Abstract: A process of catalytic partial oxidation of a hydrocarbon fuel with an oxidant to produce partially-oxidized reaction products including hydrogen, with simultaneous in-situ coke removal. The process involves feeding a hydrocarbon fuel and an oxidant to a reactor in a fuel-rich feed ratio; reacting the fuel and oxidant for a fuel-rich cycle-time so as to produce a partially-oxidized reaction product; varying the fuel feed, or the oxidant feed, or both feeds to produce a fuel-lean feed to the reactor; maintaining the fuel-lean feed for a fuel-lean cycle-time sufficient to reduce coke deposits while maintaining a substantially constant yield of partially-oxidized reaction product; and alternating between the fuel-rich and fuel-lean operating cycles.

Abstract: An exhaust purification device for an internal combustion engine is provided that can promote the reduction of NOx in a NOx purification catalyst from immediately after startup of the internal combustion engine.

Abstract: Provided is a fuel reforming device, which can produce and supply a reformed gas in quick response to a demand for the reformed gas and which is so inexpensive as can be suitably mounted on a vehicle. The fuel reforming device feeds a material to a reforming catalyst and produces the reformed gas under a pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure. The fuel reforming device comprises a material supply means for supplying the material to the reforming catalyst, a reforming means having the reforming catalyst, for reforming the material supplied from the material supply means, to produce the reformed gas, and a run control means for controlling the run of the fuel reforming device.

Abstract: An apparatus for fuel reforming is provided that utilizes pulsed injectors for a fuel flow controller and an air flow controller, and the injectors are integrated with an atomizing mixer thereby producing a fuel-air mixture having an O/C Ratio which, in turn, is passed to a Catalytic Partial Oxidation reactor. Use of this apparatus permits beneficial long term operation of this Catalytic Partial Oxidation reactor.

Abstract: An exhaust cleaning method and exhaust cleaning apparatus for an internal combustion engine (1) in which a fuel is fed and burned under periodical rich/lean combustion conditions. In a fuel reformer (18) disposed independently of an exhaust channel (11) in the engine (1), the fuel for the internal combustion engine (1) is reformed to produce a reformed gas containing carbon monoxide. The reformed gas is supplied to the exhaust to be introduced into an exhaust converter (17) having, disposed therein, a catalyst which adsorbs and reduces nitrogen oxides. The nitrogen oxides contained in the exhaust gas are adsorbed and reduced. Thus, the nitrogen oxides contained in the exhaust are removed at a high efficiency.

Abstract: A process of catalytic partial oxidation of a hydrocarbon fuel, such as diesel, with an oxidant, such as air, to produce a partially-oxidized reaction product, such as a hydrogen-containing fuel gas, with simultaneous in-situ coke removal. The process involves feeding a hydrocarbon fuel and an oxidant to a reactor in a fuel-rich feed ratio; reacting the fuel and oxidant for a fuel-rich cycle-time so as to produce a partially-oxidized reaction product; varying the fuel feed, or the oxidant feed, or both feeds to produce a fuel-lean feed to the reactor; maintaining the fuel-lean feed for a fuel-lean cycle-time sufficient to reduce coke deposits while maintaining a substantially constant yield of partially-oxidized reaction product; and alternating between the fuel-rich and fuel-lean operating cycles.

Abstract: Provided is an exhaust gas cleaner by which nitrogen oxides contained in an exhaust gas can be efficiently removed in a wide temperature range from a low temperature. The exhaust gas cleaner (10) is for use in purifying the exhaust gas discharged from an internal combustion engine (15) in which fuel is fed under periodical rich or lean conditions and burned. The cleaner (10) comprises: a reforming means (11) which generates a reforming gas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide; a means of low-temperature oxidation (12) which contains palladium and which thereby can oxidize and adsorb nitrogen oxides at low temperatures and oxidize the hydrogen and carbon monoxide; and a purifying means (13) which under lean conditions adsorbs nitrogen oxides and which under rich conditions releases the adsorbed nitrogen oxides and removes the released nitrogen oxides with the hydrogen and carbon monoxide present in the channel.

Abstract: An apparatus for fuel reforming is provided that utilizes pulsed injectors for a fuel flow controller and an air flow controller, and the injectors are integrated with an atomizing mixer thereby producing a fuel-air mixture having an O/C Ratio which, in turn, is passed to a Catalytic Partial Oxidation reactor. Use of this apparatus permits beneficial long term operation of this Catalytic Partial Oxidation reactor.

Abstract: Disclosed is a control apparatus for a fuel reformer, which enables control with consideration of the nonlinearity of the thermal model of a reforming catalyst.

