Abstract: Disclosed is a catalytic unit that removes contaminates and particulates, including nitrogen oxides and soot, from diesel engine emissions without the use of chemical agents. The disclosed apparatus comprises a flow through device in fluid communication with a reduction unit, which is in fluid communication with a diesel particulate filter. The flow through device is coated with hematite and bixbyite in a ratio ranging from 1:1 to 9:1. The reduction unit is a catalytic substrate comprising one or more transition metals supported on a molecular sieve coated with an oxide catalyst. The diesel particulate filter has an oxide coating and a noble metal coating. The flow through device converts nitric oxide into nitrogen dioxide. The reduction unit converts most of the nitrogen dioxide into nitrogen, water, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. The diesel particulate filter traps remaining soot and coverts it and the carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for preparing a zeolite-based catalyst for application on a substrate. The method consists of the steps of: preparing a chemical composition comprising tin oxide, zirconium oxide, cerium oxide, and lanthanum oxide; combining the composition with a catalyst comprising a two-phase hydrocarbon NOx reduction catalyst comprising one or more transition metals supported on a molecular sieve with a coating of one or more stabilizing oxides; and applying the resulting catalyst material to a substrate. The ratio of the catalyst to chemical composition may vary from greater than 1 to 1 to less than 50 to 1. A washcoat may be prepared using the chemical composition, which washcoat is then combined with the catalyst. The washcoat may be combined with the zeolite catalyst using high power density mixing. The resulting catalyst material will then be applied to the substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing soot from diesel engine exhaust streams at temperatures below 150° C. is provided. Although the use of particulate filters for removing carbonaceous soot from such exhaust streams is known, such systems are either active or operate under high temperatures, i.e. in excess of 300° C. The claimed apparatus includes a flow through support device composed of ceramic, such as cordierite or silicon carbide, or a primarily nonferrous metal or stainless steel and coated with an oxide formation comprising hematite and bixbyite in a ratio from 1:1 to 9:1. The claimed apparatus can also include a diesel particulate filter coated with a coating comprising tin, aluminum and zirconium oxides prepared by a co-precipitation process and thereafter coated with platinum or other precious metal.

Abstract: In setting tighter emissions standards for nitrogen oxides, legislative bodies limit the amount of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) permitted in exhaust. The disclosed catalysts can be coated on a support device in a diesel engine exhaust system to increase the reduction of NO2 to nitric oxide (NO). The disclosed coating comprises titanium dioxide, preferably in the form of rutile, comprising approximately 94% titanium dioxide and also comprising zirconium dioxide, silicon dioxide, iron(III) oxide, chromium oxide, vanadium oxide and aluminum oxide. In certain embodiments, a second coating comprised of palladium may be placed over the first coating of titanium dioxide or rutile.

Abstract: The disclosed invention relates to the optimization of catalytic reactions in diesel engines. A powder-coated nickel or other metallic foam is used as both the substrate and a resistor in a catalytic converter. The disclosed method uses a closed-loop system to heat the metallic foam with electric current to heat the diesel exhaust and thereby optimize the temperature at which the catalytic reaction occurs. The disclosed apparatus comprises a metallic foam substrate with a catalytic coating. The substrate is heated with electrical current to optimize the catalytic reaction. A variety of washcoats and/or catalysts may be used to coat the metallic foam substrate and the optimal temperature will depend on the catalyst used.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing soot from diesel engine exhaust streams at temperatures below 150° C. is provided. Although the use of particulate filters for removing carbonaceous soot from such exhaust streams is known, such systems are either active or operate under high temperatures, i.e. in excess of 300° C. The claimed apparatus includes a flow through support device composed of ceramic, such as cordierite or silicon carbide, or a primarily nonferrous metal or stainless steel and coated with an oxide formation comprising hematite and bixbyite in a ratio from 1:1 to 9:1. The claimed apparatus can also include a diesel particulate filter coated with a coating comprising tin, aluminum and zirconium oxides prepared by a co-precipitation process and thereafter coated with platinum or other precious metal.

Abstract: A tin-oxide based three-way catalytic material employing precious metals that is stable at exhaust gas temperatures of internal combustion engines when the tin oxide lattice includes any of several rare earth oxide stabilizers in the lanthanide series. The rare-earth elements are the 15 lanthanide elements with atomic numbers 57 through 71 that are in Group IIIA of the Periodic Table: lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, and lutetium. Such tin-oxide based catalytic materials may also beneficially include zirconium oxide and/or yttrium oxide. The invention is useful in providing three-way catalytic exhaust converters for internal combustion engines.