of operating the engine is disclosed, the method including operating the engine at a rich air/fuel ratio for a first interval; adjusting a temperature of the catalytic device to a diagnostic temperature for measuring an oxygen uptake by the catalytic device; operating the engine at a lean air/fuel ratio for a second interval; and adjusting the temperature of the catalytic device to an operating temperature.

Abstract: In an apparatus having an internal combustion engine, a method of operating the engine including operating the engine at a first non-stoichiometric relative air/fuel ratio for a first duration; operating the engine at a second non-stoichiometric relative air/fuel ratio for a second duration, wherein the second relative air/fuel ratio is on an opposite side of a stoichiometric relative air/fuel ratio as the first relative air/fuel ratio, and wherein the second duration is of sufficient length to allow at least one of one of a substantial saturation of oxygen storage sites in the catalytic device and a substantial regeneration of oxygen storage sites in the catalytic device; and operating the engine at a third non-stoichiometric relative air/fuel ratio for a third duration, wherein the third relative air/fuel ratio is on a same side of the stoichiometric relative air/fuel ratio as the second relative air/fuel ratio and is further from the stoichiometric relative air/fuel ratio than the second relative air/fuel

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of removing harmful gases from an automobile exhaust. The method of the invention comprises contacting a thermally stable NOx trap composition with a first exhaust gas mixture at a temperature of at least 200° C. The first exhaust gas mixture includes exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine operating in a fuel-lean condition. After, NOx has been absorbed onto the NOx absorber material, the NOx trap composition is then contacted with a second exhaust gas composition. In this step, the second exhaust gas mixture includes exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine operating in a fuel-rich condition. The present invention also provides the NOx trap composition used in the method. The NOx trap of the invention includes a precious metal, a NOx absorber material, an oxide that inhibits the decrease in NOx storing ability of the NOx trap composition, and a support material.

Abstract: A method of desulfating a catalytic NOx storage and conversion device is disclosed, wherein the method includes determining an amount of sulfur stored in the catalytic NOx storage and conversion device; determining an interval for exposing the catalytic NOx storage and conversion device to a rich exhaust stream based upon the determined amount of sulfur stored, wherein the interval is longer for lower amounts of sulfur stored and shorter for higher amounts of sulfur stored; and exposing the catalytic NOx storage and conversion device to the rich exhaust stream for the determined interval.

Abstract: Various systems and methods are disclosed for carrying out combustion in a fuel-cut operation in some or all of the engine cylinders of a vehicle. Further, various subsystems are considered, such as fuel vapor purging, air-fuel ratio control, engine torque control, catalyst design, and exhaust system design.

Abstract: A mechanical apparatus including a combustion engine, a conduit for transporting an exhaust stream away from the engine, a first catalytic NOx storage and conversion region disposed along the conduit, and a second catalytic NOx storage and conversion region disposed along the conduit at a location downstream from the first catalytic NOx storage and conversion region is disclosed. Each of the first catalytic NOx storage and conversion region and the second catalytic NOx storage and conversion region includes at least one catalytic metal configured to convert NOx to NO2 when the engine is supplied a lean air/fuel mixture, and at least one NOx adsorbing compound configured to adsorb NO2 for storage when the engine is supplied a lean air/fuel mixture, and wherein the one of the first and the second catalytic NOx storage and conversion regions has a lower concentration of catalytic metal than the other of the first and second catalytic NOx storage and conversion regions.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thermally stable catalyst for treating automobile exhaust by-products is provided. The catalyst of the invention comprises a first section that includes a precious metal present in a first concentration and a second section that includes a precious metal present in a second concentration. The catalyst of the invention is characterized by a unique precious metal concentration profile in which the first concentration of the precious metal is lower than the second concentration of the precious metal. When placed with an automobile exhaust system, the second section is positioned downstream of the first section. The present invention also provides a lean NOx trap utilizing the unique precious metal concentration profile. The NOx trap is found to possess improved NO storage capacity upon thermal aging relative to a NOx trap with the same total amount of precious metal deposited uniformly over the volume of the trap.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for controlling a lean burn engine coupled to an emission control device that stores oxidants during lean operation, and reacts the stored oxidants during stoichiometric or rich operation, the method comprising estimating amounts of NOx stored in the device along a plurality of axial positions of the device and adjusting an operating parameter based on said estimate.

Abstract: A lean NOx trap composition. The lean NOx trap composition utilizes ruthenium in place of higher cost metals such as platinum. The lean NOx trap composition provides high NOx storage efficiency and high NOx conversion efficiency when incorporated in a lean NOx trap. A method of removing harmful gases using the lean NOx trap composition is also described.