Patents by Inventor Eric N. Balles

Eric N. Balles has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Reducing no emissions from an engine by on-demand generation of ammonia for selective catalytic reduction
    Patent number: 6361754
    Abstract: A safe, reliable SCR system for reducing NOx emissions from an internal combustion engine hydrolyzes urea or like reagent under sufficient pressure to assure generation of ammonia, without production of solids that could foul injectors or catalysts. The heat for hydrolysis can be provided by the exhaust or an auxiliary means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: Clean Diesel Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy D. Peter-Hoblyn, Eric N. Balles, John E. Hofmann
  • Urea pyrolysis chamber and process for reducing lean-burn engine NOx emissions by selective catalytic reduction
    Patent number: 6203770
    Abstract: Urea is pyrolyzed in a chamber designed to facilitate gasification of the urea by pyrolysis with conversion of urea to ammonia and isocyanic acid (HNCO) with water vapor and carbon dioxide. The product gases are introduced into exhaust gases from a lean-burn engine, preferably upstream of a turbocharger. The exhaust gases are then contacted with an SCR catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: Clean Diesel Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy D. Peter-Hoblyn, Eric N. Balles, Theodore J. Tarabulski, John E. Hofmann, James M. Valentine
  • Reducing NO.sub.x emissions from an engine by temperature-controlled urea injection for selective catalytic reduction
    Patent number: 5976475
    Abstract: A safe, reliable SCR system for reducing NO.sub.x emissions from a lean-burn internal combustion engine utilizes urea in aqueous solution. Overheating and hydrolysis of the solution are prevented by maintaining the temperature of the urea solution sufficiently low that it is not permitted sufficient time at elevated temperature to hydrolyze the urea to such an extent that solids precipitate. In a preferred embodiment, an injector system similar to those used for fuel injection provides a constant feed to injectors and a return line. The feed and injection can be controlled to provide sufficient urea for NO.sub.x reduction and sufficient cooling capacity for the feed and injection system to avoid hydrolysis and deposits of hydrolysis products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: Clean Diesel Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy D. Peter-Hoblyn, Eric N. Balles, John E. Hofmann, Theodore J. Tarabulski
  • Urea pyrolysis chamber and process for reducing lean-burn engine NO.sub.x emissions by selective catalytic reduction
    Patent number: 5968464
    Abstract: Urea is pyrolyzed in a chamber designed to facilitate gasification of the urea by pyrolysis with conversion of urea to ammonia and isocyanic acid (HNCO) with water vapor and carbon dioxide. The product gases are introduced into exhaust gases from a lean-burn engine, preferably upstream of a turbocharger. The exhaust gases are then contacted with an SCR catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Clean Diesel Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy D. Peter-Hoblyn, Eric N. Balles, Theodore J. Tarabulski, John E. Hofmann, James M. Valentine