Apparatus with in situ fuel reformer and associated method

Abstract

An apparatus comprises parallel and coaxial first and second exhaust gas passageways, a fuel reformer positioned in the first exhaust gas passageway to generate partial combustion product (e.g., H<SUB>2 </SUB>and/or CO), and a component such as an emission abatement device or an internal combustion engine positioned to receive the partial combustion product from the first exhaust gas passageway and exhaust gas from the second exhaust gas passageway. An associated method is disclosed.

1 . A method, comprising the steps of: 
 dividing a stream of exhaust gas to flow into parallel and coaxial first and second exhaust gas passageways upstream from a component,    introducing fuel into the first exhaust gas passageway,    partially combusting the fuel introduced into the first exhaust gas passageway with oxygen from the exhaust gas present in the first exhaust gas passageway so as to generate partial combustion product, and    advancing the partial combustion product to the component.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dividing step comprises advancing a first exhaust gas stream in the first exhaust gas passageway and a second exhaust gas stream in the second exhaust gas passageway such that the first exhaust gas stream either surrounds the second exhaust gas stream or is surrounded by the second exhaust gas stream.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dividing step comprises operating an exhaust gas valve to direct a portion of the exhaust gas stream into the first exhaust gas passageway and a portion of the exhaust gas stream into the second exhaust gas passageway.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the combusting step comprises operating a fuel reformer positioned in the first exhaust gas passageway.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein: 
 the fuel reformer is a catalyst, and    the operating step comprises partially combusting the fuel into hydrogen (H 2 ) and carbon monoxide (CO) with the catalyst.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the operating step comprises the fuel reformer generating at least one of hydrogen (H 2 ) and carbon monoxide (CO) by use of the oxygen and heat content of the exhaust gas present in the first exhaust gas passageway without the assistance of additional oxygen from a supplemental oxygen source and without the assistance of heat from an ignition source.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising varying introduction of at least one of fuel and exhaust gas into the first exhaust gas passageway so as to control the air-to-fuel ratio of the flow supplied to the fuel reformer.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the component comprises at least one of an emission abatement device and an internal combustion engine, and    the advancing step comprises advancing the partial combustion product from the first exhaust gas passageway to at least one of the emission abatement devices and the internal combustion engine.    
     
     
         9 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 parallel and coaxial first and second exhaust gas passageways,    a fuel reformer positioned in the first exhaust gas passageway and configured to partially combust fuel supplied to the first exhaust gas passageway with oxygen from exhaust gas present in the first exhaust gas passageway to generate partial combustion product, and    a component fluidly coupled to the first and second exhaust gas passageways to receive the partial combustion product from the first exhaust gas passageway and exhaust gas from the second exhaust gas passageway.    
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the first exhaust gas passageway surrounds the second exhaust gas passageway.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein: 
 the first exhaust gas passageway is annular, and    the fuel reformer is an annular catalyst positioned in the annular first exhaust gas passageway so as to surround the second exhaust gas passageway.    
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the second exhaust gas passageway surrounds the first exhaust gas passageway.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the first exhaust gas passageway or the second exhaust gas passageway is annular.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the fuel reformer is a catalyst configured to partially combust the fuel into at least one of hydrogen (H 2 ) and carbon monoxide (CO).  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising a fuel supplier that is fluidly coupled to the first exhaust gas passageway, but not fluidly coupled to the second exhaust gas passageway, to supply fuel to the fuel reformer.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising (i) an exhaust gas valve positioned to direct exhaust gas between the first and second exhaust gas passageways and (ii) a controller coupled to the fuel supplier and the valve to control operation thereof.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the component is a NOx trap.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the component is a particulate abatement device.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the component is a selective catalytic reduction device.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the component is an internal combustion engine.