Controlled regeneration system

Abstract

A system for controlled regeneration of a lean NO x trap for an internal combustion engine. The system may include regenerating one trap or a portion of a lean NO x trap while using another trap or portion of the lean NO x trap for an exhaust, and then interchanging operations. The portions may be individual structures or of one structure. The trap may be a rotating element that is regenerated in part at a time. There may be valves that direct the exhaust gas through one trap and regeneration gas through another trap and vice versa. Also, an exhaust system with regeneration may include temperature, pressure, NO x and differential pressure sensors. A processor may be connected to the sensors. There may be emission sampling lines connected to different parts of the system and to a collector to take, store, detect and analyze samples. A processor may be connected to the collector.

1 . A regenerative system comprising: 
 a catalytic converter having an input and an output;    a first valve connected to the output of the catalytic converter;    a first trap having an input connected to a first output of the first valve; and    a second trap having an input connected to a second output of the first valve;    a second valve having an input connected to an output of the first trap; and    a third valve having an input connected to an output of the second trap.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a multiple way catalytic converter having a first input connected to an output of the second valve and connected to an output of the third valve.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second traps are first and second NO x  traps, respectively.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising: 
 a burner having an output;    a fourth valve having an input connected to the output of the burner, having a first output connected to the input of the first NO x  trap, and having a second output connected to the input of the second NO x  trap.    
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein each of the first, second, third and fourth valves has an actuator.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 5 , further comprising a processor connected to the actuators of the first, second, third and fourth valves.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein: 
 each of the first, second, third and fourth valves has at least a first position and a second position;    the first position provides for a flow of exhaust gas from the catalytic converter to the first NO x  trap, and a flow of a regenerative gas to the second NO x  trap; and    the second position provides for a flow of exhaust gas from the catalytic converter to the second NO x  trap, and a flow of a regenerative gas to the first NO x  trap.    
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the first and second NO x  traps are lean NO x  traps.  
   
   
       9 . An instrumentation-equipped exhaust system comprising: 
 a pre-catalyst device having an output;    a dual trap having an input connected to the output of the pre-catalyst device, and having outputs;    a filter having an input connected to the outputs of the dual trap.    
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein: 
 the pre-catalyst device is an oxidation catalyst device;    the dual trap comprises NO x  adsorber catalyst devices; and    the filter is a catalytic particulate filter.    
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein: 
 the pre-catalyst is for altering a temperature of an exhaust gas;    the dual trap is for adsorbing NO x ; and    the filter is for trapping particulates from the exhaust gas.    
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein while one trap of the dual trap is trapping NO x , another trap of the dual trap is being regenerated.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 a first temperature sensor situated at an input of the pre-catalyst; and    a second temperature sensor situated at the output of the pre-catalyst.    
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 13 , further comprising a processor connected to the first and second temperature sensors.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising a third and fourth temperature sensors situated between the outputs of the dual trap and the input of the filter.  
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising a fifth temperature sensor situated at an output of the filter.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 a first pressure sensor at the input of the pre-catalyst device; and    a second pressure sensor between the output of the pre-catalyst device and the input of the dual trap.    
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 third and fourth pressure sensors between the outputs of the dual trap and the input of the filter; and    a fifth pressure sensor at the output of the filter.    
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising differential pressure sensors situated at the input and the output of the filter.  
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 a first NO x  sensor situated at the output of the pre-catalyst device; and    a second and third NO x  sensors situated at the outputs, respectively, of the dual trap.    
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 a collector;    a first sampling line connected to the collector and between the output of the pre-catalyst device and the input of the dual trap; and    a second sampling line connected to the collector and the input of the filter.    
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising a third sampling line connected to the collector and the output of the filter.  
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 22 , further comprising a fourth sampling line connected to the collector and the input of the pre-catalyst device.  
   
   
       24 . An emissions trap assembly comprising: 
 a rotatable emissions trap having a first end and a second end;    a first section attached to the first end of the rotatable emissions trap; and    a second section attached to the second end of the rotatable emissions trap.    
   
   
       25 . The assembly of  claim 24 , wherein: 
 a first portion of the first section is a catalyst device;    a second portion of the first section is a burner;    a first portion of the second section is an emissions trap; and    a second portion of the second section is a multiple way catalyst.    
   
   
       26 . The assembly of  claim 25 , wherein: 
 an exhaust gas may flow through the first portion of the first section, at least a portion of the rotatable emissions trap and the first portion of the second section; and    a regenerative gas may flow from the second portion of the first section, through at least a portion of the rotatable emissions trap and through the second portion of the second section.