Abstract: Provided is a fuel reforming device, which can produce and supply a reformed gas in quick response to a demand for the reformed gas and which is so inexpensive as can be suitably mounted on a vehicle. The fuel reforming device feeds a material to a reforming catalyst and produces the reformed gas under a pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure. The fuel reforming device comprises a material supply means for supplying the material to the reforming catalyst, a reforming means having the reforming catalyst, for reforming the material supplied from the material supply means, to produce the reformed gas, and a run control means for controlling the run of the fuel reforming device.

Abstract: Provided is an exhaust gas cleaner by which nitrogen oxides contained in an exhaust gas can be efficiently removed in a wide temperature range from a low temperature. The exhaust gas cleaner (10) is for use in purifying the exhaust gas discharged from an internal combustion engine (15) in which fuel is fed under periodical rich or lean conditions and burned. The cleaner (10) comprises: a reforming means (11) which generates a reforming gas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide; a means of low-temperature oxidation (12) which contains palladium and which thereby can oxidize and adsorb nitrogen oxides at low temperatures and oxidize the hydrogen and carbon monoxide; and a purifying means (13) which under lean conditions adsorbs nitrogen oxides and which under rich conditions releases the adsorbed nitrogen oxides and removes the released nitrogen oxides with the hydrogen and carbon monoxide present in the channel.

Abstract: Provided is an exhaust emission control device for an internal combustion engine capable of high-efficiency DPF regeneration processing. The exhaust emission control device comprises a DPF for collecting PMs in exhaust emissions, which is provided in an exhaust pipe of an engine, a fuel reformer for reforming fuel to manufacture a reducing gas containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide and supplying the reducing gas from an introduction port provided on the upstream side of the DPF of the exhaust pipe into the exhaust pipe, which is provided separately from the exhaust pipe, a catalyst converter for continuously oxidizing the reducing gas, which is provided between the introduction port and the DPF of the exhaust pipe, and a regeneration means for performing regeneration processing for burning the PMs collected by the DPF while the reducing gas is supplied into the exhaust pipe by the fuel reformer.

Abstract: An exhaust purification device for an internal combustion engine is provided that can promote the reduction of NOx in a NOx purification catalyst from immediately after startup of the internal combustion engine.

Abstract: An exhaust cleaning method and exhaust cleaning apparatus for an internal combustion engine (1) in which a fuel is fed and burned under periodical rich/lean combustion conditions. In a fuel reformer (18) disposed independently of an exhaust channel (11) in the engine (1), the fuel for the internal combustion engine (1) is reformed to produce a reformed gas containing carbon monoxide. The reformed gas is supplied to the exhaust to be introduced into an exhaust converter (17) having, disposed therein, a catalyst which adsorbs and reduces nitrogen oxides. The nitrogen oxides contained in the exhaust gas are adsorbed and reduced. Thus, the nitrogen oxides contained in the exhaust are removed at a high efficiency.

Abstract: A fuel reformer includes a reforming portion having a tubular catalytic converter that is composed of a substrate supporting the catalytic component, and is arranged to have a center axis extending along the supply direction of the fuel and oxidizer derived from a supply portion, and a communication passage arranged along an inner wall of the catalytic converter and communicating with the supply portion. The fuel and oxidizer supplied from the supply portion to the communication passage pass from the inner wall of the catalytic converter to an outer wall thereof by forced convection, thereby reforming the fuel.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine HC-adsorbent is located in one of a pair of exhaust passages in parallel to each other downstream of an emission control catalyst for purifying an exhaust gas and through which exhaust gas flows selectively by a switchover valve. The adsorbent is a zeolite mixture having pores at least 3.5 ? and smaller than 6 ? and not equal or larger than 6 ? and smaller than 7 ?, and zeolite having pores at least 7 ? and smaller than 10 ? and not equal or larger than 6 ? and smaller than 7 ?. HCs are desorbed quickly and easily lowering the desorption temperature, while ensuring excellent adsorbing performance for HCs of different molecular diameters. Even when a vehicle travels only a short duration after engine starting, desorption advances quickly and reliably, the adsorbent exhibiting intended adsorbing performance at the next engine starting.

Abstract: An HC-adsorbent for an internal combustion engine is mounted in one of a pair of exhaust passages which are provided in parallel to each other in an exhaust pipe downstream of an exhaust emission control catalyst for purifying an exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine and through which an exhaust gas is permitted to flow selectively by a switchover valve. The adsorbent is formed of a mixture of a zeolite having pores of a small diameter equal to or larger than 3.5 Å and smaller than 6 Å and no pore of a small diameter equal to or larger than 6 Å and smaller than 7 Å, and a zeolite having pores of a small diameter equal to or larger than 7 Å and smaller than 10 Å and no pore of a small diameter equal to or larger than 6 Å and smaller than 7 Å. Thus, adsorbed HCs can be desorbed quickly and easily to lower the desorption temperature to the utmost, while ensuring an excellent adsorbing performance for various HCs of different molecular diameters.