Abstract: Oxidation catalyst compositions include a catalytic material having a BET surface area of at least about 10 m2/g and consisting essentially of a combination of bulk ceria and a bulk second metal oxide which may be one or more of titania, zirconia, ceria-zirconia, silica, alumina-silica and &agr;-alumina. The combination may optionally also include activated alumina having a BET surface area of at least about 10 m2/g. The ceria, second metal oxide and optional activated alumina may be mixed together or provided as discrete layers. Optionally, one of platinum or palladium metal may be dispersed on the catalytic material provided that the platinum, when used, is used in limited amounts to preclude excessive oxidation of SO2 to SO3. The catalyst compositions may be used for oxidation of oxidizeable components in a gas-borne stream, e.g., in a method to treat diesel engine exhaust by contacting the hot exhaust with the catalyst composition to promote the oxidation of the volatile organic fraction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a zirconium, rare earth containing composition comprising zirconium, cerium, neodymium and praseodymium components and the use of this composition in a catalyst composition useful for the treatment of gases to reduce contaminants contained therein and method process to make the catalyst composition. The catalyst has the capability of substantially simultaneously catalyzing the oxidation of hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide and the reduction of nitrogen oxides.

Abstract: A pre-vaporized fuel system for use in fueling an internal combustion engine is provided with a dynamic infrared sensor. The infrared sensor senses the hydrocarbon content of the vaporized fuel which information is used by the engine control module to control engine fueling to minimize emissions. The infrared source is operated to maintain the pre-vaporized fuel below its lower explosive limit and the thermopile detector electronics is synchronized with the light pulse frequency to develop fast signal responses suitable for fueling control.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for treating the atmosphere to lower the concentration of pollutants therein in which ambient air is passed into operative contact with a stationary substrate having at least one ambient air contacting surface having a pollutant treating material thereon.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for treating the atmosphere to lower the concentration of pollutants therein in which ambient air is passed into operative contact with a stationary substrate such as an automobile at rest, a billboard, an air conditioning unit, a transportation tunnel and the like, the stationary substrate having at least one ambient air contacting surface having a pollutant treating composition thereon.

Abstract: A highly reactive reducing gas mixture is produced from vehicle fuel and introduced into the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine operated at lean burn conditions and passed over a reducing catalyst to convert NOX emissions to benign emissions. Preferably, fuel with oxygen present in a carrier gas is metered into a plasma reactor having a bed of dielectric particles which prevent formation of coke as the fuel is reacted. The plasma induces a number of simultaneous reactions with the fuel to produce a substantial amount of oxygenated and non-oxygenated, unbranched organic molecules at relatively low temperatures that are highly reactive and ideally suited for use as a reducing agent in an SCR catalyst.

Abstract: A method and apparatus in accordance with the invention is described which comprises treating an engine exhaust gas stream containing hydrocarbons and other pollutants. The method of this invention comprises the steps of flowing the exhaust gas stream through a catalytic member comprising a monolith body having a first catalyst zone and a second catalyst zone therein to contact a catalyst in a first catalyst zone to convert at least some of the pollutants in the exhaust gas stream into innocuous products. The exhaust gas stream is then discharged from the catalytic member and flowed through an adsorbent zone to adsorb at least some of the hydrocarbon pollutants with an adsorbent composition. The exhaust gas stream is then discharged from the adsorbent zone and flowed to the second catalyst zone to convert at least some of the pollutants into innocuous products. The exhaust gas stream, so treated, is then discharged to the atmosphere through suitable discharge means.

Abstract: A catalytic composition and method of making the same in which a catalytic material has an average pore size distribution sufficiently large to substantially prevent capillary condensation.

Abstract: Oxidation catalyst compositions include a catalytic material having a BET surface area of at least about 10 m.sup.2 /g and consists of a combination of bulk ceria and a bulk second metal oxide which may be one or more of titania, zirconia, ceria-zirconia, silica, alumina-silica and .alpha.-alumina. The combination may optionally also include activated alumina having a BET surface area of at least about 10 m.sup.2 /g. The ceria, second metal oxide and optional activated alumina may be mixed together or provided as discrete layers. Optionally, one of platinum or palladium metal may be dispersed on the catalytic material provided that the platinum, when used, is used in limited amounts to preclude excessive oxidation of SO.sub.2 to SO.sub.3. The catalyst compositions may be used for oxidation of oxidizeable components in a gas-borne stream, e.g., in a method to treat diesel engine exhaust by contacting the hot exhaust with the catalyst composition to promote the oxidation of the volatile organic fraction.

Abstract: A system for interfacing with the ECU of an automotive vehicle for optimizing engine control to meet emission requirements or engineering targets for catalytic converter systems includes a secondary controller and an emission analyzer. The secondary controller monitors sensor input to the ECU and actuator output from the ECU so as to mimic an ECU actuator control function by generation of an operating parameter control map(s) functionally identical to that used by the ECU. The emission analyzer receives vehicle sensor input and additional emission data from a bench gas analyzer to similarly produce not only the parameter control map but also emission maps correlated to the operating parameter control map which are systemically changed to optimize emission conversion by the vehicle's catalytic converter system and modify the operating parameter control map.

Abstract: A method for reducing gaseous nitrogen oxides present in a gas stream by reaction with a reductant species is practiced by flowing the gas stream under lean NO.sub.X -reducing conditions in contact with a catalytic material containing a catalytically effective amount of a catalytic species, e.g., a platinum group metal, and a reductant storage material, e.g., a zeolite, effective for storing reductant species for reaction with NO.sub.X, and providing an intermittent supply of the reductant to the gas stream. The catalytic material may be prepared in any manner, but one method is to incorporate a catalytically effective amount of the platinum into a template-bearing molecular sieve material, preferably ZSM-5, to hinder the platinum from being incorporated into the pores of the molecular sieve material, and then calcining the molecular sieve material, whereby the template is removed from the molecular sieve material after the platinum is incorporated therein.

Abstract: An external reductant for an SCR vehicular NO.sub.x emission control system is selectively injected to SCR catalysts which are only at catalytically active temperatures thereby avoiding reductant absorption in catalytically unactive catalysts and improving conversion response time.

Abstract: A novel catalytic material is prepared by dispersing a catalytically active species, e.g., one or more platinum group metals, on a support phase that contains a high porosity, meso-pores high surface area (HPMPHSA) material. The HPMPHSA material has a porosity, measured in milliliters per gram of material, that is typically at least about 30 percent greater than that of a corresponding conventional material, preferably at least 50 percent greater. In a particular embodiment, the support phase of the catalytic material contains a HPMPHSA alumina having a porosity of about 0.9 ml/g, whereas a conventional alumina typically has a porosity of about 0.45 ml/g. The surface area is above 90, preferably above 100, more preferably equal or above 150 to 160 m.sup.2 /g. The support phase may be wholly composed of the HPMPHSA material or it may be composed of a mixture of the HPMPHSA material and a conventional material. Such a mixture preferably contains at least about 20 percent HPMPHSA material, by weight, e.g.

Abstract: A catalyst composition and structure containing the same and methods for treating diesel exhaust including a catalyst comprising a precious metal on a support, a first zeolite component in the presence of a precious metal and a second zeolite component comprising a zeolite and a precious metal, and a non-catalytic pore-containing zeolite.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an exhaust gas treatment catalytic article having an upstream catalytic zone and at least one downstream catalytic zone. The upstream catalytic zone has an upstream composition which has a first upstream support, and at least one first upstream palladium component. The upstream zone can have one or more layers. The downstream catalytic zone has a first downstream layer which has a first downstream support and a first downstream precious metal component. A second downstream layer has a second downstream support and a second downstream precious metal component.

Abstract: A catalyzed hydrocarbon trap material washcoat (20) used in a trap (10), which may be placed downstream of a conventional catalyst member (28), is useful for treating internal combustion engine (22) exhaust. Trap (10) traps hydrocarbons during cold operation periods and releases them for oxidation during higher-temperature operating periods. The material comprises palladium and silver dispersed on a high surface area metal oxide support and a zeolite material such as one or more of ZSM-5, Beta, Y, and other suitable zeolites. The trap material is efficiently made by combining in a single vessel the zeolite, the metal oxide support, and aqueous solutions of a palladium compound and a silver compound. Surprisingly, the intimate combination of silver with the palladium does not adversely affect catalytic efficiency of the palladium and provides advantageous results in enhancing catalytic oxidation of hydrocarbons desorbed from the trap (10) and coke which forms thereon.

Abstract: A stable, close-coupled catalyst, an article comprising the close-coupled catalyst and a related method of operation. The close-coupled catalyst comprises a catalyst support and a palladium catalytic component. Preferably and optionally, there are stabilizers including alkaline metal oxide, and rare earth metal components selected from the neodymium and lanthanum components. The close-coupled catalyst composition includes substantially no additional oxygen storage component such as praseodymium or cerium compounds. There is preferably a catalyst such as a three-way catalyst downstream of the close-coupled catalyst. The downstream catalyst preferably includes an oxygen storage component such as cerium oxide or praseodymium oxide.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for the catalytic oxidation treatment of waste gas streams that contain entrained solids and gaseous air pollutants such as volatile organic compounds and carbon monoxide, and particularly methods and apparatus suitable for treating waste gas streams from wood burning processes. The method includes a step of washing the gas stream with water prior to the 5catalytic oxidation treatment.

Abstract: A method and apparatus that converts time-resolved sensor signals into frequency domain signals using Fast Fourier Transforms and power spectral densities. A signal, as a means to assess catalyst performance such as a signal based on sensing oxygen concentration in motor vehicle exhaust in accordance with the present invention is in the time domain and has multiple components at different frequencies. The use of Fast Fourier Transforms isolates the various spectral density which arise from different frequency components of the complex time domain signal. The analysis has been found to be substantially independent of operating conditions. The power spectral density has found to be a precise indication of oxygen storage and release of the catalyst and catalyst performance. The catalyst performance can be signaled to the vehicle operator for on board diagnostics (OBD) of the catalyst.

Abstract: A method and engine control strategy is described that enables improved catalyst performance after having been exposed to severe operating environments. More specifically, rhodium-containing catalysts are reactivated by being subjected to fuel-rich spikes after being exposed to high temperature, excess oxygen conditions which typically arise during programmed fuel-cut engine control strategies. Thus the present invention represents a departure from current control strategies by providing fuel-rich spikes during engine control modes when conventional practice is not to provide rich-fuel spikes.